A Cal State Northridge student who was arrested in Iran last fall while making a documentary film, was allowed to leave the country and returned to Los Angeles this week.
Esha Momeni, a 29 year old Iranian-American and CSUN mass communication graduate student was arrested in Iran on Oct. 15, while working on a film about the women’s movement in Iran, her master’s thesis.
Authorities stopped her for illegally passing another vehicle and later went to her home and confiscated her computer and films.
“I didn’t believe I was leaving until I got into the plane, they closed the plane’s door and started going,” Momeni told CSUN’s Daily Sundial Thursday night.
News of Momeni’s return was celebrated by her friends, professors and peers had campaigned arduously for her safe return.
“We saw each other and we cried, we hugged for I don’t know how long ... I just couldn’t believe I was touching her, holding her,” said Anasa Sinegal, a friend of Momeni and former CSUN student.
Sinegal was one of a cadre of CSUN students who devoted most of the last year to setting up Web sites and social networking sites, in the hopes of getting Momeni back to the U.S.
“To have her back is truly a blessing,” Sinegal added.
Momeni spent three weeks in solitary confinement in Section 209 of Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison. Later released on $200,000 bail, Momeni was never officially charged with any offense.
News reports said Iranian court officials told Momeni’s family that her detention was related to her involvement with Change for Equality, a campaign launched by Iranian female activists in September 2006.
Despite the long wait, Melissa Wall, a journalism professor and adviser for CSUN’s mass communications graduate program, said she never doubted that Momeni would come back.
“I had a gut instinct that she would be back,” Wall said. “I am just amazed at her resiliency. Over the last year I thought a lot about what she would be like when she came back, after all she’s been through ... she has just become the embodiment of the message she wanted to deliver - that Iranian women are strong and courageous, not weak and passive.”
CSUN president Jolene Koester also expressed her sincere happiness at the news of Momeni’s safe arrival.
“I want to express my gratitude on behalf of the entire university to those who worked tirelessly for her return,” Koester said in a statement. “I’m confident that I speak for everyone in the California State University, Northridge community when I say ‘Welcome home Esha!’ ”