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Press Conference on the Case Against Haleh Esfandiari

As part of its continuous efforts to bring attention to Dr. Esfandiari's unjustified arrest, and to further discuss the baseless and unjust charges brought against her, the Woodrow Wilson Center will host a special press conference today, May 22. The conference will include remarks from Lee H. Hamilton on Dr. Esfandiari's case, as well as on the ongoing and extensive efforts by various groups seeking Haleh's release.

Date & Time

Tuesday
May. 22, 2007
1:30pm – 2:00pm ET

Overview

WASHINGTON—The Woodrow Wilson Center received reports yesterday that Iranian television, which is state-run, was airing broadcasts stating that Haleh Esfandiari, director of the Center's Middle East Program, is being charged by the Iranian government with "seeking to topple the ruling Islamic establishment." The Wilson Center is not aware of any formal charges by the Iranian government against Dr. Esfandiari, but state television often speaks for the government. A statement issued by Iran's Ministry of Intelligence alleges that Esfandiari and the Wilson Center, along with similar US institutions, have been conspiring to overthrow the government by setting up a network "against the sovereignty of the country. This is an American designed model with an attractive appearance that seeks the soft-toppling of the country," Iranian television reported.

Haleh Esfandiari has now been incarcerated in Tehran's notorious Evin prison for two weeks, after having been detained in Iran for over four months. She has committed no crimes. As Lee H. Hamilton, president and director of the Wilson Center has said, "Haleh has not engaged in any activities to undermine any government, including the Iranian government. Nor does the Wilson Center engage in any such activities. The charges are totally unfounded, and without any substance whatsoever. There is not one scintilla of evidence to support these outrageous claims."

As part of its continuous efforts to bring attention to Dr. Esfandiari's unjustified arrest, and to further discuss the baseless and unjust charges brought against her, the Woodrow Wilson Center will host a special press conference today, May 22. The conference will include remarks from Lee H. Hamilton on Dr. Esfandiari's case, as well as on the ongoing and extensive efforts by various groups seeking Haleh's release. This event will be webcast live.

What: Press Conference—The Unfounded Charges Brought Against Haleh Esfandiari

Who: Lee H. Hamilton—president and director of the Woodrow Wilson Center

When: Tuesday, May 22, 1:30 p.m.

Where: Woodrow Wilson Center, 6th floor Flom Auditorium
The Woodrow Wilson Center is located in the Ronald Reagan Building and
International Trade Center at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Media with questions may reach Sharon McCarter at sharon.mccarter@wilsoncenter.org or (202) 691-4016. For information on how to assist current efforts to release Haleh, please visit www.freehaleh.org.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is the living, national memorial to President Wilson established by Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Center establishes and maintains a neutral forum for free, open, and informed dialogue. It is a nonpartisan institution, supported by public and private funds and engaged in the study of national and world affairs.

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Middle East Program

The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program serves as a crucial resource for the policymaking community and beyond, providing analyses and research that helps inform US foreign policymaking, stimulates public debate, and expands knowledge about issues in the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.  Read more

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