President Obama was “relieved” to hear that Iran released imprisoned Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi May 11, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said.
“We want to continue to stress that she was wrongly accused, but we welcome this humanitarian gesture,” Gibbs said of the freelance journalist who was working in Iran and initially sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of spying for the United States.
“Obviously, we continue to take issue with the charges against her and the verdicts rendered, but we are very heartened that she has been released, and wish her and her family all of the very best,” Secretary of State Clinton said.
For more, see “United States Heartened by Saberi’s Release from Iranian Prison.”
Comments (10)
david tarbuck
12 May 2009 at 01:48 EDT
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This is one of those “dual citizenship” cases where the holder of two passports gets into hot water and then wants to be a citizen of convenience wherever/whenever it suits hir!
I am a Canadian (with only one citizenship) and I note that the Canadian system is just as bad as your USA situation!
The problem is not so much the multi-citizenship; that may not even be in the control of the holder, but of multiple passports. I believe it would make sense for any government to require a holder of its passport to require the holder NOT to have any other valid passport.
This lady is a perfect extreme example of the problem. She was in Iran, carrying TWO passports, one of which was Iranian; Given the state of USA-Iran relations would you not think one of her education and stature would know better? But instead she validates my argument beyond my capacity to do so.
The same applies to a Chinese-Canadian who was traveling with two passports and found himself in trouble in a third country and was deported to China; suddenly he became more Canadian! Sorry, friend, but you were traveling on A CHINESE pasport to a country that requires Canadians, but not Chinese to have a pre-issued visa and you can stew in the setting of your own making!
c. Fritz
12 May 2009 at 11:46 EDT
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FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
c. Fritz
12 May 2009 at 11:47 EDT
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FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
FREE ABRAHAM JOSAM !!!!!
c. Fritz
12 May 2009 at 11:49 EDT
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FREE IBRAHIM JASSAM !!!!
FREE IBRAHIM JASSAM !!!!
FREE IBRAHIM JASSAM !!!!
FREE IBRAHIM JASSAM !!!!
FREE IBRAHIM JASSAM !!!!
FREE IBRAHIM JASSAM !!!!
FREE IBRAHIM JASSAM !!!!
Kamal Aly
16 May 2009 at 18:26 EDT
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Obama is great…ambitious, energetic, has a vision and know how to build the right team…but really it was very disappointing for a lot of people when he selected Cairo to give a speech to the Islamic nation from. This is a very obvious sign the he is supporting the murder Mubarak and his gang…what a shame!!!
Vesna Jelavić,M.D. retired
17 May 2009 at 02:34 EDT
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Really, it is nice to show us and those routes of President life,Thanks!
Vesna,Zg,Croatia
Vesna Jelavić,M.D. retired
17 May 2009 at 02:38 EDT
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Really, it is nice to show us and thouse routes of President life. Thanks!
Vesna,ZG, Croatia
s.srihari
18 May 2009 at 05:53 EDT
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Respected Sir Mr. Obama
I congrajulate you and your family for becoming the American President. I have to say please stop some of the world bank projects in India there are few members of the Civil Services and Union Minister family members are corrupting the project more over I request to take up the decision very arrgressively and impement the policies like Not to fund money in India.
Thanks
Wish you good luck and god bless you.
Timothy Stinson
25 May 2009 at 16:42 EDT
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While I am also relieved of Roxana Saberi’s release from an Iranian prison on May 11th, I remain deeply troubled not only by American media’s silence on Ibrahim Jassam’s detention by U.S Forces, but President Obama’s as well.
Mr. Ibrahim Jassam has been imprisoned by American military forces for almost one year and yet, his story has been buried!
After 8 years of a George Bush Presidency that ushered in a collapse of U.S credibility world wide and disintegration of trust in our news media, open disclosure of atrocities committed by the U.S would present the first steps in re establishing not only the rule of law, but also trust in our government and our news media.
Jeremy Fidl
Location: America
9 June 2009 at 03:49 EDT
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Does anyone else find it hypocritical that the US is holding a journalist without charge?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq-journalist24-2009may24,0,2581320.story
Stop the hypocrisy already. It’s destroying our moral authority