Iran court hears jailed U.S.-born reporter's appeal (Reuters)

[Yahoo! News]

TEHRAN (Reuters) - An Iranian court began a session to hear an appeal by Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi against her eight-year prison sentence for espionage, and her lawyer predicted on Sunday it would be "substantially" reduced.

An Iranian court heard the appeal of U.S.-born journalist Roxana Saberi against her eight-year jail sentence for espionage on Sunday and her lawyer said he was optimistic it would be fundamentally changed.

Lawyer Abdolsamad Khorramshahi said the appeals court had ended a one-day session and would issue its verdict in the coming days. Saberi was convicted by a lower court on April 18 of spying for the United States, Iran's arch-foe.

He said he had asked for his 32-year-old client, who looked thin and tired when she entered the court room, to be released on bail but the court had yet to decide on the request.

Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has said Saberi's conviction was a warning to foreign journalists working in Iran ahead of its presidential election in June.

The case could complicate Washington's efforts toward reconciliation with Iran after three decades of mutual mistrust.

"The court session was held under good conditions and me and my colleague ... were given adequate time to defend our client," Khorramshahi told reporters. Saberi had also been given "sufficient opportunity" to defend herself.

"I'm hopeful and optimistic that there will be fundamental changes in the sentence," he said. The lawyer earlier said he expected it to be "substantially" reduced.


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