Hard-line judge in Iran is assigned case of jailed Post reporter Jason Rezaian

The family of Jason Rezaian, a Washington Post reporter who has been detained in Iran for more than half a year, issued a statement Sunday that was sharply critical of the Iranian government, after what they called the very disturbing development that Rezaian and his wife will be tried by a judge known for imposing harsh sentences.

Rezaians brother, Ali, and their mother, Mary Rezaian, questioned the rationale for assigning the case to Judge Abolghassem Salavati, the head of a Revolutionary Court branch where sensitive cases are tried. Salavati has imposed long prison sentences, lashings and in some cases death for defendants in a number of high-profile cases involving national security and political offenses. He has been sanctioned by the European Union since 2011.

We find it very disturbing that the judiciary would select a judge to oversee the case who has been sanctioned by (and barred from entering) the European Union due to what it calls gross human rights violations, the family said.

The 38-year-old reporter was arrested July22 along with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, who also is a reporter. Salehi was released on bail, but Rezaian has been detained ever since and has been unable to see a lawyer. The exact nature of the charges against him has never been made clear, other than a statement saying he was accused of activities beyond the scope of journalism.

His family denied the accusations and pointedly contrasted his actions with those of the Iranian government.

Jason has dedicated the past decade of his life to informing the world of the true nature of Iran, the Iranian people, and their culture, the statement said. In stark contrast, the Iranian government has spent the past six months displaying to the world a disregard for its own laws and the international human rights agreements that it has pledged to follow.

What Iran expects to gain from the prolonged and unjust detention of Jason is unclear to us. What is evident to us, though, is that this trial has nothing to do with Jason or Yeganehs actual actions, and may simply be a pretense to distract the world from some other motive the government may have.

News that their case had been assigned to Salavati, which was first reported by the New York Times, appears to reflect an ongoing power struggle between moderates surrounding President Hassan Rouhani and hard-liners allied with Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Posts executive editor, Martin Baron, called for Rezaians release in a statement Sunday.

There has been no justice in the case of our colleague Jason Rezaian since the beginning, Baron said. He was held for months without knowing the accusations against him. Now that the case is proceeding to trial, the charges still have not been specified. He still hasnt been allowed to see a lawyer. This case has unfolded, and continues to unfold, without a hint of fairness and justice. Jason should be released immediately. What has happened to him is an abomination and deserves the worlds condemnation.

Link:
Hard-line judge in Iran is assigned case of jailed Post reporter Jason Rezaian