US reporter espionage trial opens in Iran

The trial of Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian opened behind closed doors in Tehran on May 26, the ISNA news agency reports.

The US State Department and the Committee to Protect Journalists appealed to the Iranian authorities with a request to open the process to the public.According to the lawyer of the defendant, the 39-year-old journalist, who has been in custody in Iran for 10 months, is accused of "espionage, collaboration with hostile governments, gathering classified information and disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic". The lawyer condemned the charges saying there is "no justifiable proof" to substantiate them.

The US State Department and the Committee to Protect Journalists appealed to the Iranian authorities with a request to open the process to the public.

According to the lawyer of the defendant, the 39-year-old journalist, who has been in custody in Iran for 10 months, is accused of "espionage, collaboration with hostile governments, gathering classified information and disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic". The lawyer condemned the charges saying there is "no justifiable proof" to substantiate them.