CPJ: World press freedom groups call for Saberi's release

Thirty-five members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) join CPJ and Reporters Without Borders in a letter to the head of Iran's judiciary calling for the release of imprisoned journalist Roxana Saberi, currently held in Iran's Evin Prison.

His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi Shahroodi

Justice Ministry Bldg.

Pazdah-Khordad (Ark) Sq.Tehran, Iran
Fax: 98 21 222 90 151
Your Excellency:

As journalists and members of the global press freedom community we are writing to express our concern about the April 17 sentencing of Roxana Saberi to eight years in prison on charges of espionage, after a closed, one-day trial.
Saberi is a respected journalist who has lived in Iran for six years. She filed reports for NPR, the BBC, and other international news outlets before her press credentials were revoked in 2006.

We call for Saberi to be released. Her judicial guarantees have to be respected, according to international standards.

Trusting that you will fairly consider our collective request.

Sincerely,

ARTICLE 19,

U.K.Algerian Centre for the Defence and Promotion of Press Freedom (CALP), AlgeriaArabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI),

EgyptAssociação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo (ABRAJI),

Brazil Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM),

SerbiaBahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE),

Canada Cartoonists Rights Network, International (CRNI),

U.S.A.Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP),

Liberia Centro de Periodismo y Etica Publica (CEPET),

MexicoCommittee to Protect Journalists, U.S.A.Independent Journalism Center (IJC),

Moldova Index on Censorship,

U.K. Institute of Mass Information (IMI),

UkraineInstitute for Reporter Freedom and Safety (IRFS),

Azerbaijan Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS),

PeruInternational Federation of Journalists (IFJ), BelgiumInternational PEN Writers in Prison Committee, U.K International Press Institute (IPI), AustriaFreedom House, U.S.A. Free Media Movement (FMM),

Sri Lanka Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP),

ColombiaMaharat Foundation, Lebanon Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Namibia Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA),

Ghana Media Watch, Bangladesh Mizzima News Agency,

India/Burma Norwegian PEN,

Norway Observatoire pour la liberté de presse, d'édition et de creation (OLPEC),

Tunisia Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF),

Pakistan Reporters sans frontières (RSF),

France Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), T

hailand World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC),

Canada World Association of Newspapers (WAN),

France World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC), U.S.A.