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Hunger strike ends for jailed journalist
Source: Agencies |
May 7, 2009, Thursday
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JAILED Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi has ended her hunger strike in a Tehran prison after refusing food for two weeks, her father said yesterday.
The 32-year-old started eating again on Monday after beginning a hunger strike on April 21 in protest against her eight-year jail sentence on charges of spying for the United States, her father Reza Saberi told Reuters.
Reza Saberi, who said on Tuesday his daughter was "very weak," said he and others had urged her to start eating again.
She had only consumed two dates and some water with a little sugar during her 14-day fast, he said.
"She has stopped her hunger strike ... We are very relieved and happy that she stopped. We were very worried about her health," he said.
He was speaking a day after a judiciary spokesman said an Iranian court would hold a hearing next week on the freelance reporter's appeal against her sentence, imposed on April 18.
The Islamic Republic's judiciary has denied that Saberi, who is held in Tehran's Evin jail, was on a hunger strike and said she was in good health.
Saberi's lawyer Abdolsamad Khorramshahi has expressed optimism she will be acquitted or her sentence reduced after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the judiciary last month to ensure she has full legal rights to defend herself.
Khorramshahi has said the appeal court session is expected to be held next Monday or Tuesday.
A citizen of both the United States and Iran, the US-born journalist was arrested in January for working in Iran after her press credentials had expired in 2006.
The 32-year-old started eating again on Monday after beginning a hunger strike on April 21 in protest against her eight-year jail sentence on charges of spying for the United States, her father Reza Saberi told Reuters.
Reza Saberi, who said on Tuesday his daughter was "very weak," said he and others had urged her to start eating again.
She had only consumed two dates and some water with a little sugar during her 14-day fast, he said.
"She has stopped her hunger strike ... We are very relieved and happy that she stopped. We were very worried about her health," he said.
He was speaking a day after a judiciary spokesman said an Iranian court would hold a hearing next week on the freelance reporter's appeal against her sentence, imposed on April 18.
The Islamic Republic's judiciary has denied that Saberi, who is held in Tehran's Evin jail, was on a hunger strike and said she was in good health.
Saberi's lawyer Abdolsamad Khorramshahi has expressed optimism she will be acquitted or her sentence reduced after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on the judiciary last month to ensure she has full legal rights to defend herself.
Khorramshahi has said the appeal court session is expected to be held next Monday or Tuesday.
A citizen of both the United States and Iran, the US-born journalist was arrested in January for working in Iran after her press credentials had expired in 2006.
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