American Journalist Charged With Espionage

Developing: The American journalist who was detained in Iran earlier this year is being charged today with espionage.

31-year-old Roxana Saberi was detained in January while working as a freelance reporter. She has reported for NPR, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and Fox News, among others, as Tehran bureau chief for Feature Story News.

Her lawyer said, “As they have announced, they have accused her of espionage,” while the prosecution said she had “accepted” the accusation. No trial date has been set.

“Under Iran’s penal code, the crime of espionage can carry the death penalty,” reports Reuters. “Last November Iran executed an Iranian businessman convicted of spying on the military for Israel.”

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