Jailed U.S. Reporter Hospitalized In Iran

Roxana Saberi Intensified Hunger Strike To Protest 8-Year Sentence, Group Says

(AP)  The American journalist on a hunger strike for two weeks to protest her imprisonment in Iran was briefly hospitalized after she intensified her fast by refusing to drink water, Reporters Without Borders said Monday.

The press freedom group said 32-year-old Roxana Saberi was taken Friday to a clinic at Tehran's Evin prison, where she has been held since her arrest in January. She was released from the clinic within a day after again drinking water, the group said.

Saberi's Iranian-born father, who traveled to Iran to seek his daughter's release, said last month that she was drinking only sweetened water while refusing food to protest her eight-year jail sentence for allegedly spying for the U.S.

Reporters Without Borders said her father, Reza Saberi, told the group over the weekend that she stopped drinking water after Iranian authorities denied she was on a hunger strike.

"So following that, she decided to do a complete hunger strike," Soazig Dollet of the Paris-based group told The Associated Press. "So she was really weak and went to the clinic inside the prison for the day, but not more than a day."

Saberi's father did not answer phone calls seeking comment on Monday.

Saberi, a dual Iranian-American citizen, has lived in Iran for the last six years. She was born in the U.S. and grew up in Fargo, North Dakota.

She was initially accused of working without press credentials, but authorities later made the more serious charge that she passed intelligence to the U.S. She was convicted on the espionage charge after a one-day trial behind closed doors.

The Obama administration has called the allegations baseless and demanded her immediate release.

The case has been a source of tension between the U.S. and Iran at a time when the Obama administration is reaching out to Tehran after decades of diplomatic stalemate.

Saberi was working as a freelance reporter for organizations including National Public Radio and the British Broadcasting Corp. before her arrest.

[ToolMangler1]

1. Iran must choose its friends wisely-- it does not wish to fall into a Russian or an American orbit. Only wiser, open and more humane policies provide the open doors it needs.

2. Iran wants to trade not only regionally but internationally. Open doors are essential.

3. Iran wants the full respect and regard of the world for its unique standing and history among nations. Mutual respect starts with opening doors.

And opening the door to Ms. Saberi, to stay or leave Iran as the journalist she remains.
Posted by alphaa10000 at 6:27 AM : May 4, 2009




That would place Iran in the 'American' orbit as you call it. The Russian 'orbit' is not all that dissimilar, either. It seems you made a poor choice of words, Iran at this moment is in the 'Islamic orbit'. That is why they are in trouble with the rest of the world, (except for Venezuela, Cuba and a couple of other leftist countries). You must seperate Religion from politics, even Jesus said that himself.....

[boiler_tech]

She's not guilty of spying, only of upsetting the Ayatollahs' perfect society. Can we not unfreeze a few Iranian assets and negotiate her out of that prison he**hole?

[eiddam]

It does seem odd that, the journalist was working without Credentials, because she knew better, and it would not come as surprise, if she did pass on something, under the pressure of the cia. Wasn't Oawald working for the cia, while he was in Russia?

[ayatoldya]

This is not the best way to out of prison.

[pugster]

She doesn't want to eat, she doesn't want to drink, let her die in Jail.

[goosfraba2]

The Iranian leadership seems unable to keep its foot out of its mouth.

The world is watching this trumped up case against Roxana Saberi and her situation.

If she is not released soon, Iran will suffer the indignity.