Weekly Rights Podcast 16: An Interview with Roxana Saberi

This week, Roxanna Saberi, on freedom of the press. The young Iranian-American journalist spent six years reporting in Iran, before she was arrested last year. She was convicted of spying, and sentenced to eight years. But an appeals court reduced the charge, and she was released in May, 2009, after 100 days in the notorious Evin Prison. I asked her if she had any plans to return to Iran… Listen to the interview:

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Roxana Saberi’s Appeal Process Should be Transparent

(6 May 2009) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran expressed serious concerns regarding the secrecy and continued lack of transparency surrounding the prosecution of Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi, and asked the Iranian Judiciary to adhere to international standards of due process and allow independent observers in the courtroom at her appeals trial.

The Campaign called upon the Judiciary to allow representatives of the Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC), a group led by Nobel Peace Laureate and human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi to observe the trial, which will take place next week.

Letter by Roxana Saberi’s Fiance, Bahman Ghobadi

(21 April 2009) Bahman Ghobadi, Iranian filmmaker, has written an open letter following the arrest and conviction of Roxana Saberi. The text of Bahman Ghobadi’s letter is the following: “To Roxana Saberi, Iranian with an American passport” If I kept quiet until now, it was for her sake. If today I speak, it is for her [...]

Acquit and Release Roxana Saberi

UPDATE: (19 April 2009) Roxana Saberi was sentenced to 8 years in prison in Tehran on charges of espionage.

(18 April 2009) The Iranian government should immediately rescind charges against Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi and release her from prison or prosecute her in a public trail if it can produce convincing evidence against her, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today. Saberi has been in prison since 31 January 2009.

“If the authorities are so sure of the evidence against Saberi why can’t they even disclose which laws she has allegedly violated? This entire case reveals how standards of justice and due process are being debased,” said Hadi Ghaemi, the Campaign’s spokesperson.