One Family's Struggle for Freedom - XUNICEF's Role in the Global Effort to Bring the Namazis Home : Tom McDermott

A Family's Ordeal of 2,897 Days - An XUNICEF Timeline

This is a story of a UNICEF / XUNICEF colleague and his family who underwent a long and painful ordeal when they found themselves caught up in a global political struggle.  It is also the story of his XUNICEF colleagues who stepped up to help,.....and did !!  

How it began - 13 October 2015 Siamak is arrested by Iran's Revolutionary Guard

How it ended - 18 September 2023 - the Namazis are reunited, at last 

In the long campaign for the freedom of Baquer and Siamak Namazi XUNICEF was by no means the main player.  Credit for organizing the fight goes primarily to the Namazis themselves, and in particular to Babak Namazi, son of Baquer and elder brother of Siamak.  Babak and his human rights lawyer in the US, Jared Genser played the principal roles in organizing the political, diplomatic, and public awareness campaign.  They were tireless in this effort.  

Would that every UN family have someone as relentless and skilled in defense of his family as Babak Namazi !!

Many leaders and diplomats in both the US and Iran played important roles, as did the Secretary-General of the UN and the UNICEF Executive Director.  Of the UNICEF EDs, Tony Lake, in particular, played a key role in mobilizing UNICEF and the Secretary-General.  Tony brought to the effort a unique set of skills and experience in relations between the US and Iran.  He made sure to stay in direct contact with Babak and Baquer's wife, Effie, at each stage of the saga. He said later that his hardest memory of those days was hearing the pain in Effie's voice each time he phoned. 

While XUNICEF cannot claim credit for the freedom of either Baquer or Siamak, we believe that our efforts helped buoy the spirits of the family through dark days, knowing that their colleagues were with them throughout.  At a time when many UN officials were prepared to say that they had no role in the problems faced by a 'retired former' UN staff member, we managed to keep the case of Baquer alive in UNICEF and in the UN, and we made the point that the UN and UNICEF do have responsibilities towards their former staff.  

Within XUNICEF the campaign was not the work of any one person or group of persons.  It was a widely shared community effort shared by many.  In going through this timeline you will find many clicks - links to documents, petitions, and letters.  You will likely pass over most of them, but read just a few and look at the many names who signed them and the many places around the world where XUNICEF members joined in. Read a few and you will be convinced that this was a community effort and a team effort by many.

I have tried to work back through our archive of emails, documents and photos to make some sense and give some order to them.   While long and perhaps exhausting, this document is not complete.  I have skipped over events, letters to editors, letters to members of Congress or legislators, events by national committees, tweets, and other social media entries.  Photos of some of you are likely missing.  I apologize in advance for the many omissions and errors in the timeline which follows.  If I glanced over, omitted your mention or your photo or a role you played, please forgive and let me know, 

My one note of sadness as I sifted through these hundreds of photos and signatures on petitions and advocacy pleas was the realization of how many of those who played important roles in our campaign are no longer with us.  May they rest in peace.  

On a happier note -  well done, XUNICEF!  We came together to help a colleague at a moment when help was needed. A motto often tossed about over these years was "We will leave no colleague behind."  Let's be sure to continue to be a family in which we look after one another - not just those who are facing a crisis like this one, but also those who are lonely, ill, and forgotten.   

A Turning Point for XUNICEF

The year 2016 marked a turning point .  Until the arrest of Baquer Namazi in February 2016, XUNICEF had remained primarily a social network which came together annually for reunions, and kept in touch through occasional emails between members.  

That changed after Baquer's arrest and imprisonment.  To be sure, the social side of the XUNICEF continued.  Emails continued to keep old colleagues in touch.  The Zanzibar Reunion took place a few months after Baquer's arrest, and reunions continued each year thereafter.  Each reunion paused a moment to think of Baquer, a colleague who was missing that year, but they hoped might join them the following year.  

