The Danger of Being an Academic in Iran

Iran is becoming a dangerous place for students and academics coming from abroad. Esha Momeni, an Iranian-American from Los Angeles, went to Iran to conduct research on women's rights in Iran. She was arrested on 15th October. It is thought she is being held in Evin prison near Tehran, which is where political activists are held. Last year Mrs. Haleh Esfandiari, a prominent Iranian-American academic working at the Wilson Woodrow Centre’s Middle East Programme, was also arrested. She too was taken to Evin prison. Not only is the Iranian government suspicious of foriegn academics, but also those based in Iran whose arrests receive less publicity. Kian Tajbakhsh, a prominent social scientist, and Dr. Mahmoud Sariolghalam were both arrested in 2007 without formal charges.