The lawyer for jailed Iranian-American Roxana Saberi says he is
optimistic about her fate, saying the Iranian appeal court's atmosphere
was "favorable" when he presented her defense.
Saberi's lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, said the court allowed him
enough time to present a credible defense. Khorramshahi expects a
decision regarding Saberi's eight-year prison sentence within the next
few days.
The 32-year-old freelance journalist was found guilty last month on
charges of espionage. Her family and the U.S. government say the
charges against her are baseless.
Saberi's father (Reza Saberi) says the journalist ended a
hunger strike Monday at Evin prison after refusing to eat for nearly
two weeks. Witnesses to Sunday's closed-door proceedings say Saberi
appeared tired and thin when she arrived at the courthouse.
Iran has criticized international involvement in the case, saying the
judiciary is independent and outside interference contradicts
international norms.