TEHRAN – Qolamhossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesman for Judiciary, announced on Sunday that court has issued a ruling against Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian.

He said after the verdict is delivered to the convict, Rezaian or his lawyer will have 20 days to appeal against it, Tabnak news website reported on Sunday.

Mohseni Ejei said he was unaware if Rezaian or his lawyer have received the verdict. He did not give any details about the verdict.

If no objection is made in during this time, the verdict will be finalized, he noted.

Rezaian was arrested together with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, in July 2014.

Rezaian had been charged with espionage and at least three other major crimes. He was allowed to meet his lawyer for the first time in mid-May.

While the Revolutionary Court has not disclosed official charges against Rezaian, Iranian media say the charges are related to transfer of information to the United States Central Intelligence Agency.

The Judiciary official also said Iran expects the international community to appropriately react to the tragic crush of September 24 in Mina, near the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

“We expect the international bodies and those who claim to advocate human rights to have a good reaction to the occurrence of the Mina catastrophe,” Press TV quoted Mohseni Ejei as saying.

“This disaster, which happened on the day of Eid al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice) was a big crime and a tragic event; and it is self-evident that the Islamic Republic of Iran and the bereaved families cannot move on from the grief,” the spokesman said.

He said the Office of Tehran's Prosecutor General is currently investigating the issue and Tehran’s Judiciary Department is taking measures so that the families of the victims – in case of having any complaints about the incident – can file them.
He went on to say that the perpetrators of the “appalling tragedy” must be brought to justice, adding that Tehran has launched a probe to identify those responsible for the incident and hopes that other Islamic countries take similar measures.

SP/P