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Roxana Saberi Case: Iran Wants 'Quick and Fair' Appeal

by Rachel Nixon | April 20, 2009 at 09:15 am

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Iran's judiciary says it has called for a quick and fair appeal for journalist Roxana Saberi who was sentenced to eight years in prison last week as a US spy.

"The different aspects of this case... should be fairly, accurately and quickly considered in appeal proceedings," judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi was quoted as saying in a statement obtained by AFP.

Saberi, 31, was convicted by an Iranian revolutionary court in a closed-door trial last week of spying for the United States, which along with Israel is Tehran's main foe. The charge carries the death sentence.

Ayatollah Sharudi said he had ordered a full investigation into Saberi's case during the appeals process.

In an unprecedented move on Sunday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the journalist should have the right to defend herself.

The journalist's Iranian-born father, Reza Saberi, has said his daughter was not provided a proper defense during her trial. He called the proceedings "a mock trial" during an interview with CNN on Sunday from Iran, where he traveled with his wife to seek his daughter's release.

"Obviously I am gravely concerned with her safety and well being," President Barack Obama said Sunday during a press conference at the conclusion of the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad. "We are working to make sure she is properly treated and to get more information about the disposition of her case.

"She is an American citizen and I have complete confidence that she was not engaging in any espionage," Mr. Obama said. "She is an Iranian American who is interested in the country which her family came from; it is appropriate that she be treated as such."

Roxana Saberi's parents welcomed the move by the judiciary chief on Monday. Her father Reza spoke to the UK's Channel 4 News.

“I think these things are positive gestures on the side of the Iranian government and I hope they will bear fruit,” said Reza Saberi.

Roxana’s parents visited her in Evin prison today. “She’s still frail and we hope she won’t go on hunger strike,” he said. “We encouraged her not to do it. It’s not the right way because she’s too frail.”

He was optimistic that her appeal could be entered as soon as next week.

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Fred Miller

at 09:58 on April 20th, 2009

Thanks for this info, Rachel. We'll have to see if the release of the CIA documents affects the mindset of her captors.

Pythiian1

at 12:50 on April 20th, 2009

I thought it was interesting that a few weeks ago, Iran was prepared to release Saberi, but when the international attention was raised, the authority backed off from releasing her. Presumably, the authority didn't want to be seen as "caving in" to the outside world, so to speak.

Politically, it makes sense that the Iranian President would want to be seen as an advocate of protecting members of the press and fair trial proceeding.