Speak out for Amir Hekmati and help secure his freedom from Iranian prison

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Speak out for Amir Hekmati and help secure his freedom from Iranian prison

This petition had 13,995 supporters
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Why this petition matters

Started by Sarah Hekmati

Amir Hekmati – a loving son and brother, American citizen, and decorated Marine veteran – has been held in Iran’s Evin prison for over three years.

On August 29, 2011, a few days before he was to return home from a trip to Iran to visit his ailing grandmother, Amir disappeared. This was the first time he had seen his grandmother since he was a child. It was also his first trip to Iran. Days later, his discovered that he had been detained by Iranian intelligence forces. He has been languishing in Evin prison since.

In January of 2012, Amir was charged with being an American spy and sentenced to death. In March of 2012, an appeals court lifted the death sentence and ordered a new trial, citing insufficient evidence. Amir languished in solitary confinement for sixteen months, waiting for the opportunity to defend himself. At the time, his family had received no calls, no letters, and knew nothing of his well-being.

In December of 2013, Amir’s new trial finally took place and he was convicted of collaborating with a hostile county presumably because of his service in the United States military. This trial was a secret trial, held behind closed doors. Amir’s was not given the opportunity to defend himself, nor was his lawyer present. In fact, Amir did not find out until April of 2014 that the trial took place and he had been condemned to 10 years in prison.

To make matters worse, while Amir has been imprisoned in Iran, his father in Michigan was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. After enduring brain surgery and additional cancer treatments, he recently suffered three strokes that left him hospitalized and requiring rehabilitation. The need for Amir to be released and to return home is immediate.

Please join us in our fight to bring Amir home by signing this petition asking President Obama, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the State Department , and our elected officials to do everything they can to bring Amir home – to bring him back to the country he defended, to bring him back to the family that loves him, to bring him back to his father. Before it is too late.

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