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"We call upon the Iranian and North Korean authorities to release the reporters they are holding," RSF Washington director Lucie Morillon said at the event. "They should release these people who were doing nothing wrong. They were not spying, they were just reporters doing their job."
Saberi, 32, who was jailed last month after being convicted of spying for Iran's archfoe the United States, went on hunger strike on April 21 in protest at the sentence.
"She is very weak and we are very worried about her health," Morillon told AFP. She said the hunger strike launched by RSF in the United States sought to take over from a similar initiative in Europe and help Saberi end her hunger strike if she wishes to do so.
"We are giving some international attention to the case, putting some more pressure on the Iranian authorities so they let her go. But in case she was thinking about stopping the hunger strike she should know that she didn't do that in vain and that we are here to take up the case," Morillon added.
"It is not in the Iranian authorities' best interest to let her health deteriorate in jail ... We hope that they will understand that if they want to have a good relationship with the American administration, they should release her as soon as possible."
But Morillon acknowledged the timing was difficult for the Iranian government, with presidential elections set to take place on June 12. She also cited "a lot of divisions" among conservatives in the country."
Saberi has been held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison since late January, when she was initially reported to have been arrested for buying alcohol, an illegal act in the Islamic republic.
The US-]nbspborn journalist, who is also of Japanese descent, has reported for US National Public Radio, the BBC and Fox News, and has lived in Iran for the past six years.
Lee, a Korean-American, and Ling, a Chinese-American, were detained by North Korea March 17 along the Tumen River which marks the border with China.
Pyongyang said Friday the two female journalists would stand trial on criminal charges, a move seen by some analysts as pressuring Washington to open direct dialogue. The North had previously said the pair would face trial for "hostile acts" and illegally entering the country.
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Saberi, 32, who was jailed last month after being convicted of spying for Iran's archfoe the United States, went on hunger strike on April 21 in protest at the sentence.
"She is very weak and we are very worried about her health," Morillon told AFP. She said the hunger strike launched by RSF in the United States sought to take over from a similar initiative in Europe and help Saberi end her hunger strike if she wishes to do so.
"We are giving some international attention to the case, putting some more pressure on the Iranian authorities so they let her go. But in case she was thinking about stopping the hunger strike she should know that she didn't do that in vain and that we are here to take up the case," Morillon added.
"It is not in the Iranian authorities' best interest to let her health deteriorate in jail ... We hope that they will understand that if they want to have a good relationship with the American administration, they should release her as soon as possible."
But Morillon acknowledged the timing was difficult for the Iranian government, with presidential elections set to take place on June 12. She also cited "a lot of divisions" among conservatives in the country."
Saberi has been held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison since late January, when she was initially reported to have been arrested for buying alcohol, an illegal act in the Islamic republic.
The US-]nbspborn journalist, who is also of Japanese descent, has reported for US National Public Radio, the BBC and Fox News, and has lived in Iran for the past six years.
Lee, a Korean-American, and Ling, a Chinese-American, were detained by North Korea March 17 along the Tumen River which marks the border with China.
Pyongyang said Friday the two female journalists would stand trial on criminal charges, a move seen by some analysts as pressuring Washington to open direct dialogue. The North had previously said the pair would face trial for "hostile acts" and illegally entering the country.
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