Jason Rezaian, the Washington Post journalist who has been detained in Iran for more than a year on charges including espionage, has been convicted, according to Iran's judiciary spokesman in a ruling the newspaper blasted today as "an outrageous injustice."
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi confirmed the verdict in comments aired on state TV late last night but gave no indication of what punishment the 39-year-old Iranian-American journalist could face. The ruling is eligible for appeal within 20 days, Ejehi said.
"He has been convicted, but I don't have the details," Ejehi said.
In its report, Iranian state TV called Rezaian an "American spy." He reportedly faces up to 20 years in prison.
The Post's executive editor, Martin Baron, called the guilty verdict "an outrageous injustice."
"Iran has behaved unconscionably throughout this case, but never more so than with this indefensible decision by a Revolutionary Court to convict an innocent journalist of serious crimes after a proceeding that unfolded in secret, with no evidence whatsoever of any wrongdoing. For now, no sentence has been announced," he said in a statement.
The paper is working with Rezaian's family and legal counsel to swiftly appeal the verdict and push for his release on bail pending a final decision, Baron said.
"The contemptible end to this 'judicial process' leaves Iran's senior leaders with an obligation to right this grievous wrong. Jason is a victim - arrested without cause, held for months in isolation, without access to a lawyer, subjected to physical mistreatment and psychological abuse, and now convicted without basis.
"He has spent nearly 15 months locked up in Iran's notorious Evin Prison, more than three times as long than any other Western journalists."
Baron reiterated the Post's position that Rezaian is innocent and that he should be exonerated and set free.
Leila Ahsan, Rezaian's lawyer told The Associated Press yesterday "there are no new developments" and said she had not yet received the verdict. Ahsan was not reachable for comment today.
Rezaian was detained with his wife, who is a journalist for The National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, and two photojournalists on July 22, 2014. All were later released except Rezaian.
