Increased Efforts for the Release of Two Iranian-American Prisoners

On a day when Iran and the P5+1 group met in Vienna for the first time since Donald Trump's presidency to discuss the implementation of the JCPOA, efforts were made in the same city to raise awareness about the situation of Baqer and Siamak Namazi, two Iranian-American citizens imprisoned in Iran. Babak Namazi, the 81-year-old father Baqer’s son and 46-year-old brother Siamak, held a press conference with Jared Genser from the non-profit organization Freedom Now, which works for the release of prisoners worldwide. They discussed various aspects of the situation of these two Iranian-American prisoners. During his remarks, Babak Namazi expressed serious concern about the physical and mental health of his father and brother. He spoke of the physical and psychological torture his brother has endured and noted that Siamak has continued to be interrogated even after his court conviction. He also mentioned his father's two transfers to the hospital, stating that the family has no information about the medical process or the reasons for his father's hospitalizations. He said, 'I am here to remind the Iranian government that it is not too late to release Siamak and my father with a humanitarian approach before a tragedy occurs that will not only be disastrous for my family but also for Iran-U.S. relations.' Babak Namazi also referred to an agreement between Iran and the U.S. regarding prisoner exchanges when the JCPOA was implemented, noting that when Siamak was not among those exchanged, the family refrained from issuing a statement at the recommendation of the U.S. State Department, as Babak claimed Mohammad Javad Zarif had assured John Kerry that Siamak would be released within weeks. According to Babak Namazi, not only did this promise not materialize, but the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also imprisoned his 81-year-old father Baqer after this promise. Jared Genser, the Namazi family's lawyer, announced during the press conference that a complaint had been submitted to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention regarding the continued imprisonment of the Namazis. The 27-page complaint detailed the background of Siamak and Baqer Namazi and their current conditions. Mr. Genser, who has written a book on this UN group, told reporters, 'Although there is no enforcement mechanism for the opinion of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, my experience has shown that such actions, alongside other means of raising awareness and protesting detentions internationally, are effective. The Iranian government is also known to cooperate with this group and always tries to avoid condemnation by the United Nations.' Meanwhile, the family of the two Iranian-American citizens and their lawyer emphasized during the press conference that the new U.S. government has informed them that during meetings with Iranian officials to discuss the implementation of the JCPOA, they will also address their case. Although after the joint commission meeting in Vienna, Mark Toner, the U.S. State Department spokesman, refrained from explaining the U.S. government's efforts regarding the release of Siamak and Baqer Namazi, he stated that the U.S. takes every opportunity to discuss this issue with Iranian officials. Babak Namazi and Jared Genser welcomed the public statements made by U.S. officials on this matter and called for intensified efforts. Mr. Genser also pointed out the recent increase in verbal tensions between Iran and the U.S. and urged separating the contentious issues between the two sides from humanitarian matters, stating, 'It is clear that there are many challenging issues between Iran and the U.S. that need to be resolved. However, we have come here today to emphasize that humanitarian efforts for the release of the Namazis and American hostages in Iran should be considered in a parallel path independent of the much more complex issues between the two countries. We should not demand the resolution of tensions in other complex matters for the Namazis to be freed.' Mr. Genser added, 'Time is running out for the Namazis unless President Trump engages in direct dialogue with the Iranian government on this matter. Their health is at risk, and we are very concerned about them. Continuous efforts must begin today from both sides.' Siamak Namazi is an economic analyst who has been in prison for 18 months. His father, who worked for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for many years, was arrested in March 2016. Both were sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of collaborating with a hostile government.