Princeton Scholar Imprisoned In Iran Attempted Suicide

PRINCETON, NJ — A Princeton University scholar has been experiencing health issues while he has been imprisoned in Iran, according to his wife.

Xiyue Wang has attempted to commit suicide, his wife Hua Qu told NBC. He is stressed, is experiencing depression and has suffered from multiple diseases, Qu said.

The interview came shortly after an interview with Wang aired on Iranian broadcast TV Sunday night.
Wang was arrested while in Iran last year. He went to Iran as a doctoral candidate in the university's Department of History, studying Eurasian languages and regional governance practices across multiple Eurasian countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the university maintains.

Wang is accused of of scanning 4,500 documents and attempting to access confidential information in Tehran. He has been arrested, tried and convicted on charges of espionage. He was was sentenced in July to 10 years in prison.

A month later, Iran denied Wang's appeal. In September, graduate students and members of the Princeton University community held a vigil in which Qu spoke.

Qu and their son are Chinese citizens who have waited patiently while Wang was investigated, prosecuted and tried under the Iranian judicial system. It’s not the first time she spoke on the subject. She previously released two statements on the situation.

The attached image of Xiyue Wang and his family was provided by the family and released via Princeton University