Washington Post Reporter’s Trial Verdict Expected Soon: Lawyer
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The last hearing in the trial of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who is in detention on espionage charges, was held behind closed doors in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Monday and the verdict will be issued in a week, his lawyer said.
“Today’s session was the last hearing,” Leila Ahsan told the Tasnim News Agency on Monday, adding that the court heard her client’s final defense.
According to law, the verdict for the case should be announced within a week, she noted.
The attorneys, the prosecutor-general’s representative, and an official translator also attended the session.
The first court session had been held on May 26, the second on June 7, and the third on July 13, when Rezaian and two other suspects stood trial.
Rezaian, a 39-year-old correspondent with dual Iran-US citizenships, along with his wife were arrested in Tehran on July 22, 2014. Two other American citizens also detained along with them work as freelance photojournalists.
Rezaian had 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.”