Congressman Chris Smith Fighting For Release Of Americans Held In Iran
Congressman Chris Smith told News12 that he will personally bring the cause of Princeton University graduate student Xiyue Wang to the attention of Vice President Mike Pence and that he will have Wang’s wife, Hua Qu, testify before his Congressional Committee as part of his effort to secure the release of the American student, and others, from prison in Iran.
Smith, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Global Human Rights, said that the United States has considerable leverage to use against Iran to secure the Americans’ release and that President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from President Barack Obama’s nuclear weapons deal with the theocracy increases that leverage.
Wang was studying Farsi and 19th Century Iran when he was arrested and convicted of spying in 2016. He has served two years of a 10 year sentence. Hua Qu said her hopes for her husband’s safe return to the United States were lifted by the released of the three American hostages recently released by North Korea due to the efforts of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Trump Administration.
Thank you for coming to the rally @Princeton. Xiyue and I have endured tremendous suffering. This week we witnessed the return of three hostages from North Korea. We hope @realDonaldTrump can achieve a similar breakthrough in Xiyue’s situation and make our family whole again. pic.twitter.com/uTFRiM0jVW
— Free Xiyue Wang (@FreeXiyueWang) May 13, 2018
Congressman. You are a champion for the lost, forgotten, powerless, and unborn. I am sick of seeing articles in various local publications calling you names for your consistent, brave, and kind actions. I trust the thinking people of your district will assess those opposing you and their misguided, socialist positions, and compare with your record of true accomplishments for so many, and re- elect you in November.