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John Kerry calls for release of US marine vet arrested while visiting Iran in 2011
Source: The Guardian
John Kerry calls for release of US marine vet arrested while visiting Iran in 2011
Lauren Gambino in New York
Saturday 29 August 2015 12.00 BST
US secretary of state John Kerry has joined the family of US marine veteran Amir Hekmati in calling on Iran to release him on the four-year anniversary of his detention by the Islamic Republic.
Hekmati, a dual US-Iranian citizen born in Arizona, was arrested by Iranian security officials in August 2011 while on a family visit to see his grandmother and other relatives. He is serving 10 years in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison on charges of aiding a hostile country – the US.
“This Saturday marks the four-year anniversary of US citizen Amir Hekmati’s detention on false espionage charges while visiting his relatives in Iran,” Kerry said in a statement on Friday.
“We repeat our call on the Iranian government to release Amir on humanitarian grounds. The Hekmati family needs Amir – their brother, their son, their uncle – to be home where he belongs,” Kerry added.
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Lauren Gambino in New York
Saturday 29 August 2015 12.00 BST
US secretary of state John Kerry has joined the family of US marine veteran Amir Hekmati in calling on Iran to release him on the four-year anniversary of his detention by the Islamic Republic.
Hekmati, a dual US-Iranian citizen born in Arizona, was arrested by Iranian security officials in August 2011 while on a family visit to see his grandmother and other relatives. He is serving 10 years in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison on charges of aiding a hostile country – the US.
“This Saturday marks the four-year anniversary of US citizen Amir Hekmati’s detention on false espionage charges while visiting his relatives in Iran,” Kerry said in a statement on Friday.
“We repeat our call on the Iranian government to release Amir on humanitarian grounds. The Hekmati family needs Amir – their brother, their son, their uncle – to be home where he belongs,” Kerry added.
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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/29/john-kerry-release-us-marine-vet-iran