The Iranian trial for imprisoned Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian starts Tuesday in Tehran.
Iranian authorities arrested the journalist 10 months ago on charges of espionage, but neither Rezaian nor the public will be allowed to attend the trial, despite requests by the State Department and the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Arrested in July alongside his wife, Yeganeh, Rezaian was initially held in solitary confinement for several months and denied healthcare. He has been allowed to meet with his court-approved lawyer once to discuss the case.
Iranian officials have refused to offer more details about what Rezaian is accused of and whether they have any evidence. Rezaian’s attorney has said he is accused of four serious charges stemming from his journalism work, including “collaborating with hostile governments” and “propaganda against the establishment.”
Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron has said there is no basis for the claims and called Iran’s treatment of Rezaian “disgraceful” in a statement released Monday.
“There is no justice in this system, not an ounce of it, and yet the fate of a good, innocent man hangs in the balance,” Baron said. “Iran is making a statement about its values in its disgraceful treatment of our colleague, and it can only horrify the world community.”
President Obama has called Rezaian’s detention “unjust,” most recently using his White House Correspondents Dinner address to call on Iran to release him. But the president has refused to tie the nuclear deal being negotiated with Iran to the release of Rezaian and the other U.S. citizens it is holding, including former Marine Amir Hekmati and Pastor Saeed Abedini.
Rezaian, who is a dual Iranian and American citizen, became the Post’s Tehran correspondent in 2012. Yeganeh, who faces separate charges and will be tried separately, was released on bail in October.
