A 28 year old U.S. - Iranian student with dual citizenship was arrested in Tehran where she has been held since mid October.Esha Momeni, a graduate student at Northridge campus of California State University, was arrested on October 15, 2008; according to her lawyer Mohammad Ali Dadkhah. Her crime: "an offense against (national) security". She has both Us and Iranian citizenship.
It seems Esha has been involved with One Million Signatures Campaign, which is fighting for equal womens rights in Tehran.
In Tehran, the laws for woman are so one sided and unfair that their basic rights and freedom are challenged and suppressed. The One Million Campaign was started over two years ago to call for changes to these laws.
The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has launched a crackdown on this campaign and has arrested people participating in it on similar charges.
Friends of Esha have had no contact with her and fear for her safety. She has been held in the notorious Iranian Evin Prison in section 209, a section known for torture.
She was stopped on October 15, 2008, two days before her planned return home to the States, while driving on the Mordarres highway. She was speaking with Parvin Ardalin, founder of the One Million Campaign, and Ms. Ardalin reports Esha was clearly worried about being pulled over.
Her items have been confiscated along with her phone. She was allowed one phone call to her father. He reported she sounded scared.
The US has not been able to intervene because Tehran does not recognize dual citizenship. They have called this an internal matter. Esha can be confident and comforted with the words in Psalm 9:9 "The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble." [NKJV] As we extend our prayers for Esha, she may be sure that God will not only judge the evil opressors she is now facing, but He will give her His protection now as she remains in their custody.
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