Roxana Saberi today issued the following statement:
As a fellow journalist, I am shocked and saddened to hear about the heavy sentence handed to Laura Ling and Euna Lee. I hope that a way can be found to reunite them with their families as soon as possible and I will continue to pray for their swift release.
And here’s Roxana’s statement issued prior to last week’s vigils:
I want to again thank anyone who supported me when I was in Tehran’s Evin Prison. It was in large part thanks to the support of people like you around the world that I was released on May 11th. I will be forever grateful for that support. Without it, I might still be behind bars, just as the many political prisoners I left behind.
I ask you to please extend your support to Laura Ling and Euna Lee, by taking part in vigils for them tonight across the country.
I haven’t been to North Korea, but I understand it is even more of a closed state than the Islamic Republic of Iran. Still, if Laura and Euna’s situation resembles anything like mine, I can imagine a little of what they might be wishing for:
The presumption of innocence until proven guilty. A fair trial, with access to attorneys of their choice and the right to study what is claimed as evidence against them. More contact with their families, whom they probably worry are worrying about themselves!
If Laura and Euna feel as I did when I was in prison, they may also be hoping that their families are not alone at this challenging time – that friends and supporters from the around the world are standing with them in solidarity.
Laura and Euna, I pray that you remain strong and know that neither your families nor you are alone. I hope that a way will be found to return both of you to your families as soon as possible.
2 Responses
June 9th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Yes again you show us how human and freindly you are. And as we join to free you ,we do the same for Euna Lee and Laura Ling.So Roxana go on we are with you.
June 28th, 2009 at 7:24 am
Roxana, I wanted you to know that the Baha’i woman who was in court with you has put a statement on the Persian page of IranPressWatch.com
The statement is in Farsi, and it is helping a larger number of Iranian-Americans to learn about the history of your contact with the Iranian judicial system.
Sue Chehrenegar
Leave a Comment