Roxana Saberi's Father Reacts to Amanda Knox Acquittal - Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand Forks

Saberi Family Reacts to Knox's Acquittal

For the family of Amanda Knox, they called it an extraordinary end to a nightmare. It's something one local family knows first-hand: the parents of Roxana Saberi.

She was the American journalist who was freed two years ago after being imprisoned in Iran for 100 days and later charged of spying on the country for the U.S.

Reza Saberi says he's been following Knox's story closely and it certainly has brought back some dark memories. But tonight, he's crying tears of joy that justice has been served.

"It's sad this keeps happening in different countries, different people," he says. 

It was a case that dealt with different charges in a country thousands of miles from Iran, but Reza Saberi can still relate.

"It brought some tears in our eyes because we could sympathize with their parents and family," says Reza.

Amanda's family stood by her emotionally and physically. They made 20 trips to Italy for the past four years. Reza remembers going through a similar ordeal when he and wife, Akiko, spent two weeks in Iran trying to find Roxana after she was taken from her home.

"They arrested her without telling, without allowing her to make a telephone call, or tell anybody," he retells the story vividly.

It was a horrific feeling he relived once again two weeks ago when two American hikers, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, were released from Iran. Now, with Knox's acquittal, he reflects on the political turmoil.

"To keep someone who is innocent at a court for a long time like this was really a failure of justice," says Saberi.

But on this monumental day, Reza is looking back at what comes after nightmare. He says he never gave up hope, thanks to the support from across the country and those in Fargo who gathered to welcome Roxana back.

"It was very exciting to see her back in the country -- in her own country."

A moment he knows Amanda kKox's family will finally experience soon.

While there were protestors outside, Reza says he was also happy to see Italian people outside the courthouse rejoicing. He says that support across the world is what keeps Amanda's and other American prisoners' stories alive.

Reza says Roxana is currently living in New York City where she's writing her second book. It was the one she had started writing right just before she was arrested in Iran.