Reports that Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian is in immediate danger as he marks 500 days in Iran’s Evin prison should result in his unconditional release from detention, PEN American Center said today.

Jason Rezaian, who holds dual Iran and U.S. citizenship, has been detained since July 2014. He has been convicted of charges including espionage and reportedly sentenced to time in prison, though the government has released no specific information about the sentence and has not formally informed his lawyer of his conviction. His physical and mental health have seriously deteriorated during his detention, and his family says that Iranian authorities’ mistreatment of him has intensified, including subjecting him to interrogation, psychological abuse, and physical mistreatment.  

“Jason Rezaian has spent 500 days in prison simply because he is a journalist. Iranian authorities have produced no evidence against him, and his trial, conviction, and sentencing were all done in secret,” said Katy Glenn Bass, PEN’s deputy director of free expression programs. “He has been robbed of his freedom and his health. Iran must honor its obligation to protect the welfare of its citizens and ensure his immediate and unconditional release.”

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Founded in 1922, PEN American Center is an association of 4,200 US writers working to break down barriers to free expression worldwide.

 

CONTACT
Katy Glenn Bass, PEN American Center: 646-779-4818, [email protected]
Sarah Edkins, Deputy Director for Communications: [email protected], 646-779-4830