Showing posts with label Roxana Saberi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roxana Saberi. Show all posts
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
L’EXPRESS.fr: La journaliste avait été condamnée le 13 avril par l'Iran à huit ans de prison pour espionnage au profit des Etats-Unis. Après des protrestations émanant du monde entier, elle avait finalement été libérée en début de semaine.
La journaliste irano-américaine Roxana Saberi, libérée d'une prison iranienne le 11 mai, est arrivée par avion tôt vendredi matin à l'aéroport de Vienne, en provenance de Téhéran, a constaté une journaliste de l'AFP.
"Je vais passer quelques jours à Vienne, car c'est un lieu calme et relaxant", a-t-elle déclaré à l'AFP juste après son arrivée, sans donner de précision sur la durée de son séjour viennois, ni sur la date de son retour aux Etats-Unis.
Elle était accompagnée de son père, de sa mère et de son frère.
Peu après sa libération, son père, Reza Saberi, avait indiqué que sa famille préparait son retour aux Etats-Unis. >>> Par LEXPRESS.fr avec AFP | Vendredi 15 Mai 2009
VOA: Journalist Roxana Saberi Not Ready to Tell Her Story Yet
American journalist Roxana Saberi has arrived in Austria to recuperate after spending four months in an Iranian prison.
The newly-freed journalist arrived in the Austrian capital, Vienna, early Friday on a flight from Tehran. She was accompanied by her parents.
Saberi told reporters at the airport that she plans to spend several days in Austria and then go to the United States. She said she is not yet ready to talk about her experience, but will do so in the near future, recounting her time in jail, and the events leading up to her detention.
The 32-year-old journalist, a dual American-Iranian citizen, was arrested in January while buying a bottle of wine, which is illegal in Iran. She was convicted last month of espionage.
After Saberi's lawyer appealed the court's decision, a judge reduced her sentence and freed her from prison on Monday.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Saberi said she had no immediate plans and just wants to relax with her family. >>> By VOA News | Friday, May 15, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
BBC: Roxana Saberi, the US-Iranian journalist released from jail in Iran on Monday, has thanked all those who helped to win her freedom.
She was freed after four months in prison when an eight-year term on charges of spying for the US was cut. She denied the charges.
Wearing a bright blue headscarf, Ms Saberi looked thin but in high spirits.
"I'm very happy to be free and to be with my parents again," Ms Saberi told reporters outside her flat in Tehran.
"I'm thanking all those people all over the world - which I'm just finding out about - who - whether they knew me or not - helped me and my family during this period," she said, smiling.
"I don't have any specific plans for the moment, I just want to be with my parents and friends, and to relax.
"Thank you very much - all of you," Roxana Saberi said, in her first public comments since her release. >>> | Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Watch BBC video: Roxana Saberi: 'I am of course happy to be free and with my parents again' >>>
WELT ONLINE: Die US-iranische Journalistin Roxana Saberi hat das Evin-Gefängnis in Teheran verlassen. Zuvor war in einem Berufungsverfahren ihre Haftstrafe in eine zweijährige Bewährungsstrafe umgewandelt worden. Nach Angaben ihres Vaters Reza Saberi soll die 32-Jährige so bald wie möglich in die USA zurückkehren.
Nach knapp viermonatiger Haft im Iran ist die US-Journalistin Roxana Saberi wieder auf freiem Fuß. Ein Berufungsgericht wandelte am Montag eine achtjährige Gefängnisstrafe in zwei Jahren Haft auf Bewährung um. Die 32 Jahre alte Journalistin wurde daraufhin bereits wenige Stunden später aus dem berüchtigten Evin-Gefängnis in Teheran entlassen.
Saberi, die sowohl die iranische als auch die amerikanische Staatsbürgerschaft hat, war Spionage vorgeworfen worden. Für die Journalistin, die unter anderem für den angesehenen US-Radiosender NPR arbeitete, hatte sich auch der amerikanische Präsident Barack Obama eingesetzt. Er hatte die Spionagevorwürfe als unbegründet zurückgewiesen und ihre Freilassung verlangt. >>> dpa/AFP/fsl | Montag, 11. Mai 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
THE TELEGRAPH: Roxana Saberi, an American journalist convicted in Iran on spying charges, is to be freed after an appeals court downgraded her sentence.
Lawyers for the 32-year old said the court had reduced the eight-year jail sentence to a suspended two-year term and she would soon be freed.
The Iranian-American television reporter had lived in Iran for six years before she was charged with "cooperating with a hostile state" after her arrest in January. The harsh sentence provoked an international backlash that prompted Iran's hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to express concern that she had received due process. After his intervention the head of the Iranian judicary asked for the appeal court review.
"The verdict of the previous court has been quashed," lawyer Saleh Nikbakht said. "Her punishment has been changed to a suspended two-year sentence and she will be out of prison." >>> By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Monday, May 11, 2009
THE NEW YORK TIMES: TEHRAN— An Iranian-American journalist who was sentenced to eight years of jail on spying charges for Washington will be released Monday after an appeal court reduced the sentence, her lawyer said.
