October 13, 2015–An announcement from Iranian state media that journalist Jason Rezaian has been found guilty is the latest chapter in an outrageous injustice that has lasted nearly 15 months, PEN American Center said in a statement today.
According to a state-run television network, Washington Post Tehran Bureau Chief Jason Rezaian was convicted yesterday after secret judicial proceedings that ended in August. Details of the charges he was convicted of and his sentence have not been released, but it is believed that Rezaian faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Rezaian has been held in Iran’s Evin Prison for well over a year, much of it spent in solitary confinement. For months after his arrest, he was not informed of the charges against him or allowed access to his lawyer. Iranian authorities eventually announced four charges against Rezaian, including espionage. The authorities have not produced any credible evidence of wrongdoing, nor have they formally confirmed his conviction. Family members have said that Rezaian’s physical and mental health is deteriorating.
“This is a baseless conviction following a sham trial that fell far short of basic standards of fairness and impartiality,” said Katy Glenn Bass, deputy director of free expression programs at PEN. “Jason Rezaian is a journalist who was simply doing his job. He should never have been arrested, and he should be released at once.”
