(CNN) -- An Iranian human-rights activist and Nobel laureate has joined the legal team of an Iranian-American journalist convicted of spying and jailed in Iran.
Shirin Ebadi, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, took up the case of Roxana Saberi at the request of Saberi's family, her father, Reza Saberi, told CNN Wednesday. Ebadi heads the Center for Defenders of Human Rights in Iran.
Saberi, 31, was sentenced Saturday to eight years in prison after a one-day trial that was closed to the public. President Obama, as well as other U.S. and international officials sharply denounced the decision.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson has offered to travel to Iran to help seek Saberi's release.
"If our voices are heard in Iran today, I would be anxious to travel with a delegation to Iran, if we are permitted, and make an appeal for her freedom," said the longtime civil rights activist, according to his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Jackson, 67, spoke Tuesday at a peace conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
"Whenever we've brought people out of captivity, whether in Syria, Cuba, Iraq or Yugoslavia, or Liberia, it's always opened a diplomatic door to reduce tensions," he said.
Saberi's attorneys said they will appeal her conviction. Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi ordered the head of Tehran's Justice Department to make sure the appeals process is quick and fair.
Jackson has offered in the past to help release American hostages, most recently in 2005. At that time, he said he was willing to use his role as a religious leader to help secure the release of Roy Hallums, who was kidnapped along with five others in Baghdad in November 2004.
Hallums was freed in September 2005 when U.S. troops raided the farmhouse where he being held outside Baghdad.
In 1984, Jackson secured the release of a Navy pilot held in Syria. In 1991, he helped secure the release of 500 "international guests" held in Iraq. And in 1999, he persuaded Yugoslavia to release three U.S. soldiers held there during the Kosovo conflict.
Obama has called for Saberi's release, saying he is "gravely concerned with her safety and well-being." Watch how U.S.-Iranian relations are complicated »
"We are working to make sure that she is properly treated, and to get more information about the disposition of her case," Obama said Sunday.
"She is an American citizen, and I have complete confidence that she was not engaging in any sort of espionage."
Iranian officials initially said Saberi was held for buying a bottle of wine. The Foreign Ministry later said she was detained for reporting without proper credentials.
Saberi, who comes from North Dakota, has been living in Iran since 2003, said the Committee to Protect Journalists, a journalists' advocacy group.
She has freelanced for National Public Radio and other news organizations, and was writing a book about Iranian culture.
Iranian authorities revoked her press credentials in 2006, but Saberi continued to file short news items without permission, the journalists' group said.
Saberi was detained in January, although no formal charges were disclosed. On April 9, word emerged that Saberi had been charged with espionage.
"Without press credentials and under the name of being a reporter, she was carrying out espionage activities," Hassan Haddad, a deputy public prosecutor, told the Iranian Students News Agency.
Authorities also said Saberi had confessed. Her father said he thinks she was coerced into making damaging statements.
