ID :
189478
Sat, 06/18/2011 - 19:33
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/189478
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11 Iranians held in U.S. for political reasons: official
TEHRAN, June 18 (MNA) – More than 60 Iranian nationals are being held in U.S. prisons, 11 of them on political grounds, a Foreign Ministry official has said.
Hassan Qashqavi, the deputy foreign minister for consular, parliamentary and Iranian expatriates’ affairs, said certainly the real number of Iranian nationals held in the U.S. prisons is more than 60, particularly when one takes into account the ordinary prisoners.
In an exclusive interview with IRNA published on Saturday, Qashqavi said narcotics trade and illegal border crossing are two main reasons that Iranian nationals are found guilty.
The official said among the Iranians held in U.S. captivity are Amir Hossein Ardebili, who was extradited to the U.S. by Georgia, and Shahrzad Mir-Qolikhan, who was arrested under false charges.
A U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Delaware, handed out a five-year sentence to Ardebili based on the prosecutor's claim that he had "secretly pleaded guilty" to arms smuggling and weapons export charges.
Shahrzad was arrested in the U.S. in December 2007 after being forced to return to the U.S. from a vacation in Cyprus.
Her former husband, Mahmoud Seif, had allegedly tried to export night-vision goggles to Iran from Austria. However, she was detained and sentenced to five years in prison by a Florida federal court in the absence of her husband.
Qashqavi also referred to the case of former Iranian Ambassador to Jordan Nosratollah Tajik. He said that Tajik has been under house arrest in the UK over alleged involvement in nuclear deals in violation of the U.S. sanctions.
He went on to say that the U.S. was pressuring the UK to extradite Tajik to Washington while presenting no evidences on his charges.
Regardless of judicial reasons, Mr. Tajaik must be released as soon as possible for humanitarian reasons as he is in appalling health condition, but the case has not been resolved yet, Qashqavi added.
According to Qashqavi, some 778 Iranian nationals have been released from prisons in 25 different countries over the past year and transferred to the country.
The released nationals account for one third of the total number of Iranians held in custody in other countries, the official concluded.
There is no exact information about the number of prisoners, Qashqavi added.
Hassan Qashqavi, the deputy foreign minister for consular, parliamentary and Iranian expatriates’ affairs, said certainly the real number of Iranian nationals held in the U.S. prisons is more than 60, particularly when one takes into account the ordinary prisoners.
In an exclusive interview with IRNA published on Saturday, Qashqavi said narcotics trade and illegal border crossing are two main reasons that Iranian nationals are found guilty.
The official said among the Iranians held in U.S. captivity are Amir Hossein Ardebili, who was extradited to the U.S. by Georgia, and Shahrzad Mir-Qolikhan, who was arrested under false charges.
A U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Delaware, handed out a five-year sentence to Ardebili based on the prosecutor's claim that he had "secretly pleaded guilty" to arms smuggling and weapons export charges.
Shahrzad was arrested in the U.S. in December 2007 after being forced to return to the U.S. from a vacation in Cyprus.
Her former husband, Mahmoud Seif, had allegedly tried to export night-vision goggles to Iran from Austria. However, she was detained and sentenced to five years in prison by a Florida federal court in the absence of her husband.
Qashqavi also referred to the case of former Iranian Ambassador to Jordan Nosratollah Tajik. He said that Tajik has been under house arrest in the UK over alleged involvement in nuclear deals in violation of the U.S. sanctions.
He went on to say that the U.S. was pressuring the UK to extradite Tajik to Washington while presenting no evidences on his charges.
Regardless of judicial reasons, Mr. Tajaik must be released as soon as possible for humanitarian reasons as he is in appalling health condition, but the case has not been resolved yet, Qashqavi added.
According to Qashqavi, some 778 Iranian nationals have been released from prisons in 25 different countries over the past year and transferred to the country.
The released nationals account for one third of the total number of Iranians held in custody in other countries, the official concluded.
There is no exact information about the number of prisoners, Qashqavi added.
