‘Give him his freedom and life’: Washington Post responds to conviction of journalist Jason Rezaian by Iranian court

Tehran Correspondent for The Washington Post Jason Rezaian has reportedly been convicted by the Iranian government for espionage and distributing propaganda against the Islamic Republic, following his detainment for the past 14 months.

Iran’s news agency ISNA reports that judiciary spokesman Gholamhoseyn Mohseni-Ezhei announced a verdict had been issued by Iran’s Revolutionary Court. Although he did not have the details, he added that “the time for an appeal is not yet over”, suggesting that Rezaian was found guilty.

However, prosecutors also have the right to appeal in the case of an acquittal under Iranian law.

Rezaian has been detained in Iran’s Evin prison since July 2014 – longer than any other reporter in the country – after government officials accused him of spying, on the basis of an online job application he had sent to the White House and a visit to the U.S. Consulate in Dubai to apply for a visa for his wife.

He was arrested with his wife Yeganeh Salehi, a journalist for UAE’s newspaper, The National, and two photojournalists – but was the only one to remain held.

According to the Post, his closed-door trial, comprising four hearings, ended two months ago and the delay in his verdict has remained unexplained. His family has said prolonged isolation has left Rezaian mistreated and psychologically abused.

His brother, Ali, released a statement after news of Rezaian’s verdict broke, saying the ruling “follows an unconscionable pattern by Iranian authorities of silence, obfuscation, delay and a total lack of adherence to international law, as well as Iranian law”.

“The Iranian government has never provided any proof of the trumped up espionage and other charges against Jason,” he said, adding that the vague statement, while disappointing, was not surprising.

Executive editor of The Washington Post Martin Baron has joined Ali in calling for Jason to be exonerated, labeling the judicial process a “sick brew of farce and tragedy”.

“The process has been anything but transparent and just, and that pattern persists. The only thing that is clear is Jason’s innocence. He is a dedicated, law-abiding journalist and a good man who has been targeted with nonsensical, unsupportable, and entirely baseless allegations of espionage and other offenses. He has been made to suffer physically and psychologically, and for that there is no excuse. His arrest, imprisonment, and now this sham trial contradict every standard required for the fair administration of justice, and they violate international law, Iran’s own laws, and fundamental human decency.

“Now is the time for Iran’s senior leaders to end this ‘judicial process,’ with its sick brew of farce and tragedy. Jason and his wife…deserve to be exonerated and to be given back their freedom and lives.”

Born in California, Rezaian is the Post’s Tehran bureau chief and a citizen of the U.S. and Iran. However the Tehran government, which does not recognise dual citizenship, treats him as a full Iranian citizen.

If convicted, Rezaian could face up to 20 years in prison.