Roxana Saberi's Plight (Updated Developments)
The Iranian President has intervened in the case of Roxana Saberi. He has fired off a letter to the Tehran Prosecutor emphasizing that all legal rights for Roxana be protected. I was also especially gratified to see that Hossein Derakhan's name was also mentioned in this letter. I have been a devouted follower of Hossein Derakshan's writings for quite some time. He was one of the early adopters of the Blog Revolution in Iran and has been in Prison since November.
I laughed when I read Ali Jamishidi's comments on Roxana Saberi's case. He noted, in response to Secretary Clinton's call for Ms. Saberi's release, that, "....That a government expresses an opinion without seeing the indicement is laughable...." is in an of itself laughable. The secret and kangraoo-like way in which she was treated is why Iran continues to be ridiculed in the eyes of the world.
I have had many, many disagreements with the Iranian President. However, I find this intervention to be especially significant. The BBC reported earlier that this is an unsual intervention. I don't find that unusual. I was personally aware of another instance whereby the President's office directly intervened in another case of a missing 21-Year Old that directly led to the suspect being arrested and put on trial. The whole world seems to finally be waking up to the limited powers of the President's power. But, the fact that he has interevened is a sign that there is an intense debate going on within the highest eschelon of the Government about releasing her. As I wrote on this earlier, she is a pawn. She needs to hang in there, allow the justice and political process to work itself out.
I am glad to see that the President has not stuck to the old "dogma" of rhetoric he has pursued throughout his tenure as President. I continue to think that some sort of a pardon will be in order fairly soon. There is ample precedence for it. In the meantime, all of us have to do our part to be vigliant and keep the pressure on.
I laughed when I read Ali Jamishidi's comments on Roxana Saberi's case. He noted, in response to Secretary Clinton's call for Ms. Saberi's release, that, "....That a government expresses an opinion without seeing the indicement is laughable...." is in an of itself laughable. The secret and kangraoo-like way in which she was treated is why Iran continues to be ridiculed in the eyes of the world.
I have had many, many disagreements with the Iranian President. However, I find this intervention to be especially significant. The BBC reported earlier that this is an unsual intervention. I don't find that unusual. I was personally aware of another instance whereby the President's office directly intervened in another case of a missing 21-Year Old that directly led to the suspect being arrested and put on trial. The whole world seems to finally be waking up to the limited powers of the President's power. But, the fact that he has interevened is a sign that there is an intense debate going on within the highest eschelon of the Government about releasing her. As I wrote on this earlier, she is a pawn. She needs to hang in there, allow the justice and political process to work itself out.
I am glad to see that the President has not stuck to the old "dogma" of rhetoric he has pursued throughout his tenure as President. I continue to think that some sort of a pardon will be in order fairly soon. There is ample precedence for it. In the meantime, all of us have to do our part to be vigliant and keep the pressure on.
Mike Pouraryan
