ranian-Canadian journalist and editor of IranWire Maziar Bahari is best known for his riveting memoir, Rosewater, which documents his arrest in Tehran while reporting on the 2009 presidential election protests. Held in solitary confinement for most of his 118 days in captivity, Bahari was accused of “masterminding the coverage of the Iranian election by the Western media” and being a spy for the Mossad, the MI6, and the CIA. In 2018 Bahari was honored by the prestigious Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Daniel Pearl Award for his work in educating others about the Holocaust and its relevance today, fostering action for democra...
Cultural Diversity Roster
Find a Presenter
speaker
Maziar Bahari
Journalist Filmmaker Iranian Hostage
Categories :
[Sassy_Social_Share]
Bio
Full Bio
Iranian-Canadian journalist and editor of IranWire Maziar Bahari is best known for his riveting memoir, Rosewater, which documents his arrest in Tehran while reporting on the 2009 presidential election protests. Held in solitary confinement for most of his 118 days in captivity, Bahari was accused of “masterminding the coverage of the Iranian election by the Western media” and being a spy for the Mossad, the MI6, and the CIA. In 2018 Bahari was honored by the prestigious Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Daniel Pearl Award for his work in educating others about the Holocaust and its relevance today, fostering action for democratic values and human rights, and promoting understanding.
In his speaking engagements, Bahari speaks about what he learned from being in captivity, the wars, coups, and revolutions that compromise so much of Iranian history — as well as the current political state of Iran. A human rights activist, Bahari also discusses the importance of press freedom, protecting journalists, and ending the growing trends of hate and prejudice.
Following the protests erupted over charges that President Ahmadinejad had stolen the vote, Bahari was picked up by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard and sent to Evin Prison, which is notorious for torturing political prisoners. He was repeatedly beaten and forced to give a false televised confession. After international pressure mounted and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed interest in his case, Bahari was released on $300,000 bail.
His 2011 memoir, Rosewater: A Family’s Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival, was adapted into the 2014 political drama Rosewater, directed by Jon Stewart.Variety called it “a stirring account of human endurance and a topical reminder of the risks faced by journalists in pursuit of the truth.”
“What happened to me,” says Bahari, “really symbolizes something bigger than me. I was maybe unlucky to be able to explore some of the darkest sides of the Iranian government, the revolutionary zeal, and the corruption. But I was lucky to be able to come out and talk about it.” An Iranian court sentenced Bahari in absentia to an extended flogging and more than 13 years in prison on various charges including conspiring against national security and insulting the supreme religious leader.
In 2014, Bahari launched IranWire, a bilingual news site in which young Iranians and Iranian citizen journalists discuss national and local news, study the craft of reporting and writing, and work closely with professional Iranian journalists.
Bahari’s documentary films include And Along Came a Spider; Of Shames and Coffins; Targets: Reporters in Iraq; and The Fall of a Shah. The International Documentary Film Festival organized a retrospective of his films; he was honored by the ILEX Foundation for Excellence in Iranian Cinema. His most recent film is Iranian Odyssey.
Bahari was a correspondent for Newsweek for over 10 years, covering Iranian economic, political and cultural life. His own story of resilience in the face of repression became the subject of a 60 Minutes segment and a Newsweek cover story. He has appeared on Fareed Zakaria GPS, The Daily Show, and the BBC. Bahari is the founder of Journalism for Change, a platform for citizen and professional journalists to showcase best practices and forge new networks.
Check Availability
Topics
Topics
WHY A FREE PRESS MATTERS: ENDING THE WAR ON JOURNALISTS
BATTLING HATE: SPEAKING OUT AGAINST PREJUDICE AND INJUSTICE
CITIZEN JOURNALISM: SMART PHONES, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE NEWS
Videos
Videos
Jon Stewart and Maziar Bahari on the importance of satire in the face of darkness
Maziar Bahari Talks About His Detention in Evin Prison on CNN: Part 1
Books
ROSE WATER
Newsweek
News
Please Contact Us For More Information
