Iranian media published articles on Monday accusing the Washington Post reporter, Jason Rezaian, of spying on the Islamic Republic and having connections to organizations in Washington.
Iranian media published articles on Monday accusing the Washington Post reporter, Jason Rezaian, of spying on the Islamic Republic and having connections to organizations in Washington.
Rezaian, was arrested in July along with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, the National’s Iran correspondent, and two other individuals, one of them a photographer, were arrested July 22.
However, one of two individuals has been released.
Rezaian holds dual citizenship in the United States and Iran, but as per the Islamic Republic law, only his Iranian nationality is recognized in the country.
He has been imprisoned for the past eight months and will face charges of "espionage and acting against national security," according to the Iranian press.
Tasnim News Agency published a letter by the Basij Organization of Lawyers that was addressed to the judiciary. The Aug. 4 article was headlined, "Numerous and reliable documents exist of the spying of arrested Washington Post journalist."
The letter asserted that "spy agencies and the Western media" have given Rezaian’s case extra coverage to take attention away "from world public opinion which is opposed to Israel’s actions in Gaza."
"Spying in Islam is a heavy crime and unforgivable," the letter read, listing a number of crimes, some of which are punishable by death under Iranian law.
The letter finished by directly addressing the head of the judiciary, requesting, "when it is certain that these individuals were spying, which will certainly be confirmed by the security and intelligence organizations, for them to receive the maximum punishment."
The Iranian media report said that Rezaian was selling "economic and industrial information" about Iran, which it describes as "exactly like selling food to the enemy at a time of war."
Rezaian is expected to be tried in Iran’s revolutionary courts which focus on security offenses.
