French aid workers released after Chadian pardon

PARIS (CNN) - Five of six French aid workers convicted of plotting to kidnap African children for adoption in Europe have been released from prison following their pardon by Chad's president, CNN affiliate BFM reported.

The workers from the international charity Zoe's Ark and a Chadian middleman were arrested in October and sentenced to eight years in prison. Under an agreement between Chad and France, the French aid workers were allowed to serve their time in a French jail.

Chadian President Idriss Deby pardoned the seven convicts Monday, state radio announced.  BFM reported that Dominique Aubry, Alain Peligat, Philippe van Winkelberg, Eric Breteau and Emilie Lelouch were released by Monday evening. The network said that nurse Nadia Merimi had been hospitalized in Villejuif, outside Paris but was expected to be released soon.