Vigil Marks Man's 3rd Year Of Imprisonment In Iran

BAY CITY (AP) — U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee has joined a Bay City vigil marking the third anniversary of the Iranian imprisonment of a former U.S. Marine.

The Flint Democrat stood alongside family members of Amir Hekmati Friday morning at Dunlop's Downtown. Hekmati was born in Arizona, raised in Michigan and his parents live in the Flint area.

Amir Hekmati was arrested in August 2011 while visiting his grandmothers and sentenced to death for spying. Iran's Supreme Court annulled the sentence, but he later was convicted of "cooperating with hostile governments" and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Kildee says in a statement that Hekmati has been "wrongfully held ... for crimes he did not commit." He adds Iran could show it "is serious about rejoining the global community" by releasing Hekmati.