Tue, Jan 10, 2012 | 16:56 GMT
Kuma Reality developer Amir Hekmati sentenced to death in Iran
Kuma Reality Games developer Amir Mirzaei Hekmati has been sentenced to death by the Iranian government which has accused him of espionage and working for the CIA.

The developer, an Arizona-born Iranian-American and former US Marine, was detained by Iranian officials last August while visiting his grandparents in the country due to work he did for Kuma in 2009 on a language-retention toolset for soldiers. The project was funded by a $95,000 grant from the Department of Defense.
According to Iran’s Tehran Times, Hekmati confessed to working with the CIA on creating “free special movies and games with the aim of manipulating public opinion in the Middle East.”
“The goal of the company in question was to convince the people of Iran and the people of the entire world that whatever the U.S. does in other countries is a good measure,” he said in a taped confession via The New York Times.
The White House and the State Department has denied the allegations against Hekmati and has called for his immediate release.
Thanks, IndustryGamers.


19 comments
#1
Talkar
10/01/12, 5:00 pm
Oh damn, this is going to be a shitstorm of media coverage o.O
#2
DSB
10/01/12, 5:47 pm
Iran is fishing for tomahawks I reckon.
Call me crazy, but I think there are easier ways to spread dissent in the middle east than videogames.
#3
Ireland Michael
10/01/12, 5:50 pm
Messed up.
I can’t even imagine what’s going through the guy’s head right now. I seriously hope this doesn’t come to pass. *shakes head and sighs*
#4
ManuOtaku
10/01/12, 6:03 pm
I must wonder if this will start the third world war, because the Iranian President believes a lot in the prophecys about the end of the world and the holy war, the book of revelations and that sort of things, he may well want the start of this ward to fulfill those prophecys, i dont know if this is an isolated action, or if it has to do with any of this, but obama did throw the venezuelan consul out of U.S., and you know about Iran and Venezuelan connections. hummmmmm, strange things for sure.
#5
DSB
10/01/12, 6:15 pm
@4 Errrr. What?
Sounds like a game that THQ might bet the company on.
Iran isn’t very powerful. They have powerful connections, but it’s a relationship based on mutual exploitation. The only real impact of an attack on Iran would likely be the end of the regime, or at the very least the end of their military (which could mean the same thing) and possibly some major action in the Golan Heights and Iraq by Hezbollah and Iranian cells.
Neither China or Russia are willing to ruin their militaries or their economies while they’re on course to be the next axis of power in the world. It would be like Hitler going to war in 1933.
Wars happen because politicians believe they have something to gain. That’s been the factor behind most wars, and the defining factor in both world wars.
Iran won’t even dare to close the Hormuz Strait. I believe they’ll try to enrich uranium for weapons production, but they know that as soon as Israel or the US finds out, there’s going to be a considerable delivery of high explosives headed their way.
#6
ManWithNoName
10/01/12, 6:21 pm
Iran know damn well that the guy is not a spy. What they want is to have an hostage to use as bargain material against the USA. They will also never block the Strait because China and Russia will not back them in case the US decide to attack.
Please visit http://plasticvideogamecomic.blogspot.com/
#7
ManuOtaku
10/01/12, 6:25 pm
#5 i hope you are right, i really do, but that man has a lot of convictions in the end of the world, and iran being part of it, and sometimes wars are fought out of guts and wrong convictions too. but in the end i want to believe what you said, thanks, interesting read.
#8
Night Hunter
10/01/12, 6:36 pm
@7: it does not matter which crazy convictions (if any) Ahmadinejad has because in the end religious nutjobs always have a greater power behind them that controls them
Politics is a power game and nutjobs don’t hold actual power …
#9
YoungZer0
10/01/12, 6:51 pm
@6: What are you talking about? You think they are this dumb? This guy is useless to the US, there would be no negotiations. Iran knows that.
#10
xino
10/01/12, 7:10 pm
:/
sounds wild man.
I mean if it’s true that he is conducting espionage by manipulating what the nations thinks of the IraQ war and what US are doing is right and fine then he deserves death.
If it’s false, damn as Iran got this sh* wrong!
#11
DSB
10/01/12, 7:18 pm
@9 True, but if Iran are reckless enough to execute him, then they’re also helping build justification for conflict, which is starting to look very likely.
The best thing they could do right now is lay low and stop killing people, at least if they want to stay in power.
#12
chipvideo
10/01/12, 7:29 pm
I can’t believe we are not in Iran yet. Get off your ass Obama.
#13
YoungZer0
10/01/12, 8:40 pm
@14: That’s exactly what the US needs, another war! Don’t demand war if you’re not ready to be on the frontline. You’re like Newt Gingrich.
I can’t believe what i’m reading here, really. The US has been doing this for years with no matter who you are. German? Well, you’re Muslim, off you got to Guantanamo. English? Sorry. French? Nope, you’re brown. Probably Terrorist. Dunno, we’ll find out.
What’s the problem here?
#14
MegaGeek1
10/01/12, 9:25 pm
@15- The problem is they are sentencing this guy to DEATH! I agree with everything you’ve said about the US, but they never make a huge media spectacle about sentencing a suspected spy to be hung, or stoned, or however Iran with dispose of this poor guy.
#15
LOLshock94
10/01/12, 9:51 pm
at the end of the day this guy knew what would happen if iran found out, so shitbag on him.
#16
freedoms_stain
10/01/12, 10:19 pm
@17, sorry? What? Can you fucking read? The guy built some software, now read the charges, twisted much? Death Penalty for a bit of programming. Forget that I find the Death Penalty morally abhorrent for a minute, there is no charge to answer that even warrants a night in the cells.
So Fuck You Buddy.
#17
LOLshock94
10/01/12, 10:20 pm
@18 butt hurt?
“According to Iran’s Tehran Times, Hekmati confessed to working with the CIA” dur hurrhhh durr
#18
freedoms_stain
10/01/12, 10:23 pm
@19, what have I got to be butt hurt about being neither American, Iranian or Amir Mirzaei Hekmati?
What I am is disgusted by your comment, which gives me a sick feeling in my throat, which is at the precise opposite end of the alimentary tract.
Again, Fuck You scumbag. Too bad Pat didn’t IP ban Mr Sheen.
#19
LOLshock94
10/01/12, 10:27 pm
@20 He should have cause ill keep trolling where the sun dont shine muddaa fukaaa
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http://www.facebook.com/BrockObeezy
^^like this group its the home of trolls and hackerz, ill be IP banned till thursday people byeeeeeeeeeee