The U.S. State Department announced that a Jewish-American constituent from Great Neck who was born in Iran and has been imprisoned there for more than 300 days is now designated a “wrongful detainee.”
Kamran Hekmati, 70, was given the designation after months of advocacy on his behalf by Congressman, Tom Suozzi, (NY-3rd CD), who urged U.S. authorities to push for his release.
Suozzi and Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney submitted a letter on Nov. 11 to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging immediate action to secure Hekmati’s release and requested the “wrongful detainee” classification under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.
“This is a clear, cut-and-dry case of wrongful detention,” Suozzi said in a statement. “Mr. Hekmati and the numerous other Americans being imprisoned in Iran are not being held for any crimes they committed, but because they’re American.”
The wrongful detainee designation directs the U.S. government to use “diplomatic, legal and economic measures” to seek Hekmati’s release, but the war the United States and Israel launched against Iran threatens to complicate these efforts.
Hekmati has been an advocate for Iran in Great Neck’s Persian community which made his arrest surprising. He is a Great Neck Estates resident, a member of the village’s zoning board and owns a jewelry business based in New York City.
“Believe it or not, he was an advocate for Iran, which I found very surprising, and for him now to be held hostage – it’s ironic,” Great Neck Mayor Pedram Bral said back in November.
Bral also said Hekmati is a “very active part” of the Great Neck community and the Jewish community and is known for being kind and loving.
“He’s a kind, genuine gentleman who was an active member of his community,” said Bral, who was born in Iran. “He gave to Great Neck. He gave to his Jewish community.”
Hekmati is suffering from bladder cancer, according to news reports.
Suozzi, a moderate Democrat, has expressed sympathy with President Donald Trump’s decision to go to war, but has made criticisms about the process.
“This is a promising step,” Suozzi said about the designation. “We now need the administration to bring him home as soon as possible. It could not be more urgent.”
Hekmati has been held for more than 10 months in the notorious Evin Prison, a facility widely known for holding political prisoners.
He was detained after traveling to Iran for family business, a trip he had made multiple times previously without any problem. Suozzi said Iranian authorities cited his attendance at his son’s bar mitzvah in Israel 13 years ago as reason for detention, despite Iranian law stating that individuals must not have visited Israel within the previous 10 years.
“I will continue to use every option available to me to push for Mr. Hekmati’s release,” Suozzi said.
