August 21, 2007

American Academic Freed On Bail From Iranian Prison

American academic Haleh Esfandiari was released today on bail from Iran's infamous Evin prison, after being jailed several months ago for allegedly plotting to undermine the regime. Her mother, who lives in Tehran, posted bail in the amount of $333,000 after having been contacted by Iranian authorities.

Esfandiari is a Middle East expert and a member of D.C.'s Woodrow Wilson Institute. The Institute's president, former congressman and 9/11 commission chair Lee Hamilton, had been corresponding with the U.N. and the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, in an attempt to win her release. The State Department and Hillary Rodham Clinton also joined in the effort.

But there is no word yet on when Esfandiari may be allowed to return to the United States. Iranian judicial officers said the investigation against her had been completed, but Hamilton said the charges have not been dropped. The fate of other American detainees, including Kian Tajbakhsh and Ali Shakeri, also remains uncertain.

Previous coverage from The Gate on Esfandiari can be found here and here, and PBS interviewed Hamilton about her detention in May. CBC has the story of Zahra Kazemi, the Canadian photojournalist who died in Evin prison in 2003.

(Photo courtesy of the Woodrow Wilson Institute)

Posted at 1:40 PM
Posted to: Iran, Middle East
Share via