“Like all of us, (Bezos) is incredibly happy they are safe and sound”, said Post spokeswoman Kristine Coratti Kelly. He was taken captive and accused of being a spy.
Advertisement
Salmon said the physical and emotional toll of his incarceration means that Hekmati has a long road of recovery ahead.
Bezos, who bought the Post in 2013, commended their efforts and celebrated Rezaian’s release in a series of tweets last week. After his release a few days ago, he flew to an American military hospital in Germany.
“But despite all the difficulties thank God and thanks to everyone’s support. I’m standing here healthy, tall, and with my head held high”.
His family had been hoping and praying for this day for several years.
In January 2012 Hekmati was sentenced to death. He was convicted and initially sentenced to life in prison, though that term was later reduced. He did not elaborate but said he will disclose details “about the experience and what happened” later.
“I was at a point where I had just sort of accepted the fact that I would be spending 10 years in prison, and so this is, it was a surprise”.
CNN’s Brian Stelter first reported the news. He traveled to Germany with Hekmati’s sister to greet the freed prisoner. Soon, he’ll get that chance.
A former U.S. Marine recently released from an Iranian prison in a prisoner-swap deal is returning to MI. Amir Hekmati was detained in August 2011 on espionage charges. He was the newspaper’s Tehran bureau chief.
Kildee accompanied the family on the trip to Germany and was at the airport Thursday, boarding the plane after Hekmati landed. They spent about 15 minutes together, according to a brief statement from the family. “We don’t make that judgment”.
Officials said Hekmati spent long periods in solitary and was subjected to sleep deprivation in Iran.
After some time, they were approached by a man wearing a surgical mask to disguise his face. Still, Kildee said, he sees “a lot of great days ahead” for the Hekmati family, and added “this is the greatest of all”.
In addition to Rezaian, Iran released three other dual-nationality prisoners and a fifth American, language student Matt Trevithick, while the USA granted clemency to seven Iranians – six of whom also had dual nationality with the US.
Advertisement
The men allegedly had been involved in exporting products and services to Iran in violation of trade sanctions against the country. Abedini, a naturalized USA citizen of Iranian origin, will now spend time at a religious retreat in North Carolina associated with evangelist Billy Graham.