But now something new was underway.  Soon after news of Baquer's arrest, several members began to work on an advocacy campaign aimed at keeping Baquer's UNICEF career in the focus of UNICEF, the UN, politicians and the press.  This started slowly and tentatively, given our uncertainties and inexperience in such efforts.  

By September 2016, however, we were in motion - we sent off our first public appeal to Ayatollah Khamenei and to President Obama, and to many legislators and journalists.

Imagine that  -  a group of retired UNICEF staff writing directly to the Supreme Leader of Iran, the President of the US, and other key leaders ! Suddenly we were activists with a cause. 

Timeline

2015 - Siamak's Arrest

13 October 2015 - Siamak is arrested by the Revolutionary Guard

13 October 2015 

Clip from a propaganda video released by Revolutionary Guards a year later

2016 - Baquer's Arrest

22 February 2016 - Baquer Namazi is arrested on arrival at Tehran Airport - is held at Tehran's Evin Prison.

2 March 2016 - UNICEF issues its first statement: "Current and former UNICEF colleagues are deeply concerned about the health and well-being of Baquer Namazi,” the statement said. “We hope he will be reunited soon with his wife and loved ones.”

XUNICEF members organize letter-writing and social media advocacy aimed at political leaders, legislators, and journalists.

9 September 2016 - XUNICEF members send an appeal to Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei for the release of Baquer Namazi on humanitarian grounds. - Click here

18 October 2016: At a trial presided over by Judge Abol-Qassem Salavati, Siamak and Baquer Namazi are convicted of cooperating with a hostile government and sentenced to 10 years in prison each.

October 18 2016 - Exdir Tony Lake releases a second UNICEF statement on the sentencing:

“His friends and colleagues at UNICEF have learned with deep sadness and personal concern that our former colleague Baquer Namazi, who has been incarcerated in Iran since 22 February, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Mr. Namazi served at UNICEF as Representative for Somalia, Kenya and Egypt, among other positions. He worked tirelessly on behalf of children in all those positions, often in highly difficult circumstances. He deserves a peaceful retirement.

Baquer is 80 years old and the entire UNICEF family are deeply concerned for his health and well-being. Baquer has been a humanitarian all his life. We appeal for his release on humanitarian grounds.”

21 October 2016 - Over 100 XUNICEF members write an appeal to the Secretary-General for his intervention in the case. - Click here

29 October 2016 - On behalf of XUNICEF, Mary Racelis writes to President Obama.
MRlettertoPresidentObama

14 November 2106 - The Secretary General replies confirming his efforts to obtain the release of Baquer Namazi. SG's response

18 November 2016 - XUNICEF letter calls all members to ‘like’ special pages on Facebook and Twitter established to support Baquer and Siamak.  Moncef Bouhafa sets up a special Facebook page, titled "Free Baquer Namazi: Champion of Children".  The page attracts nearly 700 followers.  Eimi Watanabe, Robert Cohen, and Maggie Black keep the page alive with the latest news of Baquer, photos, copies of greeting cards sent (but never received) by him at Evin Prison, and messages of support from both members and non-members of the public. Eimi ensures that every message of support receives an answer of thanks.  

The "Free Baquer Namazi: Champion for Children" special page on Facebook

Greeting cards sent but not received - we posted them anyway

A few of the hundreds of posts on Facebook

2017 

In early 2017 we turned to social media, and in particular to Facebook in an attempt to widen the campaign out to a broader audience - both of those who wanted to participate but also of those who might read and become interested in the efforts of a network of former UNICEF staff demonstrating on behalf of one of their number. 

Social Media Campaign

8 February 2017 - In preparation for a global campaign on social media Maggie Black sends out a Standard Poster Format to be used by individuals and groups on 22 February 2017, the first anniversary of Baquer's arrest. She includes a photo of herself holding the poster as a model to be followed. The campaign involves XUNICEF members posting photos of themselves holding a poster calling , either individually or in groups, calling for Baquer's freedom. Each person is to post on the 'Free Baquer Namazi: Champion for Children' page in Facebook the photo at 12 noon in whatever time zone they live. This creates a 'rolling thunder' effect over 24 hours, starting in New Zealand and Japan, and moving hour by hour to western Canada and California.

