Independent American journalist Anna Therese Day and three members of her crew were released Tuesday "pending further investigation," two days after they were detained while covering the anniversary of Bahrain's 2011 uprising, NBC News reported.
Bahraini authorities initially said one American had joined "rioters" in attacking police and accused all four of falsely claiming to be tourists. They were charged with "unlawful obstruction of vehicles and attending unlawful gatherings," according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency.
A defense lawyer for the four told The Associated Press the journalists were not under travel restrictions and were heading to the airport to leave Bahrain.
The Committee to Protect Journalists was among those calling for their immediate release.
