Editor’s note: Journalist Raed al-Majed was released from detention on December 18, 2011, after spending about five weeks in custody. He was released following diplomatic negotiations between Iran and Kuwait.
Raed al-Majed, a Kuwaiti freelance cameraman, was arrested on November 11, 2011, in the southwestern Iranian city of Abadan while on assignment with Al-Adalah television presenter Adel al-Yahya, according to news reports. The two journalists had traveled to Iran to produce a television program about Kuwaitis married to Iranian citizens.
Iranian authorities accused al-Majed and al-Yahya of espionage and entering the country illegally. Kuwaiti officials rejected the allegations, saying both journalists had obtained valid visas from the Iranian Embassy before traveling to Iran and were carrying out a legitimate reporting assignment. Iranian officials later maintained that they had violated the terms of their tourist visas.
Following diplomatic efforts by the Kuwaiti government, Iranian authorities released al-Majed and al-Yahya on December 18, 2011. They returned to Kuwait aboard a special flight after spending about five weeks in detention.