Showing posts with label trial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trial. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Iran: Iran Holds Closed Trial For American Journalist
Verdict Expected in One to Two Weeks
SLIDESHOW Previous Next
Reza Saberi, left, the father of American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi who has been in jail for more than two months in Iran, listens to lawyer of Roxana, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, in his office in Tehran on Thursday April 9, 2009. American female journalist Roxana Saberi has been charged with spying, her lawyer said Wednesday, dashing hopes of a quick release, just days after her parents arrived in the country to press for her freedom. Roxana Saberi asserts her innocence of the charges. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian) (Hasan Sarbakhshian - AP)
In this undated photo released by the The Miss North Dakota Pageant, Roxana Saberi is shown, in North Dakota. Saberi, a 31-year-old dual American-Iranian citizen, was arrested in late January and initially accused of working without press credentials. But an Iranian judge leveled a far more serious allegation on Wednesday, charging her with spying for the United States. (AP Photo/The Miss North Dakota Pageant) (AP)
This undated photo provided Tuesday, March 3, 2009 by the National Press Photographers Association shows U.S. journalist Roxana Saberi. Saberi, who has been jailed for more than two months in Iran, has been charged with espionage, her lawyer said Wednesday, April 9, 2009, dashing hopes of a quick release days after her parents arrived in the country seeking her freedom. (AP Photo/NPPA) (AP)
In this undated photo released by Marilyn McGinley, Roxana Saberi is shown, in North Dakota. Saberi, a 31-year-old dual American-Iranian citizen, was arrested in late January and initially accused of working without press credentials. But an Iranian judge leveled a far more serious allegation on Wednesday, charging her with spying for the United States. (AP Photo/Marilyn McGinley) (AP)
Reza Saberi, the father of American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi who has been in jail for more than two months in Iran, photographed in Tehran on Thursday April 9, 2009. American female journalist Roxana Saberi has been charged with spying, her lawyer said Wednesday, dashing hopes of a quick release, just days after her parents arrived in the country to press for her freedom. Roxana Saberi asserts her innocence of the charges. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian) (Hasan Sarbakhshian - AP)
Roxana Saberi, a U.S.-Iranian citizen, has been charged with spying. (AP)
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Who's Blogging» Links to this article
By Thomas Erdbrink
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, April 15, 2009; Page A08
An Iranian American journalist accused by Iran of spying for the United States has been tried behind closed doors, Iran's judiciary said yesterday, and a verdict is expected in one to two weeks.
Roxana Saberi "has been charged with spying for foreigners. The first session of the court was held yesterday, and her last defense was heard," judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi told journalists, the semiofficial Iranian Students News Agency reported.
"Her spying was for the United States, and I think the verdict will be passed within a couple of weeks," Jamshidi added, saying that it was up to the judge to decide whether future hearings would be open to the public.
The Obama administration says the charges against Saberi, 31, are baseless and has demanded her immediate release.
Saberi holds U.S. and Iranian citizenship, but Iranian law does not recognize her U.S. nationality. Jamshidi dismissed the U.S. call to free Saberi, saying that "giving an opinion on a case, by an individual or a government, without being informed about the facts in it, is utterly ridiculous."
Before Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance revoked Saberi's press credentials in 2006, without specifying the reason, she had worked in the country on a freelance basis for the BBC, U.S.-based National Public Radio and other news organizations.
She remained in Iran and, according to her parents, is writing a book.
Saberi was arrested in late January for allegedly buying alcohol, which is illegal in Iran. Last week, however, an Iranian judge leveled a far more serious allegation against her: spying for the United States.
"This accused has been coming and going to certain government circles under the cover of reporter and without a permit," Judge Sohrab Heydarifard told state television last Wednesday. "She has perpetrated actions to compile and gather information and documents and transferred them to American intelligence services."
Spying is a serious charge in Iran, where political leaders regularly accuse the United States and Britain of espionage and support for organizations known to have committed terrorist acts against Iranian civilians. The heaviest punishment for espionage is death. In a recent high-profile case, a well-connected former Iranian official working as a businessman selling telecommunications equipment was convicted of spying on the military for Israel and hanged in 2008.
Saberi's parents, Reza and Akiko Saberi, met with their daughter in prison yesterday, news agencies reported. They had traveled to Tehran from their home in Fargo, N.D., to follow the case.
"We met Roxana today for a few minutes, and she is doing well," Reza Saberi told Agence France-Presse. "We are waiting for the judge to make a decision. [The verdict] should come out in a week. There is always hope. But we don't know what will happen."
