By Brittani Howell

Impunity Watch Reporter, The Middle East

 

TEHRAN, Iran – Last Sunday, an Iranian Court announced the sentence of an American Washington Post journalist, Jason Rezaian. Rezaian was sentenced to a prison term, but the details of the verdict were not released.  Rezaian is of Iranian ancestry with dual citizenship.

Jason Rezaian at the Washington Post on November 6, 2013. (Photo Courtesy of the Washington Post)

Judiciary Spokesman, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, at a weekly news conference in the capital, stated, “Serving a jail term is in Jason Rezaian’s sentence but I cannot give the details.” Ejei also added, “The verdict has been issued but has not been officially handed down to the accused or his lawyer,” he continued, “given the fact that the verdict has not been officially handed down, I cannot reveal the details but what I can say is that the accused has been sentenced to prison.”

As of last Sunday, neither Rezaian nor his attorney were informed on the duration of the prison sentence.

Rezaian and his wife were originally detained in July 2014. Rezaian faced four charges, one of which was espionage. According to the Washington Post, Rezaian may also be facing charges such as “collaborating with a hostile government” and “propaganda against the establishment”.

Doulas Jehl, The Washington Post’s foreign editor, stated last Sunday, “Even after keeping Jason in prison 487 days so far, Iran has produced no evidence of wrongdoing.” Jehl continued, “His trial and sentence are a sham, and he should be released immediately.”

The United States State Department has called for the release of Rezaian. A spokesperson for the State Department told CNN that, “We’ve seen the reports of a sentence in the case of U.S. citizen Jason Rezaian in Iran, but cannot confirm the details ourselves at this time. If true, we call on the Iranian authorities to vacate this sentence and immediately free Jason so that he can be reunited with his family.”

Concerns have grown in the United States on whether Iran can be trusted to fulfill its nuclear commitments, in light of the treatment of Mr. Rezaian. The United States had hoped that the nuclear program agreement would lead to an increased cooperation with Iran.

In addition to Rezaian, at least two other Americans are currently being held in Iran. Saeed Abedini, a pastor, is serving an eight-year sentence after being detained in 2012 for charges of “harming national security” by holding Bible classes in private homes. Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, a former marine, had been detained in 2011 and sentenced to ten years in prison in 2014, for “aiding a hostile government”.

 

For more information, please see:

The New York Times – Iran Sentences an American Journalist

– 23 November 2015

The Washington Post – Iran’s cruel and Arbitrary Treatment of The Post’s Jason Rezaian – 23 November 2015

CNN – Iran Sentences Journalist Jason Rezaian to Prison – 22 November 2015

Reuters – Iran Says Washington Post Reporter Rezaian Sentenced to Prison – 22 November 2015

Author: Impunity Watch Archive