On Thursday, top global leaders gathered in Vienna for a conference entitled: “Women Leaders Networking for Peace and Security in the Middle East.” Haleh Esfandiari’s sister and Cheryl Benard were there to hand-deliver an appeal for international action on Haleh’s behalf.

Some of the participants included: US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Iraqi First Lady Hero Talabani; the Bahraini President of the United Nations General Assembly, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa; Pakistani Minister of Women’s Affairs Sumaira Malik; Palestinian Authority representative Hanan Ashrawi; EU Commissioner of External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner; Algerian Minister for Scientific Research Souad Bendjaballah; UNRWA Commissioner-General Karen AbuZayd; and Nouzha Chekrouni of the Moroccan Foreign Ministry.

Here is the text of the letter delivered to these leaders:

Our respected colleague and dear friend Haleh Esfandiari, a 67-year old social scientist educated at the University of Vienna, Austria, currently the director of the Middle East program at the Wilson Center for Scholars in Washington D.C., is being held in Evin Prison in Teheran.

Dr. Esfandiari, a U.S. and Iranian citizen, went to Teheran in December 2006 to visit her 93 year old, ailing mother. Thereafter she was prevented from leaving and subjected to a series of interrogations over a period of months. Twenty three days ago, she was jailed. She has not been permitted to see a lawyer or to receive any visits.

Dr. Esfandiari is well known internationally for her tireless work on behalf of the democratic participation of women. In her seminars, women from all parts of the world have learned the skills of leadership and civic engagement. Additionally, she has been a strong advocate of cross-cultural dialogue and constructive debate. Her seminars and conferences are of the highest academic caliber.

We ask you to take all possible action to obtain the release of Dr. Haleh Esfandiari; to raise the matter with your Iranian counterparts; and to make clear that the political education and enfranchisement of women must not be a cause for persecution.