IRANIAN authorities have freed 140 people detained in street protests over last month’s disputed election and the supreme leader ordered a jail closed amid opposition claims of prisoner abuse.

Iran’s hard-line judiciary today abruptly concluded the trial of a secret agent charged with murdering an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist, prompting lawyers for the victim’s mother to describe the proceedings as “unacceptable”.

Iran today barred Canadian and European diplomats, as well as journalists representing foreign media, from the trial of a secret agent charged with murdering an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist.

An Iranian intelligence agent has been charged with the murder of a journalist who had duel Canadian-Iranian nationality.