Tehran Prosecutor: Appeals for Sentences of Namazi Family, Wang, and Zaka Rejected

Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, the Tehran prosecutor, announced on September 3 that the 10-year prison sentences for Xiao Wang, an American citizen, Siamak and Baqer Namazi, Iranian-American citizens, and Nizar Zaka, a Lebanese citizen residing in the U.S., have been confirmed and their appeals have been rejected. During a meeting of the Tehran Prosecutor's Deputy Council, Mr. Jafari Dolatabadi reiterated the charges against these four individuals, stating that Nizar Zaka was sentenced for 'collaborating with the U.S. government', Siamak and Baqer Namazi for 'collaborating with hostile foreign governments', and Xiao Wang for 'collecting classified information and collaborating with foreign governments'. According to the Tehran prosecutor, the sentences issued by the appellate court have been confirmed. This senior judiciary official stated that 'these cases and similar ones are examples of connections with foreign infiltration networks or defenders of U.S. infiltration within the country'. He did not provide further details about 'foreign infiltration networks' and 'domestic defenders of infiltration'. The statements from the Tehran prosecutor confirm reports that have been published so far from other sources regarding the rejection of the appeal requests for these citizens. Princeton University in the U.S., where Mr. Wang is a student, stated in a statement on August 17 that the appeal request had been rejected. Two weeks later, the American lawyer for Siamak and Baqer Namazi also reported that the appeal request had been rejected by a court in Iran. Despite the charges brought against the Namazis, Zaka, and Wang by the Iranian judiciary, lawyers and family members of these individuals, as well as the U.S. government, have denied these charges. Jason Poblete, Nizar Zaka's lawyer, told Radio Farda, 'He insists he is innocent and has not done any of the things the Iranians claim.' According to Mr. Poblete, Zaka 'is unwilling to lose his dignity under pressure for confessions and has said either freedom or death'. Xiao Wang's wife stated that the charges against him are 'baseless' and the sentence issued is 'unjust'. Princeton University also strongly rejected the charges against its student and expressed regret over his unjust imprisonment. The lawyer for the Namazis has also denied the charges against them. Additionally, the U.S. House of Representatives stated in a resolution last July that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has 'taken hostage' Siamak Namazi, Baqer Namazi, Karan Vafadari, and a fourth citizen whose identity has not been publicly disclosed, as well as Afrin Niyazari and Nizar Zaka. The U.S. government has also leveled similar accusations against the Iranian government. Iran has reacted to these accusations in some cases. Mohammad Javad Zarif, the foreign minister, stated in July that 'Iranians are arrested in America on fabricated charges... I do not mean to say that Iran's actions are in retaliation for the actions of the other side, but I want to say that in dealing with this humanitarian issue, we must act with a humanitarian perspective, not a political one.' The head of the Iranian judiciary also requested in August that the United States release Iranian prisoners in America and also billions of dollars of Iran's assets. These remarks came a few days after Washington's request for the release of these prisoners. Baqer Namazi, 81 years old, a former UNICEF official, was arrested in Iran in March 2016. His son, Siamak Namazi, 46 years old and former director of strategic planning at Crescent Petroleum, was arrested during his visit to Iran in October 2015. Xiao Wang was arrested nearly a year ago, but news of his arrest was revealed in late July. He is a PhD student at Princeton University and was reportedly conducting research related to the Qajar dynasty and traveled to Iran in connection with this research. Nizar Zaka also traveled to Tehran in September 2015 at Iran's invitation to participate in a conference, but shortly after, he disappeared and it was announced that he was in custody.