brother urges iran to free reporter held on laughable charges
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Rezaian was barred from attending the opening of his trial

Brother urges Iran to free reporter held on laughable charges

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Brother urges Iran to free reporter held on laughable charges

Ali Rezaian (R), brother of Washington Post Tehran bureau chief Jason Rezaian
Washington - Arab Today

The brother of a Washington Post reporter held for 10 months in an Iranian jail Tuesday called on Iran to release him, saying charges of spying laid against him were "laughable."

The family of Jason Rezaian was barred from attending the opening of his trial Tuesday in a Tehran revolutionary court, his brother Ali Rezaian told AFP in Washington.

"He and his lawyer were able to go into court, and my understanding is that the indictment against him was read to him, and the judge now is going to set a next day for the trial," Rezaian said.

Their mother, Mary, has been in Iran for the past two weeks and had been hoping up until the last minute to be able to attend the hearing.

"When they announced yesterday that the trial was being held in secret and closed that meant that my mother and his wife were not allowed to go to the trial," Rezaian said.

Iran's official news agency IRNA said, however, that Rezaian's wife, Yeganeh Salehi, had appeared in court.

Salehi, who is also a journalist, was arrested at the same time as her husband, but was released on bail after two-and-a-half months in custody.

Rezaian's mother has been allowed to visit Jason once in Tehran's notorious Evin jail in the past two weeks and to speak with him for four minutes in a separate phone call.

- Solitary confinement -

"The isolation is really taking a toll," Ali Rezaian told AFP in an interview, describing his brother, who is a dual US-Iranian national, as normally a very sociable person.

"Really he only interacts with the guards and the interrogators, who still come to talk to him on and off. It's very isolating."

Jason Rezaian was held in solitary confinement from July until December, when another person was moved into the cell with him.

Amid the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Iran and the so-called P5+1 group, the US has raised Rezaian's case -- and the detention of other Americans in Iran -- many times with Iranian officials on the sidelines of the talks.

Ali Rezaian said that while some may believe his brother's fate had become intertwined with the complicated talks, the family wanted his case "to stand on its own."

The Iranian authorities needed "to look at the evidence, to realize that Jason had no malicious activities, he didn't have access to any kind of secret information."

The family remains concerned about his health, saying he has some issues which are exacerbated by Tehran's pollution and the excessive summer heat.

Rezaian is charged with espionage, propaganda, collaborating with hostile forces and a charge of working under "the devious disguise of a journalist."

The United States on Tuesday blasted the "complete lack of transparency" in Rezaian's trial, calling on Iran to drop the "absurd charges" against him.

"For over five months they interrogated him on almost a daily basis," Ali Rezaian said.

"It took them that long to come up with these charges that are based on really nothing. When we've heard about what kind of evidence they have, it's laughable."

"What kind of evidence do they have against him? I think the answer is not that much," he said.

"My mom did say, he's committed to proving his innocence and letting the entire world know that there's no basis for these charges and that he should be acquitted. That's a tough process."

- No diplomatic ties -

In the absence of any diplomatic ties between the United States and Iran, Switzerland acts as its "protecting power," overseeing US interests in the country.

Jason Rezaian is allowed occasional visits from his wife, who can bring him approved reading material. But he has not been allowed to write any letters and has been barred from having visits from Swiss officials.

A petition started on change.org has been signed by 436,660 people, and Ali Rezaian urged the leaders of the Islamic Republic to think about the consequences.

"I would say, please, at the highest level look and see what this case is doing to the reputation of Iran around the world. As a person who is half Iranian, I don't want to see the country looked at like that."
Source: AFP

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

brother urges iran to free reporter held on laughable charges brother urges iran to free reporter held on laughable charges

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

brother urges iran to free reporter held on laughable charges brother urges iran to free reporter held on laughable charges

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 07:43 2017 Monday ,16 October

'Final phase' of battle for Raqa

GMT 07:58 2011 Monday ,17 October

Chinese stocks close 0.37 pct higher Monday

GMT 13:38 2011 Friday ,11 November

Tips to great skin and hair

GMT 16:57 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Bahrain condemns attack on market

GMT 19:36 2017 Thursday ,13 April

Despite warning, Assad regime uses barrel bombs

GMT 18:42 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

Muscat Securities Market Loses 29 Points

GMT 11:44 2014 Saturday ,01 November

Arab League council to hold emergency meeting Sunday

GMT 09:21 2011 Monday ,17 October

Tulisa showed on X Factor

GMT 18:08 2017 Tuesday ,17 January

Jordanian Royal Decree Approves Cabinet Reshuffle

GMT 09:07 2011 Sunday ,12 June

Israel to allow limited goods into Gaza

GMT 12:16 2011 Saturday ,18 June

Marilyn Monroe dress stars in Hollywood sale

GMT 13:42 2011 Sunday ,30 October

Watermelon helps reduce atherosclerosis

GMT 21:45 2017 Thursday ,27 April

US dollar exchange rate stable at major banks
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday