Freelance journalist Roxana Saberi jailed by Iran for alleged spying

Today's Observer reports that freelance journalist Roxana Saberi has been sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran after being found guilty of spying for America.

She was arrested for purchasing a bottle of alcohol in January 2009 and was accused of spying on 8th April by Iran.

The US has said that the allegations were "baseless and without foundation".

Read more here.

Mohamed Abdel Dayem, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)s' Middle East and North Africa program coordinator, said: "Roxana Saberi's trial lacked transparency and we are concerned that she may not have been treated fairly.

"We call on the Iranian authorities to release her on bail pending her appeal."

Roxana Saberi has filed reports for National Public Radio, Fox News, the ‎BBC, and other international news organizations since 2003 before her press credentials were revoked in ‎‎2006 by the government. She continued to file news pieces without credentials.

A website has been set up calling for her release and you can read a profile of Roxana Saberi at the BBC.

You can also sign the CPJ petition.

Roxana Saberi's father, interviewed Saturday morning on National Public Radio, says that she wants to go on a hunger strike to protest her sentence.

Reza Saberi also alleged that her lawyer was not allowed to say anything in her defence, other than that that her objection should be turned down, and signed.