[JURIST] Washington Post [official website] correspondent Jason Rezaian’s trial began [IRNA report] on Tuesday in Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Court with a hearing that was closed to the public. Rezaian, a US-Iranian dual citizen has been detained in Iran for 10 months on charges of espionage and giving information to hostile governments. He was originally arrested without charges and held in the notorious Evin Prison [Fox News backgrounder] in solitary confinement for the duration of his imprisonment, and allegedly Iran has presented no evidence [Reuters report] to support the charges. Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron [official Twitter account] released a statement [press release] regarding Rezaian’s trial, in which he condemned Iran’s actions: “There is no justice in this system, not an ounce of it, and yet the fate of a good, innocent man hangs in the balance. Iran is making a statement about its values in its disgraceful treatment of our colleague, and it can only horrify the world community.” Rezaian, his wife Yeganeh Salehi and an unidentified photographer were arrested [WSJ report] in July, and all three appeared in court on similar charges on Tuesday. Rezaian faces 20 years in prison if convicted.

Rezaian’s case remains particularly sensitive as it falls in the midst [BBC report] of Iran’s ongoing nuclear negotiations with the West. President Obama has urged Iran to release Rezaian and other American detainees to no avail. Rezaian’s trial looms before the nuclear negotiation’s June 30 deadline. Iran has agreed to a preliminary framework [JURIST report] of nuclear restrictions in exchange for gradual lifting of international economic sanctions in a deal struck with five major world powers including the US. While this agreement is not final, the US remains optimistic that it remains a “solid foundation for the good deal [the nations] are seeking.”