article_snippet.sent: (CNN)Jason Rezaian has sat in jail in Iran for nearly nine months.
article_snippet.sent: The Iranian-American will be tried soon on espionage, Tehran's chief justice said.
article_snippet.sent: If reports in Iran's press about the charges are true, charges are absurd, should be immediately dismissed and Jason should be immediately freed so that Jason can return to Jason family," the State Department official said.
article_snippet.sent: Since officers picked up Rezaian and Rezaian wife, Yeganeh Salehi, on July 22 at their home, the Post, the State Department and Rezaian's family have protested and called for Jason release.
article_snippet.sent: Rezaian was denied bail.
article_snippet.sent: And for months, Rezaian was denied access to proper legal representation, Rezaian has said.
article_snippet.sent: Boxing great Muhammad Ali, also an American Muslim, appealed to Tehran last month to give Rezaian full access to legal representation and free Rezaian on bail.
article_snippet.sent: To my knowledge, Jason is a man of peace and great faith, a man whose dedication and respect for the Iranian people is evident in Rezaian work," Rezaian said in a religiously worded statement.
article_snippet.sent: Rezaian has also not been allowed to see visitors aside from Rezaian wife and has endured long interrogations, family members have said.
article_snippet.sent: In December, after a 10-hour hearing, Rezaian signed a paper to acknowledge that Rezaian understood the charges against Rezaian, the Post reported.
article_snippet.sent: Iran's human rights chief, Mohammad Javad Larijani, told news outlet France 24 last year that Rezaian hoped Rezaian's case would come to a positive conclusion.
article_snippet.sent: Rezaian said, "Let us hope that this fiasco will end on good terms.
highlights_snippet.sent: Officers arrested Jason Rezaian and Jason Rezaian wife in July on unspecified allegations .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: It took months to charge Jason Rezaian; charges were made public last week .
  