Another American in Iran Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison; This Time on Charges of Insulting the Leadership

A week after news of an American’s conviction in Iran, The New York Times reported that Michael White, a former U.S. Navy officer recently sentenced to ten years in prison in Iran, received this sentence for “insulting the leadership” of the Islamic Republic.

The New York Times wrote: Michael White, a former member of the U.S. Navy and a California resident, was sentenced to ten years in prison for insulting the leader of the Islamic Republic and posting private photos on social media during a visit with his girlfriend in Iran.

According to The New York Times, Islamic Republic officials have released no information. Several Americans have been convicted in Iran on charges such as espionage, but Islamic Republic officials have provided no documentation regarding their accusations.

Reuters news agency reported on Saturday, March 16, quoting Mark Zaid, Michael White’s family lawyer, that Mr. White has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Michael White, who traveled to Iran to visit his girlfriend, was arrested in Mashhad last summer.

Islamic Republic officials made contradictory statements about Mr. White’s case; previously, the Mashhad prosecutor said that Michael White had “one security charge,” but provided no details about this charge.

This was while Hossein Panahi-Azar, Deputy for Iranians and Parliamentary Affairs at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, stated on Sunday, February 24, that Michael White’s arrest was due to a private plaintiff’s complaint and not security matters.

Meanwhile, the 10-year prison sentence issued for charges such as publishing a private photo and insulting the leadership appears to be extremely harsh.

Objections to Trial Proceedings

In recent weeks, Joanne White, Michael White’s mother, said her son was beaten after his arrest in Iran, lacks money to hire a lawyer, and does not know what charges he was arrested and imprisoned for.

Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for the White family, also told Radio Farda about a week ago that the trial sessions of this American citizen are conducted in Farsi without an interpreter or lawyer.

There are concerns about Michael White’s health. Michael’s mother said that before his last trip, he had undergone chemotherapy and radiation therapy due to a tumor in his neck.

Americans Imprisoned in Iran

The Islamic Republic of Iran has detained more than 10 American citizens and citizens of other countries, some of whom hold dual citizenship, on charges such as espionage.

United States officials have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of “taking hostages” of various individuals, including American citizens, and have demanded that the Iranian government release them.

On Sunday, January 19, Mike Pompeo posted a photo of them in two tweets marking the anniversary of the release of American hostages from Iran and wrote: 38 years ago on this day, hardliners in Iran released 52 American diplomats who had been held hostage for 444 days. Iran still holds innocent Americans hostage.

Mr. Pompeo, in another tweet, addressed Ayatollah Khamenei, Hassan Rouhani, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, saying that with the immediate release of “Bob Levinson,” “Xiyue Wang,” “Baquer and Siamak Namazi,” and other hostages, they must end “hostage-taking and assassination campaigns.”

Robert (Bob) Levinson is a retired FBI officer who was investigating cigarette smuggling as a private consultant and disappeared on Kish Island in Iran in 2006.

Also, Xiyue Wang, a history student at Princeton University, is another American prisoner in Iran. All of them have been sentenced to 10 years in prison, and their sentences were upheld last summer by the Islamic Republic’s Court of Appeals.

Siamak and Baquer Namazi are two Iranian-American citizens who were sentenced to 10 years in prison three years ago.

Nazar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen with U.S. residency who traveled to Tehran at the invitation of officials from Rouhani’s administration, was also sentenced to 10 years in prison due to his background in the U.S. military.

Previously, the U.S. Senate approved a resolution last November calling for the release of American citizens from the Islamic Republic.

Several representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives also introduced a bill that would authorize the U.S. government to have tools to pressure Iran and use them to free imprisoned American citizens in Iran.

Source: Voice of America