Iran charges U.S. journalist with spying

WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- The American freelance journalist in Iranian custody since January has been charged with spying, the prosecutor's office in Tehran said Wednesday.

"(Roxana Saberi's) case has been sent to the revolutionary court. She, without press credentials, was carrying out spying activities under the guise of being a reporter," Iran's state-run ISNA news agency quoted Tehran's deputy prosecutor Hassan Haddad as saying. "The evidence is mentioned in her case papers, and she has accepted all the charges. She has been arrested under the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

Saberi's attorney, Abdolsamad Khorramshai, said he hasn't seen the charges and was not present at any hearing, The Washington Post reported.

"There are different punishments for different levels of spying," Khorramshai said.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said U.S. officials were "deeply concerned" by the news.

"We have asked the Swiss, who, as you know, are our protectorate in Iran, to obtain the most accurate, up-to-date information," she said. "I will, as will the rest of the department, continue to follow this very closely. And we wish for her speedy release and return to her family."

Saberi, who was born in the United States but also has an Iranian passport, was detained initially for buying alcohol, which is prohibited in Iran. Iran revoked her press card in 2006 for unspecified reasons.