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Kerry ‘working very hard’ to release captured journalist

by Bradford Richardson - 01/09/16 4:56 PM ET

Secretary of State John Kerry will respond “as appropriate” to the demand from 25 influential news organizations that Iran release a captive American journalist, the State Department said Saturday.

The department is “working very hard to get our citizens back home and we call again on Iran to release them,” spokesman John Kirby said, according to the Associated Press.

{mosads}Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian has been held by the government of Iran for the past 18 months.

The 39-year-old journalist, who holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Iran, was convicted on unspecified charges and sentenced to prison last year. He had faced four charges, including espionage.

The length of his sentence is unknown. The Washington Post has denied the allegations.

The letter, from news agencies including the Associated Press, the New York Times and NBC, called on Iran to recognize independent journalism as “a fundamental human right” and release Rezaian immediately.

The U.S. led negotiations with Iran last year to prevent the Islamic republic from acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities.

Tags Iran Jason Rezaian John Kerry