Muhammad Ali Calls for the Release of Jason Rezaian

Muhammad Ali, the famous boxing champion, has requested Iranian authorities to release Jason Rezaian, a journalist for The Washington Post, who has been detained since last summer. In a statement published on March 12 by the National Press Club, Muhammad Ali referred to Mr. Rezaian as a 'man of peace and true faith,' whose 'dedication and respect for the people of Iran is evident in his work.' The request for Rezaian's release was also shared on Muhammad Ali's Twitter page. Jason Rezaian holds both Iranian and American citizenship. He has been working as a journalist in Iran since 2008, becoming a reporter for The Washington Post in 2012. He was arrested last July along with three others, including his wife, Yeganeh Salehi. The other three detainees were released after a while, but Mr. Rezaian remains in prison without a definitive sentence or trial. During this time, various figures have called for his release, including the U.S. government, which requested his freedom just days after news of his arrest broke, and asked the Swiss government, which represents U.S. interests in Iran, to follow up on the case. In early January, the head of the Tehran judiciary announced that he would be tried soon. In mid-March, Rezaian's family stated that the Islamic Revolutionary Court allowed him to choose a lawyer, but this lawyer must be someone other than the option proposed by Rezaian's family, Masoud Shafiei. They chose Leila Ehsan, the lawyer for Mrs. Salehi. Ali, who began his statement with 'In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,' expressed regret that he could not be present in person to show his support, but he prays that 'God willing' his words can help efforts for Jason Rezaian's release.