Paris - (AFP) - Iranian authorities on Saturday released on bail a former Kurdish international soccer player and defender of freedom of expression who had been arrested for supporting the protests that have been taking place in Iran for more than two months.

The two arrested are Furiya Ghafouri, 35, according to the Iranian Fars news agency, and Hossein Ronaghi, a writer for several foreign newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, according to his brother.

The first was arrested on Thursday after being accused of "propaganda" against the state, and the second on September 24 after condemning the bloody crackdown on protests in Iran.

Ghafouri was arrested after a training session for his team, Foolad Khuzestan, according to Fars Agency.

The agency reported that "Furiya Ghafouri and Hussein Ronaghi were released on bail."

Hassan Ronaghi wrote on Twitter that his brother, "Hussein, was released on bail (Saturday) evening in order to receive treatment," without going into further details.

His father, Ahmed, published a picture of his son in the hospital, saying that he was released after a hunger strike that lasted about two months.

Hussein Ronaghi (37 years old) suffers from kidney problems. He was on hunger strike immediately after his arrest, and his health deteriorated. He was transferred to the hospital on November 13, before being returned to prison.

Iran has intensified its crackdown on protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini on September 16 after she was arrested in Tehran for failing to adhere to the Islamic Republic's strict dress code.