Reports: Washington Post journalist sentenced to jail time in Iran
An Iranian court has sentenced a Washington Post reporter to prison, two semi-official news agencies report. As we've reported, Jason Rezaian has been held in Iran for more than a year. The country has accused him of espionage, a charge his paper has always denied.
In a statement, Jason Rezaian's brother, Ali, said the family has heard the reports, but they cannot confirm their authenticity.
However, the IRNA and MEHR news agencies report that Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, a judiciary spokesman, broke the news during a press conference.
The agencies report that all Ejel would say is that a judge handed down a sentence and an appeal is pending.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
MEHR added that Ejel said the news:
" ... had not been communicated to his family and lawyer yet. Ejei only made a conjecture that the verdict would possibly be "years in prison," but said that it would be appealed against within 20 days."
In a statement, the Washington Post's foreign editor Douglas Jehl called Rezaian's trial and sentence a "sham."
"Even after keeping Jason in prison 487 days so far, Iran has produced no evidence of wrongdoing," Jehl said. "His trial and sentence are a sham, and he should be released immediately."
Rezaian's brother said that as the family gathers for Thanksgiving, they remain hopeful for a reunion. Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.