Gholam-Reza Momeni, the father of Esha Momeni, a graduate student at the California State University's Northridge campus and a volunteer for the One Million Signatures Campaign, tells Rooz in an interview that attempts for the release of her daughter have failed: "We have not been able to do anything. They are not responsive. They told us that they would call us back when her interrogation would be over."
Regarding his daughter’s arrest Gholam-Reza Momeni says, "They don't need explanations for their acts. They first arrest and then search for some rationale. My daughter came to Iran to conduct research for her university project. She has interviewed people who are among society's prominent and respectable figures. Everything they have told my daughter on camera are things that they have always said in their interviews about women's rights."
Noting the necessity of discussing issues that concern his daughter, Momeni said, "After all, Iranian officials must deal with the women's rights issues sooner or later. These issues needs to be discussed and talked about. If someone came and talked about her rights and the rights of those of her gender, should she go to prison? Discussing women's rights is not a political issue. It is not about overthrowing the regime. It is not about politics."
Addressing the officials, he said, "In this country, why can they not first charge people with a crime and then proceed to arrest and detain them? My daughter has not committed a crime for which she is being held in solitary confinement. I did not want to speak with the press because I was very optimistic that they would realize their mistake and release her. But unfortunately they unexpectedly attack and arrest a person, and search her belongings. My daughter lives with her parents. Why did they come and search our house? Why did several security officers raid our house? The damage inflicted on my wife and on my other daughter who has not gone to school for three days is now irreversible. Is this how citizens whose hearts beat for their country should be treated?"
Protesting the manner of her daughter's arrest, Gholam-Reza Momeni said, "First they surround someone who is driving and say ‘you have committed a traffic violation’, and then it turns out that the gentlemen are actually security officers. Well, if there is a real security issue they can serve a summons, have her appear in court, speak with her and ask her why she is doing something, and she can defend herself. This way both sides can express their views in a healthy environment."
Noting his concern for his daughter's detention in solitary confinement and the potential psychological damage to her, Momeni added, "Anything my daughter may say in solitary confinement is worthless. Things said out of fear and anxiety are worthless. Mr. Ahmadinejad who claims to be democratic travelled to the US and said whatever he wished. Did that harm America? Everyone says, look, that is the American democracy. A president has come and they have provided him with a free outlet to say whatever that he wishes and speak to whichever reporter that he wishes."
Explaining why his daughter's concerns about women's rights are also his concerns, Momeni said, "We must fundamentally review women's rights issues. It is not right for men to have so many rights and for women not to have them. My daughter says the same thing. I concluded from my daughter's imprisonment that the regime must revisit women's rights issues. It is not good for the Islamic Republic that people who discuss social issues are put behind bars. We boast about Islamic justice, but what is Islamic about this justice?"
