Vigil Held in N. Dakota for Alleged Spy

Roxana Saberi, the American-Iranian reporter recently convicted of espionage in Iran after a 1-day trial that was held behind closed doors, has been on a hunger strike since Tuesday, April 21. She faces 8 years in an Iranian prison, and her parents have been in Iran trying to get her released.

On Saturday, hundreds gathered on the Veterans Memorial Bridge that connects Fargo, North Dakota (Saberi’s hometown) to Moorhead, Minnesota (where she attended college). The crowds were there to rally for the journalist’s release and to hold a vigil in her honor. As North Dakota Governor John Hoeven put it, they were there to ask that the Saberi family “be allowed to return home.”

Those who came out to show their support of Saberi wore yellow ribbons, arm bands and clothing. Several people spoke, including Pamela Jolicoeur, the president of Concordia College, Saberi’s alma mater. Saberi was scheduled to deliver the college’s commencement address this past weekend. Jolicoeur called Saberi an “inspiration,” saying: ”She is a remarkable young woman who has quickly distinguished herself as the type of globally engaged citizen that we desire all our graduates to be.”

Both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have expressed disapproval of the way the situation has been handled by Iran. They believe Saberi is innocent and have requested her immediate release, but so far Iran’s response has not been accommodating. Word from Tehran is that Saberi is an Iranian citizen who will be subject to the legal process in Iran – without exceptions. Iranian President Ahmadinejad refuses to intervene. Not a great start to the soothing of US-Iranian relations that Obama has been alluding to…

photo courtesy of www.cpj.org