Monday 11 May 2009

Journalist Roxana Saberi freed in Iran

The US-Iranian journalist jailed in Iran, Roxana Saberi, has been freed from prison after having her sentence for spying reduced, BBC News reports today.
Lawyers for the 31 year old, whose imprisoning sparked a global outcry, said she left Tehran's Evin jail hours after her eight-year term was cut.
She will be able to leave the country but has been banned from working as a journalist in Iran for five years.
Saberi was convicted of spying for the US after a secret trial in April but denied the charge. She has worked as a freelance journalist for news organisations including the BBC and the US-based National Public Radio.
US President Barack Obama mentioned Saberi in his World Press Freedom Day message.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, said it was "thrilled" at Saberi's release, but voiced concern over other journalists jailed in Iran. "Several Iranian journalists remain jailed today. We urge they be given the same opportunity for judicial review that was afforded to Roxana Saberi," said Joel Simon, the group's executive director.

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