Saleh Nikbakht, one of the two lawyers who defended Roxana Saberi in an appeal hearing on Sunday, said the court turned down the eight-year jail term and issued a two-year suspended prison term, the ISNA Student News Agency reported.
“The verdict was given to me in person today,” Mr. Nikbakht was quoted as saying. “The appeals court turned down the original sentence.”
“She will be released today,” Mr. Nikbakht was quoted as saying. >>> By Nazila Fathi | Monday, May 11, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
BBC: A court in Iran is hearing an appeal from jailed US-Iranian reporter Roxana Saberi, two days earlier than originally expected.
Ms Saberi's lawyer said it was not clear when a ruling would be announced, but that he was optimistic that the 32-year-old would be acquitted.
Ms Saberi was convicted of spying for the US - a charge she denied.
The case sparked international concern and US President Barack Obama has appealed on her behalf.
Appeal process
Unlike her original trial, the legal process this time has been arranged to appear fair and open, says the BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran.
While Sunday's hearing is still not open to the public, Ms Saberi's appeal is being heard before a panel of three judges, and representatives of the Iranian Bar Association are being allowed to attend.
Her lawyer has also been given plenty of notice.
Abdolsamad Khorramshahi said he had submitted 15 pages of documents in support of the appeal for Roxana Saberi .
"I am optimistic she will be acquitted," he said. >>> | Sunday, May 10, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
DIE PRESSE: Roxana Saberi war von einem iranischen Gericht zu acht Jahren Haft verurteilt worden. Mehr als ein Dutzend Mitglieder von "Reporter ohne Grenzen" sind nun wie Saberi selbst in Hungerstreik getreten. >>> Ag | Dienstag, 28. April 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
THE TELEGRAPH: The father of an Iranian-American journalist jailed by Iran on charges of spying for the United States said yesterday that she was in a bad condition a week after going on hunger strike.
Reza Saberi said he and his wife, Akiko, visited their daughter Roxana in Tehran's Evin jail on Sunday, taking flowers for her 32nd birthday.
"She is very, very weak and frail ... she is in a bad condition. She can hardly stand up," he said. "I'm worried about her health. I'm worried about her life."
The 68-year-old said he had asked his daughter to stop her action, but she did not want to discuss it during the 20-minute visit. She started refusing food last Tuesday, he said.
The US-born freelance reporter was sentenced to eight years in jail on April 18, in a verdict that could complicate Washington's efforts towards reconciliation with Iran after three decades of mutual mistrust.
Her defence lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, who has appealed the sentence, said he expected the case to be sent to a higher court this week and suggested it may be examined soon.
He has expressed hope she would be acquitted after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the prosecutor to ensure Saberi enjoys full legal rights to defend herself. The judiciary chief has said the appeal must be dealt with in a "quick and fair way". >>> | Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Father of journalist sentenced for spying says she must be 'very weak' after five days without food
Roxana Saberi, the US-Iranian reporter jailed a week ago in Tehran on charges of spying that are untested in open court, has gone on hunger strike and is in a fragile state, according to her family and associates. Her father, Reza Saberi, said yesterday: "She went on a hunger strike on Tuesday to protest her imprisonment." He said she will continue "until she is freed", but added: "I am pretty certain that she must be very weak now."
The journalist, who grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, a city where yellow ribbons on trees now mark her incarceration, is 32 today, a birthday she will spend in Evin prison. She was arrested in January and initially accused – reports differ – of working without press credentials, or buying alcohol. But an Iranian judge later charged her with passing intelligence to the US. She was convicted after a one-day trial behind closed doors, and sentenced to eight years in prison. >>> By David Randall | Sunday, April 26, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
THE TELEGRAPH: Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has offered a potential olive branch to the United States over the spying conviction of an Iranian-American journalist by urging a full defence be allowed at her appeal.
His surprisingly moderate statement came a day after Tehran announced conviction of Roxana Saberi, 31, a dual American and Iranian citizen, and an eight-year jail sentence.
In a move that could be an overture to President Barack Obama, Mr Ahmadinejad instructed chief Tehran prosecutor Saeed Mortazavi to ensure that "suspects be given all their rights to defend themselves" against the charges.
Mr Obama did not respond directly to Mr Ahmadinejad, who could also have been positioning himself internally against the hard-line Iranian judiciary, but made emollient comments about Miss Saberi's case at a press conference in Trinidad.
"Obviously I'm gravely concerned with her safety and well being," he said. "We are working to make sure that she is properly treated and to get information about the disposition of her case.
"She is an American citizen and I have complete confidence that she was not engaging in any sort espionage. She is an Iranian-American who was interested in the country which her family came from and it is appropriate for her to be treated as such and be released." >>> By Toby Harnden in Washington | Sunday, April 19, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
TIMESONLINE: The jailed Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi was waiting to learn her fate today after her one-day trial on espionage charges at Tehran’s Revolutionary Court.