SLIDESHOW Previous Next
Reza Saberi, left, the father of American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi who has been in jail for more than two months in Iran, listens to lawyer of Roxana, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, in his office in Tehran on Thursday April 9, 2009. American female journalist Roxana Saberi has been charged with spying, her lawyer said Wednesday, dashing hopes of a quick release, just days after her parents arrived in the country to press for her freedom. Roxana Saberi asserts her innocence of the charges. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian) (Hasan Sarbakhshian - AP)
In this undated photo released by the The Miss North Dakota Pageant, Roxana Saberi is shown, in North Dakota. Saberi, a 31-year-old dual American-Iranian citizen, was arrested in late January and initially accused of working without press credentials. But an Iranian judge leveled a far more serious allegation on Wednesday, charging her with spying for the United States. (AP Photo/The Miss North Dakota Pageant) (AP)
This undated photo provided Tuesday, March 3, 2009 by the National Press Photographers Association shows U.S. journalist Roxana Saberi. Saberi, who has been jailed for more than two months in Iran, has been charged with espionage, her lawyer said Wednesday, April 9, 2009, dashing hopes of a quick release days after her parents arrived in the country seeking her freedom. (AP Photo/NPPA) (AP)
In this undated photo released by Marilyn McGinley, Roxana Saberi is shown, in North Dakota. Saberi, a 31-year-old dual American-Iranian citizen, was arrested in late January and initially accused of working without press credentials. But an Iranian judge leveled a far more serious allegation on Wednesday, charging her with spying for the United States. (AP Photo/Marilyn McGinley) (AP)
Reza Saberi, the father of American-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi who has been in jail for more than two months in Iran, photographed in Tehran on Thursday April 9, 2009. American female journalist Roxana Saberi has been charged with spying, her lawyer said Wednesday, dashing hopes of a quick release, just days after her parents arrived in the country to press for her freedom. Roxana Saberi asserts her innocence of the charges. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian) (Hasan Sarbakhshian - AP)
Roxana Saberi, a U.S.-Iranian citizen, has been charged with spying. (AP)
TOOLBOX
Resize Print E-mail Yahoo! BuzzSave/Share + Share this Article:
COMMENT
Comments
COMMENTS ARE CLOSED
Your browser's settings may be preventing you from commenting on and viewing comments about this item. See instructions for fixing the problem.
Discussion Policy CLOSEComments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging» Links to this article
By Thomas Erdbrink
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, April 15, 2009; Page A08
An Iranian American journalist accused by Iran of spying for the United States has been tried behind closed doors, Iran's judiciary said yesterday, and a verdict is expected in one to two weeks.
Roxana Saberi "has been charged with spying for foreigners. The first session of the court was held yesterday, and her last defense was heard," judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi told journalists, the semiofficial Iranian Students News Agency reported.
"Her spying was for the United States, and I think the verdict will be passed within a couple of weeks," Jamshidi added, saying that it was up to the judge to decide whether future hearings would be open to the public.
The Obama administration says the charges against Saberi, 31, are baseless and has demanded her immediate release.
Saberi holds U.S. and Iranian citizenship, but Iranian law does not recognize her U.S. nationality. Jamshidi dismissed the U.S. call to free Saberi, saying that "giving an opinion on a case, by an individual or a government, without being informed about the facts in it, is utterly ridiculous."
Before Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance revoked Saberi's press credentials in 2006, without specifying the reason, she had worked in the country on a freelance basis for the BBC, U.S.-based National Public Radio and other news organizations.
She remained in Iran and, according to her parents, is writing a book.
Saberi was arrested in late January for allegedly buying alcohol, which is illegal in Iran. Last week, however, an Iranian judge leveled a far more serious allegation against her: spying for the United States.
"This accused has been coming and going to certain government circles under the cover of reporter and without a permit," Judge Sohrab Heydarifard told state television last Wednesday. "She has perpetrated actions to compile and gather information and documents and transferred them to American intelligence services."
Spying is a serious charge in Iran, where political leaders regularly accuse the United States and Britain of espionage and support for organizations known to have committed terrorist acts against Iranian civilians. The heaviest punishment for espionage is death. In a recent high-profile case, a well-connected former Iranian official working as a businessman selling telecommunications equipment was convicted of spying on the military for Israel and hanged in 2008.
Saberi's parents, Reza and Akiko Saberi, met with their daughter in prison yesterday, news agencies reported. They had traveled to Tehran from their home in Fargo, N.D., to follow the case.
