The Iranian government told lawyers for a Radio Farda correspondent that they will not return her passport and that her case will be decided in court.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said a lawyer for Parnaz Azima told them the Iranian Information Ministry declined the latest request to return her passport, confiscated five months ago. It quoted the lawyer saying it could take months for the first court session to convene.
Azima’s passport was confiscated in January; she has been charged with spreading anti-state propaganda by working for “counterrevolutionary” Radio Farda, according to RFE/RL. She is free on bail.
RFE/RL describes the case on its Web site on a page titled “Soft Hostages in Iran.”
