WASHINGTON— Today marks the 100th day of imprisonment for Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, director of the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Middle East Program. Esfandiari has been incarcerated in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran since May 8, on allegations of endangering Iranian national security.
“We are extremely dismayed about Haleh’s situation, and our concerns about her health and mental well-being have only increased as weeks of captivity have stretched into months,” said Sharon McCarter, communications director of the Woodrow Wilson Center. “A renowned scholar and a tireless advocate for greater dialogue between Iran and the United States, Haleh has committed no crimes. The Iranian Judiciary has said that the investigation of Haleh and Kian Tajbakhsh is complete. Our plea to the Iranian government remains simple: Let Haleh go. She has done nothing wrong. We ask for Haleh’s safe return to her family immediately, as well as the release and safe return of all of the detained Iranian-Americans.”
For up-to-date information regarding the situation of Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, please visit the Wilson Center’s media update center at www.wilsoncenter.org/halehnews. To get involved in the campaign to free Haleh, go to www.freehaleh.org. Media with questions may reach Sharon McCarter at (202) 691-4016 or sharon.mccarter@wilsoncenter.org.
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is the living, national memorial to President Wilson established by Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Center establishes and maintains a neutral forum for free, open, and informed dialogue. It is a nonpartisan institution, supported by public and private funds and engaged in the study of national and world affairs.
