IRAN: Los Angeles woman arrested in Tehran

It seemed like a routine traffic stop.

At first.

Esha Momeni, an Iranian American scholar visiting the Iranian capital, was pulled over by police Oct. 15. She had allegedly committed some traffic violation while driving along Tehran's main north-south highway.

But instead of writing up a ticket and sending her on her way, the purported traffic cops escorted her to her family's home.

They searched the place, human rights organizations say, confiscating her computer and footage of interviews she'd conducted as part of her research.

Then, they took the 28-year-old away, according to a report issued Tuesday by Amnesty International.

The Los Angeles-born Momeni, a graduate student at California State University-Northridge, is reportedly being held in the infamous Section 209 of Tehran's Evin Prison, though officials have not announced any charges.

Amnesty and others worries that she's being subjected to physical torture. Her plight has been reported by international media. Friends have launched a website to demand her release.

Deputy State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters this week that U.S. officials were seeking more information about the case. "We stand with all those in Iran who are working for universal human rights and justice in their countries," he told reporters.

A friend, filmmaker Anayansi Prado, told her college newspaper, the Daily Sundial, that she was being held in solitary confinement:

She's not allowed to have contact with her parents. She's being held in one of the most notorious prisons of the world.

But if the experiences of past Iranian Americans is any guide, she's likely being treated reasonably well, though held incommunicado and subject to grueling interrogations by authorities suspicious of her political affiliations.

Momeni is a member of Change for Equality, a nonprofit organization which aims to improve the status of women in Iran. It trains women in nonviolent political activism and civil disobedience, tactics the Iranian government equates with the type of "velvet revolution" movements that toppled governments in Georgia and Serbia.

Momeni arrived in Iran about two months ago to research a master's-degree thesis about Iran's women’s movement. According to Amnesty, she had conducted conducted video interviews with members of the group in Iran.

Her professor, Melissa Wall, told Change for Equality that she was shocked that Momeni was arrested:

"Esha is an exceptionally bright person, very creative and artistic. As a member of her thesis committee, I understood that she was mostly interested exploring issues related to women in Iran, with an emphasis on clearing up misconceptions the world might hold in this regard."

At an Oct. 20 court hearing attended by relatives at one of Tehran's Revolutionary courts, officials said that no details would be disclosed released until an investigation was complete.

— Borzou Daragahi in Beirut

Photo: Esha Momeni. Credit: Change for Equality

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Comments

[Kiumars]

It is interesting how an MSc student suddenly is promoted to a Scholar!
If every MSc student and graduate was a scholar then we would have millions of new scholars every year! A Scholar is someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines and is recognised to be unbiased and follow scientific methods in her/his research; even Norman Finkelstein’s status as a scholar is under question by some but Los Angeles Times has no problem elevating a student to a scholar when it suits them!

As an Iranian I do not expect anything but hypocrisy and animosity form the American press against Iran, especially those press that are owned by the Zionists.

As for Esha; I consider her an agent of the USA and would like to see her investigated properly and prosecuted accordingly if found guilty.
What do the Americans do to the agents and spies of other countries?

[Common Sense]

The article mentions that she "trains women in nonviolent political activism and civil disobedience, tactics the Iranian government equates with the type of "velvet revolution" movements that toppled governments in Georgia and Serbia." Why would the Iranian govt allow her to do that?

[Maria]

I will bet you the Los Angeles County jails are just as bad as the ones in Iran.

[Anne Eggebroten]

My thoughts and prayers are with Esha Momeni. Evin Prison is the worst, as can be learned by reading Prisoner of Tehran by Marina Nemat.

[Tameshk]

The fact that Tehran traffic police arrested her is very unique and it has never happened like this before especially in the cases of social activists and women's rights advocates : the arrest is usually done by special forces or agents without any uniforms or in some recent cases agents were female gourds: I assume When Esha stopped her car she did not think that this time the Cover would be a traffic Police Uniform.

The other fact that makes Esha's arrest unique is that unlike many other cases in which a women's rights activist gets arrested, Esha was not allowed to make any phone calls: she only made one phone call in the second day and that was it: It is a great concern for us, her friends, because there were no contacts yet from her. This is the 9th day that Esha is away from home: we assume she is still in 209 section of Evind Prison.

Both the manner of Esha's arrest and its cause was unlawful, even under Iranian constitution and by its standards: I hope she gets released soon and gets home safely!

[Nick]

i hope she gets out as soon as possible, she doesn't deserve this for great work.

[Ronin]

What did she think would happen?