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Iran's judiciary released more than 700 prisoners, including anti-government protesters, in celebration of the victory over Wales at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.



On the 28th local time, Mizan News Agency, run by the judiciary, said, "The head of the judiciary, Golam Hossein Mosani-Ejay, has ordered the special release of 715 protesters."



"This action was taken to celebrate the victory of the Iranian football team," he explained.



Among those released are known to include participants in anti-government protests that have been going on for more than two months.



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▲ The Iranian national football team is silent as the national anthem is played in the first match against England on the 21st (local time)


The Iranian national football team won 2-0 by scoring consecutive goals in the second half of extra time in the second leg of Group B of the World Cup group stage against Wales held at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar on the 25th.



As the national anthem rang before the game, the players moved their lips small and sang along passively.



Regarding this, some analysis has been raised that the players who refused to sing the national anthem at all during the first game of the group stage with England seemed to have been forced to call after receiving strong pressure from the authorities.



In fact, according to a CNN report in the United States, a security source said, "Iranian players expressed their support for the anti-government protests by not singing along to the national anthem during the first game, and then were called to a meeting with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) agents." told



The source added: "I have been told that if the players participate in any form of anti-government protests in the future, their families will be tortured or imprisoned."



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▲ Spectators holding Iranian national team uniforms with the names '22' and 'Amini' engraved on them


Meanwhile, in Iran, protests spread across the country after it was revealed that Iranian woman Mahsa Amini (22) died suddenly after being taken by the police for 'violating the dress code', such as showing hair through her hijab in September.



Iran's Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) counted that "as of the 27th, 451 protesters, including 63 minors, have lost their lives."



In addition, it is estimated that about 18,000 protesters have been detained.



(Photo = AP, Yonhap News)