The incarceration of Haleh Esfandi, who was held for four months in a notorious prison in her native Iran, anguished a community of fellow scholars who saw her ordeal as an affront to both academic freedom and human rights. The story of Esfandiari’s ordeal, which she detailed before an audience of colleagues at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars here Monday, provides a window into the “twisted” mindset of Iranian intelligence officials who are convinced that academics are intent on toppling the regime, she said.
Esfandiari recounts her harrowing experience in a newly released book called My Prison, My Home: One Woman’s Story of Captivity in Iran (HarperCollins).The story began in Tehran when, while visiting her 93-year-old mother, Esfandiari was stopped by knife wielding intelligence officials who accused her of plotting to overthrow the government. This incident, which occurred December 30, 2006, led to four months of house arrest and intense interrogation, followed by another four months in Evin Prison. She was released in August 2007, following a robust diplomatic effort that involved her colleagues at the Wilson Center and members of the U.S. Congress.
To read the rest of this article, please click here.
