Reporter jailed in Iran gets lawyer after more than 7 months
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.
