US Poets Express Concern Over Health Of Iranian Peer

Behnaz Amani — Iranian poet, translator, and assistant professor of English literature
Behnaz Amani — Iranian poet, translator, and assistant professor of English literature

A group of American poets have expressed concern about the fate of Behnaz Amani — Iranian poet, translator, and assistant professor of English literature, detained for supporting antigovernment protests.

According to the Iranian Writers Action Committee (IWAC), Behanz Amani has been temporarily released from prison on bail.

In a letter the American poets have called on the Islamic Republic not to send Behnaz Amini to jail again due to her health condition.

“We are a group of American poets who write in solidarity with Behnaz Amani and support her right to peacefully protest the brutal and extrajudicial persecution of her students and many others in Iran. We make this plea: Do not send Behnaz Amani back to prison, under any circumstances.”

IWAC says after her release, she received a diagnosis of aggressive cervical cancer. Her brutal 46-day long detention in the notorious Qarchak Varamin Prison near Tehran has contributed to critical postponement in her cancer diagnosis and treatment.

They have also warned that anyone who takes part in incarcerating Amani again will be held responsible for what happens to her.

In October, Behnaz Amani ran afoul of Iranian authorities after signing a statement by university professors protesting the arrest of students.

Just two days after signing the letter, Amani was interrogated by security forces and two days after that she was abducted in front of her house.

Bob Perelman, Barry Schwabsky, Rachel Blau DuPlessis, and Michael Palmer are among the poets who have singed the letter.