TEHRAN // The detained Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian faces trial for espionage and three other charges including "collaboration with hostile governments", his lawyer said on Monday.
Rezaian, the newspaper’s Tehran correspondent, has been in jail for nine months but no date has yet been set for court, Leila Ahsan said, revealing the case against her client for the first time and saying it contained “no justifiable proof”.
In a telephone call after meeting Rezaian, she said he was also accused of gathering classified information and disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Ms Ahsan revealed the charges hours after senior judicial official said the file against Rezaian, an American-Iranian citizen, is “thick and contains different aspects”.
However Ms Ahsan said: “Jason is a journalist and the nature of his work is to have access to information and to publish it. He had no access to confidential information, either directly or indirectly.”
Rezaian, 39, was detained in Tehran on July 22 last year, along with his Iranian wife who was later released on bail.
Rezaian is being held in the capital’s notorious Evin Prison, where Ms Ahsan said he was “in good spirits” but had no access to newspapers or media.
His detention has political resonance because of his dual nationality and long-running talks between Iran and world powers, including the United States, regarding Tehran’s disputed nuclear programme.
Foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif last week said the charges against Rezaian were “very serious” and were a matter for Iran’s judiciary, insisting the case was free of political interference.
Mr Zarif's remarks came after the Post accused Iran of thwarting Rezaian's access to legal counsel.
The reporter was among four US citizens that president Barack Obama last month urged Iran to return home.
On April 2, Iran and world powers agreed the key parameters for a deal that would end a 12-year standoff about concerns that Iran is seeking a nuclear bomb.
Iran insists its atomic programme is entirely peaceful and meant for civilian energy purposes only.
* Agence France-Presse
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Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
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Al Mrzab Restaurant
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Al Derwaza
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
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Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
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8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
