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'Frail' Roxana Saberi Treated at Iranian Prison Hospital

by Rachel Nixon | May 5, 2009 at 10:39 am

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Jailed Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi has been fed intravenously at an Iranian prison hospital in the midst of a hunger strike, according to her father.

Roxana Saberi was taken to the hospital at Tehran's Evin prison on Friday and was fed intravenously before being returned to her cell, according to Reza Saberi, who said his daughter looked "weak and frail" when he saw her on Monday.

Roxana Saberi was jailed in April after being convicted on spying charges and sentenced to eight years in prison.

She went on hunger strike to protest at her confinement at Evin prison where many Iranian dissidents and political prisoners are kept.

On Tuesday, Iranian officials said a court would hear her appeal against her sentence next week.

Iran's judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi announced on Tuesday that the closed-door hearing will be held sometime next week.

"Her case has been referred to an appeals court where it is being studied. A date has been set for next week," Jamshidi said, without specifying the exact date.

The court will be held with the presence of representatives from the country's intelligence ministry, the Iranian Bar association, and the prosecutors office, he added.

Saberi has reported for western news outlets including the BBC, Fox News and NPR. She was arrested in January for working as a journalist after her press card was revoked in 2006.