一位美国女间谍的闹剧?

音频下载[点击右键另存为]
(About its fairness.)

Iran is also facing growing pressure to release an American journalist tonight. She’s convicted of spying. Her name is Roxana Saberi. She was born in the United States and grew up in North Dakota. She’s been living in Iran for six years, working as a freelance reporter. In January, Iranian authorities arrested her, accusing her of working without the proper credentials. But earlier this month, a judge charged her with passing classified information to US intelligence, in other words, spying.

The court last week convicted her and sentenced her to eight years in an Iranian prison and today our Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded.

"We believe she should be freed immediately, that the charges against her are baseless and that she has been subjected to a process that has been nontransparent, uNPRedictable, arbitrary."

 At [the] very least, Iranian leaders have ordered a full investigation into the case. And today they allowed her parents to visit her behind bars, so that meeting now. And Jonathan Hunt with details of that, Jonathan.

Shep (Shepard Smith), this is the first time since Roxana Saberi's sentencing that her parents have been allowed to see her, clearly a great relief for them. And they say she is, quote: "doing OK". Saberi is being held in a prison on the northern edge of Tehran. According to her parents, she is sharing a cell with two other women at the jail, which is often used to house political prisoners. After they saw her today, Saberi’s mom and dad spoke with reporters in Tehran and denied that their daughter could ever be a spy.

"No way, she cannot be a spy. You know her. If once you know her, she is the last person to do that. She would never do that to anyone. Even to the enemies, she won’t do that."

Roxana Saberi’s eight-year sentence was announced Saturday as Iran celebrated Armed Forces Day with its usual military parade. Her father claims the trial, which was held behind closed doors, lasted just 15 minutes. President Obama has said he is gravely concerned about Saberi’s safety and well-being. But tonight there  may be cause for optimism. Iran’s chief judge has ordered a full investigation into the case after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Saberi should be allowed to offer a full defense in her appeal which, while encouraging of course, raises the question: Why was she not allowed to offer a full defense of herself at the original trial, Shep?

Yeah, a very good question. Jonathan Hunt, thanks very much.

Glossary [only for reference]

 freelance: working independently for different companies rather than being employed by one particular company

credentials [plural]: a letter or other document which proves your good character or your right to have a particular position

classified information/documents: ones which the government has ordered to be kept secret

baseless: not based on facts or good reasons; used to show disapproval [= unfounded]

somebody/something be subjected to something [phrasal verb]: someone or something is forced to experience something very unpleasant, especially over a long time

arbitrary: decided or arranged without any reason or plan, often unfairly

at the (very) least: used when mentioning the least extreme thing that happens, is needed etc

behind bars: informal in prison

quote: spoken used when you are going to repeat what someone else has said, to emphasize that it is exactly the way they said it

house [transitive]: to provide someone with a place to live

Armed Forces Day: Rouz-e Artesh (English: Army Day) is celebrated on April 18, currently it coincides with the birthday of the current Supreme Leader of Iran

behind closed doors: if something happens behind closed doors, it happens in private and the public are not allowed in

cause [uncountable]: a fact that makes it right or reasonable for you to feel or behave in a particular way [= reason]

well-being [uncountable]: a feeling of being comfortable, healthy, and happy