Another American sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran; this time on charges of insulting the leader

A week after the news of the conviction of an American in Iran, the New York Times reported that Michael White, a former American soldier who was recently sentenced to ten years in prison in Iran, received this punishment for "insulting the leadership."

The New York Times wrote: Michael White, a former US Navy member from California, was sentenced to ten years in prison for insulting the leader of the Islamic Republic and posting some private photos on social media while visiting his girlfriend in Iran.

According to the New York Times, Iranian authorities have not released any information. Several Americans have been convicted in Iran of crimes such as espionage, but Iranian authorities have not provided any documentation about their charges.

Reuters news agency reported on Saturday, March 15, citing Mark Zaid, the family lawyer for Michael White, that Mr. White had been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

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

Officials of the Islamic Republic had made contradictory statements regarding Mr. White's case; previously, the Mashhad prosecutor had said that Michael White also had "a security charge," but had not mentioned the details of this charge.

This was while Hossein Panahiazar, Deputy Minister for Iranians and Parliamentary Affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, had stated on Sunday, March 25, that Michael White's arrest was due to a private complaint and not security issues.

At the same time, the 10-year prison sentence imposed for charges such as publishing a private photo and insulting the leader seems very harsh.

Protest against the trial process

In recent weeks, Joan White, Michael White's mother, said that her son was beaten after being arrested in Iran, that he did not have the money to hire a lawyer, and that he did not know on what charges he was arrested and imprisoned.

Jonathan Franks, a spokesman for the White family, also told Radio Farda about a week ago that the hearings for this American citizen will be held in Persian and without an interpreter or lawyer.

There are concerns about Michael White's health. Michael's mother has said that before his latest trip, he had undergone chemotherapy and radiation for a tumor in his neck.

Americans imprisoned in Iran

The Islamic Republic of Iran has arrested more than 10 citizens of the United States and other countries, some of whom are dual citizens, on charges including espionage.

United States officials have on numerous occasions accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of "taking hostages" of various individuals, including American citizens, and have called on the Iranian government to release them.

On Sunday, January 20, Mike Pompeo posted a photo of the American hostages in two tweets on the anniversary of their release from Iran and wrote: "38 years ago on this day, extremists in Iran released 52 American diplomats who had been held hostage for 444 days. Iran is still holding innocent Americans hostage."

In another tweet, Mr. Pompeo addressed Ali Khamenei, Hassan Rouhani, and Mohammad Javad Zarif, saying they must end the "hostage-taking and campaign of terror" by immediately releasing "Bob Levinson," "Xiao Wang," "Baqir and Siamak Namazi," and other hostages.

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

Princeton University history student Zhiyu Wang is another American prisoner in Iran. They were all sentenced to 10 years in prison, and their sentences were upheld by the Islamic Republic's appeals court last summer.

Siamak and Baqer Namazi are two Iranian-Americans who were sentenced to 10 years in prison three years ago.

Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen with US residency who traveled to Tehran at the invitation of Rouhani's government officials, has also been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his history in the US military.

Previously, in November of last year, the US Senate passed a resolution calling for the release of American citizens from the Islamic Republic.

Several members of the US House of Representatives also introduced a bill that would allow the US government to have tools to put pressure on Iran and use them to release American citizens imprisoned in Iran.

Source: Voice of America