Free

BAQUER NAMAZI

Ex-UNICEF, 80

Imprisoned in

Tehran

One year today

22 Feb 2017

#freebaquernow

 

Unicef retirees, Town, Country

22 February 2017 -  one year after Baquer's arrest, hundreds of XUNICEF members around the world post photos of themselves holding placards calling for his release.   

One of many group events around the world.   Click here to see the video of many of the other participants.

Individual video statements were also released on Facebook and YouTube by Anis Salem, Moncef Bouhafa, Misrak Elias, Tom McDermott, Richard Jolly, George Kassis, Karin Sham Poo, Kul Gautam, Steve Umemoto, and Leila Bisharat.

22 February 2017 - Maggie Black publishes "An Anniversary to Deplore - click here

22 February 2017 - Kul Gautam, on behalf of XUNICEF, writes to the new Secretary General, António Guterres, asking that he continue efforts begun by Ban Ki-moon to obtain freedom for Baquer Namazi. Click here.

22 February 2017 - Robert Cohen and Kul Gautam call on the Iranian Mission to the UN to state once again the concern of former UNICEF staff over the continued detention of our very esteemed colleague. Meeting is cordial. Iranian officials point out that the situation of dual citizens imprisoned in Iran and in the US is even more complex given the new Trump Administration. Kul goes on to meet with the Chef de Cabinet of the SG. - Click here

3 March 2017 - SG’s Chef de Cabinet replies to Kul’s letter of 22 February to the SG. Click here

5 Sept 2017 - Marta Mauras, Rolf Carriere, and Clare Blenkinsop meet with International Federation of the Red Cross / Red Crescent and subsequently are joined by Dan Toole and Janet Nelson to discuss conditions of imprisonment of Baquer and Siamak. NFR marked strictly confidential, so not linked here.

14 September 2017 - Bertie Mendis, Mahboob Shareef, and AKM Kamaluddin meet with Canadian MP Iqra Khalid and provide a copy of the XUNICEF appeal and letters of appeals by UN heads of agencies for forwarding to the Prime Minister.

14 October 2017 -The XUNICEF Reunion in Mexico sends a letter to Ayotollah Khamanei calling for Baquer's release.  

Moncef Bouhafa produced a booklet pulling together the Mexico Reunion, the petition, and the February social media campaign - Click here  (don't miss opening and reading this - it is a great summary showing the global support Baquer enjoys among XUNICEF members).

30 November 2017 - UNICEF Staff News publishes an article submitted by XUNICEF, “When Tony Stood Up to Baquer, He Stood Up for All of UNICEF”. Click here.

26 December 2017 - 733 members of XUNICEF write a welcome letter to the incoming Exdir, Henrietta Fore, including a request that she continue the efforts begun by her predecessor, Tony Lake, on behalf of Baquer and his family. Click here

From 2017 through 2018 members post messages on the Facebook page.  Others send postcards, greeting cards, birthday wishes, Nowruz greetings directly to "Baquer Namazi c/o Evin Prison, Tehran." Unsurprisingly, the prison never hands these over to Baquer, but copies are posted anyway on the Facebook page.  

2018

2018 Social Media Campaign

6 February 2018 - Baquer sends a deeply moving letter of thanks to his XUNICEF colleagues. Click here

22 February 2018 - To mark the second anniversary of Baquer's imprisonment, XUNICEF members organized another social media campaign.  In all, 470 members and non-members joined the campaign.

See our full album by clicking here.  If your photo is missing please let us know, and send us a copy.

22 February 2018 - Maggie Black publishes a widely quoted opEd in Other News “Another Anniversary to Deplore”  Click here to read the article

27 March 2018 - Marco Vianello-Chiodo receives a reply to his letter to the Vice President of the EU Commission, Federico Mogherini, confirming their support.  Click here.

