Canadian Women's Researcher arrested in Iran

23 posts / 0 new

Thu, 2016-06-09 09:46

6079_Smith_W

Canadian researcher Homa Hoodfar, a world expert in sexuality and gender in Islam, has been arrested and is believed held in Tehran's Evin Prison. Hoodfar was in Iran researching women's public roles. She was visiting during recent elections in whicn many new women candidates were elected to parliament.

Quote:

Iran accuses Concordia University professor Homa Hoodfar, 65, of "co-operating with a foreign state against the Islamic Republic of Iran."

It's not yet clear whether she's been charged with espionage, sedition or propaganda against the state.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/concordia-university-prof-jailed-in-iran-s-...

Thu, 2016-06-09 12:01

lagatta

Thanks, you beat me to this story. I'm trying to see whether women's and/or Iranian exile groups are mobilizing against this. Dr Nima Machouf (who happens to be Dr Amir Khadir's wife; he happens to be her husband) belongs to the Centre des femmes iraniennes.

Professor Hoodfar also has family in Iran.

Thu, 2016-06-09 12:20

Unionist

It's been three months, according to the article, that she has been prevented from leaving Iran, under interrogation, etc.

Maybe it might help if Canada restored diplomatic relations with Iran, after unilaterally shutting them down?

Then we wouldn't have sad statements like these:

Quote:

A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion said Tuesday the government considers her case "a priority."

"We are working closely with our like-minded allies in order to best assist Dr. Hoodfar," the spokesperson said.

(He means countries that didn't have Harper in charge and didn't break relations.)

Thu, 2016-06-09 12:51

6079_Smith_W

Spin is spin and action is action, of course, but Trudeau did say back in February that normalizing relations is in the works.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-iran-sanctions-1.3442614

Not sure how quickly that is going to proceed now that this has happened. And of course having diplomatic relations hasn't always helped in these matters in the past. Iran refused to allow Canadian consular officials to attend the trial of one of the accused in the death of Zahra Kazemi.

Actually they let them attend one day, then refused them the next, saying it was a mistake, and that "The bar is to show the world that Iran won't bow under pressure."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahra_Kazemi

Anyway, neither Stephen Harper nor Justin Trudeau are responsible for Hoodfar being detained and imprisoned.

The larger question, of course (and the one more relevant to why this may have happened) is how much of this is a backlash for the work she was doing, and the limited improvement in representation by women?

Fri, 2016-06-10 05:48

lagatta

http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article38160

https://twitter.com/hashtag/freehomahoodfar

https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/freehomahoodfar?hc_location=ufi

Fri, 2016-06-10 12:27

lagatta

More: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/homa-hoodfar-iran-friends-1.3624977

Fri, 2016-06-10 12:43

Misfit

How many times have Canadians imprissoned overseas gotten absolutely no help with the Canadian government? They have had to eventually ask the UK government to step in and intervene to help them out. I always feel so bad for Canadians. Canada has a very bad reputation in matters like this.

Fri, 2016-06-10 12:54

Misfit

National Post. Marni Soupcoff: William Sampson has died. Canada is still failing him. Friday March 20, 2012. I think this article is relevant to this issue.

Fri, 2016-06-10 13:07

6079_Smith_W

Amnesty International:

Quote:

"The arrest of respected and accomplished scholar, Dr. Homa Hoodfar, is the latest attempt by the Iranian authorities at targeting individuals, including academics, for the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and association," Neve said in a statement Thursday.

"It is deeply troubling that someone whose research focuses on addressing women's inequality can find herself arbitrarily arrested and held, possibly in solitary confinement, without access to a lawyer and her family."

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/06/09/canadian-concordia-profes...

The article speculates (unattributed... I am checking to see if I can find a source) that hard-liners opposed to the recent nuclear accord may have something to do with the arrest. In any case, I am sure her work did not make any friends in conservative religious circles.

Fri, 2016-06-10 19:50

#10

kropotkin1951

I think that Amnesty piece should be in the thread on conspiracy theories.

Fri, 2016-06-10 19:55

#11

kropotkin1951

Fri, 2016-06-10 20:22

#12

6079_Smith_W

Why, K? This is actually a serious matter, not chemtrails.

Of course it is a theory, but if it was right wing elements opposed to the nuclear deal it would be people who want to sabotage normalized relations between Iran and the west. In short, people who don't want that embassy reopened. If it is a conspiracy it is one which gives the biggest benefit of the doubt to the government of Iran on this.

Not everyone is doing that. Author Marina Nemat, who spent three years in Evin prison, has another theory, based on recent events:

Quote:

Recently, President Hassan Rouhani's government has been on the attack against women. A few weeks ago, a few models — beautiful, young Iranian women who dared to post hijab-less photos on Facebook — were arrested. They were forced to "confess" to their "sins" on TV. Rouhani is sending a message to the people of Iran that the nuclear deal and renewed relations with the West doesn't mean more freedoms for Iranians. I believe Hoodfar's arrest is a continuation of this wave of attacks on women.

The government of Iran wants Iranians to know that the nuclear deal doesn't mean more freedom. The government of Iran has been known to take dual-citizen nationals as hostages and use them as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/q-a-marina-nemat-homa-hoodfar-1.3625414

Fri, 2016-06-10 20:34

#13

lagatta

Why does everything have to be so simplistic? I want Canada (and other countries) to have diplomatic relations with Iran, as it would make it much easier to discuss and negotiate about all these matters. But there are hardliners in Iran who are opposed to the growing independence of Iranian women. One good thing the "Islamic Revolution" did was dramatically increase access to higher education for young people of poorer backgrounds - including young women. Now these young women want more self-determination - which does not necessarily mean copying Western models.