"We met Roxana today for a few minutes, and she is doing well," Reza Saberi told Agence France-Presse. "We are waiting for the judge to make a decision. [The verdict] should come out in a week. There is always hope. But we don't know what will happen."
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Iran: Iran charges detained US reporter with spying
AFP
TEHRAN - US-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi, who has been in Iranian custody since January, has been charged with spying, Tehran’s deputy prosecutor Hassan Haddad said on Wednesday.
“Her case has been sent to the revolutionary court. She, without press credentials, was carrying out spying activities under the guise of being a reporter,” Haddad was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.
“The evidence is mentioned in her case papers and she has accepted all the charges. She has been arrested under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Saberi, who also holds both US and Iranian nationalities, was initially reportedly detained for buying alcohol which is prohibited in the Islamic republic.
In March, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Saberi’s press identity card was revoked in 2006 and since then she had been working “illegally” in the country.
Haddad said on Wednesday that Saberi had entered Iran as an “Iranian citizen.”
“She has an Iranian citizenship, passport and an Iranian national identity card. She has entered Iran as an Iranian citizen and if she has another citizenship, we are unaware of it and it has no effect on how we will proceed with her case,” he said.
“There is no evidence that she has another citizenship and the investigation is still on.”
US-born Saberi has reported for US-based National Public Radio (NPR), the BBC and Fox News, and had been living in Iran for six years.
Her parents, Reza and Akiko Saberi, arrived in Tehran on Sunday to pursue her case. They had a 20-minute meeting with her in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison on Monday.
Her father told NPR on Tuesday that he planned to stay in Iran until her case was resolved.
He said Roxana, 31, was surprised by their visit, and that she looked pale and weak but was in good spirits.
He said she also wanted to see her lawyer “to point out ... that apparently some of the statements were made under pressure, under threat, you know. So that they were not valid.”
Reza Saberi said he and his wife would try to visit their daughter once a week.
Last month the parents appealed to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for her release, saying she was in a “dangerous” state of mental health.
Washington has repeatedly called on Tehran to release the journalist.
Iran, which does not recognize dual nationality and has had no ties with the United States for three decades, has detained several Iranian-Americans, including academics, in recent years.
TEHRAN - US-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi, who has been in Iranian custody since January, has been charged with spying, Tehran’s deputy prosecutor Hassan Haddad said on Wednesday.
“Her case has been sent to the revolutionary court. She, without press credentials, was carrying out spying activities under the guise of being a reporter,” Haddad was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.
“The evidence is mentioned in her case papers and she has accepted all the charges. She has been arrested under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Saberi, who also holds both US and Iranian nationalities, was initially reportedly detained for buying alcohol which is prohibited in the Islamic republic.
In March, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi said Saberi’s press identity card was revoked in 2006 and since then she had been working “illegally” in the country.
Haddad said on Wednesday that Saberi had entered Iran as an “Iranian citizen.”
“She has an Iranian citizenship, passport and an Iranian national identity card. She has entered Iran as an Iranian citizen and if she has another citizenship, we are unaware of it and it has no effect on how we will proceed with her case,” he said.
“There is no evidence that she has another citizenship and the investigation is still on.”
US-born Saberi has reported for US-based National Public Radio (NPR), the BBC and Fox News, and had been living in Iran for six years.
Her parents, Reza and Akiko Saberi, arrived in Tehran on Sunday to pursue her case. They had a 20-minute meeting with her in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison on Monday.
Her father told NPR on Tuesday that he planned to stay in Iran until her case was resolved.
He said Roxana, 31, was surprised by their visit, and that she looked pale and weak but was in good spirits.
He said she also wanted to see her lawyer “to point out ... that apparently some of the statements were made under pressure, under threat, you know. So that they were not valid.”
Reza Saberi said he and his wife would try to visit their daughter once a week.
Last month the parents appealed to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for her release, saying she was in a “dangerous” state of mental health.
Washington has repeatedly called on Tehran to release the journalist.
Iran, which does not recognize dual nationality and has had no ties with the United States for three decades, has detained several Iranian-Americans, including academics, in recent years.
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