Matador contributor detained in Iran

By Julie Schwietert On August 2, 2009 · 30 Comments

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One of Matador’s contributing writers has been detained in Iran.

Matador writer Sarah Shourd.

Earlier today, mainstream US media reported that three American hikers were arrested in Iran after crossing the Iran/Iraq border on Friday. According to this report in The New York Times, Iranian television confirmed the arrests.

The news hits close to home for Matador, as one of our contributors, Sarah Shourd, is believed to be one of the arrested hikers, though her name has been spelled inaccurately in various reports. The other two detained hikers have been named as Shane Bower and Joshua Steel.

The arrests were reported to the US Embassy in Iraq by Shaun Gabriel Maxwell, a fourth hiker who had not been with his friends when they were detained. Though some reports have indicated that the three hikers defied local warnings not to cross into Iranian territory, other reports tell a different story. USA Today reported that Maxwell stated that the detained hikers–who contacted him by phone–told him they had gotten lost and wandered across the border unintentionally, where they were surrounded by troops and arrested.

Shourd penned this story for Matador in November of 2008.

While details are still coming in, Matador will continue to follow the story and wishes the best for Shourd and her companions.

Feature photo: Lezan

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Read Sarah Shourd’s story, “Escape from Iraq: A Muslim Family Finds Solace in Ramadan,” here.

About The Author

Julie Schwietert

Julie Schwietert Collazo is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator currently in New York, formerly of Mexico City and San Juan. She is Matador's managing editor and is the lead faculty member of MatadorU's travel writing program.

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http://musictravelwrite.wordpress.com Michelle

I’ll keep all three in my thoughts. Thanks for letting us know.
http://www.marmalade.ca Kelly

While I hope all three are returned safely, you have to wonder what on earth they were doing hiking along the Iraq/Iran border. It’s not as though either place is a sensible place to be exploring right now.
http://thelonglayover.blogspot.com Carlo

Here’s to hoping that this situation is resolved sooner than later and that everyone is safe.
http://www.paul-sullivan.com Paul Sullivan

That does seem like a pretty crazy/silly place to go hiking. But yeah, here’s hoping that these travelers are released safely soon.

http://matadorabroad.com Tim Patterson

Not too crazy a place…N. Kurdistan is relatively safe / stable right now. I’d love to hike there.

http://RideTHISbike.com RideTHISbike.com

The area is a tourist destination with waterfalls and ancient caves. Unfortunately, it’s on the border and borders are not always well marked…

http://RideTHISbike.com RideTHISbike.com

The uppermost part of the valley ends at the border where there are several peaks right on the border line with Iran. Chances are they went to one of those peaks for the view and got nabbed.

http://www.organa.com Aleen

It may have been risky, but lots of places are risky, even that seem “safe” and all reports were that it was a relatively safe place to experience those mountains, given that so much of it is off limits because of the various wars.
What place is “safe? At least you aren’t suggesting that they secretly wanted to be arrested, which many people have suggested.

http://www.ourmaninshanghai.com Peter Davison

I think it speaks to the fact that bloggers/travel writers need to be protected by an organization or a code of conduct so that writers can be assured of certain rights and/or safety considerations.

Until we know further info, we shouldn’t assume the worst but its a sensitive time to be exploring around that area of the world. Hope it works out for them.
http://matadortravel.com/travel-community/gypsynoir Shreya

How terrible. Here’s hoping they will come back safe and sound.
http://www.thetravelhawk.com The Travel Hawk

Oops, hope they will be relieved soon. God bless.
http://wayworded.blogspot.com/ Hal

Regardless of what they were doing there, our thoughts are with them.
Alan

Saw this news on CNN yesterday. Never would have imagined that someone linked to Matador would be detained. Here’s hoping that they release all 3 soon, and treat them well while captive.
Thapelo

I wish the three safe return to their families, i hope it will be clearer one day what the hell were they doing Hiking in warzone.
http://thetravelersnotebook.com David Miller

the sharks are everywhere. Sarah, you and the crew are in our thoughts and prayers. Wishing you a safe return as soon as possible.
joshywashington

thoughts and prayers coming from Seattle…
http://www.praguehotel-link.cz Luke Ford

i’m all for exploring off the beaten track destinations. But you have to be more responsible especially when travelling to a destination that is quite strict about visas with Americans.

