Mohammad Bagher Namazi

He is an Iranian diplomat and statesman. He was the governor of Khuzestan province, and Deputy of Local Affairs and Urban Development in Ministry of State in Iran before the revolution. He is an American citizen and has a PhD in Economics

• <coverage-outsourcing id='7260'> “Our President,” a website close to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wrote that Hamyaran, an organization manged by him, is one of the “sedition” NGO’s. In Iranian media rhetoric, “sedition” refers to the aftermath of the disputed 2009 presidential election in Iran </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7329'> His son, Siamak Namazi, was arrested in Tehran </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7333'> Effie Namazi, wife of Mohammad Bagher Namazi and mother of Siamak Namazi, was able to visit with the two prior to the Iranian New Year holidays </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='5442'> Returning to Iran from Dubai to pursue the case of his imprisoned son, Siamak Namazi, Bagher Namazi was arrested by security forces in Tehran and was transferred to Evin Prison. His lawyer Mr. Alizadeh Tabatabai said later in an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Mohammad Bagher Namazi was allowed to call him on the phone on the first night of his detention, telling him that the officials had given him a document to sign, but that he told them he would only sign the document in the presence of his lawyer. They had then told him that his lawyer could pursue the case. Mr. Tabatabai added that after he tried to pursue the case he was told that at this stage no lawyers are admitted </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7262'> In a report mostly focused on his responsibilities during the Shah’s regime, Fars News Agency, close to the IRGC, called him the “king fish of the British network.” “The arrest of Mohammad Bagher Namazi upon entering Iran was done with the aim of discovering the complex layers of economic and intelligence corruption of the widespread network connected to Britain and the U.S. in Iran,” wrote Fars. Citing “membership and widespread contacts with organizations affiliated with the UN,” “contact with Gary Sick,” “membership in Gulf 2000 Project,” “close ties with Alan Eyre, the Spokesperson for the US State Department,” as well as “John Sullivan, Head of CIPE,” “connection to Ford Foundation, as well as NIAC” as charges for Mohammad Bagher Namazi, Fars wrote that his charges are beyond his son’s case </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7263'> White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, “We are aware of his detention and the issue is under review, but because the issue is confidential, I cannot share the details.” “John Kerry is focused on this issue,” he added </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7338'> Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje'i, Spokesperson for the Iranian Judiciary said that according to the law, attorneys representing security suspects must be approved by the Head of the Judiciary, and such a process has not been completed in the case of Namazi. Eje'i emphasized that Iran does not recognize dual citizenship and that there is only “one law for all suspects." </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7334'> UNICEF expressed concern about the conditions of Bagher Namazi, the organization’s former representative </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7318'> In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai, a lawyer who represents many political cases in Iran, said that Mohammad Bagher and Siamak Namazi are imprisoned inside the IRGC’s Ward 2-A, and that they have cellmates. In a subsequent interview with IranWire, he emphasized that the two men are imprisoned inside two separate two-person cells </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7331'> Responding to an email from France News Agency, John Kirby stated he is concerned about reports of Mohammad Bagher and Siamak Namazi’s detention. Asking for their immediate release, he said, “We have no information about the charges against Siamak Namazi and Bagher Namazi, and believe their detention to be unjust.” </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7319'> In an interview with the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai, the lawyer representing Mohammad Baquer and Siamak Namazi said that security agents had prevented his meeting with his clients. “According to Note on Article 48 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, only those lawyers can represent security cases and meet with their clients in the preliminary investigations stage, who are approved by the Head of the Judiciary.” He also added that Head of the Judiciary has not yet provided the list of such lawyers </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='5694'> The Spokesperson for the Judiciary said about a possible prisoner swap between Iran and US, involving swaping Siamak Namazi and his father with Sheikhzadeh, said, “Nothing official has been communicated with the Judiciary about this, and I, too, have heard some things here and there." </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='5691'> His lawyer Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai stated that the Judiciary has not accepted his power of attorney in the case and he has not found a chance to visit with him or review his case file </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7330'> In an interview with Tasnim News Agency, Seyed Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabai said, “They finally accepted my power of attorney in the case. The Investigative Judge took the power of attorney for Namazi to sign, so that I am able to finish the process.” He added that nothing new had happened in the case </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='7282'> Acording to Radio Farda, quoting Reuters, a Democrat and a Republican representative, prepared a resolution for approval at