She was tried on charges of “spying for foreigners... for America,“ Ali Reza Jamshidi, an Iranian government spokesman said, adding that a verdict was expected in two to three weeks. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Ms Saberi, 31, who was arrested in January after buying a bottle of wine and subsequently accused of working without press credentials, was charged last week with spying for the United States. An investigative judge involved in the case alleged that she had passed classified information to American intelligence services.
She “was carrying out spying activities under the guise of being a reporter”, Hassan Haddad, the chief deputy prosecutor said last week. “The evidence is mentioned in her case papers and she has accepted all the charges,” he added.
News of yesterday’s speedy trial came as a setback for American efforts to secure her release. They also dashed hope of rapprochement between the countries, raised by Tehran’s positive response to President Obama’s appeal for direct talks.
Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, expressed her “deep concern” for Ms Saberi’s safety and dismissed the charges against the reporter as baseless. She said it was unclear why the trial was moving at such fast pace, especially given the gravity of the charges.
Her parents visited her briefly today at the notorious Evin prison and said she appeared in reasonable health. “We met Roxana for a few minutes and she is doing well,” Reza Saberi, her father, said. “We are waiting for the judge to make a decision. It should come out in a week. There is always hope but we don’t know what will happen.” >>> Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent | Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
LE FIGARO – Blog: Dans notre métier, il y a parfois des nouvelles plus difficiles que d'autres à annoncer. Surtout quand il s'agit de personnes en difficulté, que nous connaissons bien. Mercredi soir, je tombe sur cette dépêche d'actualité qui me fait tomber des nues : « Roxana Saberi, la journaliste irano-américaine arrêtée en Iran a officiellement été inculpée d'espionnage ».
En Iran, ce genre d'accusation coûte cher. Selon le code pénal iranien, l'espionnage est un crime passible de la peine de mort. Pour l'heure, l'audience de Roxana Saberi, arrêtée il y a presque deux mois, n'a pas encore eu lieu. D'après son avocat, Abdolsamad Khoramshahi, qui n'a pas encore reçu l'acte du tribunal révolutionnaire, une date pourrait être fixée la semaine prochaine.
Mais on peut déjà imaginer qu'au terme de son procès, sa condamnation se transforme en de longs mois, voir années, de prison. En 2005, le skippeur français Stéphane Lherbier avait écopé de 15 mois de prison pour une accusation beaucoup moins lourde - celle d'être entré illégalement dans les eaux territoriales iraniennes...
Roxana s'est installée à Téhéran en 2003. La première fois que je l'ai croisé, c'était au mois de juillet de cette même année. La caméra collée à l'œil, elle était venue filmer les étudiants qui manifestaient dans la capitale iranienne. Née aux Etats-Unis, de mère japonaise et de père iranien, elle avait décidé de remonter le fil de ses origines et de s'installer à Téhéran, pour y travailler comme correspondante pour l'agence de presse vidéo américaine, Feature Story News. Je la comprends. Quatre ans plus tôt, c'est la même motivation qui m'avait poussé à poser, moi aussi, mes valises en Iran.
Dans le milieu très restreint des journalistes étrangers basés à Téhéran, on se croisait souvent. Roxana était de nature assez réservée, et l'humilité faisait partie de ses qualités. Elue Miss Dakota, aux Etats-Unis, alors qu'elle était étudiante, elle ne s'en ventait jamais. C'était une bosseuse, qui ne comptait pas ses heures de travail. Elle avait envie de réussir professionnellement, un point c'est tout. Et elle s'en donnait les moyens. Très sportive, elle ne manquait jamais ses rendez-vous au club de sport féminin de son quartier. Un jour, elle m'y avait emmené. J'avais été soufflée en la voyant courir pendant une heure sur le tapis roulant. De toute évidence, le sport était son défouloir, dans un pays où le travail de journaliste ressemble, bien souvent, à celui d'un funambule qui s'efforce de ne pas tomber du fil. >>> Par Delphine Minoui | Samedi 11 Avril 2009
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: TEHRAN, Iran -- An Iranian-American journalist detained in Tehran has been charged with espionage, her lawyer said Wednesday.
Roxana Saberi has been informed of the charges against her, her lawyer Abdolsamad Khorramshahi told the Associated Press, without providing any further details.
"Yes, Saberi has been charged with espionage," he said.
The charges against her come two days after her parents visited their daughter in prison. The couple from North Dakota met Ms. Saberi for half an hour at the prison where she is being held -- the first time they had spoken to her since she called them on Feb. 10 to say she had been arrested.
The 31-year-old U.S.-born journalist has reported for the BBC, NPR and other media. She was arrested in late January. Iranian officials said at the time that she was working in the Islamic Republic with expired press credentials. >>> Copyright © 2009 Associated Press | Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)