Iranians, reacting on social networks, linked the releases to Khamenei's talk of "leniency" on Tuesday.
Sixteen people charged in beard- and hair-cutting attacks on fellow Amish in Ohio rejected government plea bargain offers of leniency on Monday and will go to trial.
It revised its position last July, and a lawyer for the federal government, Michael R. Dreeben, argued in support of leniency on Tuesday.
Defense lawyers typically seek some form of leniency on behalf of a client who offers genuine cooperation, asking prosecutors perhaps to agree to not seek capital punishment or a sentence over a certain number of years.
While Iran's clerical establishment has been known to show a surprising level of leniency on a host of sensitive sociocultural topics, cornerstone Islamic legal principles such as ghesas present an immovable red line.
Administrators at Ernst & Young were appointed in October after lenders refused to extend a recent period of leniency on its debts.
Foreign intervention has complicated the situation further, as any sign of leniency on the part of the government is now seen as caving in.
The approach taken by the Pakistani government in dealing with mosque issues led to accusations of leniency on the part of Musharraf, who felt he was too soft.
