UPDATE: ESHA MOMENI RELEASED ON BAIL

On November 10, Iranian-American student Esha Momeni was released on bail with the freedom to leave Iran until the time of her trial.

However, it was reported a week later that Momeni’s travel documents were still being held by authorities and that “it has not been determined when the trial will be held”.

The Nobel Women’s Initiative is calling—with renewed urgency—for the end to the harassment and arrest of women human rights defenders in Iran. In recent weeks, authorities in Iran have stepped-up their targeting of members of the One Million Signatures Campaign – including Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi.

Authorities arrested campaign member Esha Momeni on October 15, and she is still being held in detention. Momeni is a dual American-Iranian citizen who traveled to Iran to visit family and complete her Master’s research on the Iranian women’s movement. Also last month, Iranian officials prevented campaign member Sussan Tahmasebi from traveling and confiscated campaign materials from the home of Parastoo Alahyaari.

The harassment goes beyond the Iranian border. Iranian government officials recently tried to pressure the Malaysian government to silence Dr. Ebadi, who was scheduled to travel to Malaysia to talk to activists about her human rights work in Iran. International pressure resulted in Iran rolling back the pressure on Malaysia. Dr. Ebadi has defended many peaceful campaigners who are increasingly sentenced or charged, insisting that campaigning for women’s rights is not a threat to national security.

The Nobel Women’s Initiative joins other groups—including Human Rights First—in calling for Iran to release Esha Momeni and allow civil society groups to freely associate and travel. The Iranian government must stop the targeting of women activists, and respect the rights of those using peaceful, nonviolent activity to promote human rights.

The One Million Signatures Campaign is a grass-roots movement launched over two years ago to promote gender equality in Iranian laws.

TAKE ACTION

Join Human Rights First’s demand to end the Iranian regime’s attempts to intimidate and silence Dr Ebadi and other human rights defenders.

Take action HERE.

Sign the Petition for the Immediate Release of Esha Momeni.

LEARN MORE

Iran holds student living in the U.S. on security charges, Reuters, 4 November 2008.

Learn more about the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

Learn more about the One Million Signatures Campaign.

Learn more about our support of Iranian rights activists at our Iran Issue Page.