Iran sentences Princeton graduate student to 10 years for espionage

washingtonpost.com

33 points·stablemap··13 comments

The Iran traveling expert in me says: we can't tell the truth from this article. Let's say: the threat of US spies is real for Iran as too much of its history has somehow been staged or influenced by the British or the Americans. Those are not conspiracy theories, but history facts. That is why Americans attract the interest of the government there (truth be said, 99,9% of Americans traveling to Iran never have problems). It would suprise me if the US would not try to send spies there, on the other hand I also doubt that every accused spy there is indeed one.

Interesting, and funny, talk on a documentary about Iran: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtELk8S3dhU

If he was a spy, would a 10-year sentence be unjust?

Yes

Yet it is interesting that it is not 20 years or death penality. Sounds like an offer to talk.

Why?

Just throwing in my vote for the answer to a subjective question. Why should i have to justify me choice? But if I must :) Someone takes action against a group of bad people; bad people catch him and punish him; is that justice? I say no. Doesn't matter that the bad people call themselves a government.

>If he was a spy, would a 10-year sentence be unjust?

I imagine the sentencing is just a formality. Iran has no habeas corpus. They can, and will, hold him as long as they wish.

As a US citizen, do you want a US spy to get 10 years in Iranian prison? Considering principle of uniformity, we should reduce punishment for spying significantly. Why does it have to be prison, when it could be deportation + property confiscation?

Spying country should be punished, not that particular individual.

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