American Journalist in Iran: Roxana Saberi | 05/11/2009 8:40 am

American Journalist Roxana Saberi Freed From Iranian Prison Today

Iran appeals court says Saberi’s eight-year prison sentence can be reduced.

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Roxana Saberi © Getty Images

American journalist Roxana Saberi was freed today!

Saberi’s lawyer said today that Iranian authorities have suspended the remainder of the eight-year jail sentence they slapped her with for being an alleged spy. The sentence was reduced from eight years to two years of suspended sentence; if she doesn’t commit any crimes in the next five years, she’s free to not serve out those two years. She is not allowed to work as a journalist in Iran anymore.

"I’m okay. I don’t want to make any comments but I am OK," Saberi told Agence France-Presse just before leaving the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran.

Her family was ecstatic over the news.

"We are very happy and emotional," Reza Saberi said from in front of Evin Prison, with his wife nearby, before his daughter was released. "I’m sure she will come home with us and won’t stay in Iran … But we don’t know yet what will happen."

"The papers are ready … it is just a matter of time, a couple of hours," he told Reuters.

Saberi was arrested in late January after buying an illegal bottle of wine. Iran claims she was spying for the U.S. by using expired press credentials; Saberi had lived in Iran for six years and was researching a book. She worked for the BBC, FOX News, National Public Radio and other news outlets, and went on a two-week hunger strike to protest her sentencing. She has received support from around the globe.

Read more about: American Journalist, BBC, Espionage, Evin Prison, Fox News, Iran, News, NPR, Roxana Saberi, World

20 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

That is wonderful news and I am so happy for her and her family.

By caj p on 05/11/2009 8:51 am

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It appears diplomacy does in fact work.

By MK P on 05/11/2009 8:54 am

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Now is she is allowed to leave the country and come back to America she should stay put. Next time we may not be able to get her out if she continues to go there.

By Barbara B on 05/11/2009 9:02 am

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The journalists and reporters that risk their lives so that we can know the truth are truly brave people. There are over 140 reporters in captivity somewhere in the world right now. Many have been killed because they wanted a story to be known. Let us hope that the desire to tell the stories and give the news continues, and let us be very grateful to these heroes.

http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=20

By Diana T on 05/11/2009 10:01 am

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well said Diana - yay for free speech!

By Georgia Eliot on 05/11/2009 11:32 am

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The backbone of an effective democracy, in fact one of the cornerstones, is a free press. All the way back to the Roman wars, chroniclers have risked their lives to be in the middle of these zones to bring out the stories. How would we know what was really going on without their prescence in Iraq, Darfur, VietNam, and, of course the heroes in WW2, including Claire Booth Luce and Margaret Bourke-White. Remember them?

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/wcf/

By Diana T on 05/11/2009 12:32 pm

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Maybe now she can enjoy a bottle of wine at home with her parents.

By Judy K. on 05/11/2009 9:24 am

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Man I hope that wine was worth it…WOW. All of that from buying a bottle of wine. I am truly glad this young lady is out of there and pray she does not ever have to go back.

By C Hardy on 05/11/2009 9:31 am

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thank Goddess - now if we can get those 2 poor (women) journalists from N Korea home.

Barbara B - if journalists allow intimidation to stop them, how will we get our news?

She was not only imprisoned for being a journalist, but for being a woman.

By Georgia Eliot on 05/11/2009 9:33 am

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Georgia - I, too, have been following the story of the two female journalists arrested in North Korea. They have a bigger problem, however, inasmuch as they entered the country illegally. As far as I know, the charges have not yet been spelled out and have only been identified as illegal entry and a general term to include almost anything, possibly spying. In order to get these two women released, the North Koreans are probably going to demand some sort of quid-pro-quo from the US government or Al Gore’s organization for whom the two claim to be working.

By Bonnie Oliver on 05/11/2009 10:13 am

I don’t think we can accpt the claim they entered the country illegally - the border region there is mountainous and unsettled and supposedly it’s easy to cross the border without knowing it. Part of he story they were chasing wre folks who run afaoul of this problem.

"Al Gore’s organization for whom the two claim to be working."

Claim? Do you have some reason to doubt them? The bargaining power was the ONLY reason for their detention, just like missile shoot.

By Georgia Eliot on 05/11/2009 11:29 am

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soorryy for alll the tyyppoos

By Georgia Eliot on 05/11/2009 11:30 am

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Georgia - As far as I know, neither Al Gore nor a representative of his organization has made a public statement as to whether the two journalists were with his organization or if they hoped to get a story that would be published by his organization. I do think, from the news reports previously published, that there is little doubt that the women entered North Korea deliberately and illegally.

By Bonnie Oliver on 05/11/2009 4:43 pm

My understanding of this is that the facts are so closely controlled we don’t know much of anything yet. As it should be if it helps obtain their release.

By Georgia Eliot on 05/11/2009 5:58 pm