It's a great relief for Rezaian and his family and welcome news for the journalism community, which campaigned for his release.
But why was Rezaian, 39, locked up in the first place? His treatment by Iran was nothing less than disgraceful.
For months, Rezaian, who holds dual U.S. and Iranian citizenship, was held without explanation or charge. He languished in the notorious Evin prison in northwestern Tehran, one of Iran's worst.
Ultimately he was charged with espionage. But the scant "evidence" released by the Iranians was ridiculous. If the term "trumped up" didn't exist, it would have to be invented for this episode.
Iran isn't big on the transparency. The reporter was tried behind closed doors. He wasn't allowed to use the attorney of his choice. His mother and wife traveled to Iran but were not allowed to attend the proceedings. The journalist ultimately received an unspecified prison sentence.
Rezaian's health deteriorated during his long ordeal. And his outrageous incarceration took a toll on his family, his brother Ali told me last year. "For my mom, it's tough," he said. As for Ali, "it has upended my work and my family life as well."
And, he added, "let alone what it is doing to Jason."Ali worked hard to make sure that Jason's plight wasn't forgotten. So did TheWashington Post, particularly executive editor Marty Baron, who repeatedly called on Iran to free the reporter. The paper even went to the United Nations seeking help. In December, the National Press Club held a moving event in which journalists read from Rezaian's work for 24 consecutive hours.
Of course, Iran's treatment of Rezaian comes as no surprise. It's not exactly a champion of freedom of expression. The Committee to Protect Journalists has described it as "one of the world's leading jailers of journalists." As of last Dec. 1, when the organization carried out its most recent tally of journalists in prison, Iran had 19, making it the world's No. 3 jailer of journalists.
Jason Rezaian spent 18 months in prison for doing his job. Thankfully, his nightmare is finally over.
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