Montel Williams Takes Cause to Help Free American Held in Iran
June 23, 2015 – JTMP has joined US Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Montel Williams and others who are calling for the release of Amir Hekmati, an American and US Marine Corp veteran, who was arrested and has been imprisoned for over 3 1/2 years by the Iranian government after traveling back to Iran to visit his ailing grandmother. The Iranian government charged him with “conspiring against Iran as a spy” because he of his service in the US Marine Corps, and sentenced him to death. Amir is terribly missed by his family, and we need to help Free Amir. Please spread the word about Amir on Social Media, please donate to the GiveForward/FreeAmir campaign, and call your US Representative, US Senator and the White House and tell them any nuclear agreement with the Iranian government must include freeing this American who is being held unjustly in Iran and let’s get Amir back to his family. Below is a short bio of Amir Hekmati and some links to help out to Free Amir.
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“Amir Hekmati is an American and Marine veteran currently imprisoned in Iran. He has been imprisoned in Iran for over 3 ½ years. This is longer than any American has been imprisoned in Iran. Amir was born in Arizona and grew up in Nebraska and Michigan. He joined the Marines in 2001 and served as an infantry rifleman. As a Marine, he attended DLI in California. He served honorably during Operation Iraqi Freedom and was awarded the following decorations: Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, GWOT Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Combat Action Ribbon
In 2011, Amir traveled to Iran to visit his ailing grandmother. Two weeks into his visit, just days before he was to return home to start school at the University of Michigan, he was arrested at the home of a relative by Iranian intelligence agents. For four months, Amir’s whereabouts were unknown. It wasn’t until a forced confession, a tactic commonly used by Iranian intelligence, that it was confirmed for his family that Amir was imprisoned. In January of 2012, Amir was charged with espionage, waging war against God, and corrupting the earth and was sentenced to death in January of 2012. He was the first American to receive the death penalty in Iran in over 33 years. His death sentence was overturned by a higher court in March 2012, citing insufficient evidence and a new trial was ordered. Amir languished behind the walls of Evin prison, much of this time in solitary confinement, with his fate looming over his head. In April of 2014, it was discovered that Amir was tried in a secret, closed-door proceeding in December of 2013. Neither Amir nor his attorney were notified of this proceeding and were not allowed to present a defense. As a result of this hearing, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on the charge of “cooperating with hostile governments.”
Amir’s family misses him terribly and the need for him to be released and returned home is greater than ever. Amir’s father, Ali, is battling brain cancer. As a result of this fight, he has suffered several strokes, leaving him needing around-the-clock care. He fears that he will never see his son again.”
LINKS:
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story/military/2015/04/18/montel-williams-amir-hektmati/25890503/
https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/6vd8/freeamir
