Washington Post Reporter’s Lawyer Asks Iran to Dismiss Charges

Speaking to Tasnim on Tuesday, Leila Ahsan said she has fully studied Rezaian’s case and has not found “any document or proof of the authenticity of the charges against my client.”

“Hence, it is expected that given the circumstances following the Vienna (nuclear) deal, Jason Rezaian’s acquittal verdict be announced as soon as possible,” she noted, making a reference to a agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program that Iran and the Group 5+1 (Russia, China, the US, Britain, France and Germany) finalized in Vienna on July 14.

Ahsan also claimed that keeping Rezaian in custody runs counter to Iran’s new judicial procedure law that has come into force since June 22.

“I ask the court that he be released from custody,” added the attorney.

She also noted that the next court session, whose date has not been yet set, will be probably the final trial session.

The first court session was held behind closed doors in Tehran on May 26, when Rezaian and two other suspects stood trial.

Rezaian, a 39-year-old correspondent with dual Iran-US citizenships, along with his wife Yeganeh Salehi were arrested in Tehran on July 22, 2014. Two other American citizens also detained along with them work as freelance photojournalists. Yeganeh Salehi was released in October 2014.

Rezaian has been The Post’s correspondent in Tehran since 2012.

An indictment issued by Tehran’s prosecutor general says Rezaian is charged with “espionage by collecting the country’s decisions on the issues of internal and foreign policy, and cooperation with the hostile governments.”