Iran released jailed U.S. freelance journalist Roxana Saberi today after a judicial court reduced the sentence of her April conviction on espionage charges on appeal, news agencies are reporting. Saberi had been in prison since her arrest in January for allegedly buying alcohol, charges that later were changed to being in the country on an expired visa, and then to espionage. In April, Saberi, a former Miss North Dakota who had reported for National Public Radio and other press outfits, was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison.
According to news reports, an appeals court reduced Saberi’s sentence to a suspended two-year sentence and as a condition of her release directed her to leave the country and not return for at least two years.
Saberi’s release came a day after a five-hour, closed-door hearing in appeals court on Sunday.
How does someone’s charges go from buying alchohol to Espionage? WTH!
The initial charge was changed to being in the country on an expired journalist visa and that charge was subsequently changed to spying.
MVR