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Jackson Hopes to Win Journo's Release

Saberi's 1st interview subject requests visa for travel to Iran

By Jess Kilby, Newser User

Posted Apr 22, 2009 8:30 AM CDT

(Newser) – Jesse Jackson has filed for an Iranian visa and is hoping to make a diplomatic trip as a “free agent” to argue for the release of Roxana Saberi, the Malaysia Star reports. The veteran civil rights activist says he was Saberi's first interview subject when she was a journalism student at Northwestern. “We want to make a humanitarian appeal, a moral appeal to gain her release,” he said today.

Jackson, who is visiting Malaysia for a peace conference, stressed that he would not be speaking on behalf of the US government. "Whenever we've brought people out of captivity, whether in Syria, Cuba, Iraq, or Yugoslavia, or Liberia, it's always opened a diplomatic door to reduce tensions," he said of the work of his Rainbow Coalition.

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

Rev. Jesse Jackson in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, April 20, 2009. Jackson said Monday he wants to travel to Iran to personally appeal for the release of a U.S. journalist convicted of spying. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)

Rev. Jesse Jackson delivers his keynote address at a public lecture entitled in Cyberjaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Monday, April 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)

Roxana Saberi in North Dakota. Saberi, a 31-year-old dual American-Iranian citizen, was arrested in Iran in late January and has been charged with spying for the United States. (AP Photo/Marilyn McGinley)

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On a personal level, 10 years ago she was a student there and she came to my office and interviewed me. Little did I know that she would be in prison now and I would be trying to gain her her freedom.
- Rev. Jesse Jackson

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 4 comments

riffran

Apr 23, 2009 4:58 AM CDT

awww come on give the ole race baiting adulterer a chance..lol

RobN

Apr 22, 2009 7:59 AM CDT

I'm sure you'd like to lump me in with the Fox loons, but I pretty much just get my news from reading. Sorry. You should give up MSNBC for awhile and give it a try. JJ has been absent ever since the Obama-balls incident and he jumped on this chance to snag a little attention like it was an incident at Denny's.

Mad

Apr 22, 2009 7:01 AM CDT

RobN, perhaps you missed it - after all, I'm sure Fox would never tell you - but JJ has an impressive record in negotiating the release of approx two dozen American hostages, so far. The republican God, Reagan, even had Jackson to the WH after securing the release of an American Navy pilot. Name one republican with half that record

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Iran • Jesse Jackson • espionage • reporter • journalist • Rainbow Coalition • Roxana Saberi

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Jackson Hopes to Win Journo's Release