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Tag: political prisoners

Jason Rezaian

Iran Holds US Reporter for Months Before ‘Kafkaesque’ Espionage Trial

Washington Post bureau chief Jason Rezaian has been languishing in an Iranian prison cell for nearly nine months, with only the most cursory access to legal counsel. The newspaper reports today that Rezaian is having significant problems being allowed to speak to his attorney, and will remain in prison until his trial begins for “espionage.”

AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

On Cuba, Obama’s SOTU Self-Praise for Political Prisoner Advocacy Rings Hollow

President Obama’s State of the Union speech tonight, like so many of its predecessors, relied heavily on America’s moral duty to lead the world in values for its applause lines. The President vowed to “respect human dignity,” to “defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender,” to robust audience support.

AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa

Marco Rubio Criticizes Cuba for Delaying Prisoner Release

There isn’t much for the United States in any of President Obama’s lame-duck fire-sale deals with foreign dictators. One of the very, very few things Cuba was expected to do, in exchange for billions of dollars pumped into the Castro’s pockets by relaxed U.S. sanctions, was release some of the political prisoners rotting in its dungeons.