An American reporter detained in Iran last July had his day in court on Tuesday — behind closed doors.
Jason Rezaian of The Washington Post is being tried for espionage and propaganda against the Islamic republic. Iran’s official IRNA news agency said the proceedings only took a few hours but did not give details regarding what happened or when the next hearing would take place.
“He was put into solitary confinement for many months, under very harsh conditions in the worst prison in Iran. He’s only been able to meet with his lawyer for an hour and a half,” Washington Post editor Martin Baron told CBS.
Mr. Baron told CBS that the charges against its reporter are “completely preposterous.”
The reporter’s mother made a trip to Iran to possibly attend the trial, but she and the public were denied that opportunity by the Revolutionary Court.
“He was angry. Not at her, obviously, but at the governments — both the United States government and the Iranian government. He definitely feels like he’s a pawn; that he’s in the middle of this situation, and nobody’s pushing hard enough to get him out,” Mr. Rezaian’s brother Ali told CBS.
President Obama has said that his administration “will not rest” until the reporter is home.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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