Free Roxana: because she’s American?

On 04.29.09, In human rights, By Akhila

If you have been keeping up with the news lately, I am sure you have heard of Roxana Saberi, an American journalist who has been imprisoned in Iran with a sentence of 8 years for spying for the US government. However, these allegations are said to be unfounded.

Saberi is a freelance journalist who has been living in Iran for six years. She’s worked for top news organizations like NPR and the BBC, and grew up in Fargo, North Dakota. She has a diverse family background: her father is Iranian and her mother is Japanese. She was chosen as Miss North Dakota in 1997, and went on to get Master’s degrees from Northwestern and Cambridge.

Since I’m a current Northwestern student, I have to say I deeply empathize with her situation, and hope she is freed soon. I am sure the immense pressure on the Iranian government will help Roxana’s cause. After all, the campaign to “Free Roxana” has gained a lot of traction via Twitter, freeroxana.net, and the international news media. Most impressive, Iranian President Ahmadinejad made a statement that Saberi should be allowed to offer a full defense at her appeal. President Obama has publicly called for her release, expressing concern for her safety.

But why does Saberi get all the attention of heads of state and news media around the world? I say: because she is American. People rally behind her cause mostly because she’s American.

But what about Iranian people suffering under their government? Rarely is their plight so publicized, and rarely do Americans fight for the rights of an Iranian. Why is no one fighting for Mohammad Khamami, who has been sentenced to death by stoning by Iranian authorities? Oh, and how about two brothers - Arash Alaei and Kamiar Alaei - doctors specialized in treating HIV/AIDS, who were tried and sentenced in January for plotting to overthrow the Iranian government - but were not given a fair trial by international standards? Hmm…maybe it’s because their names are hard to spell, and of course, because they don’t have any connection to America. And US media would never talk about the fact that Iran has arrested and tortured many Iranians who attempted to visit the Ashraf Camp in Iraq in order to visit their relatives; women as old as 85 have been punished.

One positive development: Recently there has been a lot of support for 20 year old Iranian Delara Darabi, who has been sentenced to public hanging for a murder that occurred when she was 17 years old. At that time, her 19 year old boyfriend had forced Delara to falsely confess to the murder of a relative - to protect him from execution. Despite the evidence to the contrary, she’s on death row. The good thing is, her execution was postponed 2 months in part because of international pressure. Still, she has only 403 followers on Twitter, compared to Roxana Saberi’s 3602 followers. That’s a big difference. And the US news media definitely hasn’t written about her as much. Mostly because she’s not American.

Sure, it’s natural for people to support those they feel an affinity with — and Americans emphatize more strongly with Roxana Saberi. But this narrow-minded Western focus becomes a problem when it completely ignores the plight of local Iranians - and nationals of other countries as well. Saberi is lucky; she has the political connection to America and thus is having her voice heard. But most local Iranians are not so lucky to have such a network or such connections, and their problems get completely ignored.  Americans have a powerful voice and with that voice, can cause international outcry that can save lives. But inevitably, the US media selectively ignores many of those situations that don’t endanger Americans, leaving more marginalized populations to struggle alone just because they don’t have that connection to the US. Americans, along with the Western world as a whole need to look past their biases and understand that there is more going on than simply the abuse of one American journalist. With great power comes great responsibility, and this responsibility needs to be fulfilled.

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  • Dan
    What's also really troubling is how Iran treats its religious minorities, in particular the Zoroastrians. The media is generally silent on that as well.....
  • I agree. There are so many issues out there that are equally important, but just don't make it to mainstream media. I wish there was some way people understood this so they don't think there's only a few major issues in the world, like Darfur. Darfur is important, but there are many other issues that also deserve to be talked about, but simply aren't.
  • Sad, but true. The story of Roxana is so captivating to Americans because...she's American. Ethnocentrism rules in American media coverage and in the American psyche.
  • I agree...it's much too prevalent, and the worst thing is people (and the news) don't learn from the past. Every time, they choose to again focus on the same issues, excluding so many other important ones.
  • You're right. Things can be accomplished. I was simply pointing out why it might make perfect sense to push a little harder where your efforts might be more fruitful.

