Iran actress spared lashes, freed

An Iranian actress sentenced to be whipped for her role in an Australian-produced film has been spared the lashes and been freed after having her term reduced on appeal, a source close to her family confirmed to AFP yesterday.
Marzieh Vafamehr had her original punishment of a year in prison and 90 lashes cut to the three months detention already served and a 1,000-dollar fine instead of the whipping, the source said on condition of anonymity.
The source confirmed information given by Amnesty International in London that Vafamehr was freed this week.