Posted on 05/09/2009 6:38:49 PM PDT by nuconvert
A lawyer for the Fargo-raised journalist says the change could hurt their hopes for an acquittal or a reduced sentence.
TEHRAN, IRAN - An appeals court hearing for Roxana Saberi, the Iranian-American journalist from Fargo, N.D., who was sentenced to eight years in prison on spying charges, is scheduled for Sunday, two days earlier than expected, one of her lawyers said Saturday.
The lawyer, Abdolsamad Khoramshahi, said he had initially been told that the case would be heard Tuesday but was later informed that a mistake had been made.
Although Khoramshahi said he was optimistic that Saberi would win either an acquittal or a reduced sentence, the earlier date could complicate Saberi's defense by giving her second lawyer less time to review the case.
Reza Saberi, the journalist's father, said last week that he had hired a new lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, to defend Saberi along with Khoramshahi. Reza Saberi said he made the decision after he realized that another high-profile human rights lawyer was not allowed to meet with Saberi in prison to sign the paperwork for her appeal.
She eventually did sign the paperwork, which would allow her lawyers to look at her case file. But Nikbakht said Saturday that he was informed by the court that the paper she signed had been lost.
Nikbakht said he might not be able to defend Saberi if he was unable to read the case in time.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
“But Nikbakht said Saturday that he was informed by the court that the paper she signed had been lost. “
And they move up the court date 2 days sooner.
COINCIDENCE?????
This is typical regime tactics.
Prayers for Roxanne. This is a nightmare for this family. Hey, 0bama, you have good relations with Iran. Whatcha going to do homeboy?
she'd a done well to watch Midnight Express every now and again
this isn't kindergarten, and they don't play...
Have you ever watched the program, “Locked up Abroad”? It’s really sad seeing Americans hauled off to a third world prison. I’ve seen several episodes - they were all people agreeing to smuggle drugs.
They ought to make some of the episodes of that show required viewing by high school kids.
Very sobering
One of my favorites...Kiosk - Eshgh e Sorat
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi0egvuCRCo
lotta truth said there
the one tape he gave me was all instrumental where the second one was more along the lines of Kiosk
The US State Dept. has been warning Americans not to go to Iran for the last 30 years, precisely because what happened to Saberi could happen”
Saberi was living in Iran as an Iranian citizen and had an Iranian passport. Not travelling as an American on an American passport.
That video was directed by Ahmad Kiarostami, the son of Abbas Kiarostami -one of Iran’s best & most famous movie directors - I think Ahmad lives in Calif.
I don’t know where Kiosk band members live these days. They play U.S., Canada & Europe.
Well, then, it’s an internal affair of Iran.
“Well, then, its an internal affair of Iran.”
Well, it might be, if she weren’t born in the U.S. and an American citizen being railroaded in Iran.
Yes, she has dual citizenship. Let me explain....
Iran does not accept dual citizenship. If your father is Iranian and you are travelling in Iran using an Iranian passport (no matter what country you are currently living in or are also a citizen of), you are an Iranian citizen, and therefore you are subject to the whim of the regime.
I am not defending her actions. When this story first broke, I had a hard time feeling sorry for her, because I knew that having been born in the U.S., she had to apply for Iranian citizenship. I still think that she and her father were very foolish, but she wanted to live in Iran and go to school there, so this was her choice.
However, she is being accused of spying - which is ridiculous - and therefore her inprisonment is unjust.
Americans travelling on American passports have been pretty safe - a lot safer than travelling in Mexico outside the resort areas.
It’s the Americans who claim dual citizenship as Iranians who have been and are, at risk. And they know it- they just think that it’s not going to happen to them.
P.S. If Iran starts to feel really threatened - like by Israel - then American tourists w/U.S. passports and Europeans for that matter, will be at great risk for becoming hostages. This summer is NOT a good time for anyone who doesn’t live in Iran to be travelling there.
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