the US Congress, which demands the immediate and unconditional release of Imprisoned Iranian-American citizens, Siamak and Bagher Namazi </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='8936'> In a statement released today, UNICEF expressed deep concern about his continued detention in Iran </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='8515'> US State Department published a statement warning US citizens, particularly those with Iranian-American dual citizenship, about traveling to Iran and “unjustly” detained.. “Arresting US Citizens is a priority for Iranian Government,” said the statement. Earlier, in February 2016, the State Department had issued a similar warning </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='8783'> Hossein Naghavi Hosseini, the Spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission spoke about a meeting of the Commission with IRGC commanders. “At this meeting, it was said that individuals holding dual citizenships are subjects of serious interest by enemy intelligence services and are used in ‘infiltration’ projects.” In the rhetoric used by the ruling officials and their affiliates, all efforts to bring Iran and the west closer in political, social, cultural, and in some cases economic ways in the post-nuclear agreement era is referred to as the “infiltration project.” </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='9141'> “Ratcliffe’s conviction and sentencing on unclear charges without any semblance of a fair trial is what amounts to ‘justice’ in Iran’s notorious revolutionary courts,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director of Human Rights Watch in a press release, demanding her release. The press release added that Ms. Zaghari’s lawyer had only been able to see her for the first time three days before her trial and three months after her arrest and after her interrogations had ended. The press release further added that the lawyer for imprisoned Robin Shahini had not been able to review the evidence against his client, naming other individuals holding dual citizenships who have been imprisoned in Iran such as Homa Hoodfar, Siamak Namazi, Mohammad Bagher Namazi, Jason Rezaian, and Kamal Foroughi. “The jump in prosecutions of Iranian dual nationals appears to reflect efforts by government hard-liners to keep Iran isolated from the global community,” Whitson added </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='9817'> In a letter to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Lonnie Ali, Muhammad Ali's wife requested the release of Siamak and Mohammad Bagher Namazi </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='9820'> According to Radio Farda, families of Siamak and Mohammad Bagher Namazi informed the media that their trial has been held in mid-September and was presided by judge Salavati </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='9722'> Ahmad Shahid asked the Iranian government to release all the prisoners with dual citizenships. Noting unacceptable conditions of Nazanin Zaghari, Bagher Namazi, and Kamal Foroughi, Ahmad Shahid declared that convicting these people based on crimes that are concealed even from the accused and their attorneys is making a mockery of justice </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='10232'> In an interview with NPR, Babak Namazi said Siamak and Bagher Namazi are innocent </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='9784'> The States Department of United States condemned the sentences issued for Siamak and Mohammad Bagher Namazi. International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran issued a statement asking the judiciary to release Mohammad Bagher and Siamak Namazi and provide them with opportunity for defense in their appeal trial </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='10151'> According to Fars, Abbas jafari Dolat Abadi, Attorney General of Tehran, while noting that there are important security, economic, and financial cases open at Tehran court whose details cannot be disclosed due to some considerations, announced that Bagher and Siamak Namazi, Farhad AbdeSaleh, Kamran Ghaderi, Nezar Zaka, and Ali Reza Omidvar have each been sentenced to ten years in prison on the charges of "Espionage and cooperation with American government" </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='10156'> Nasim Online claimed that Bagher and Siamak Namazi, Farhad Abdesaleh, Kamran Ghaderi, Nezar Zaka, and Ali Reza Omidvar have received over 4 million and 800 thousand dollars from enemy governments for executing their projects, and by judicial verdict they are obligated to surrender this amount. Meanwhile, in 2015 the supreme court had issued a verdict regarding Omid Kokabi's case which stated that currently there are no countries in conflict with Iran, and conflict does not mean political disagreements with other countries, and that the court has misinterpreted the term </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='10160'> The spokesperson for the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry said: > Any attempts made to connect Iran's domestic affairs like the independent judicial verdicts of Iranian courts against criminals and foreign spies, with the international business and investments in Iran is a futile and unprovoked effort to impact the international community's cooperation with the Islamic Republic." He also referred to United States' condemnation of Mohammad Bagher and Siamak Namazi's verdicts as "foolish and called it another example of United State's interfering nature </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='10142'> According to Khaneh Mellat news agency the official organ of the congress, Abolfazl Abootorabi, the congressman from Najaf Abad said: > The arrival of Siamak Namazi and Mohammad Bagher Namazi in various areas of the state" was in fact "one of the infiltration projects of the enemy", and they were "among great infiltration generals of United States" and "had a very especial position in the White