there's a time for advocacy.....

and that time is now.

Hard to take a position on a diplomatic issue when you're a working journalist. Hard to get involved in political affairs when you may cover them.

But when you're dealing with the human dynamic, that's a whole other thing, and all bets are off.

A week ago we learned that a very competent and very respectful and modest American journalist working in Iran was taken prisoner by Iranian authorities. Flouting their own law, the Iranians initially did not charge Roxana Saberi with a crime, did not provide her with the minimum requirements for incarceration set forth under Iranian law, and did not set a date for a hearing.

Well, Roxana is still in prison. Even after the positive news from Iran late last week that she would be released soon, no date has been set for a hearing. To me, this remains troubling.

I spoke a few moments ago with Roxana's father. I had spoken with him last weekend, when this story broke on NPR, and now, as then, he was both calm and reasoned in explaining what he knew, as well as what he hoped.

Here are some notes from that conversation, which also appeaers on FB.

I am sure we are all aware of the situation that RIAS fellow Roxana Saberi is in right now in Iran. She has been held in a prison for five weeks now, and just today, for the first time, she was able to see the lawyer hired by her parents. Roxana's father tells me that from the brief conversation with the lawyer, a conversation that may have been cut off by Iranian authorities, he learned that Roxana was alive.Just the mention of this is chilling, as Reza Saberi has been a rock throughout this ordeal, and to hear that he feared for the worst is an indication of how dire this situation is.So Roxana is now aware that she has counsel, that her parents are working on her release, and that many individuals and groups are making noise and expressing concern for her situation. Reza says that Roxana was stressed and depressed, according to the lawyer, but was quite pleased to hear that we are not only thinking of her, but trying to do what we can to win her release.Roxana has requested some books from her apartment, and it seems as though her lawyer might be able to visit with her again early this week.The lawyer still does not know when or even whether there will be a hearing for her release. Reza asked that we all continue 'in any way that we can to keep the story alive. We want her freedom. She has done nothing.' He anticipates speaking with the State Department again early this week, and noted that the comments of Hillary Clinton Thursday in Brussels was a good sign. There is an AP wire that moved just before 6pm today with some of this information.