Spring 2018 - XUNICEF agrees to 'run quiet' - temporarily 

In late 2017 and early 2018 Baquer began to experience heart problems.  The problems were old ones, likely exacerbated by a poor diet in prison and by stress and worry for his son, himself, and the rest of the family.  The prison initially tried to treat him in a clinic.  Eventually, however, they permitted him to be moved by ambulance to a hospital for a short stay.  Soon after his return, however, the heart problems worsened and he went off again to hospital.  The Medical Board ruled that he needed longer hospital care, but prison authorities overruled them and sent him back to prison.  Yet the authorities clearly did not want a high profile prisoner of age 82 to die in their watch.  Over time these hospital stays and evaluations led to short 'furloughs' from prison, and eventually to his 'house arrest'.

Both the wider Namazi family and we were aware that this was a sensitive time and so we decided to slow down the campaign, lest something might trigger a reaction by the authorities.  We did not publicize the furloughs or Baquer's continued stress over the situation of Siamak. 

26 June 2018 - With Baquer at home two weeks beyond the expiry of his second medical furlough from prison, we decide to ‘run quiet’ for a while to avoid any chance of causing authorities in Tehran to send him back to prison, as happened with the first furlough.

June 2018 - Sheila Barry meets with Henrietta Fore. She reports:

“....when we spoke by phone a few days later, Henrietta’s first words were not about our history, but instead about the present. She expressed her deep concern for Baquer Namazi and his family. In addition to keeping in touch with Baquer’s wife and son, Henrietta continues to follow his situation closely through our office in Tehran. She expressed her admiration for the efforts of xunicefers to win Baquer’s freedom.”

28 August 2018 - Baquer and Siamak file an appeal to Iran’s Supreme Court, noting that the Government of Iran has written to the International Court of Justice stating that the US Iran 1955 Treaty of Amity is still valid. The Government writes that despite the Treaty being valid, the US has unilaterally applied new sanctions against Iran. The Namazi appeal asks that if the Treaty of Amity is still valid, how can they be charged with ‘collaboration with a hostile state?”

31 December 2018 - Tom McDermott forwards an exchange of greetings to Baquer on his birthday (3 December) and from Baquer thanking the group for their support and giving good wishes for the year ahead. Click here.

2019

9 January 2019 - Baquer sends message thanking all for their support and wishing everyone a good year in 2019. Adds plea for his son, Siamak.

29 March 2019 - while on a short medical furlough from prison, Baquer takes the time to write to Marta Santos Pais, saying inter alia:  

" I remember you championing humanitarian causes we all strongly believed in. I have been trying hard to transform the goal of “children as zones of peace” into a world movement. Before being incarcerated (against which the UNSG has twice sent letters of appeal for my release and freedom) on trumped up charges, in collaboration with a large group of champions of deprived and vulnerable children, the attached proposal was drafted.

I am now on medical furlough facing many constraints including a declining health. I am looking forward to young leaders, such as yourself to sustain the effort and mobilize the many able and committed members of civil society, academics and people based organizations."

11 May 2019 - Update from Baquer 

"I am undergoing intensive checkups and the best medical specialists have not yet come up with a definitive diagnosis of my ailments. My medical furlough has ended, but I have not been sent back to prison as the authorities are waiting for the medical board report. I am scheduled to meet with the Board in a couple of days.

The timing confusion was either deliberate or a result of the long new year holidays and the very busy time table of the board. We are not worried as my condition has consistently worsened.

I am keeping busy studying the pathway forward towards a more balanced global world order promising freedom, peace and justice for all.

I have come across some of the works of the peace loving Palestinian Lawyer Jonathan Kuttab, with whom I met while studying the issue of children in situations of armed conflict. Would be grateful if I could be placed in touch with Kuttab

Best to you and all dear ex-Unicef friends.

