David Miliband

Foreign Secretary

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Tuesday 28 April, 2009

Case of Roxana Saberi

It is hard not to be deeply concerned about the case of Roxana Saberi - the Iranian/US journalist sentenced to eight years in an Iranian prison for alleged espionage on behalf of the US.  It's striking that the charge of espionage only emerged very late in the day, and the EU with our full support has made clear that the standards of the trial were sorely lacking in terms of transparency and fairness. 

Some have suggested that this case is linked to US efforts to establish better relations with Iran - perhaps this is part of the answer or an attempt to create leverage.  Either way, this is not the way Iran can re-build its standing in the world. I can only urge Iran's leaders to take the US offer as seriously as I know it is intended.  And they should not play games with the wellbeing of a young woman who clearly loves the country her father and partner (who has written a moving letter appealing for her release) come from and that she considers to be her own.  She should be freed immediately

Posted at 15:52 28 April 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

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This is increasing problem across the whole of the Middle East. I hope that she is released soon. i also hope that all the innocent British people held against their will and without charge in the Middle East are allowed to leave too.

Posted by Amanda Noble on April 29, 2009 at 06:47 PM BST #

I know Roxana personally and I cannot believe that she was involved in espionage as claimed, through a totally insufficient and unfair legal process. Having to spend 8 years in prison at her age means she will have lost most of her young and glorious days of life. She was one of my classmates at Cambridge University here in the UK and half Japanese. The governments of US, UK and Japan should make their efforts to save her from this ordeal. One woman's life should not be wasted as a political tool like this.

Posted by Shihoko Ogawa on April 30, 2009 at 12:27 PM BST #

Dear Mr Miliband, Please would you cast your eye on the dire situation for ehnic and religeous minorities in Israel, Iraq and the rest of the World. I would value your blogg reply to reports Three Iraqi Christians murdered as Islamic militants implement their threats to Iraq`s Christian community: by barnabasfund org yours faithfully philip

Posted by philip on April 30, 2009 at 04:12 PM BST #

According to her friends and family Roxana Saberi is someone who was living an ordinary life in Iran, someone who had been going through all the troubles of the day to day life without any specialties like spying. Iran might have wanted a soft target to manipulate American interests or they just don’t like woman like her who are independent and has some sense of responsibility towards the wider world. Then the easiest thing is accusing over spying.

Posted by Chamila Liyanage on May 01, 2009 at 01:22 AM BST #

I am pleased that you think it is important to write about a US journalist. The followibng was written on the BBC Blog about our country: "What sort of country sends a dozen uniformed officers to haul innocent sleeping children out of their beds; gives them just a few minutes to pack what belongings they can grab; pushes them into stinking caged vans; drives them for hours while refusing them the chance to go to the lavatory so that they wet themselves and locks them up sometimes for weeks or months without the prospect of release and without adequate health services?". Makes you proud to be British and it cetainly gives us the right to be critical of Iran.

Posted by Paul Macdonald on May 01, 2009 at 10:58 AM BST #

If you understand what happened in Pakistan during the 1970's. 1980's and into the 1990's then it is not hard to know what Iran is playing at. The solutions are simple, the honesty that acompanies them will be the most difficult for both sides. Until then innocent people will pay the price.

Posted by Adrian Youseman on May 01, 2009 at 04:36 PM BST #

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