TWO Iranian journalists who were serving long prison sentences over their coverage of the death of Mahsa Amini have been released on bail pending an appeal, Iranian media has reported.

Niloufar Hamedia, who broke the news of Amini’s death in the custody of Iran’s morality police following her arrest for wearing her headscarf too loosely, and Elaheh Mohammadi, who wrote about Amini’s funeral, were sentenced in October to seven and six years in prison respectively on charges that included collaborating with the US government. The two women were detained in September 2022.

The ISNA news agency reported on Sunday that they had each been released on bail of $200,000 (around £157,000) and they were banned from leaving the country until the appeal has been heard.

The Tehran Revolutionary Court had charged the journalists with collaborating with the US administration, colluding against national security and making propaganda against the system, according to the Mizan Online news agency, which is affiliated with the Iran’s judiciary.

Ms Hamedi worked for reformist newspaper Shargh, while Ms Mohammadi worked for Ham-Mihan, also a reformist paper. 

Amini’s death touched off months of demonstrations in dozens of cities across Iran. 

Since the unrest began, at least 529 people have been killed by security forces during demonstrations, according to human rights activists in Iran.