![Iranian-American dual citizen Baquer Namazi [L] was arrested in Iran two years ago while trying to secure the release of his son, Siamak [R], a businessman and duel US citizen who was arrested in October 2015. File photo: family handout](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.rudaw.net%2Fs3%2Frudaw.net%2FContentFiles%2F357767Image1.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – An 81-year-old US citizen who was convicted of espionage in 2016 was granted leave from prison after his health seriously deteriorated, Iran’s judiciary confirmed Sunday.
Iranian-American dual citizen Baquer Namazi was arrested in Iran two years ago while trying to secure the release of his son, Siamak, a businessman and duel US citizen who was arrested in October 2015. They are both serving 10 years in prison for espionage and collaboration with the US government, charges they deny.
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi, a spokesman for Iran’s judiciary, is quoted by the department’s website Mizanonline saying: “I think his leave has come to an end today or yesterday.”
Ejehi said Namazi has not been freed but merely had his three-day leave extended for another three days so he can receive further medical checkups.
Last week, Namazi’s lawyer, Jared Genser, said Tehran had granted his client four days leave, until Thursday, February 1, after being discharged from hospital. That appears to have been extended.
In early January, Namazi was taken to hospital for the fourth time in the space of a year after his blood pressure dropped severely, his heartbeat became irregular, his energy depleted and he became very pale, Genser said in a statement.
The US citizen underwent emergency heart surgery in September last year to install a pacemaker. Doctors warned that prison conditions would be “dangerous” for Namazi and that his condition would only worsen if he remained behind bars, his lawyer added.
“I beg the Iranian authorities to show compassion and grant my father a permanent release so he can spend his remaining time with his family before we face an irreversible tragedy,” his son Babak Namazi said in a statement, Reuters reported.
Iran does not recognize dual citizenship, treating people with this status the same as Iranian citizens in the legal system.
Washington has previously threatened Iran with further sanctions for its detention of US citizens unless they are released and returned to America.
