UPDATE ON MARZIEH HASHEMI - January 19, 2019
We want to provide the following update on our mother Marzieh Hashemi: Sarah, Marzieh’s daughter, received a second phone call from her on the evening of Friday 18th January. Marzieh said that a grand jury session took place Friday 18th January and that a subsequent session is scheduled on Wednesday 23rd January.
Reza, Marzieh’s youngest son, who had been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury Friday 18th January, has had his appearance postponed until Wednesday 23rd January. Marzieh’s two other children; Hossein and Sarah are also scheduled to appear on Wednesday 23rd January.
Marzieh’s children have been very concerned for their mother since her first phone call to them on Tuesday 15th January in which she described that her hijab was removed against her will and she was forced to take a mug shot without her hijab on. She was given short-sleeved clothing that does not comply with her religious dress code and she was forced to wrap a t-shirt on her hair as a temporary headcovering.
The police had refused to give her halal or vegetarian meals, effectively denying her food and meaning she has only been able to eat a little bread since being detained. Marzieh has informed her daughter, that she has now been given a hijab and “food to get by”. The children had transferred money to Marzieh but she had not been made aware of this.
A partially unsealed federal court document released Friday confirmed that Marzieh has not been accused of any crime and is being detained as a material witness. The document states that Marzieh is “expected” to be released after her testimony is complete, but it is not clear when that will be. Nor is it clear what is being investigated.
Her children have still been given no indication as to what the investigation is about. Marzieh’s sons and daughter are still very concerned.
Sarah Hashemi says “Nothing is for sure at the moment, we are hoping she will be free soon, but we have no concrete information and don’t know when that will be.
We still do not know what this is about, which concerns us greatly. This is a very difficult time for the whole family. My mother is a well-known journalist and has not committed any crime but this whole process has felt as if she is being treated like a criminal. It was very distressing to hear that her hijab was taken off and mug shot taken without it and I was relieved to hear she now has her hijab. We just want mom home.”
BACKGROUND:
Marzieh Hashemi, 59, is an African-American Muslim journalist who has been in the United States, visiting family including her ailing brother and her grandchildren. On Sunday 13th January she was taking an internal flight from St Louis airport to Denver when she was detained and transferred to a Washington DC facility by the FBI. Marzieh was born in the United States and is an American citizen. She is a Journalism graduate from Louisiana State University. She has been a journalist for several decades. In recent years she has been living in Iran for work as a journalist and often travels home to the United States to visit family and friends. She has also, sometimes, filmed about issues concerning the treatment of African Americans on these trips.
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