The Latest: Son says Iranian TV anchor still being held
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on an Iranian TV anchor detained in the U.S. (all times local):
3:05 p.m.
According to partially unsealed federal court documents, a prominent American-born anchorwoman on Iranian state television who has been jailed in the U.S. has not been accused of any crime.
Marzieh Hashemi has been detained as a material witness, though it’s unclear for which case. She has appeared twice before a U.S. District Court judge, according to an order Friday to partially unseal information about her case.
She was detained by federal agents on Sunday in St. Louis and transported to Washington and has been in custody since then. Officials said she was expected to be released immediately after her testimony is completed, but it’s not clear when that would be.
Federal law allows judges to order witnesses to be detained if the government can prove their testimony has extraordinary value for a criminal case and that they would be a flight risk and unlikely to respond to a subpoena.
Hashemi worked for the Press TV network’s English-language service. Her son says she was detained by federal agents on Sunday in St. Louis, where she had filmed a Black Lives Matter documentary after visiting relatives in the New Orleans area.
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2:37 p.m.
The son of an Iranian television anchorwoman who has been jailed in the U.S. says his mother has not yet been released.
Hossein Hashemi said outside federal court Friday that he had hoped that his American-born mother, Marzieh Hashemi, would be released this week, but that looked unlikely.
He said they were under subpoena. He has said she’s been jailed as a material witness, though it’s unclear for which case. She hasn’t been charged with a crime.
Federal officials have not commented about the case.
Marzieh Hashemi worked for the Press TV network’s English-language service. Her son says she was detained by federal agents on Sunday in St. Louis, where she had filmed a Black Lives Matter documentary after visiting relatives in the New Orleans area.
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10:36 a.m.
The son of an American-born anchor for Iran’s state television broadcaster says his mother will appear before a U.S. grand jury.
Hossein Hashemi tells The Associated Press that his mother, Marzieh Hashemi, is being taken to court in Washington, D.C., on Friday.
He has said Marzieh Hashemi was taken into custody by federal agents on Sunday in St. Louis and then was transferred to Washington. He has said she’s been jailed as a material witness, though it’s unclear for which case.
She hasn’t been charged with a crime.
Federal law allows judges to order a witness to be arrested and detained if the government can prove his or her testimony has extraordinary value for a criminal case and he or she would be a flight risk and unlikely to respond to a subpoena.
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