Photojournalist’s Family Concerned After Second Phone Call From Evin

A source close to the family of Maryam Majd, a photographer and reporter who was arrested at her parents’ home on 21 June, told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Majd’s family is deeply concerned about her well being. “When the security forces took her away from her home, they did not say anything about the reason for her arrest. They have not told her family anything during their pursuit of the matter, either. They only said, ‘It’s nothing. She’ll be released this week, leave now and return next week.’ The next week they said again she’ll be released next week. The only thing her family knows is that she is in Evin Prison,” the source told the Campaign. “Maryam has made two short calls to her family since her arrest. She was well the first time, but the second time she was not as well as the first and told them to ‘do something so I can come home,’” the source said. Iranian photojournalist Maryam Majd was arrested at her home on 21 June, one day before her trip to Germany to photograph the Women’s Soccer World Cup in Germany. In recent years, Majd has been one of a few photographers who have worked specifically in the area of women’s sports. She was a member of a campaign to allow female spectators into stadiums in Iran, and was a contributor to the now banned Zanan monthly magazine. Petra Landers, Majd’s host, is a former German National Soccer Team player, who with cooperation from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, was planning to publish a book about female soccer players. When Majd did not emerge from her flight, Landers announced news of her disappearance and asked the Iranian Embassy in Berlin to be inform the public of her whereabouts.