Americans are Still Being Held Hostage in Iran

I gave much of the background of these cases in an earlier post here. But in an update, there are now four Americans confirmed held in Iran, and two of them were forced to make "confessions" of spying on Iranian TV yesterday.

Their names are Kian Tajbakhsh, Haleh Esfandiari, Parnaz Azima and Ali Shakeri. Another American, Robert Levinson, has not been confirmed held but has been missing since March of this year.

Tell, me where is the outrage in this country? Or worldwide? There was plenty of outrage over the detention by the USA over Jose Padilla, who is a US citizen. Why so little is said about these four (or five) US citizens? For that matter, why does Evin prison (where the women are held) get only a tiny fraction of the worldwide condemnation of Guantanamo? Not only is Evin far worse than Guantanamo, but no outsiders are allowed to visit or inspect it. It is also a site for execution by stoning.

Incidentally, I feel have to give you a good idea just what is entailed in stoning. The victim is bound, wrapped in a white sheet (including the head), and buried up to his/her (usually her) chest to prevent protecting herself. Then several others take a good long time throwing golf-ball sized jagged stones at her head. It is slow and excruciatingly painful. She can't move or avoid the stones hitting her skull, eyes, or face. When it is finished, and the victim is taken out of the hole, what you see is a white wrapped figure with a dark red head, for the wrapping around the head has become totally soaked in blood.

So when people compare Iran and the US, and complain that the US has the death penalty too, you can tell them that the United States doesn't do it by torturing people to death. And they only execute convicted murderers. Not adulterers, blasphemers, prostitutes, homosexuals, or rape victims. I think that's a big difference.

And if you think I'm overreacting, keep in mind that in 2003, a Canadian named Zahra Kazemi was raped, tortured, and killed in Evin prison. No one was held accountable for the outrage.




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