LOWERCASEWASHINGTON — Executives of several major news outlets demanded Tuesday that Iran specify how a detained American journalist broke the law, and that the country allow an outside group to evaluate her health and living conditions.
Top news officials at NPR, ABC, BBC, PBS, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News Channel and Feature Story News sent a letter Tuesday urging the Iranian government to release 31-year-old Roxana Saberi if she’s not formally charged.
In a separate statement later in the day, The Associated Press joined those outlets in insisting charges against Saberi be made public and urging Iran to allow the welfare check.
“The Associated Press shares with media organizations and colleagues around the world deep concern about the continued detention in Iran of Roxana Saberi,” said Kathleen Carroll, The AP’s executive editor.
“I’m happy to see that,” Saberi’s father, Reza, said of the news outlets’ statements. “I hope that it will have a positive influence on the situation.” Reza Saberi said he spoke with his lawyer Tuesday. “He’s trying to find out what they want for releasing her. He wants to find out if they have an exact date in mind or any conditions,” Reza said.
Saberi is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Iran who has reported for NPR, ABC, BBC and other media, according to the statement issued by the organizations earlier in the day.
Iranian officials have said the freelance journalist, who was detained about a month ago, was engaged in “illegal” activities because she continued working in Iran after the government revoked her press credentials.
The statement Tuesday was signed by Vivian Schiller, president and CEO of NPR; David L. Westin, president of ABC News; Jon Williams, world editor of BBC News; Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS; Robert Thomson, editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal; John Stack, vice president of newsgathering of Fox News Channel; and Simon Marks, president of Feature Story News.
In a message Schiller sent to NPR employees Tuesday, she said that although Saberi is not an NPR employee, “she has filed for us regularly and we are concerned about her well-being.” “Along with our colleagues from other major news organizations we also believe it is important for us to take a stand on behalf of journalists whose freedom to report the news and inform the public is limited without due process,” Schiller said.
