Amir Hekmati’s family says he is now allowed to make daily telephone calls to his family, but has lost more than 30 pounds (14 kilos) in Evin Prison.
It also complains that the State Department isn’t doing as much to help free Hekmati as it is doing for other people held captive.
In an interview with the Montel Williams talk show, Hekmati’s sister, Sarah, said the family was barred from contact with Amir for the first two years of his captiivity, but for the last 3-1/2 months he has been allowed to call the family for about five minutes once a day.
Her husband, Dr. Ramy Kurdi, said, “He has lost over 30 pounds. He was a physical specimen, Marine trained, even long after he served. [He] ate healthy. He is very concerned about how he eata…. Right now, he is emaciated.”
Kurdi was asked about the assistance the family is getting from the government. He started off by saying all the family members “respect our government” and understand the privilege of being able to criticize the government. “Other people don’t have that luxury,” he said.
He then complained about the State Department. “We would like them to do more,” he said. “Without question, they have shown that they can do more for other people.” He didn’t say what that “more” was or name any other people, but some suspected he was referring to the recent $5 million reward offered by the FBI for information helping to free Robert Levinson, a retired FBI special agent who disappeared in Iran eight years ago.
Kurdi said, “We would like them to do everything that they can for Amir. Amir put his life on the line for the country [as a Marine in Iraq]. He’d do it again. Bring him home, [and] he would do it right now. We want the State Department to show that same resolve.”
It is very unusual for the government to offer a reward for information about a missing American and the reward regarding Levinson offered by the FBI reflects the fact that Levinson is an FBI pensioner. The US government is not known to have offered rewards with regard to anyone currently or previously held prisoner in Iran.