    Without making a judgment of anyone who has ignored Saberi's plight up until this point (by this criterion I am guilty myself), I think you're right in that we pay most attention to events that affect people who resemble ourselves more closely. Forgive me for bringing it up again, but I think your ability to empathize with Saberi because you attend her alma mater is the same thing as Americans sympathizing with her because they share her country of origin. Both facts are quite immaterial (or at least should be) to her current circumstances.

    In this we're all guilty to a certain extent. In my opinion, it makes perfect sense from an evolutionary perspective. We never would have formed strong bands, tribes, and then societies of people if we never had strong connections with people in our immediate surroundings. The unfortunate consequence of this tribalism is, of course, conflict with "the other".

    So, I propose that we speak openly about the xenophobia inherent in humans and not pretend that it's something present in only the most dim and blood-thirsty among us. (I am just ranting and am not implying that you hold this opinion.) Only after admitting this can we fully understand our tribal tendencies and learn to harness them for good (caring for our own) and not for evil (doing harm or being indifferent to harm on others).
  • I definitely understand your point that it might be to push in an area where Americans clearly have some advantage or say in the matter.

    I think you misunderstood my point - because I was attempting to make the same exact point that you made, that my sympathizing with Saberi because we both attended the same school is the same as Americans sympathizing with her because they are from the same country. I'm not denying that. In fact, my point was that I am not all that different, and that I am guilty of some of the same problems that I am pointing out. I'm not trying to be on a moral high horse here, but I'm trying to state that we are all human and it's natural for me and everyone else to sympathize with her due to some shared experience. But, my point is that, we shouldn't stop at that, and yes - we need to go beyond that to care about those we may not have a direct connection with, as well. I fall into this category too since I make the same mistakes. I completely agree that it's something natural, but at the same time, we have to learn to care equally about people we may not know as we do about our own relatives.
  • I agree that we should more aware of injustices in the world, regardless of a victim's nationality or the spelling of her last name.

    However, there is a perfectly good reason why we as Americans should pay more attention to the imprisonment of our own citizens abroad: We can do something about it. One of the most sacred institutions still left largely intact on the international stage is diplomatic immunity. The US has embassies that span the globe, reaching countries where its policies are not always favorable. The State Department has considerable pull in looking out for the well-being of its citizens in other countries. Internal affairs of other countries that concern punishment of its own citizens--on the other hand--are more difficult to intervene in.

    So, Americans have a better shot at getting the ball rolling in defense of one of its own countrymen or women than they do at tipping justice in the favor of a foreign national on foreign soil. While nationalism and ethnocentrism do play a part, it's presumptuous to say--by omission of other factors--that it's the only thing at work here.

    Also, I am confused by your ability to empathize or sympathize with Saberi because you both went to Northwestern. Did you really mean to say that?

    In all, great post. Keep writing about this stuff. Maybe you CAN do something by sparking more concerted awareness...and put skeptics like me in their place.
  • Thomas, thanks for the amazing comment. I totally agree that perhaps I am being a bit simplistic in my analysis/thoughts. I am sure there is a lot more going on behind the support for Roxana other than her being American - but I think the reason she's been able to gain much of that support is by being lucky enough to be American and thus have the connections and network to get the word out about her situation and get people mobilized in response.

    I understand that Americans can play a bigger role in helping their own citizens abroad, and thanks for that point. It's a really good one, but I have to say that beyond this I think that with the strong voice Americans have, they are also responsible for calling out some of the human rights abuses occurring elsewhere - regardless of whether they involve Americans or not. The US most often does look out for its own benefit and the benefit of its people - which is natural, I think. But I think that the power that the US has shouldn't be squandered and that Americans really have to go beyond just acknowledging the violations to their own citizens. And, I'd argue Americans have a pretty good chance of raising the importance of a human rights issue EVEN if it doesn't directly involve Americans - a principle that Amnesty International uses. Much pressure has been put on governments to release people or stop human rights abuses even though those people involved aren't Americans: e.g. Darfur, etc. Just check the Amnesty website.


    Hm, I did mean to say that about Northwestern, but it was mainly to make a point that I too empathize with those who I have some sort of common connection with. But, at the same time, I think we have to go beyond this connection.

    Thanks for your comment. I do agree with everything you say, but I still think we have to go beyond in terms of understanding the full picture of issues and abuses in various countries. By focusing exclusively on Roxana Saberi, people aren't getting the true picture and are not acknowledging the violations Iranian citizens undergo quite routinely.
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