I am all for travel to Iran, and think it’s great people want to see this magificent country. However, you must be more careful. If you tried to cross through LAX with insufficient visas you would be strip searched and held for 48 hours. You cannot enter a country without a proper visa. Seriously guys use your common sense. Its such a shame that Iran receives more bad publicity because of your actions. Here is a country with people that need all the support they can get in terms of tourism.. not people like this turning away more and more travellers each year.

Luke.
Safe travels… be more careful and respect individual countries.

http://www.evaholland.com Eva

Luke, it seems pretty clear from the coverage that they crossed the border accidentally – all the articles I’ve read suggest that the border there is hardly marked at all. Yes, they should probably have been more careful, but Iran is bringing bad publicity on itself by treating them as spies. Maybe a little more empathy?

Gregory Hubbs

I wish Sarah well, but am sure that she will unfortunately become part of a political process which I hope ends quickly. Based on what she has written, I think she has the strength to withstand it.

She published a fine contest-winning piece on Yemen for us this year which testified to her intestinal fortitude and empathy and awareness of the risks she was taking:

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/narrative_travel_writing/travel-in-yemen-geat-risks-tremendous-kindness.shtml

The problem now is that this is–like the North Korean situation–a highly political issue and tool which can be used by many sides for propaganda.
http://www.facebook.com/humanrightsactivist Alex Elliott

Iran should release these people immediately, they have done nothing wrong and there arrests are a deep concern
JJH

After what has happend to Iraqi women at the hands of US soldiers,any American woman held in Iran will most likely be subjected to the same sexual abuse.God help her.
Mike

My prayers go out to them, but I find that their actions suffer from a complete lack of common sense and disregard for those who I’m sure are worried sick about them right now. I do hope that their trip had some purpose other than seeing how far they could push the envelope!
Daniel …………. Toronto, Canada

Wish them well but they were taking a big chance by traveling in that part of the world. They are experienced travellers? Doesn’t seem that way to me. But I hope they get returned to the US and stay there. Pretty risky travels. And if you must travel again, stay away from the middle east or get a GPS device.

Daniel …………… Toronto
http://www.ourmaninshanghai.com Peter Davison

I picked this up off of IHT:

Iran Questions Detained U.S Hikers
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/world/middleeast/05hikers.html?ref=world

This maybe a repeat or an update on the existing links that have been shared.

Hoping it gets cleared up…..

Peter
http://indietravelpodcast.com Craig

Any updates on their situation?
http://www.organa.com Aleen

Yes, the update today is that iraq officials are hopeful of their arrest, after speaking to the Iranian authorities. Yesterday Gen James Jones said confirmation was received that morning that they are indeed held by Iranian authorities. Today is Sarah’s birthday, I hope they are treating them well, and unless we know otherwise, we should assume the best. It was an accidental crossing due to an unmarked border, and they all ARE careful, experienced travelers. I admire that they are living in Syria and traveling widely in the Middle East (Iraq) in an attempt to learn about and write about a part of the world we all need to understand better, if the world is to become less war-torn. Other reports say they were transferred to Tehran, which seems necessary to prepare for release. Let’s hope for the best and stop berating for not staying at home in their beds!
Edine

Amen to that, Aleen. Seriously, with the position they are in, all we should be doing is hoping for the best. How many of us purposely put ourselves in harmful situations, with the intention of getting hurt? Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle is a pretty typical thing to do..yet it statistically ranks as one of the highest causes of death every year. You can’t always avoid tragedy; all you can do is hope that there is a way to overcome it.

shin

yeah, but statistically, hoking along a boarder of a hostile nation is far dumber thing to do than driving.

shin

Can we stop wasting tax money to bail these people out?

They were hiking in Iraq near Iran. That would be the last thing I do in life before I’m forced to wash my eyes with Listerine.
NancyLee1

I wholeheartedly agree that Americans should not go near borders of countries in conflict. So the borders are not marked…..then stay where it is safe. Hillary Clinton’s plate is full…she does not need to add your being held hostage and being charged with spying as a side dish. I hope and pray that they make it home safely. I also hope that all that are keeping up with this story will try to fight the urge to try to do the same thing. Stay away from bordering countries, especially if you do not have a visa. When Mexicans cross the border into this country….people in this country lose their minds about it. We are Americans and we love each other….other countries are not so accommodating. Guys…..please do not try to make the national news….or make your parents, family and friends worry about you…..stay home if there is the slightest chance that you are about to enter the twilight zone.

Matador contributor detained in Iran

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