Iran Charges Iranian-American Journalist With Espionage

TEHRAN, April 8, 2009 — -- Iran's judiciary has charged detained Iranian-American freelance journalist Roxana Saberi with espionage, the ISNA news agency reported on Wednesday.

ISNA, quoting a judge who is the deputy head of Iran's prosecutor's office, said Saberi had "accepted" the accusation.

Saberi, a 31-year-old Iranian-American born in the United States who has reported for the BBC, NPR and other media, was arrested in late January for working in the Islamic Republic after her press credentials had expired.

"She had been carrying out espionage activities ... under the cover of a journalist ... and she has accepted the accusations," ISNA quoted judge Haddad as saying, giving only his last name.

"She has been charged and a branch of the Revolutionary Court is reviewing her case now," he said, referring to a court which handles security issues.

(Reporting by Parisa Hafezi; Writing by Fredrik Dahl; Editing by Katie Nguyen)