Baqer Namazi is on medical leave

The lawyer of Baqer Namazi, an Iranian-American citizen imprisoned in Iran, states that his 82-year-old client has been on medical leave for a "considerable time" due to illness and old age. Baqer Namazi is among the Iranian-American citizens imprisoned, for whom the United States has repeatedly called for their release. Both ILNA news agency and the Human Rights Campaign in Iran reported, citing Mehrdad Ghorbani, Mr. Namazi's lawyer, that he is currently on leave. It is unclear how long this Iranian-American citizen has been on leave. Mehrdad Ghorbani told the Human Rights Campaign that he does not remember the exact date of the leave but that Baqer Namazi has been on leave from prison for a "long and significant time." This lawyer also announced the referral of the cases of Siamak and Baqer Namazi to the Supreme Court for retrial. Mr. Ghorbani expressed hope that the retrial would "lead to the release of both of them." Baqer Namazi, who previously worked for UNICEF, was arrested three years ago when he traveled to Tehran to visit his son. The Namazis were sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of collaborating with "hostile foreign governments." Mr. Namazi's lawyer told ILNA that in a similar case regarding charges of collaborating with a hostile government, the United States is not considered a hostile government, therefore, "it is expected that the Supreme Court will acquit my clients of the charge of collaborating with hostile governments and annul the issued verdict and order a retrial." Although this lawyer did not provide further explanation on this matter, the Iranian government recently opened a case against Washington in the International Court of Justice for the return of sanctions against Tehran, citing the "friendship treaty" between Iran and the United States from 1955. In addition to the Namazis, Xiao Wang, another American citizen, is currently imprisoned in Iran. Nazanin Zaghari, an Iranian-British citizen, has returned to prison. Karen Vafadari, an American citizen along with his wife Afrin Nissari, and Nizar Zaka, a Lebanese citizen with permanent residency in the U.S., have also been imprisoned in Iran. It was reported at the end of Tir that Mr. Vafadari and Ms. Nissari had been released on bail. The U.S. government has repeatedly called for the release of dual citizens and those who hold green cards in the United States. The U.S. State Department previously expressed "deep regret" over Baqer Namazi's return to prison, especially as he "urgently needs ongoing medical assistance." In Bahman 96, one of Mr. Namazi's children had asked the Islamic Republic authorities to allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence at home due to his father's deteriorating health condition.