Baquer"

9 September 2019 - Kul Gautam writes to the Secretary General with copy to the UNICEF ED, noting the opportunity of the General Assembly, and asking for support and intervention at the highest level in Baquer Namazi’s case. At the GA the SG appealed directly to President Rouhani to grant permission for Baquer to travel abroad for medical care. - click here

14 September 2019 - Mary Racelis sends a report from the Armenia Reunion.

"The entire XUNICEF group then collectively remembered their colleague and friend, Baquer Namazi, currently under home detention in Iran after several years of imprisonment. A picture-taking session expressed their message to him dramatized on the screen backdrop, "We miss you and hope you'll be with us next year.") 

26 September 2019 - Baquer sends a message to Tom McDermott - saying: 

"In the midst of the pain and sufferings we are undergoing, I thought it would be a good idea to share the small acts of kindness I met with recently

Women and men should not touch or hug men unless closely related

I WAS ON MY WEEKLY VISITS TO THE NOTORIOUS EVIN PRISON TO PRESENT MY SELF TO THE AUTHORITIES DEMONSTRATING THAT I HAVE NOT USED MY LIMITED FREEDOM TO FLEE. EACH TIME I VISIT I AM OVERWHELMED WITH A DEEP FEELING OF ANGER AND FRUSTRATION, WHICH CAUSES ME TO STUMBLE MORE. THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION IS MOSTLY PROMPTED BY THE FACT THAT MY PATRIOTIC SON, INCARETATED FOR FOUR YEARS, HAS BEEN DENIED MANY RIGHTS ENSHRINED IN THE LAWS OF THE ISLAMIC REPULIC

A MONTH BACK I BEGAN TO STUMBLE WHEN A YOUNG WOMAN SEIZED MY HAND AND PREVENTED ME FROM FALLING. I WARNED HER THAT WE WERE BEING WATCHED BY THE SURVIELLANCE CAMERAS AND SHE COULD GET INTO TROUBLE FOR TOUCHING A MALE STRANGER. AT THIS SHE DENOUNCED THE SYSTEM AND HELD ME WITH BOTH ARMS, SAYING “TO HELL WITH THEM ALL.”

I HAVE HAD OTHER HELP FROM WOMEN WHO HAVE FLOUTED THE MAN MADE LAWS AND HAVE ACTED TO ASSIST A FRAIL OLD MAN. WHEN ANOTHER ELDERLY WOMEN TOOK MY ARM TO HELP ME CLIMB THE FEW STEPS TO HAVE ONE OF THE MONTHLY MEETING WITH SIAMAK, I CALLED HER MY DEAR DAUGHTER. SHE SAID I MADE HER DAY BY CALLING HER MY DAUGHTER

On another note is  it possible to place the proposal CHILDREN AS ZONES OF PEACE IN THE TURBULANT MIDDLE EAST REGION,  on the XUNICEF site and seek help of our dear and very committed and still very active friends to move the initiative to its action phase. As you know Mary, Steve, and our dear departed champion of urban children, Bill contributed to the project. Richard Jolly was a  constant source of inspiration and encouragement.

God bless

Baquer "

2020

23 April 2020 - Baquer exchanges emails with Richard Jolly - Baquer says:  

"My very dear Richard

I am not certain whether you are fully aware of my situation. At present though out of prison, I am not fully free and I am still subject to restrictions. My medical furlough came after I was taken out by stretcher half a dozen times for heart trouble and many other ailments, loss of six teeth, three surgeries, including installment of a pace maker. These worrisome trends led to the continuous insistence of the legal medical authorities that my continued incarceration was equal to a death sentence. They called repeatedly for my immediate release from prison, and after suffering in jail for two years, I was finally allowed medical furlough.

I have been advised to be careful that I do not incur the wrath of my jailors, especially as they still hold my son, though some of his cell mates have contracted coronavirus. He has been denied treatment for his eye and teeth problems and not been granted his right to days of vacation after languishing in prison for nearly five years. It was for the same reason that I requested Tom to remove my article, which touched on some of my sufferings, from the retirees’ website.

