Not until Roxana Saberi is home

Roxana Saberi, of course, is the American journalist who was arrested in Iran, ostensibly because she had purchased a bottle of wine and was reported by the very person who sold it to her. Perhaps under duress, she had phoned her family and asked them not to contact news agencies, as she would be released in a couple of days.

On Thursday, February 26, nearly a month after the actual event, we learned that Roxana was detained by Iranian authorities in late January. Since then she has been denied contact with family, friends and associates. On February 10, briefly and under apparent duress, she contacted her family to inform them of her arrest and detention and requested their silence. On Sunday, March 1, her family revealed the story to their home town press in Fargo, ND, and to NPR, given their growing concern over the lack of contact from Roxana.

Iran could do itself a world of good by ceasing this business of arresting journalists, intellectuals and others on unspecified charges followed by imprisonment and punishment disproportionate to the “crimes” they commit.

If Iran is serious about wanting to raise their image in the eyes of the world, they will start respecting people’s efforts to report and write on aspects of the country that would prove to be of great interest to many people across the world. Iran has, for example, a rich culture to draw from, but the mullahs insist on stepping all over it in what is perhaps some misguided belief that people will respect their commitment to religious “ideals.”

Roxana Saberi could have been an ally in showing the world what there is to admire about Iran. Instead, she languishes in the notorious Evin Prison, although at least she has “she will be released soon” to hang onto. Then again, is she even aware of this statement released by Iranian authorities? They had previously cut her off from contact with her family and when her attorney finally met with her, she had no idea about the worldwide support she had. After similar repeated patterns of behavior from the Islamic Republic, it is not unreasonable to wonder if they have continued in their cruel and unusual treatment of the young journalist by depriving her of even this tiny light.

What I am also continually amazed at is the ongoing ability of some people to dig into ways they can find fault with people like me for talking about this issue; they excuse the Iranian authorities who hold someone for an unspecified time and deny her due process, but attack us as if we supported genocidal criminals. If someone actually did something wrong, then what is so unjustifiable about asking for charges to be formally brought or her to be released? But reason does not seem to be the forte of people whose only aim is to deny Americans and others any kind of support. The unexamined matters not to them; all they care about is determining where the American stands and then doing the opposite, no matter that it places them squarely in the shards of their own demented looking glass.

I won't stop speaking out for Roxana Saberi's freedom--not until she is home.

Update: I’ve come across a blog, Free Roxana Saberi, that appears to be keeping timely track of Roxana’s case and events as they unfold.