An American journalist who has been held in Iran for more than a year has been convicted following a trial on espionage-related charges.The guilty verdict against the Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian, reported Monday by the Post and other U.S. outlets following state-run media reports in Iran, was immediately condemned by the paper. Martin Baron, executive editor of the Post, called the decision "an outrageous injustice."“Iran has behaved unconscionably throughout this case, but never more so than with this indefensible decision by a Revolutionary Court to convict an innocent journalist of serious crimes after a proceeding that unfolded in secret, with no evidence whatsoever of any wrongdoing,” Baron said in a statement.

The exact charges and sentence were not immediately clear. But Baron said the paper is working with Rezaian's family and lawyers to appeal. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid also weighed in on Monday, saying he will write to Iran's president to ask for an appeal, the Post reported.

Rezaian had been detained in Iran for 444 days as of October 9 — the same length of time dozens of Americans were held during the Iran hostage crisis that concluded in 1981, his employer reported this week