On air at 1100GMT: Dorothy Parvaz is free
| 09:52 UK time, Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Ìý
She disappeared 19 days ago after arriving in Syria to cover the uprising against the Assad regime. Now
She holds U.S., Canadian and Iranian citizenship, and was detained in Damascus and then in Iran. She had no contact with outside world in that time.
Iran said she had tried to enter Syria on an expired Iranian passport. Iran does not recognise dual nationalities. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson also told reporters in Tehran that Ms Parvaz "did not have a work permit". Ramin Mehmanparast said she had attempted "to enter a country on two illegal counts".
Foreign journalists have been banned from entering Syria during it's crackdown on protestors.
Meanwhile the Syrian government has disputed claims that a mass grave was found in the southern city of Deraa. Syrian human rights activists and residents said more than 20 bodies had been exhumed from one mass grave, and that others had been found in the area. They also said 41 other bodies were found in fields around nearby towns.
There have been worldwide calls for the release of Dorothy Parvaz from international press freedom organisations, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, and from many of Parvaz's colleagues.
Her detention shows the risks faced by journalists and news organisations in covering in uprisings across the Middle East.
She is one of the few foreign journalists who attempted to enter Syria to cover the violence and protests. A huge facebook and twitter campaign got underway demanding her release.
Gillian Alexander poted on the free Dorothy Parvaz facebook page
"good to hear the news!! but there should not be a repeat of this with any more journalists and other innocent civilians who are just doing their job..."
Ìý
Nancy Holohan posted on the same page
"I believe that one person can make a difference and when we come together, our voice becomes much louder and that's a very good thing."
Ìý
We have few details about how she was treated and the circumstances surrounding of her release, but we'll be speaking again to one of her friends who has had email contact with her since she was freed.
