WASHINGTON (CNN) — Officials in the United States are looking into the recent arrest of an Iranian-American student in Tehran who was working on a research project on women’s rights in Iran.
Esha Momeni was arrested October 15 in Tehran, Iran, officials said.
Esha Momeni, a graduate student at California State University-Northridge, was arrested October 15 in Tehran for unlawfully passing another vehicle while driving, according to Change For Equality, an Iranian women’s movement.
“We’re seeking additional information about this case,” State Department spokesman Robert Wood said Wednesday. “We stand with all those in Iran who are working for universal human rights and justice in their countries.”
Momeni, who was born in Los Angeles, California, is a member of Change for Equality’s California chapter. She arrived in Tehran two months ago to work on her masters thesis project on the Iranian women’s movement, according to the group, which is in touch with Momeni’s family in Iran.
Momeni is being held in a section of Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison that is managed by the Intelligence Ministry, the group said. >>>
