FLINT (WJRT) -
(01/09/11) - A Mid-Michigan man has been sentenced to death, accused of being a spy in Iran. Amir Hekmati, 28, was convicted and sentenced to death by Iranian court on Monday.
The White House, Michigan U.S. Senators and Hekmati's family are speaking out. Hekmati's family says he's innocent, and the U.S. Government denies he is a CIA spy, but the Iranian government is showing no mercy.
American officials are calling his conviction part of an Iranian pattern of arresting innocent people for political reasons. "We've maintained from the beginning that the charges against him were a fabrication, and we call on the Iranian government to release him immediately," said Victoria Nuland with the State Department.
The conviction has sparked outrage from a national pro-troop organization called Move America Forward. The group's spokesperson, Denny Gonzalez, is calling on the White House to do more for Hekmati's release. Hekmati, a former Marine, was captured in August, but the story broke just last month.
"This is the first time we've really seen this story kind of exploding, here in the last couple of weeks, but you know the administration had to of known that he was in their captivity and for them to basically not have a response is just not acceptable."
Michigan lawmakers are also speaking out. Monday, Senator Debbie Stabenow released a statement via email. "Iran has a history of falsely accusing Americans of being spies, and this new action by the Iranian government only further escalates tensions and isolates them from other countries."
Senator Carl Levin and Congressman Dale Kildee have also released statements to ABC 12 condemning Iran's conviction. A spokesperson for Kildee says that the congressman has been communicating with the State Department and The White House to help free Hekmati.
Meantime, Gonzalez is hoping Monday's conviction sparks a public movement here in Mid-Michigan. "There should be a huge public outcry of people; some from the Muslim community, some from the military community, and others who are just concerned Americans," Gonzalez said.
According to Iranian law, Hekmati has 20 days to appeal the conviction and sentence. For more from Hekmati's family, click HERE.
