[JURIST] A Sudanese judge released American journalist Paul Salopek from detention Saturday the day after a meeting between Sudan President Omar al-Bashir [BBC profile] and visiting New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson [official profile]. Late last month Salopek and two others were arrested and charged [JURIST report] for espionage and printing false information after they allegedly crossed into the war-torn Darfur [JURIST news archive] region of Sudan [JURIST news archive] from Chad without a visa.

Salopek is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner [citations] on leave from the Chicago Tribune who was working in Africa on a National Geographic [media website] magazine assignment when he was arrested. His trial had been set to begin on September 10. The Chicago Tribune has more.