EVANSTON, Illinois – Professors, students and alumni of the alma mater of an American journalist imprisoned in Iran are helping orchestrate a hunger strike in hopes of pressuring her release.
The FreeRoxana campaign partly sponsored by people affiliated with Northwestern University is organizing the protest on behalf of Roxana Saberi. She's a 1999 graduate of the university's Medill School of Journalism.
The 32-year-old was arrested in January and convicted last month of spying for the U.S. She was sentenced to eight years in prison after a one-day trial behind closed doors.
Saberi began her own hunger strike April 21. Now, the FreeRoxana campaign on Sunday will launch a similar protest over 12 days. Volunteers around the world are being asked to fast in 24-hour shifts.
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