Prisoner of conscience freed, allowed to leave Iran
Posted: October 24, 2007
Former prisoner of conscience Dr Haleh Esfandiari after her release. AFP/Getty Images
Dr Haleh Esfandiari is an Iranian- American academic who works at a research institute in Washington DC. She is well known for supporting more contact between the US and Iranian governments.
In December 2006, Dr Esfandiari travelled to Iran to visit her elderly mother. While on her way to the airport to return to the US in May 2007, Dr Esfandiari was stopped by armed, masked men. She was taken to Tehran's Evin Prison, accused of furthering “the interests of foreign powers”.
Amnesty members around the world immediately began campaigning for her release. On August 21 came the good news that Dr Esfandiari had been released and allowed to leave for her home in the US.