Iran Sentences US Reporter to Prison, Mum on the Details

Jason Rezaian's lawyer doesn't even have details on the verdict
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Nov 22, 2015 6:29 AM CST
Iran Sentences US Reporter to Prison, Mum on the Details
In this 2013 file photo, Jason Rezaian, an Iranian-American correspondent for the Washington Post, in Tehran, Iran.   (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

Iran has sentenced detained Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian to an unspecified prison term following his conviction last month on charges that include espionage, Iranian state TV reported Sunday. Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi, the spokesman for Iran's judiciary, announced the punishment in a statement on the TV station's website. "In brief, it is a prison sentence," he said. The verdict is "not finalized," he added, referring to an expected appeal. Rezaian's lawyer, Leila Ahsan, told the AP she had not been informed of the verdict—let alone details of the sentence. "I have no information about details of the verdict," she said. "We were expecting the verdict some three months ago." Rezaian was detained with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and two photojournalists on July 22, 2014. All were later released except Rezaian, a dual US-Iranian citizen.

Rezaian went on trial in four closed-door court hearings at Tehran's Revolutionary Court over the past months. Last month, he was convicted of spying and other charges. The Post has vigorously denied the accusations against its correspondent. Iran's state media, citing the indictment, have said Rezaian collected information on Iranian and foreign individuals and companies circumventing sanctions and passed them on to the US government. Iranian state TV has repeatedly called Rezaian an "American spy." Earlier this month, the intelligence department of the powerful elite Revolutionary Guard claimed in a report to parliament that Rezaian is an agent seeking to "overthrow" Iran's Islamic ruling system. (More Jason Rezaian stories.)

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