Muslim Congressman Calls for the Release of Jason Rezaian

Keith Ellison, a Muslim representative in the United States Congress, has urged Iranian officials to release Jason Rezaian, a journalist for the Washington Post who has been imprisoned in Iran for over a year. In a message shared with the 'International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran', Ellison states, 'I demand the unconditional and immediate release of Jason Rezaian. I ask the Iranian government to recognize that truth should never be considered a crime, and Rezaian must be freed immediately.' Ellison has also expressed his sympathy for Rezaian's family, saying, 'He should be returned to his family.' This U.S. Congressman is among a growing number of political figures, social personalities, and international actors who have called for Rezaian's release in recent months. Besides the U.S. government, which has repeatedly demanded his freedom, as well as that of Amir Hekmati, a former soldier, and Saeed Abedini, a pastor, several prominent non-political figures have also called for the release of these Iranian-American citizens, including Muhammad Ali, the famous boxing champion. Meanwhile, reports have emerged of discussions between Washington and Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, to initiate efforts for the release of imprisoned citizens. Iranian-Americans imprisoned in Iran face security charges or 'espionage'. It remains unclear what Jason Rezaian's sentence is, as he has been in prison for nearly 500 days. Judicial officials state that his sentence has been issued, although no one has provided details to the media. Ellison also referenced this issue in his message, stating, 'Although the court has convicted him, they have yet to notify him of the sentence. His sentence should end right now.' Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, recently stated that the charges against Rezaian 'have a serious judicial process,' but added, 'From a humanitarian perspective, we are trying to resolve this issue.' New calls for the release of the imprisoned journalist and other detained Americans in Iran come at a time when reports of the detention of another Iranian-American have surfaced.