President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran has publicly stated that reporter Roxana Saberi should be allowed a full defense during her appeal. Evidently, during her initial one day trial, behind closed doors, the Iran government did not feel she was entitled to a full defense.
The fact that Saberi has dual American/Iranian citizenship raises some interesting questions, especially since either side could make the case that she is spying for the other side. Of course, as long as the trial process is behind closed doors, we will never know just what she is accused of and what her defense is.
Diplomatically I do not know the international legal ramifications that are involved. Can the US even make any requests legitimately, since Saberi is an Iranian citizen? Do dual citizens have any additional rights when they are considered citizens of more than one country?
What this really raises of course is the question is whether the practice of dual (or more) citizenship's should be allowed to continued. How do we decide who can have dual citizenship and who can't? An ally this decade could be an enemy next decade and vice versa.
As the world becomes smaller and people travel and work internationally more and more, and marriages occur with more regularity between people of different nationalities, what will be the standard for multiple citizenship's? Should they be allowed, or should a person be forced to declare their loyalty to a single nation?
Or should the world start moving towards a more international view, with things like the European Union, should their be the Alliance of the Americas and more open, more universal view?
Is it time to have a world view and get away from a strictly nationalistic view?
I know a lot of questions and no answers. Share your views. As with all things, open discussion is how good changes are made.
Its Common Sense!
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