UNITED NATIONS — UN human rights experts are calling on Iran to immediately release a Washington Post reporter who has been detained for more than a year on charges including espionage. A verdict on Jason Rezaian’s case could come as early as next week.

Friday’s statement says the detention and closed-door trial violate Rezaian’s rights and serve to intimidate journalists in Iran. It says his solitary confinement and full-day interrogation sessions “caused significant physical and psychological strain.”

The statement was issued by the special rapporteurs for freedom of expression and human rights in Iran and by the head of the working group on arbitrary detention.

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Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron says the statement “comes at a critical moment” and upholds the newspaper’s stance that Iran’s conduct in the case has been illegal.

Rezaian was tried by a Revolutionary Court, which hears sensitive cases, including those related to national security.

The 39-year-old journalist was born and spent most of his life in the United States, and holds both American and Iranian citizenship. Iran does not recognize dual nationalities for its citizens.

His lawyer, Leila Ahsan, told AP earlier this week that she expects a verdict “in a week.” The trial began in May.

Rezaian, Salehi, and two photojournalists were detained on July 22, 2014, in Tehran. All were later released except Rezaian, who according to the Post faces up to 10 to 20 years in prison if convicted on charges that include espionage and distributing propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

The Post, the US government and press freedom organizations have criticized the charges and his long detention in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.