Esfaniari Released - Iran Hears Our Combined Voices
Last month, while attending the International Women’s Peace Conference in Dallas, I was reminded of the plight of women around the world. Inspired to be more proactive, I returned home to find an opportunity to do that. The Feminist Majority Foundation, a group I link to at my website, www.InSpiritry.com, was requesting for emails to be sent to the Iranian government regarding an imprisoned Iranian-American scholar, Dr. Haleh Esfandiari. It told how Dr. Esfandiari had traveled from the United States to visit her elderly mother and, while in Iran, was abducted and imprisoned. That evening I saw an Iranian propaganda videotape of the scholar as well as a public television interview with her husband and daughter begging for her release, claiming she had lost weight and seemed dejected. I was compelled to take action. Immediately, I sent an impassioned email to Iranian officials as requested.
That was a month ago. Every day since, I have wondered about Dr. Esfandiari and kept her on my prayer list. Now Good News! Here’s the press report that was in my email box this afternoon:
Iranian-American scholar Haleh Esfandiari was released from prison in Iran on bail today, the ISNA news agency reports. Dr. Esfandiari had been detained for over 100 days on charges that she was an alleged threat to Iranian national security. Her bail was set for 3 billion rials (approximately $333,000). She still may be required to remain in Iran until further notice. Mohammad Shadabi, an official at the capitol city’s prosecutor’s office, told the Associated Press, “I can’t say for now that she will be allowed to leave the country or not.”
Dr. Esfandiari, 67, directs the Middle East program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a prominent think-tank in Washington, DC. Twice a year, she would return to Iran to visit her ailing 93-year-old mother. She was prevented from leaving Iran in December 2006 when three masked men carrying knives ambushed her car on the way to the airport. Her belongings, including her passports, were stolen during the attack. When applying for a new Iranian passport, she was subjected to interrogations lasting as long as eight hours and was eventually placed on house arrest, the AP reports. She was jailed on May 8 in Iran’s Evin Prison, which is notorious for its treatment of political prisoners.
An expert on the Middle East, Dr. Esfandiari is the author and editor of numerous books and publications addressing women’s rights in the Middle East, especially in Iran. Prior to the Islamic Revolution, Dr. Esfandiari served as the Deputy Secretary General of the Women’s Organization of Iran. Thousands of online activists took action with the Feminist Majority Foundation to demand the release of Dr. Esfandiari, who has worked tirelessly for peace and women’s rights.
(Media Resources: Reuters 8/21/07; Washington Post 8/21/07; AP 8/21/07)
As you can read from the last sentence in the press release, it turns out that I was but one of thousands of online activists who were inspired to make a difference. It is an affirmation of InSpiritry–the practice of going beyond self-interest to serve the Greater Good. And, indeed, the Greater Good is served when we:
- see ourselves as part of the global community
- have compassion even for those we do not know
- use creative ways to solve problems
- collaborate with others to get things done
- realize that all things work together for good
- have the courage to do the right thing
- celebrate life with optimism and hope.
Let us celebrate today for Dr. Esfandiari, for the softening of the hearts of her captors and for the courage of all those who speak peace to power! Closer to home, I encourage you to look in your own life for ways to practice InSpiritry. If you haven’t done so yet, visit www.InSpiritry.com for inspiration!
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