The release of "Afrin Mohajer", a dual Iranian-American citizen

The release of "Afarin Mohajer," an Iranian-American dual citizen, proves that pressure on dual citizens has been a constant tool, but justice remains shrouded in ambiguity.

According to published reports, Afarin Mohajer, an Iranian-American dual citizen, was released from Evin Prison on Saturday, December 15, 2021, after securing a criminal warrant. He was arrested after returning to Iran and entering on October 27, 2021 through Imam Khomeini International Airport; but despite his release, many questions remain unanswered: Why have no specific and credible charges been officially announced against him?

The detention of immigrants continues a well-known pattern that has been criticized for years by human rights groups, Western governments, and international institutions: the use of dual citizens as leverage or a diplomatic tool.

A statement from the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights said he had spent more than seven weeks in detention without any legal access or proper information, and his legal status remained unclear. Institutions that have investigated similar cases have called such detentions part of “hostage diplomacy,” a foreign policy tool used to pressure countries to gain concessions.

According to reports, Reza Zarrabi, the son of Ms. Mohajer, said that his mother faced five charges: “creating a hostile group,” “membership in hostile groups,” “propaganda against the regime,” “insulting the leadership,” and “insulting sacred places,” but no official evidence or information has been released about these charges. While the arrest was based on these charges, the release on bail is a clear sign of judicial weakness or lack of sufficient evidence.

This situation not only violates the right to a fair trial, but also shows that judicial functions in these types of cases are largely political and pressure-driven.

According to Reza Zarrabi, for a while after her arrest, there was no news about her mother's condition in the media or with human rights organizations. Some even claimed that she was being "victimized." This silence in the news and media, along with the lack of information about the charges, intensified the atmosphere of fear and judicial isolation.

Arrest at the airport, rapid transfer to prison, detention in solitary confinement or in women's quarters, and denial of legal rights are all components that have been repeatedly seen in the cases of dual nationals, indicating the use of detention as a tool of fear and control.

The refugee's release is certainly good news, and international pressure and scrutiny may have been effective in the short term. But the release, by securing a criminal conviction (not an acquittal or dismissal of charges), shows that the case could still be open, which means his real safety is not guaranteed.

The experience of the past years with cases like Nazanin Zaghari and other dual nationals has proven that such arrests and releases are often part of a political game, pressure, and bargaining, rather than justice and transparency.

Although the refugee's freedom may be a sign of the impact of public opinion and human rights pressure, true justice is achieved when the charges are made clear, a fair trial is held, and due process rights are respected.
Until then, this case will be neither a guarantee of his safety nor a wake-up call for the regime, but rather a sign of the continuation of the pattern of repression, political detention, and the use of humans as bargaining chips.