US Senator Sam Brownback, Republican from Kansas and presidential hopeful, issued a statement on Thursday May 17 calling for Haleh’s release.

“In the strongest possible terms, I call on the Iranian government to release Dr. Esfandiari immediately and unconditionally,” said Brownback. “Since traveling to Iran in December to visit her 93-year old mother, Dr. Esfandiari has faced intimidation and harassment, and was sent to the notorious Evin prison, where numerous human rights abuses have been documented. Such gross mistreatment of Dr. Esfandiari is yet another example of how the Iranian regime violates the basic rights and freedoms of the Iranian people.”