Statement on the Continued Unlawful Detention of Internet Freedom Advocate & Hostage Nizar Zakka

On September 19, 2017, at the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, President Donald Trump said  “[i]t is time for the [Iranian] regime to free all Americans and citizens of other nations that they have unjustly detained.”

Mr. Zakka’s U.S. Attorney Jason Poblete issued the following statement on behalf of his client:

“This week marks two years that Mr. Zakka was unlawfully detained in Iran. Unlike the Obama administration that hid the new Iran hostage crisis from the American people and other nations, unjustly detained persons such as Nizar Zakka finally have a strong voice for liberty in President Trump and his administration.”

Nizar was kidnapped by the Iranian regime on September 18, 2015. Nizar was in Iran because he was invited to speak by Shahindokht Molaverdi at a women’s Internet conference. Molaverdi is a member of Hassan Rouhani’s cabinet and serves as the vice president of Iran for Women and Family Affairs.   

More information on Nizar Zakka’s case can be found below.

President Trump’s remarks can be found here.

Prior Statements and Releases

• UPDATE 15a- Iran Renders Another Opinion in Zakka’s Case Affirming Prior Judgement
• UPDATE 14- After Learning of Son’s Testimony, Congressional Resolution, Zakka Breaks Hunger Strike After 33 Days
  
  
• UPDATE 13- Fourth Week of Hunger Strike Zakka Says “Liberty or Death…there is no turning back”
• UPDATE 12- As Nizar Starts Third Week of Hunger Strike, Family Pleas for Humanitarian Release 
• UPDATE 11- Nizar on Fifth Hunger Strike, Now “Open Ended”
• UPDATE 10- Nizar Zakka Begins Fifth Hunger Strike, Iran Responds With Torture
  
  
• UPDATE 9- Statement on the Continued Unlawful Detention of Nizar Zakka
• UPDATE 8- Statement on the Continued Unlawful Detention of Zakka
• UPDATE 7- Statement on the Continued Unlawful Detention of Nizar Zakka
• UPDATE 6- Statement on the Continued Unlawful Detention of Internet Freedom Advocate Nizar Zakka
  
  
• UPDATE 5- The Continued Unlawful Detention of Nizar Zakka
  
  
• US LPR Zakka Meets With Iranian Prosecutor, Lebanese Ambassador to Tehran
  
  
• UPDATE 4-Statement on the Continued Unlawful Detention of Internet Freedom Advocate Nizar Zakka
  
  
• UPDATE 3- Zakka Starts Hunger Strike, Demands Unconditional Release
• UPDATE 2- Nizar Zakka Celebrates 2nd Birthday as a Hostage in Iran
  
  
• UPDATE 1- The Continued Unlawful Detention of Nizar Zakka, Unconditional Release on Humanitarian Grounds Urged
  
  
• The Continued Unlawful Detention of Nizar Zakka, Unconditional Release on Humanitarian Grounds Urged