Iranian court issues verdict for Washington Post reporter Rezaian

Iranian Judiciary Spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei announced that a court in Tehran has handed down a verdict in the case of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, who has been charged with espionage in the Islamic Republic.

“The verdict on the case has been issued,” Mohseni Ejei told reporters at a press conference in Tehran on Sunday.

He emphasized that the defendants have 20 days to appeal the ruling in a higher court, adding that if they do not do so, the ruling, of which he gave no details, will be final.

Rezaian, a 39-year-old correspondent with dual Iran-US citizenships, along with his wife Yeganeh Salehi, was arrested in Tehran on July 22, 2014 on espionage charges.

Two other American citizens who work as freelance photojournalists were also detained along with them at the time. Yeganeh Salehi was released on bail in October 2014.

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