Reporter cleared for work after Kobe tweet

A Washington Post reporter who had been placed on administrative leave after she tweeted a link to a story about a 2003 rape allegation against Kobe Bryant has been cleared to return to work, the paper said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Post said that an internal review had determined that political reporter Felicia Sonmez was ‘‘not in clear and direct violation of our social media policy,’’ but that the tweets were ‘‘ill-timed’’.

Sonmez’s tweet came in the hours after Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash on Monday (NZ time).

‘‘We consistently urge restraint, which is particularly important when there are tragic deaths. We regret having spoken publicly about a personnel matter,’’ the statement signed by managing editor Tracy Grant said.

The paper had come under some intense internal criticism for having taken action against Sonmez. Hundreds of Post staffers had signed a letter from the Washington Post Newspaper Guild on Monday expressing ‘‘alarm and dismay’’ over the move and urging executive editor Marty Baron and Grant to ensure Sonmez’s safety.

The reporter’s tweet had come amid widespread public mourning over the shocking deaths of Bryant and eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and drew considerable backlash on social media. The Post reported that Sonmez received threats of death and rape and had to move to a hotel after her address was published online.

Sonmez, who deleted the tweet at the request of editors, received an email from Baron on Sunday saying: ‘‘A real lack of judgment to tweet this. Please stop. You’re hurting this institution by doing this.’’

Sonmez shared the email with an Associated Press reporter.

A spokeswoman for the newspaper, Kristine Coratti Kelly, emailed Tuesday’s statement to The AP but said the paper would not comment further. Sonmez did not immediately reply to an email for comment. –AP