Iran frees 140 after election protests

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.

A lawmaker with parliament’s judicial committee also disclosed that about 30 people had been killed in the unrest that erupted after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s re-election, up from previous official figures of 20.

But in a blow to the opposition, the authorities refused to issue a permit for a planned mourning ceremony for those killed during the worst crisis to rock Iran since the Islamic revolution three decades ago.