Roxana Saberi is a Iranian born US journalist who spent last six years back in Iran where she worked as freelance journalist reporting for Fox News, the BBC and NPR (National Public Radio). 32 year old Roxana Saberi is a dual citizen with both Iranian and US passports. She was arrested on January 31 and was held in Evin Prison in Tehran, where many political prisoners are held. Charges? Roxana Saberi was accused of spying on Iran and passing documents and information to a hostile state (USA). This is a collection of rare photos of Roxana Saberi along with her story:

Roxana Saberi was born in Iran but grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. She won Miss North Dakota pageant and started to work on her career as a journalist. Six years ago she moved back to Iran and worked from there. Her press credentials were revoked and she was facing up to a life in prison.

When Roxana Saberi to call her father from prison, she told him she was arrested because she was buying an alcohol (bottle of wine) from someone on the street who then reported it to Iranian authorities. Since alcohol is illegal in Iran, Roxana Saberi was arrested and imprisoned.

On Monday, May 11, 2009 it was announced by Abdolsamad Khorramshahi – a lawyer representing Roxana Saberi that she was released from prison. She was originally sentenced to 8 years, but the appeal court of Iran reduced her sentence to 2 years suspended. In mid April Roxana Saberi launched a hunger strike but was forced to end it after hospitalization.

The case of Roxana Saberi even got before US president Barack Obama who appealed to Iranian authorities asking for her immediate release, calling her imprisonment unfounded, assuring Iran that there is no way she could have been involved in any form of espionage. She is free to leave Iran any time she wants now and according to her father Reza Saberi, they will be heading back to Fargo within next few days.

Next few days? If I were unfairly imprisoned, I’d shoot off with first available plane. What the hell do they feel like sticking around for few more day for? Another thing I could never understand – why is Roxana Saberi wearing that head scarf in all photos? She grew up in the USA, it’s a free country. She doesn’t have to follow that humiliating culture? Yet many women still choose to jump on the brainwash wagon and fall with it. I don’t get it. You live in a free country, embrace the freedom.

More photos of Roxana Saberi in the gallery below:

Roxana Saberi photos by Getty Images, Reuters

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