American journalist's sentencing in Iran remains mystery

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Ali Rezaian on brother's detention: 'absolutely torturous'

Iran reportedly sentences detained American journalist Jason Rezaian to an unspecified prison term

The brother of Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian is in the dark about the journalist's fate following his sentencing in Iran, but he is clear on the Islamic republic's judicial system.

"Although we cannot confirm the validity of these reports, we do know that the Iranian judicial process around Jason's case has been profoundly flawed from the outset," said Ali Rezaian.

Jason Rezaian has been sentenced by an Iranian court over a case that has roiled already tense relations between the U.S. and Iran. The length of the prison term was not specified, according to Reuters, but a judiciary spokesman confirmed the sentencing to local Iranian media.

"Serving a jail term is in Jason Rezaian's sentence but I cannot give details," Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei told a weekly news conference in Tehran.

Rezaian was a Tehran-based bureau chief for the Washington when he and his wife Yeganeh Salehi, also a journalist, were arrested during a raid on their home in July 2014. Saleh was released a few months later while Rezaian continued to be held in Evin Prison. It wasn’t until nine months later that his charges were made public. He was accused of espionage and propagandizing against the government. He was given a trial in May of this year and was convicted on Oct. 11.

Officials for the Washington Post said on Sunday that they were aware of the reports of his sentencing but did not have any further information.