farangopolis

Monday, June 27, 2005

Arrested Iranian filmmaker

Farshid Faraji, an independent Iranian cameraman, who was arrested by the American military forces in Iraq,” is missing. Faraji, who entered Iraq on May 2nd 2005 with valid visa and proper documents to complete the filming of the documentary, “In Search of Cyrus, the Great,” does not appear on the Red Cross list. While the Red Cross has registered the arrest of Koroush Kar, the producer of the film, there is no information available about Farshid Faraji’s whereabouts.

After shooting scenes in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey, Faraji and Kar entered Iraq, in order to film the historical site of Babylon, but soon lost contact with their families. Finally, Koroush Kar contacted his family and notified them that he and Faraji were arrested on May 19th, 2005. Farshid Faraji’s family, who is gravely concerned about his safety, has not been able to find any information about Farshid from the Red Cross and the Iranian authorities.

Iranian filmmakers and advocacy groups are putting pressure on the Iranian government to take appropriate steps to find Farshid Faraji. We should also ask the United States' government to provide Fashid’s family with information about their son’s arrest. Farshid's family has the right to know about his status and his whereabouts, while he is being interrogated in Iraq.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to publicize this case? Any lawyers in the house? Human rights advocates who do international work? help!

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The sidebar image is taken from Mahmoud Pakzad's "Old Tehran", Did Publishers, 1994. Thanks to Jahanshah Javid (www.iranian.com) for sharing it.

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