I have made a promise to myself and to those who have perpetrated such foul deeds against my family, that I will hold them accountable for violation not only of international humanitarian laws, but also acting with impunity against the stipulations of the Islamic constitution and domestic legal rights of citizens. In pursuit of justice, I am working with my lawyer and have drafted a strong response. If nothing happens at least I have not taken it lying down and have documented the obscene practice of injustice.

I have taken time to write my memoirs, but cannot release it under present circumstances. It is in safe hands and will be available should I pass away before I find the time propitious for making it public. So please bear with me. And many thanks again.

With warmest regards

Baquer"

\June 2020 - Baquer, even though, still under house arrest serves as the 'Guest Editor' for the June 2020 Quarterly of News & Views - "Peace and the Child" - click here

13 October 2020 - On the fifth anniversary of Siamak's imprisonment, over 160 XUNICEF members sign a petition calling for action to release him.   Their signatures join a long list of distinguished scholars and academics. 

Click here to see the petition and list of signatories

13 October 2020 - Babak publishes letter in the Washington Post:

"Today, 13 October, marks five years since my brother Siamak Namazi was taken hostage by the Iranian regime. He has had to endure five years of horrific conditions in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, including being beaten, Tasered, tortured and held in prolonged solitary confinement. For the rest of our family, it has been years of trying to navigate the nightmare of bringing him home, knowing that any letter or call we receive from him could be the last.

Siamak, who was arrested in 2015, is now the longest detained American currently held by Iran. A few months after he was taken into custody, Iranian Revolutionary Guards lured my father, Baquer Namazi, back to the country to visit his son in prison. He was then also arrested and placed in Evin Prison. Despite his age — he is now 84 — my father was subjected to solitary confinement for extended periods. In October 2016, they were both convicted on baseless charges of “collaboration with a hostile foreign government” — the United States — and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

As Siamak passes this grim anniversary, with my father not far behind him, I am urging leaders of the United States and other major countries to take decisive action to bring both of them home. Failing to do so could cost my brother and father their lives.

The novel coronavirus continues to devastate Iran, with the country hitting its highest day of confirmed infections last week. While Iran granted or extended furloughs for about 120,000 prisoners in the beginning of the pandemic — a precaution the Iranian judiciary repeatedly denied Siamak — it is now bringing prisoners back in droves. Siamak remains trapped in the middle of the simultaneous spike in infections and the expansion of the prison population, with potentially deadly consequences.

Although the Iranian government allowed my father to leave Evin Prison because of multiple emergency hospitalizations — a direct acknowledgment of the severity of his health problems — it refuses to let him travel abroad for desperately needed medical treatment. These life-threatening problems include heart conditions that resulted in two heart-related surgeries while in custody and severe blockages in the major arteries to his brain. Iran’s choice to continue holding him hostage is effectively a death sentence. I cannot digest the sustained cruelty imposed on such a vulnerable individual.

And beneath all of this is the ever-present threat of escalating U.S.-Iran tensions. With the two countries facing off over nuclear issues, sanctions and other highly controversial matters, I am in constant fear that Iran will reach for its most vulnerable and accessible pawns: American hostages.

Over the past few weeks my family has been moved by the many tweets and other social media statements from members of Congress, as well as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, calling on Iran to immediately release my loved ones. We were also thrilled to see their names included along with that of another American hostage, conservationist Morad Tahbaz, in the recent announcement of new human rights sanctions on Iranian officials. The U.S. government needs to build on this momentum and continue pushing for their release through any avenue possible.

This push cannot and should not be limited to efforts by the United States. Iran’s barbaric campaign of strategically imprisoning and torturing foreign and dual nationals has affected countries worldwide. In the past few years alone, Tehran has unjustly imprisoned citizens of the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and Lebanon. I was happy to see that France, Germany and Britain summoned their Iranian ambassadors to discuss the issue of hostages, and I encourage other countries to follow suit. I also urge them to translate their words into actions, such as potentially tying covid-19 aid for Iran to the release of all wrongly detained dual and foreign nationals — a move Pompeo suggested this year. It is long past time for the world to convey the clear message to Iran that its hostage-taking is not an effective foreign policy tool and that its attempts to use it as such will not be tolerated.

