In defence of Homa Hoodfar, Canadian academic arrested in Iran

From Ryerson University,

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau:
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2
Justin.Trudeau parl.gc.ca

Minister Stephanie Dion

Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario,K1A 0A6
stephane.dion parl.gc.ca

8 June 2016

Request for the Immediate Release of Professor Homa Hoodfar

We are writing to ask respectfully for the immediate release of Canadian scholar Professor Homa Hoodfar who was arrested in Iran and is believe to be held in Tehran’s Evin prison.

Professor Hoodfar is an anthropologist and teaches at Concordia University in Montreal. She is a well-known feminist activist and an international expert on women, gender and Islam. She is the author of several books and academic articles many of which feature in feminist and women’s studies syllabi in Canada and other countries. It is dismaying to hear that Dr. Hoodfar was arrested while conducting her academic research on women in Iran.

We are writing to express our deep concern for her safety and frustration over her detention in Iran. We urge the Government of Canada to take urgent and immediate steps to ensure the safety of this distinguished feminist scholar and achieve her immediate release and return to Canada.

Sincerely,

Amina Jamal, Associate Professor of Sociology , Ryerson University, amina.jamal ryerson.ca