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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Journalist goes on trial in Iran | Journalist goes on trial in Iran |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| An Iranian-American journalist accused of spying in Iran went on trial this week and a verdict is expected soon, an Iranian official has said. | An Iranian-American journalist accused of spying in Iran went on trial this week and a verdict is expected soon, an Iranian official has said. |
| "The first trial meeting on Roxana Saberi was held yesterday [Monday]," judiciary spokesman Ali Jamshidi told a news conference in Tehran. | "The first trial meeting on Roxana Saberi was held yesterday [Monday]," judiciary spokesman Ali Jamshidi told a news conference in Tehran. |
| "I think the verdict will be announced soon, perhaps in the next two or three weeks," the official added. | "I think the verdict will be announced soon, perhaps in the next two or three weeks," the official added. |
| Ms Saberi, 31, is being held in Evin prison near Tehran. | Ms Saberi, 31, is being held in Evin prison near Tehran. |
| The journalist, 31, worked briefly for the BBC three years ago. She has also worked for the American public radio network NPR and the TV network Fox News. | The journalist, 31, worked briefly for the BBC three years ago. She has also worked for the American public radio network NPR and the TV network Fox News. |
| She has been in custody in Tehran since late January. | She has been in custody in Tehran since late January. |
| 'Baseless' | |
| Ms Saberi originally faced the less serious accusations of buying alcohol, then working as a journalist without a valid press card, but last week Iranian prosecutors accused her of spying for the US. | Ms Saberi originally faced the less serious accusations of buying alcohol, then working as a journalist without a valid press card, but last week Iranian prosecutors accused her of spying for the US. |
| Ms Saberi worked for the BBC for several months in 2006 | |
| The Justice Ministry said she is being tried in a closed hearing of Iran's revolutionary court, which handles national security cases. | |
| US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has demanded her release. | |
| Mr Jamshidi criticised the US state department for saying the accusations against Ms Saberi were "baseless". | |
| "That a government expresses an opinion without seeing the indictment is laughable," he said. | |
| No more details of the case have been released, and Ms Saberi's lawyer says he has been told not to speak to the media. | |
| A US-Iranian national, Ms Saberi has spent six years in Iran studying and writing a book. | A US-Iranian national, Ms Saberi has spent six years in Iran studying and writing a book. |
| Her parents arrived in Tehran earlier this month and were allowed to see her for 20 minutes. According to her lawyer, they found her in good health and good spirits. | |