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Iran 'to release' reporter Saberi | |
(40 minutes later) | |
An Iran court has cut jailed US-Iranian reporter Roxana Saberi's sentence to two years suspended and she will be freed later on Monday, her lawyer says. | |
The court heard Ms Saberi's appeal against her original eight-year prison sentence on Sunday, after an international outcry. | |
She will be able to leave the country, but has been banned from working as a journalist in Iran for five years. | |
Ms Saberi was convicted of spying for the US in April but denies the charge. | Ms Saberi was convicted of spying for the US in April but denies the charge. |
The case sparked international concern and US President Barack Obama has appealed on her behalf. | The case sparked international concern and US President Barack Obama has appealed on her behalf. |
Her father Reza expressed joy at the ruling and said he and his wife Akiko were on the way to collect class="bodl" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/8000522.stm">Roxana Saberi from the jail. | |
One report quoted a judicial source as saying she had already been allowed to leave. | |
After the appeal, her lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, and her father said they were happy with the judicial process. | |
The five-hour appeal was far longer than the original trial - and before it began Ms Saberi was allowed a half-hour meeting with her lawyer. | |
Other accounts of the hearing said Ms Saberi - looking a little bewildered - had visibly lost weight from the two-week hunger strike that she only recently ended. | |
Details of the evidence against her have still not been made public, and it is not clear why the hearing was brought forward. | Details of the evidence against her have still not been made public, and it is not clear why the hearing was brought forward. |
Unlike her original trial, the legal process this time was arranged to appear fair and open, says the BBC's Jon Leyne. | |
Ms Saberi's appeal was heard before a panel of three judges, with representatives of the Iranian Bar Association present. | |
Closed trial | Closed trial |
Ms Saberi has been held in Tehran's Evin prison since January. | Ms Saberi has been held in Tehran's Evin prison since January. |
The journalist originally faced a less serious accusation of buying alcohol, and later of working as a reporter without a valid press card. | The journalist originally faced a less serious accusation of buying alcohol, and later of working as a reporter without a valid press card. |
Soon after, the spying charge was introduced, and she was tried and sentenced behind closed doors by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. | Soon after, the spying charge was introduced, and she was tried and sentenced behind closed doors by the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. |
Ms Saberi, who holds dual US and Iranian citizenship, has spent six years in Iran studying and writing a book. | Ms Saberi, who holds dual US and Iranian citizenship, has spent six years in Iran studying and writing a book. |
She has worked as a freelance journalist for news organisations including the BBC and the US-based National Public Radio. | She has worked as a freelance journalist for news organisations including the BBC and the US-based National Public Radio. |