American Prisoner in Iran to be Tried 'in Persian and Without a Translator or Lawyer'

Months after the arrest of Michael White, an American citizen, in Mashhad, a spokesperson for the White family told Radio Farda that the hearings for this American citizen are ongoing, but they are being held in Persian and without a translator or lawyer. Over a month ago, Gholamali Sadeghi, the prosecutor of Mashhad, stated that the issue of security charges against Michael White is 'still under investigation' and 'the existence of a private complainant is confirmed.' However, later a parliamentary deputy clarified that Mr. White is not military and that security and espionage issues are not raised against him. Michael White has been imprisoned in Iran since the summer. He is from California and, according to his family spokesperson, previously served in the U.S. Navy as a cook. Jonathan Franks, the spokesperson for Michael White's mother, told Radio Farda that although Mr. White is retired from the Navy, he was still working as a janitor in offices and became acquainted with a woman in Mashhad through the internet, traveling to Iran several times until he was arrested in July. He also mentioned that Mr. White's mother has set up an online fundraising page to cover the costs of hiring a lawyer and other expenses for Mr. White. When asked about the $50,000 needed for legal fees, Franks stated that they do not know how much a lawyer in Iran will cost, as they are unaware of the legal work required in this case. This is partly because the Iranian government has not yet informed anyone of the charges against Michael. Consequently, they do not know if this is a simple case that will be resolved quickly or a complex case requiring more time and effort. Reports indicated that a representative from the Swiss embassy, which protects U.S. interests in Iran, managed to meet with Michael White in Mashhad prison. Franks expressed gratitude to the Swiss government and the U.S. State Department for their efforts to see Michael. They were able to meet him for fifteen minutes and noted that he seems to have lost weight. One reason they want to raise this money is that prisons in Iran lack sufficient budgets, and prisoners often have to buy food to ensure proper nutrition. They also learned that he was arrested on July 22, 2018. At the time of his arrest, he had paid for a service at a travel agency in Mashhad and was in a taxi that was stopped by plainclothes police, where he was beaten during his arrest. He spent about two months in detention and under interrogation, with the focus of the questioning being his job in the U.S. Navy. Michael was a cook in the Navy and did not have a job that would provide information attractive or useful to Iranians. During this time, the U.S. government was not informed about his arrest, which constitutes a violation of Iran's obligations in this regard. It was not until December (about five months later) that the State Department informed his mother that he had been arrested, and it was after this news was published on the IranWire website that Tehran confirmed the arrest. What we know is that Michael is not in good physical condition. His health status has been raised several times since the news broke, including the fact that he has overcome cancer. When asked if he has access to medical facilities, they stated that they know there are doctors in prison but are unsure about the level of care. Those who were with him in prison reported that he had gone to the prison infirmary several times. However, they do not believe that Iranians have provided him with adequate medical facilities, which certainly do not match the facilities provided to their citizens in our prisons. When asked if Mr. White has managed to speak with his mother in America, they stated that the prosecutor in Mashhad has ordered that he is not allowed to write letters or make phone calls, and it seems that visits are also very difficult. Being in Indiana and lacking access to the case, they inquired if Swiss officials had managed to obtain more information. They know why Mr. White was in Iran, but neither they nor the Swiss or Americans know anything about the case. Michael himself is not aware of all the details. He thinks he knows what charges he is facing but does not know what actions led to these charges against him. He knows he is in trouble but does not understand what he did that could be considered a violation of their laws. When asked why he went to Iran, they confirmed that he became acquainted with a woman online and quickly became interested in her. They believe this was Michael's third trip to Iran, although it may have been the fourth. He had obtained a visa each time and did not enter the country secretly; they were aware of his entry. He traveled to Iran in early July and was supposed to return about three weeks later when he was arrested on his way to the airport or elsewhere. They were also asked if they know who the woman is or where she is now. As far as they know, she is still in Mashhad, but they have not had any further information or contact with her. They have seen photos that Michael once posted on Instagram. There were also initial reports that this woman had been arrested. They stated that they do not know if she has been arrested. Michael's mother did not even know for a long time that her son had been arrested, so they have no information about this woman's arrest, but they can imagine that she is under a lot of pressure from government officials. When asked about other American citizens imprisoned in Iran, they stated that the next step is to hire a lawyer. They have been told that according to Iranian law, this is the best way to finally understand what the issue is. The urgency in this matter is due to the fact that Michael has already been taken to court twice, and the entire legal process has been conducted in Persian, which he does not understand, and he has not been provided with a translator. To ensure that he is not convicted based on a false charge, it is very important for him to have a lawyer. They are working with the Swiss embassy and the U.S. State Department to find lawyers who specialize in such cases and are willing to represent a foreigner. They added that one bitter point in this case is that they have done this to someone who clearly shows deep respect for Iran and its people. The fact that an American traveled all the way from the California coast to Mashhad was not an easy task. This strange behavior from a country that complains about sanctions and their impact on its economy, while arresting a tourist, beating him, and preventing him from communicating with the outside world, is noteworthy. Furthermore, their public statements continuously change regarding why he was arrested.