Aaron Sheldon / Roundup
A candlelight vigil will take place Nov. 12 at California State University, Northridge to call for the safe release of Esha Momeni, a 28-year-old CSUN graduate student, from an Iranian prison after her Oct. 15 arrest by undercover police in Iran.
Momeni, a mass-communications major, had spent two months conducting thesis research and visiting her family in Iran, according to a MySpace set up by her peers in support of her situation.
Originally having been pulled over for a minor traffic violation, the police took Momeni to her family’s home. After searching it, they confiscated her computer and video footage from her research.
Alireza Jamshidi, judiciary spokesman, said in a news conference yesterday, “The charge against her is crime against national security and her case is currently under preliminary investigation.”
As part of her research of the Iranian women’s movement, Momeni filmed interviews with members of the Campaign for Equality in Tehran, a group that seeks to end discrimination in Iranian law against women.
She is being held in Section 209, a security ward in Evin prison in Tehran notorious for cruel conditions and torture.¬¬
An Oct. 29 article in the Los Angeles Times said Momeni and is being denied access to a lawyer as a “temporary detainee,” a status that could last two months.
Kara Lawton, a peer of Esha’s who helped organize the vigil, urges everybody – not just current CSUN students – to attend.
“We just hope to get her back safe and soon, and we hope a lot of people come out to the vigil to support her,” she said.
The “Please Free Esha” vigil will take place at the Grand Staircase in front of the Oviatt Library Nov. 12 at 4:30 p.m. More information can be found on the “Please Free Esha” MySpace at www.myspace.com/pleasefreeesha.
