Shane
Bauer, left, and Josh Fattal, on trail in Iran's
Revolutionary
Court, Feb. 6. Iran calls them spies.
The Nation, Pakistan
Iran 'Sets Example'
By Prosecuting Americans
"This
strong stand - opening a trial of U.S. nationals - should a clear message to
Pakistan's judiciary. Raymond Davis, accused of killing two Pakistanis in cold
blood, is likely to be tried in court once police complete their investigation."
Sarah Shourd, one of three Americans arrested by Iran for spying near the Iraqi border, was released on $500,000 bail after over a year in prison. Her failure to appear in court for the launch of trial means she has forfeited that bail.
An Iranian court has begun
the trial of three American nationals on charges of spying. Two of the accused,
Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, are in Tehran's Evin Prison. The third, Sarah
Shourd, was released on bail and left for the United States some time ago.
Now, despite repeated
requests, she has refused to return to join the proceedings. Behind closed doors,
the trial in the Revolutionary Court is in progress, and the issue before it is
that the three Americans, while spying against Iran, were arrested in areas
close to the Iraqi boarder. Iran's judicial system has withstood every kind of
diplomatic pressure to release them, but so far, to no avail. The court has also
refused to entertain Iranian President Ahmadinejad's plea for leniency to be
shown to the accused.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
In this way, the
Revolutionary Court is showing how an independent judiciary should react to domestic
and foreign pressure. Iran's president proposed to Washington that it review all
cases against Iranians who languish in American prisons on flimsy charges and with
no substantial evidence. He has also indicated that the release of these Iranian
detainees could act as a bargaining chip if the U.S. government sincerely wants
to see the release of these American nationals.
This strong stand - opening a
trial of U.S. nationals - should a clear message to Pakistan's judiciary. Raymond
Davis, accused of killing two Pakistanis in cold blood, is likely to be tried
in court once police complete their investigation. And this is taking place against
the backdrop of tremendous U.S. pressure which intends to see him released due
to the diplomatic immunity available to him under the 1961
Vienna Convention. One wonders how such a demand can be justified, when the
visa in his passport indicates no such status.
On the other hand, Raymond
Davis is reported to have been declared persona non grata twice while
posted in the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar. Davis is guilty of a heinous crime
and should be shown no mercy.