My family and I were given a sense of renewed hope when President Trump sat down with a group of former American hostages during the Republican National Convention in August and promised that the remaining American hostages will “be back very soon.” I hope that he and his administration will match those words with commensurate action, both unilateral and multilateral, so that my brother and father will be with us again soon.

We have all suffered more than anyone should. Let my innocent family go.

15 October 2020 - Babak writes to thank everyone who signed the latest petition. Click here.

2021

3 April 2021 -  US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, notes that 2,000 days have passed since Siamak was taken prisoner. He calls for release of all hostages.  

19 May 2021 - Baquer leads online meeting on Children as Zones of Peace - click here.

15 July 2022 - XUNICEF members send letter to President Biden supporting appeal by Babak Namazi for accelerated action in negotiations to free Siamak - click here

4 October 2021 - Baquer needs urgent surgery due to arterial blockage  - click here. 

8 October 2021 - Baquer, just four days after surgery and while still under house arrest, is among a small group of XUNICEF members launching the CO-Peace Campaign and inviting other members to join. Click here

27 October 2021 - Baquer undergoes successful heart surgery in Tehran.  Surgery is successful. - click here.

2022

16 September 2022 - Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish Iranian woman is killed after being detained for violating hijab laws. Weeks of rioting and unrest follow throughout Iran

1 October 2022 - Baquer is free to leave Iran.  Siamak is granted a furlough for the first time in order to see his father off. SG releases statement. - click here.

5 October 2022 - Baquer leaves Tehran for Doha, and on to Abu Dhabi

5 October 2022 - Baquer greeted by Babak on arrival in Abu Dhabi/

11 October 2022 - After a brief furlough to see his father off, Siamak returns to prison.  

Meanwhile in Abu Dhabi Baquer begins medical checkups and treatment at the Cleveland Clinic.  When released, he gets his first taste of freedom and family life with Babak, his wife, and grandchildren.

11 October 2022 - Baquer begins medical care at Abu Dhabi's Cleveland Clinic. When released for outpatient care, he stays with Babak and his family.

 

13 October 2022 - security forces raid schools in parts of Iran.  A 16 year old school girl, Asra Panahi is beaten and killed when she refuses to sing a pro-regime song. - click here

15 October 2022 - Siamak marks his 51st birthday (the 7th he has spent in prison) in Evin Prison amid riot, fire and gunshots - click here

18 October 2022 - Serious fire destroys part of Evin Prison, raising worries for Siamak and other prisoners. - click here

16 November 2022 - Baquer celebrates his freedom and writes sending thanks to all his dearest UNICEF friends - click here

2023

17 January 2023 - Siamak writes to President Biden announcing a 7 day hunger strike in Evin Prison - click here.

9 March 2023 - Christiane Amanpour interviews Siamak from Evin Prison - click here.

17 May 2023 - Baquer and other members of the CO-PEACE initiative meet in NY. Click here

10 August 2023 -  Siamak and four other hostages released from Evin Prison to 'house arrest' in a Tehran hotel while waiting for the financial transfers from South Korea to be finalized. - click here

26 - 30 August 2023 - Baquer takes part at the XUNICEF 2023 Reunion in Toronto

18 September 2023 -  Siamak and his mother, Effie, along with four other hostages leave Tehran and arrive in Doha - click here.

18 September 2023 - Siamak makes a widely praised statement on arrival in Doha - click here

19 September 2023  -  Siamak and other hostages arrive in Washington, DC - the Namazi family is reunited at last - click here for photos

As I said above, Well done, XUNICEF !! We only played a small part in this saga, but it was an important part - for the Namazis, but also for us as a UNICEF and XUNICEF family. click here