Germans held for Iran stoning interview face spy charge

[struggle4progress]

Source: Reuters

By Hossein Jaseb
TEHRAN | Tue Nov 16, 2010 12:26pm EST

(Reuters) - Two German newspaper reporters arrested in Iran as they interviewed the son of a woman sentenced to death by stoning are being held on espionage charges, judiciary officials were quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Iran had initially accused the Germans, who entered the country on tourist visas, of working illegally as reporters when they interviewed the son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, whose death sentence for adultery sparked global outrage.

But the head of the judiciary in Eastern Azerbaijan province said they faced charges of spying, a crime which carries heavy penalties and can be punishable by death.

"The espionage charge for the two German citizens who came to Iran to stage propaganda and spying has been approved," Malekajdar Sharifi was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency ...

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AF42A20101116

[struggle4progress]

1. Editor reacts to German journalists accused of spying in Iran

From Mitra Mobasherat, CNN
November 17, 2010 5:58 a.m. EST

(CNN) -- The editor for a German tabloid newspaper expressed strong concern Wednesday over two journalists charged with spying in Iran.

"We've been extremely worried for a month now about our two reporters imprisoned in Iran," Walter Mayer, chief editor of Bild am Sonntag, said in the newspaper. "We're doing everything in our power to help our colleagues and their relatives. We will not give out further details for their safety." The rest of the piece confirms that both are Bild am Sonntag journalists ...

The two men, identified only as a reporter and photojournalist, were arrested last month in the northwest city of Tabriz after they interviewed the son and lawyer of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was convicted of adultery in 2006 and sentenced to death by stoning ...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/11/17/iran.germans.charged/