Kerry says American couple allowed to leave Qatar

An American couple held in Qatar will be allowed to leave the Gulf kingdom by Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Tuesday.

The top American envoy said in a statement that Qatar's attorney general had informed the U.S. embassy that "no further appeal will be filed" in the case of Matthew and Grace Huang.

"At the opening of business on Wednesday Dec. 3, the travel ban will be lifted and Mr. and Mrs. Huang will be free to travel," Kerry said, adding "The United States applauds this decision, and we look forward to seeing the Huangs reunited with their children at home."

The couple from Los Angeles were blocked from leaving Qatar despite being acquitted on Sunday of any parental neglect in the death of their eight-year-old adopted daughter in January 2013.

They were sentenced to three years in prison in March for the death of Gloria, who was adopted from a Ghanaian orphanage, though they argued that the girl died from complications of an eating disorder. Enditem