Camelia Entekhabifard

Camelia Entekhabifard (also Camelia E. Fard or Camelia Entekhabi-Fard, PerB| کاملیا انتخابی فرد , born 1973 in Tehran) is an Iranian journalist and author who now lives in New York City.

Initially interested in poetry and painting, she became a journalist for the daily "Zan". In 1999 she conducted research on women earning money in the Iranian city of Qom, a center for Shi'a scholarship and pilgrimage, by engaging in temporary marriage with pilgrims and religious scholars, in what she called a thinly veiled form of prostitution. This work resulted in her being imprisoned for 11 weeks in Towhid Prison. She moved to the United States and in 2001 wrote a piece in the "Village Voice" about these issues. [Camelia E. Fard. [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0113,fard,23415,1.html Unveiled Threats] . "Village Voice", 28 March 2001]

After she published an article with James Ridgeway in the "Village Voice" in December 2001 criticizing the People's Mujahedin of Iran, the organization replied with a letter to the editor, alleging "shameful ties [...] between Camelia Fard and Iran's ruling mullahs" and claiming that she is a "well-known friend of Mullah Abtahi". [ [http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/0151,letters,30850,7.html The Mullahs and the Voice] , letter to the editor, "Village Voice", 19 December 2001]

She has since reported on Iran and Afghanistan for AP, Reuters, the "Village Voice", and "Mother Jones". Her book "Camelia: Save Yourself by Telling the Truth—a Memoir of Iran" (ISBN 1583227199) was published in March 2007. In the book she relates that her mother had sympathized with Shah Mohammad-Reza Pahlavi, and that Camelia had initiated a romance with her abusive interrogator which led to her early release from prison. [ [http://www.calendarlive.com/books/bookreview/cl-bk-taylor18mar18,0,4465833.htmlstory?coll=cl-bookreview "Camelia" book review] , "The Los Angeles Times", March 18, 2007]

References

External links

* [http://www.pen.org/author.php/prmAID/177 Author biography] , from PEN American Center

Written by Camelia Entekhabifard:
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0113,fard,23415,1.html Unveiled Threats] . "Village Voice", 28 March 2001
* [http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2001/05/iran.html Behind the Veil.] "Mother Jones", Mai/June 2001
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0142,fard,29153,6.html Afghan Plan Unravels] . "Village Voice", 15 October 2001
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0144,fard,29520,6.html U.S. Looks for Someone to Trust] . "Village Voice", 26 October 2001
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0146,fard,30057,6.html Afghanistan's Sentimental King] . "Village Voice", 15 November 2001
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0146,fard2,30072,6.html Gotta go.] "Village Voice", 16 November 2001
* [http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0149,fard,30476,6.html With Friends Like These] (with James Ridgeway). "Village Voice", 5 December 2001