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'I took up running in prison' - former Iran detainee completes London Marathon

Former Iran detainee dedicates his London Marathon run to the current women's rights movement in Iran.

The former Iran detainee, Anoosheh Ashoori, has finished the London Marathon just seven months after he was freed. Mr Ashoori began running for exercise, when he was allowed, during his almost five-year detainment in Tehran's notorious Evin prison.

The British-Iranian dual national was arrested in August 2017 while visiting his elderly mother in Tehran and was later convicted of allegedly spying for Israel's intelligence service Mossad, despite having lived in the UK for 20 years. He denied all charges.

Mr Ashoori said while being held in Evin prison he started running in circles in a small prison yard, and gradually built up his stamina so he was able to run for up to two hours.

Whilst he ran for Amnesty International UK and Hostage International, he dedicated the run to the current women's movement in Iran: "It's a women's movement and men are actually supporting women, this is such a beautiful thing... this has never happened during the last 43 years."

(Photo: Anoosheh Ashoori. Credit: Family handout/PA Wire)

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4 minutes