Held by Iran: Vigil for Imprisoned Grad Student

Hundreds of candles were lit as more than 100 colleagues, family members, and friends gathered in East Pyne courtyard Sept. 15 for a vigil to support Xiyue Wang, a Princeton graduate student who is serving a 10-year prison term in Iran after his conviction on two counts of espionage. He was arrested in 2016 as he was completing research in Tehran for his dissertation. The University has said that the charges against Wang are “completely false.” Wang’s wife, Hua Qu, described how her hopes for his release “have been shattered time and time again.” Jane Manners, a graduate student in history, told the gathering that “it’s critical that we continue as a community” to show support. Friends have created a group on Facebook, “Free Xiyue Wang.”