Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Iran hates women.

Times: "Last month police stopped her as she drove on the Modarres highway, Tehran’s main north-south route, supposedly for overtaking. She had planned to leave Iran two days later. Clearly worried, Momeni called Parvin Ardalan, founder of the Iranian women’s campaign, as she was being pulled over. “She was talking to me when they were telling her to stop and was asking me what to do,” Ardalan said. “When I called her 20 minutes later her mobile was switched off.”

Through contacts, Ardalan confirmed her worst fears. “Later that day, I was informed that Esha’s house had been searched, documents seized and her computer had been confiscated. They told me she had been taken to section 209 of Evin prison,” she added. Momeni was allowed only one telephone call from prison, to her father. He said she sounded scared.
...
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have denounced Momeni’s arrest. Amnesty said she was “at risk of torture or other ill-treatment”. Former prisoners in section 209, which is run by the Ministry of Intelligence, have complained of solitary confinement, interrogation and torture. Five years ago Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian photographer, died after being beaten there. "

This is the developing story of Esha Momeni, a US student who was arrested in Iran almost a fortnight ago.
If we weren't in the midst of a head burying US election, this would be dominating the news cycle. But nope, we've retreated to politics within our borders. Maybe this bloody election will be over within the week. By bloody, I mean a political fallout of epic proportions amongst the republican party, as the Democrats take the Administration, the House, and the Senate quite handily.

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