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Reporter jailed in Iran gets lawyer after more than 7 months

FILE - In this April 11, 2013 file photo, Jason Rezaian, right, an Iranian-American correspondent for the Washington Post, and his wife Yeganeh Salehi, an Iranian correspondent for the Abu Dhabi-based daily newspaper, The National, smile as they attend a presidential campaign of President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, Iran. The family of Rezaian who is detained in Iran says authorities there have allowed him to hire a lawyer after more than seven months behind bars, though it is not the attorney they had hoped for. Rezaian was detained in Tehran on July 22, 2014 along with Salehi, and two photojournalists. Rezaian, who was born and spent most of his life in the United States, is the only one of the four still behind bars. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)
FILE - In this April 11, 2013 file photo, Jason Rezaian, right, an Iranian-American correspondent for the Washington Post, and his wife Yeganeh Salehi, an Iranian correspondent for the Abu Dhabi-based daily newspaper, The National, smile as they attend a presidential campaign of President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran, Iran. The family of Rezaian who is detained in Iran says authorities there have allowed him to hire a lawyer after more than seven months behind bars, though it is not the attorney they had hoped for. Rezaian was detained in Tehran on July 22, 2014 along with Salehi, and two photojournalists. Rezaian, who was born and spent most of his life in the United States, is the only one of the four still behind bars. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

By Associated Press 3 min read

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – After more than seven months behind bars in an Iranian prison, detained Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian has for the first time been allowed to hire a defense lawyer, according to his family.

It’s just not the attorney Rezaian’s family had hoped for.

The Iranian-American journalist’s family had been seeking to hire lawyer Masoud Shafiei, who has had experience dealing with sensitive cases involving foreigners and previously represented three American hikers arrested by Iran in 2009.

Ali Rezaian, the reporter’s brother, told The Associated Press in an interview last month that Shafiei had been prevented from dropping off paperwork that Rezaian must sign to enlist his services – effectively making him unable to formally defend him.

The judge overseeing the case set a Monday deadline to present a defense attorney, giving the family little choice to hire someone new.