U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

May 23, 2005

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Press Secretary

                        202-228-3630

Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary

                        303-455-7600

 

UPDATE:  TWO COLORADANS SET TO RETURN FROM UAE

 

SEN. SALAZAR APPLAUDS HOMECOMING OF STEAMBOAT SPRINGS RESIDENTS JONATHAN COLES AND STEVE RAKOWSKI

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Ken Salazar today released the following statement on the imminent return home of Colorado citizens Jonathan Coles and Steve Rakowski from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Middle East:

 

“Throughout this process, my only focus was to bring these men home to their families and I promised to work hard to do just that.  I am pleased that this has been resolved without incident and that Mr. Coles and Mr. Rakowski are headed home,” Senator Salazar said.

 

The release of Coles and Rakowski, both of Steamboat Springs, comes just weeks after Senator Salazar, along with Sen. Wayne Allard, met with United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to the United States, Al Asri Saeed Ahmed Al Dhahri. In the meeting, Senator Salazar and Senator Allard pressed the Ambassador for a quick and peaceful resolution to the situation.  Both Senators have also met with officials from the Department of State regarding the situation.

 

Coles and Rakowski are employees of the Centennial-based mapping company CompassData and were placed under house arrest in December 2004, for taking unauthorized photos of government installations in technical violation of the Emirates’ national security laws, after undertaking survey work near Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE.  Both men had their passports confiscated and were prohibited from leaving the country.

 

According to the State Department, today the court process in the UAE ended, resulting in fines against both individuals in the amount of 2000 Dirham, about $550 U.S. dollars.  Once the fine is paid, their passports should be returned to them and the two men are expected to leave the UAE shortly thereafter.

 

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