The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum have called on Iranian authorities to drop charges against Washington Post Iran correspondent Jason Rezaian and to immediately release the journalist, who has just spent his 365th day in prison.
"Mr Rezaian has been condemned to a whole year in prison despite having committed no crime whatsoever. The Iranian authorities are acutely aware of this, having produced no evidence whatsoever to the contrary, and yet continue their deliberate policy of criminalising journalists and restricting freedom of the press," said a statement from WAN-IFRA, the global organisation representing the world's press.
"Iran should fully observe its international obligations to freedom of expression and release Jason Rezaian – along with all other journalists jailed simply for doing their jobs. They should do this as a matter of urgency."
On 22 July, 2014, Mr Rezaian and his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, also a journalist, were arrested at their home in Tehran by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Mr Rezaian was taken to Evin prison where he was held in solitary confinement, without any explanation as to the reason for his detention.
Yeganeh Salehi was released on bail in October, while Jason Rezaian remains behind bars.
In April 2015, the charges against Mr Rezaian – which had been filed in December 2014 but had remained secret - were finally publicised. The journalist, who holds dual US-Iranian nationality, was accused of espionage, collaborating with hostile governments, propaganda against the establishment and collecting classified information. The indictment against him reportedly alleged that he gathered information "about internal and foreign policy" and provided it to "individuals with hostile intent".
On 13 July 2015, the third hearing of Mr Rezaian's case was held, without conclusion. No date has yet been set for the proceedings to resume. To-date, he has been detained longer than any other foreign journalist in Iran.
www.wan-ifra.org
