No Freedom for Jason Rezaian
American Journalist Sentenced to Prison In Iran
From CNN.com on November 22, 2015
What
He was held in Iran since July 2014 and recently charged with unspecified crimes later reported which later recorded to be espionage (spying) "collaborating with a hostile government" and "propaganda against the establishment."
Where
This took place in Iran which is in Southwest Asia.
When
Tansim reported that Rezaian was sentenced on November 22, 2015
Summary
An Iranian court sentenced Jason Rezaian to jail or spying. Rezaian was detained in Iran in July 2014. He has been held for 488 days so far and Iran has produced no evidence of his wrongdoing. The U. S. State Department has called for Jason's release, but Iran has not responded. He has been held longer than any American journalist in Iran and longer than the hostages in the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-1981.
Importance
The reason this article is important is because it shows how different it is between the US and Southwest Asia, especially Iran. Our laws protect the media and freedom of speech here and there speech can land them in prison. It would be illegal here in America to arrest journalists for doing their job and it would be illegal to hold someone without a reason, but there a journalist has been held for a long time for doing his job and was not given a reason for being held.
Opinion
I think this article is very serious because Americans in the Southwest Asia area have gone missing, but its especially dangerous for journalists because some of those countries like to twist what they're saying to make it seem like a crime. Rezaian should have followed the rules of the country he was working in, meaning if Iran doesn't allow certain topics discussed then he should have not talked about them while he was there. Iran should not have held him for as long as they have, either, without consulting the US about charges against him.
Maria Zielinski
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