According to Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albarez, Iran has released Anna Panera, a Spaniard who has been imprisoned since the end of 2022.
“I was able to talk to her… she’s fine,” he added, explaining that Panera will travel from Tehran to his hometown of La Galiche (northwest Spain) via Dubai and Geneva.
In November, Spanish diplomatic sources reported the arrest of a Spanish citizen without providing further details.
For its part, the Information Agency for Human Rights Defenders (Grana) confirmed that this is a 24-year-old woman who was arrested “a few days ago”, referring to Panera.
The circumstances of her arrest have not been officially released, but she is in detention as Iran clashed with a protest movement following the death of a young woman, Hesa Amini, on September 16. A young woman died three days after being arrested in Tehran by the vice police for not following strict dress codes.
Since October, Iran has held another Spaniard, Santiago Sánchez Cogedor.
Football fan Santiago Sanchez was arrested shortly after he entered Iran on his way to Qatar for the World Cup final.
“Today is a happy day, but happiness will be complete when Santiago is also released,” said the Spanish foreign minister.
