[Mb-civic] The Persian-American Filmmaker Cyrus Kar Describes Ordeal of Iraq Detention

[Bahram Maskanian]

- By Noshir Mullafiroze

On August 24 and 25, I watched ABC-TV's Nightline program, where Ted 
Koppel interviewed Iranian American Zoroastrian, Cyrus Kar about his 
55-day imprisonment by the U.S. military in Iraq, and I was impressed by 
some of his comments.

Cyrus Kar mentioned that he was born in Iran, came to the U.S. when 5 
years old, became a U.S. citizen, served in the U.S. Navy, and was 
filming a documentary on Cyrus the Great, founder of the first great 
Persian empire and the world's first human rights charter, in Babylon 
area, when he was arrested along with his Iranian cameraman and the 
Iraqi taxi driver who admitted owning the timer devices found in the taxi.

Cyrus expressed a sense of betrayal by his government when even after he 
was cleared of suspicion by FBI investigators who searched his home, 
car, computer in Los Angeles, and gave him a Lie Detector test, he was 
held for 55 days without being charged of any wrongdoing, and he was 
denied his rights as a U.S. citizen to have an attorney, to call his 
family, his U.S. Senator, or the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. It was only after 
the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against U.S. 
government leaders on his behalf that he was released.

Cyrus commented that every such innocent prisoner (Iraqi or non-Iraqi) 
who is held for long durations without being charged by the U.S. 
military, would lead to creating several enemies of the United States 
from among that prisoner's family members and friends. And, Cyrus 
suggested that a more balanced policy to treat prisoners in a civil 
manner will improve the U.S. image in Iraq.

As an Iranian / Persian community especially in America we should offer 
needed help and support to Cyrus Kar and enable him to complete his 
documentary, as he suffered financial and material loss during his long 
imprisonment in Iraq. We, the Iranians / Persians must also be grateful 
to him for publicizing the name of Cyrus the Great and his Human Rights 
Charter on a national TV network watched by millions of Americans.

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Filmmaker Cyrus Kar Describes Ordeal of Iraq Detention

Allegations of 'Wanton Hostility' While in U.S. Custody

READ MORE... http://www.venusproject.com/ecs/Cyrus_Kar_Filmmaker.html

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