House and for the American presidents". He also emphasized that Mohammad Bagher Namazi was "the brains behind the population control, and preventing population growth and birth rate, which was fortunately prevented by the supreme leader's wisdom and vigilance </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='10513'> BBC Persian reported that more than fifty university professors and political figures from across the world have asked for the release of Mohammad Bagher and Siamak Namazi in an open letter. Among the signatories are MIT professor Noam Chomsky and former EU foreign policy secretary Javier Solana </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='14973'> Radio Farda reported that the Namazi family has asked the Trump administration for help and has described their “constant state of fear,” uncertainty, and lack of news, regarding these two members of their family </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='14991'> Radio Zamaneh reported that Jared Janser, the human rights lawyer, and Babak Namazi, asked Donald Trump, in a press event, to have a US negotiating team discuss the freedom of Siamak and Bagher Namazi with the Iranian government, and to personally, feel responsibility towards these two individuals </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='15101'> Mark Toner, the US, State Department, spokesman, asked Iran, in a statement, to release Siamak and Bagher Namazi on humanitarian grounds </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='17067'> Voice of America Persian reported that American diplomats on the sidelines of the Barjam Commission (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Commission) with their Iranian peers, once again, asked for the freedom of American prisoners </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='15264'> Some of the representatives of the Republican and Democratic parties of America, asked president Trump’s government to pressure Iran to release American citizens or permanent residents: Siamak Namazi, Mohammad Bagher Namazi, Nizar Zakka, Afarin Nassiri, Robert Levinson and Karen Vafadari. One other person has been named in this bi-partisan statement but the name has been withheld because of the family’s wishes </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='16154'> Nikki Haley, the US representative to the United Nations, posted the news of her meeting with Babak Namazi on twitter, writing, “arrest of political prisoners is the worst violation of human rights” and “if Iran wants any respect in the international community, she should allow Bagher and Siamak Namazi to return home” </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='16356'> Deutsche Welle Persian, reported that Foreign Policy quoting informed sources, reported that Antonio Gutteres, Secretary General of the United Nations, asked for the release of Bagher Namazi from prison for humanitarian reasons, in a secret letter to Hassan Rouhani, </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='17071'> Heather Nauert, the US State Department spokesman, asked for the freedom of Xiyue Wang, Bagher and Siamak Namazi and the other unjustly detained prisoners </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='17190'> “Asr-e-Iran” reported that the US government issued a statement calling for the release of American prisoners in Iran. The statement states that "for forty years, hostage-taking has been used as a political solution in Iran, and the latest example is the 10-year prison sentence for Xiyue Wang." The statement warned Iran that it would be "punished" if it refrained from releasing prisoners. Mr Trump also called for the release of Robert Levinson. Shortly thereafter, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry described the White House statement as "interference in internal affairs" and called on the United States to release Iranian prisoners. Mr. Ghasemi also said that the Islamic Republic "does not have any new knowledge" about the fate of Robert Levinson </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='19020'> CNN asked about foreign nationals and dual citizens detained in Iranian jails. Rouhani said in an aside that he had his own views on the subject of detained foreigners and dual citizens, but that he was obliged to follow the Iranian constitution which had enshrined the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='19707'> The American Senate passed Resolution 245 asking the government to prioritize the freedom of “American hostages” in Iran. At the same time, Thomas Reuters Foundation published an official letter denying the claim that Ms Zaghari was “teaching journalism”. IPA will, from now on, not record the opinions of political figures and human rights groups in connection with this case in this profile page, rather, it will, only on special occasions, record the statement of human rights organizations and politicians </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='20593'> He was transferred to hospital </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='20713'> He was furloughed for medical purposes for a few days </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='20788'> Voice of America, quoting "Washington Free Beacon", reported that Bagher Namazi's lawyer is asking from the Islamic Republic of Iran to permanently release his client. Jared Genser says that returning 81-year-old Baghre Namazi to prison after a short-term sick leave is equivalent to issuing a death sentence for him </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='20793'> BBC reports that Jared Gesner, the lawyer of Bagher Namazi, has told Reuters that he was returned to prison despite a government doctor's recommendation for a three-month leave. Reports indicate that Mr. Namazi's health has worsened during the two years he was imprisoned. He was taken to a hospital last month because of severe blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. He was under operation last summer to install the pacemaker </coverage-outsourcing>