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family Zach ShaheenU.S. prisoner serving longest time overseas, says Biden administration Ignore their calls to bring home seriously ill corporate executives.
This administrativeSir’s indifference is especially irritating, they say, because Mr. chess is being held united arab emirates prison.UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan helped Biden administration Surprise deal by agent to bring home basketball star britney greener from Russia, where she Detained for nine months.
“Suddenly you have America and United Arab Emirates jointly obtained [Brittney Griner] Out, my dad was kind of pushed aside. I really have nothing to say. Rami Shaheen, Mr. Shaheen’s son, told The Washington Times:
gentlemen. chessThe family said they were very happy for Ms. Greiner But what is “confused” is State Council no push for security his release while Biden administration is working with United Arab Emirates.
The UAE facilitated Ms Griner’s release, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed himself raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting in October.
president biden thanks last week United Arab Emirates Thanks for helping to negotiate Ms. Griner’s freedom.
This is Biden administrationSecond exchange of prisoners. In April, the White House secured the release of Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine who was arrested and detained in Moscow.
For Mr Shaheen’s family, it is the latest in a series of frustrations since his imprisonment in Dubai. United Arab EmiratesIn March 2008, he was arrested in the largest city. United Arab Emirates Authorities have also been charged with various financial crimes.
His family said the charges were fraudulent and maintained his innocence.
Meanwhile, he missed birthdays, graduations, weddings, and other life milestones.
Now, the family is wondering if they will ever see him alive again. Mr Shaheen, 57, is being treated in a UAE hospital for a series of lung infections, rotting flesh and skin ulcers from living in harsh conditions in a Dubai jail for more than 15 years, his family said. Illness. He is also diabetic and suffers from sleep apnea.
“I don’t think they’ve done anything,” Mr. Shaheen’s sister-in-law, Aida Dagher, said of the State Council. “They use United Arab Emirates Facilitated transactions bring Greiner Family. What about the patients in the hospital?why don’t you say anything he? This is very, very frustrating for our family and everyone involved. “
This State Councilwhite house and United Arab Emirates The embassy in Washington did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Mr Shaheen’s family said they were not surprised by the inaction.They were ignored by multiple administrations and demanded the latest diplomatic efforts from the U.S. government State Council The response was tepid.
State Council Officials even asked families to resubmit their pleading letters in Arabic, often softening the content so as not to offend family members. United Arab Emirates The royals, according to emails obtained by The Washington Times. Suggested edits included removing Mr. Shaheen’s illness from the letter and removing a paragraph about his health problems.
“spent [the State Department] Almost two or three weeks to file our letters because they keep asking for changes,” Remi Shahin Say.
In an e-mail dated September 21, State Council Staff said they were discussing Mr. Possibilities with prison authorities. chessfamily visit he In prison. It was the last the family heard of the prison visit, they said.
Ramy Shahin and his mother wrote separately to United Arab Emirates the royal family was submitted to State Council November 23rd and 24th.After almost two weeks of delays in order to translate and moderate the letters into Arabic, they were finally issued by State Council December 8th, just a few days before Ms. Greiner released.
Ms Dagher dismisses the timing as a coincidence.
“They put [the letters] On the other hand, especially during the Griner deal,” she said. “I mean timing, the overlap can’t just be a coincidence because they’re using United Arab Emirates Make a deal. “
Mr. Shahin is a Lebanese-born naturalized U.S. citizen who worked for PepsiCo and in banking in the U.S. United Arab Emirates. Later, he accepted a job as CEO of a development company in Dubai.
On March 23, 2008, he was arrested on charges of bribery, embezzlement and other financial crimes.
During the first 13 months of his detention, no formal charges were laid. Mr. Shaheen, who went on a hunger strike in 2012, was released on $1.4 million bond after the Obama administration raised concerns about his health.He fled to Yemen, where he was arrested and deported months later United Arab Emirates.
A UAE court found Mr. Shaheen guilty of embezzlement in 2014 and sentenced him to 53 years in prison. His family said the allegations were false and that some organizations supported his cause.
It was the longest sentence ever given to any American in a foreign country.
Diane Foley founded the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation after her son was killed by ISIS in Syria in 2014. chessrelease.
“Given the his In this context, it’s especially disheartening to learn that no action has been taken on Zucker’s case despite high-level talks with the UAE. We understand these situations can be complex, but we believe that the U.S. government should strongly advocate for the release of our U.S. citizens by our close ally, the UAE, zack, who was very ill. ’ said Ms Foley.
Letter from Welfare Foundation United Arab Emirates The royal family this month urged Mr Shaheen’s release.
Detained International, a British organization that provides pro bono legal services to prisoners, has also pushed for Mr Shaheen’s release.
Martin Lonergan, a British campaigner with Detained International who met Mr Shaheen in prison, said the government had been “completely indifferent” Biden administration about the case.
“Not only was he wrongfully detained, but Zach was also subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment, as clearly demonstrated by the fact that he is now hospitalized with his body decomposing,” Mr Lonergan said.
Advocates say Mr. Shaheen should be released under the Levinson Act, which bolsters U.S. efforts to support the families of Americans wrongfully detained overseas.
The bill was codified into law under an executive order by Trump last year. biden, directing government agencies to improve access to families of detainees. This includes sharing intelligence information with families about their loved ones and working to free them.
It also authorizes the US to sanction those involved in the wrongful detention of Americans overseas.
The legislation prioritizes those with health problems or deteriorating conditions.
Mr Lonergan said, Mr. chess Should be compliant with the Levinson Act because his health problems.
he Ms. Foley to State Council defend mr. chess According to the Levinson Act. Mr Lonergan said it was rejected within five days – the fastest he had ever seen.
“britney greener Admitted to drug trafficking… yet she Five minutes later it was listed as Levinson.but she admitted her crime and zack Never confessed to the crime. “
Miss. Greiner Pleaded guilty to drug charges in a Russian court.
For now, Mr Shahin’s family say they are doing everything they can to bring he before returning to the United States his Deterioration of health.
“I don’t know if my dad can come back to America unless hein a box,” Remi Shahin Say. “I’m just scared, now finding out my dad has a lung infection. I have nothing to say. It only takes one phone call, but we keep getting pushed aside.”
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