Iranian journalists Ahmad Zeidabadi and Masoud Bastani have been given a furlough from Evin Prison and were temporarily released on Tuesday night.
Iranian authorities have given furloughs to a number of political prisoners in recent days, including Nasrin Sotoudeh, Bahareh Hedayat, Mahsa Amrabadi (the wife of Masoud Bastani) and Bahman Ahmadi Amouyi.
Nasrin Sotoudeh was summoned back three days after her release, despite the assurances that authorities gave to her family that she would be allowed a longer stay at home.
Ahmad Zeidabadi was arrested in June of 2009 and held in solitary for 141 days following the mass protests that followed the presidential elections in 2009.
Zeidabadi has denied the charge of threatening national security but was sentenced to six years in jail and a lifetime ban from political activity.
Zeidabadi is the winner of several journalism awards including the Golden Pen of Freedom award in 2010.
Masoud Bastani was arrested in July of 2009 and is also serving a six-year jail sentence. His wife, Mahsa Amrabadi, was also arrested during the election protests.
This is the first time the journalist couple have been given furloughs at the same time.
Scores of journalists were arrested following the 2009 protests and accused of propaganda against the regime and threatening national security.
