majid-saeedi

New York, August 12, 2009--The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the news that photojournalist Majid Saeedi has been released on bail in Iran, but remains concerned that he still faces charges. 

New York, July 30, 2009--After more than a month of detention, several journalists may face trial beginning on Saturday on charges of "sending pictures to enemy media." Three documentary filmmakers were arrested today, bringing the total of journalists currently held in Iranian jails to 42, the highest count in the world.

New York, July 29, 2009--The Committee to Protect Journalists rejects the alleged confessions by two detained Iranian photographers held incommunicado in Iran since their arrests earlier this month. The two allegedly confessed to sending pictures to the "enemy" following the country's disputed June 12 presidential elections, according to the official Iranian News Agency (IRNA).

New York, July 22, 2009--The ‎Committee to Protect Journalists has confirmed the detentions of another four journalists in Iran. CPJ research shows the continuing arrests have solidified Iran's dishonorable standing as the world's leading jailer of journalists.

Among the dozens of journalists detained in Iran is Majid Saeedi, a freelance photographer working for Getty Images. Jonathan Klein, the photo agency's co-founder and CEO, describes Saeedi as a "dedicated photojournalist" who was simply trying to document events in Iran. Below are examples of Saeedi's work, courtesy of Getty.

My friend and colleague Iason Athanasiadis spent three weeks in an Iranian prison last month. In the ongoing roundups of journalists since the June 12 election, Iason has seen his own friends and colleagues thrown in jail, including Majid Saeedi, a freelance photographer for Getty Images. 

New York, July 13, 2009--The Iranian authorities have arrested six more journalists--cementing the country's position as the world's worst jailer of journalists--and sentenced another on Sunday to eight years in prison, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.