Professors, students and alumni at Northwestern University are helping to orchestrate a hunger strike in support of an American journalist imprisoned in Iran.
The FreeRoxana campaign is being organized in an effort to pressure Iran to release Roxana Saberi. She's a 1999 graduate of
the university's Medill School of Journalism.
The 32-year-old North Dakota native was arrested in January and convicted last month of spying for the U.S. She was sentenced to
eight years in prison after a one-day trial behind closed doors.
Saberi began her own hunger strike April 21. Now, the FreeRoxana campaign on Sunday will launch a similar protest over 12 days so
Saberi can end her fast. Volunteers around the world are being asked to fast in 24-hour shifts.
Earlier this week, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said he planned to head to New York in an attempt to secure visas to Iran so he can seek Saberi's release. Jackson hopes to travel to Iran with some journalism students from Northwestern University, Saberi's alma mater.
NU Sets Mass Hunger Strike
Journalist convicted last month of espionage
Copyright AP - Associated Press
