Luke Skywalker
Super Moderator
{vb:raw ozzmodz_postquote}:
Get the news
Log In or Subscribe to skip
334 6 [h=6]Share This Story![/h]Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about
[h=4]Reports: 'Washington Post' reporter convicted in Iran[/h]Iran issued a verdict Sunday in the espionage trial of 'Washington Post' reporter Jason Rezaian, according to local media reports. They did not give any details on the verdict. "The ruling on this case has been
{# #}
[h=4]Sent![/h]A link has been sent to your friend's email address.
[h=4]Posted![/h]A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
[h=6]Join the Nation's Conversation[/h]To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs
[h=2]UP NEXT[/h][h=2]03[/h]
An Iranian court has issued a verdict in the espionage trial of "Washington Post" reporter Jason Rezaian, a spokesman for the Iranian judiciary said Sunday. Rezaian has been held in Iran since July 22, 2014. USA TODAY
In this photo April 11, 2013 file photo, Jason Rezaian, an Iranian-American correspondent for the Washington Post, smiles as he attends a presidential campaign of President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, Iran.(Photo: Vahid Salemi, AP)
Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian<span style="color: Red;">*</span>—<span style="color: Red;">*</span>who has been held in Iran for over a year<span style="color: Red;">*</span>on charges including<span style="color: Red;">*</span>espionage<span style="color: Red;">*</span>—<span style="color: Red;">*</span>has been convicted,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a spokesman for the Iranian judiciary said Sunday.
Officials<span style="color: Red;">*</span>said earlier in the day that an Iranian revolutionary court issued a verdict in Rezaian’s<span style="color: Red;">*</span>trial, but did not say what it was.
In a broadcast on state TV late<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sunday, judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi said: "He has been convicted, but I don't have the verdict's details," according to the Associated<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Press. Ejehi said Rezaian and his lawyer are eligible to appeal the conviction within 20 days.
The Isna news agency also<span style="color: Red;">*</span>reported Sunday that<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Rezaian was convicted, quoting<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Ejehi.
Rezaian, an Iranian-American<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Post correspondent in Tehran, was detained by the Iranian government, along with his wife and two others on July 22, 2014. The 39-year old Californian, now held in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, has been in an Iranian jail longer than any other Western journalist on charges of espionage and other crimes.
USA TODAY
Report: Iran not considering prisoner swap for Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian
His Iranian wife and journalist, Yeganeh Salehi, and the others detained with him have been released.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Rezaian’s lawyer, his family and the Post have vehemently denied the charges.
Leila Ahsan, Rezaian’s lawyer, told the AP on<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Sunday that “there are no new developments” and said she has not yet received the verdict. Ahsan was not reachable for comment on Monday.
In a statement Monday, Martin Baron, the Post’s executive editor, said the guilty verdict “represents an outrageous injustice.”
He added: “Iran has behaved unconscionably throughout this case, but never more so than with this indefensible decision by a Revolutionary Court to convict an innocent journalist of serious crimes after a proceeding that unfolded in secret, with no evidence whatsoever of any wrongdoing. For now, no sentence has been announced.
“We are working with Jason’s family and Iranian counsel to pursue an immediate appeal, and we expect Jason’s lawyer, Leila Ahsan, also to petition for Jason to be released on bail pending a final resolution of the case.”
Ali Rezaian, Jason’s brother, released a statement in which he called the verdict "just another sad chapter in his<span style="color: Red;">*</span>14-month illegal imprisonment and opaque trial process."
U.S. officials, international organizations and press advocates have called for Rezaian's release.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>State Department spokesman<span style="color: Red;">*</span>John Kirby told the Post that U.S. officials have received no confirmation or details from the Iranian government.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>He said the department continues to demand that Iran drop all charges against Rezaian and release him.
Two weeks ago,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told CNN that freedom<span style="color: Red;">*</span>for Rezaian and two other Americans being held in Iran could be expedited if the U.S. would release Iranians being held here.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The other Americans are Amir Hekmati, a former Marine sentenced to death in January 2012 for espionage, and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Saeed Abedini, a pastor detained in Iran in 2012 and sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of attempting to undermine the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>government.
It was not clear who the Iranians were that Rouhani wants freed.
Contributing: Roger Yu
0) { %> 0) { %>
0) { %>
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed