Defending Press Freedom | Iran frees Russian journalist held for nearly two weeks

MOSCOW (AP):

Russia says that Iran has released a Russian journalist who had been ­detained for nearly two weeks over a visa violation.

The Russian Embassy in Tehran tweeted that Yulia Yuzik was freed and left Iran yesterday morning on an Aeroflot flight and that she will arrive in Moscow.

Yuzik arrived in Tehran on September 29 and was detained October 2 in her hotel room.

Last week, Iranian authorities said the case concerned a visa violation and wasn’t related to counter-espionage.

Yuzik, who has worked for several prominent Russian publications and has reported from Iran, had earlier posted photographs from her trip on Instagram, saying she loved being in the country.