Helmut Hofer

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Helmut Hofer (born ) was a German businessman arrested and imprisoned in Iran in September 1997, convicted of having had sexual relations with a Muslim Iranian woman, Vahideh Ghessemi.^{[citation needed]} He was sentenced to 99 lashes followed by death.^{[citation needed]} The sentence was overturned by the Supreme Court in July 1998, but reinstated by the court of first hearing in October.^{[citation needed]}

Hofer's case was again referred to the court of first hearing for a retrial in February 1999, and he was freed on bail two months later.^{[citation needed]} He was rearrested in August 1999 and accused of having links to foreign elements, of which he was later acquitted. In October 1999 he was fined the equivalent of US$23,000 as a substitute for the 99 lashes.^{[citation needed]} He was also charged with insulting a prison guard, for which he was fined the equivalent of a further US$6,600 in January 2000, before he was released and permitted to leave the country.^{[citation needed]}