UPDATE: Roxana Saberi Freed

Roxana Saberi was freed from prison in Tehran. She is expected to leave Iran shortly.

UPDATE: Roxana Saberi left Tehran tonight for Vienna, Austria, on her way to the US, the NPR reported [14 May 2009.]

Roxana Saberi to Be Freed Today

Roxana Saberi, the jailed US journalist, will be freed today after an Iranian appellate court suspended her prison term and allowed her to leave the country.

Uskowi on Iran extends its warmest congratulations to Roxana, her family and the journalists around the world.

Roxana Saberi at Appellate Court

Roxana Saberi

Roxana Saberi had a brief hearing today at an appellate court in Tehran. Her lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, said he expects the court will make its decision in a few days.

The American journalist whose father is Iranian was convicted last month in a revolutionary court of spying for the US and sentenced to eight years in prison. The conviction and the sentence were widely criticized as baseless and unfair, prompting President Ahmadinejad to call for a fair hearing.

Ahmadinejad Urges Justice for Roxana Saberi

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today called on Tehran’s Prosecutor General Saeed Mortazavi to secure Roxana Saberi’s “legal freedoms and rights" to defend herself on “charges” against her. Saberi is already “convicted” on those charges and sentenced to eight years. Ahmadinejad also called for fair treatment of Hossein Derakhshesh, an Iranian-Canadian blogger also imprisoned.

“At the president’s insistence, you must do what is needed to secure justice in examining these people’s charges…Take care that they have all the legal freedoms and rights to defend themselves against the charges,” said a letter from Ahmadinejd’s chief of staff, Abdolreza Sheikholeslami, to Mortazavi [IRNA, 19 April].

Ahmadinejad’s personal intervention could be a hopeful indication that Roxana will be “retried” and eventually freed.

UPDATE: Iran’s judiciary chief has ordered a full investigation into the case of Roxana Saberi [IRNA, 20 April]. The order came from Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, the country’s top judge.

Roxana Saberi on Trial

The imprisoned Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi was put on trial behind closed doors, Iran's judiciary announced. A verdict is expected within few weeks.

UPDATE: Roxana Saberi was sentenced to eight years in prison for "espionage." The government did not release any details on the charges brought against the young journalist. Tehran, 18 April 2009.

Roxana Saberi Visited by Parents

BBC reported today that the parents of the US free-lance journalist Roxana Saberi have visited their daughter today at Tehran’s Evin prison. Saberi, born to an Iranian father and a Japanese mother, was living in Iran for six years when arrested last January. The government has said she was working in Iran as a journalist without a valid work permit.

A score of human rights and press organizations have called for her immediate release. Reporting from Iran for the NPR, BBC and other news organizations, Saberi always fileded highly informative and well-written stories on major developments in the country. We are all hoping for her early release and safe return home.

UPDATE: Saberi was reportedly charged with "espionage" on Wednesday 8 April. The government did not give any details about the new charge.

Roxana Saberi Arrested

Roxana Saberi with former President Ayatollah Khatami

Undated Photo [NPR, 28 February 2009]

Etemad, a Tehran daily newspaper, reported today the arrest of an American journalist in Tehran. The Iranian authorities have not yet announced the arrest, but the NPR confirmed today that the arrested journalist is Roxana Saberi, a freelance working in Tehran for the past six years. Saberi reported regularly for the NPR and the BBC.

Roxana Saberi who was born in the US to an Iranian-born father and a Japanese-born mother, was reportedly arrested in Tehran almost a month ago.

This young journalist needs to be released from the prison and be allowed to continue her fine reporting from Tehran.