Iranian Authorities Release Award-Winning Author

(RFE/RL) April 24, 2007 --  Yaghub Yadali, an Iranian writer awarded with a prestigious literary prize, has been released in Iran after spending some 40 days in detention.

Yadali reportedly has been charged with spreading lies in connection with two of his books that were published several years ago with the approval of Iran's Culture Ministry.

The date of Yadali's trial has not been announced. His release comes a few days after his wife and an Iran-based human rights group expressed concern about his fate.

(with material from agency reports)