NPR: Nobel Laureate to Defend U.S.-Iranian Scholar

Nobel Laureate to Defend U.S.-Iranian Scholar

Iranian Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi has announced that she will defend U.S.-Iranian scholar Haleh Esfandiari, who has been accused of "acting against national security" in Iran. Ebadi and two other lawyers from her Human Rights Defenders Center have sent a letter to Iranian authorities asking for the right to meet with their new client.

Esfandiari, who works for the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, was arrested and imprisoned May 8 after not being allowed to leave Iran for several months. Her supporters believe that accusations that she is an Israeli spy are an effort by the mullah-led regime to silence another independent voice.

Esfandiari's supporters also have started a letter-writing campaign at FreeHaleh.com to call for her release from Iran's Evin prison.

Esfandiari's arrest appears to be just the latest in a campaign against leading intellectuals by the Iranian government.

5:21 PM ET | 05-16-2007 | permalink

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

Tom Regan

Blogger

About Us

This year's election cycle has been one of the most exciting in memory. At the NPR News Blog we'll do our best to bring you interesting, informative -- and controversial -- stories from our own reporters and bloggers, as well as the rest of the best of the Internet and blogosphere. And we hope you'll let us know what you think as well.

Want to learn more? Be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions and our discussion guidelines.