Fri, 2016-06-10 20:54

#14

kropotkin1951

6079_Smith_W wrote:

Why, K? This is actually a serious matter, not chemtrails.

Of course it is a theory, but if it was right wing elements opposed to the nuclear deal it would be people who want to sabotage normalized relations between Iran and the west. In short, people who don't want that embassy reopened. If it is a conspiracy it is one which gives the biggest benefit of the doubt to the government of Iran on this.

Its a flipping conspiracy theory because it relies on the fact that there a myriad of "hardliners" who can have anyone arrested at will on trumped up charges. Iran is not a good place for dissidents but this idea that there is absolutely no rule of law only the rule of a whole bunch of fanatics who each have unbelievable power is a conspiracy theory.

This is a serious matter and I wish we could get decent reporting on it in our media. The Sun piece has as much credibility as a Press TV piece. They both get some of the facts right and then spin the hell out of the story to show how evil the enemy is.

Fri, 2016-06-10 20:55

#15

kropotkin1951

Fri, 2016-06-10 20:59

#16

kropotkin1951

lagatta wrote:

Why does everything have to be so simplistic? I want Canada (and other countries) to have diplomatic relations with Iran, as it would make it much easier to discuss and negotiate about all these matters. But there are hardliners in Iran who are opposed to the growing independence of Iranian women. One good thing the "Islamic Revolution" did was dramatically increase access to higher education for young people of poorer backgrounds - including young women. Now these young women want more self-determination - which does not necessarily mean copying Western models.

We still have really good diplomatic relations with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The focus on Iran in our media is always underscored by a not so subtle regime change theme. Canada would do well to normalize its diplomatic relations with Iran.

Fri, 2016-06-10 21:16

#17

6079_Smith_W

And the flip side of that is too, as we have seen with other political issues, whatever the reason for this, it is always an easy default to attack women. So who knows if this is just because of her work, or the increase in women legislators, or the accord, or all of it.

Or one can take the "cooperating with a foreign state against Iran" at face value.

And kropotkin, our prime minister has already stated his intention to normalize relations. The nuclear accord certainly helps. This arrest does not.

Sat, 2016-06-11 11:50

#18

bekayne

kropotkin1951 wrote:

Canada would do well to normalize its diplomatic relations with Iran.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-iran-talks-stephane-dion-1.3630446

The Trudeau government has made no secret of its desire to re-engage with Iran — it was even a campaign promise — and now Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion has confirmed to CBC News that preliminary contact has been made.

In 2012, the Harper administration cut ties with Tehran and expelled Iranian diplomats from Canada.

"Talks have started, yes, at the official level," Dion said Friday. There has been speculation the discussions took place in New York City, where the two countries have political delegations.

Sat, 2016-06-11 17:13

#19

lagatta

I said I wanted Canada to restore diplomatic relations with Iran - I was never favourable to breaking them off.

There are "hardliners" in just about any ruling structure or society; I wasn't picking on Iran.

Sat, 2016-06-11 19:00

#20

kropotkin1951

6079_Smith_W wrote:

And kropotkin, our prime minister has already stated his intention to normalize relations.

As my Catholic mother used to say; "the way to hell is paved with good intentions." Here is a story from February about restoring relations with Iran. The step by step process seems to be a very slow process. What do you think they are discussing?

There are many people who go back and forth between Canada and Iran for business and family reasons but it doesn't seem like there will an embassy in Tehran anytime soon.

However the extensive Iranian community on North Vancouver were likely very pleased with the government dropping most of the restrictions on doing business with their former home country. I hope none of them find themselves in the need of government support like the woman academic.

Feb 05, 2016 wrote:

Canada broke off ties with Iran in September, 2012, closing the embassy in Tehran citing concern for the safety of Canadian diplomats and staff. Iranian diplomats in Canada were expelled. Dion said today Canada is considering the restoration of diplomatic contacts.

"That will be done step-by-step, it cannot be done overnight," Dion said. "We need to engage with the country that we have a lot of suspicions about. So we'll do it step-by-step."

The statement, issued by Dion and International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, says: "Canadian companies will now be able to position themselves for new trade opportunities, but we will also maintain rigorous controls on any exports that raise serious proliferation concerns."

Speaking to reporters Dion said many areas of the Canadian economy stand to benefit in a renewed relationship with Iran.

Thu, 2016-09-29 11:20

#21

ikosmos

RT wrote:
Canadian-Iranian professor held in Iran returns to Canada

A Canadian-Iranian retired professor who was released from an Iranian prison this week has returned to Canada. Homa Hoodfar, who landed in Montreal on Thursday morning, had been detained alongside other dual Iranian nationals swept up by hard-liners in Iran’s security service. Hoodfar, 65, was questioned and barred from leaving Iran in March after traveling to the country to visit family following the death of her husband. Her family said she was held in Tehran’s Evin Prison since June. Hoodfar until recently taught anthropology and sociology at Montreal’s Concordia University. She was flown to Oman on Monday before returning to Canada on Thursday. (AP)

Thu, 2016-09-29 19:52

#22

lagatta

Good, though there is a reason that professors are "emeritus" rather than "retired". She doesn't have to teach courses any more (though she may teach some courses or seminars) but is considered a member of faculty for her research and publications, which is important in terms of this story.

She sounds so tired, and her voice is much older than I remember it (from not long ago). I wish her a full recovery, as quickly as possible.

Fri, 2016-09-30 09:48

#23

6079_Smith_W

Indeed. She was working there, after all. That is what got her locked up.