 |
Shane Michael BauerAmerican freelance journalist and photographer
Country:
 USA |
Content:
Biography of Shane Michael Bauer
Early Life and EducationShane Michael Bauer is an American independent journalist and photographer who has been working in the Middle East. He was born in Minnesota and graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in World Studies and Conflict Resolution. Bauer is fluent in Arabic, which has allowed him to focus his work on regions such as the Middle East and North Africa.
Career
Bauer has worked as a Middle East correspondent for the American communication agency "New America Media". His articles and photographs have been published in various publications in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and the Middle East. Some of these publications include "L.A. Times", "San Francisco Chronicle", "Christian Science Monitor", "The Nation", "Le Monde Diplomatique" (German edition), "The San Francisco Bay Guardian", "Democracy Now!", "E: The Environmental Magazine". He has also contributed to Slate.com and Aljazeera.net, and has worked for the Black Entertainment Television channel.
In addition to his journalistic work, Bauer completed a documentary film about the Darfur conflict titled "Songs to Enemies and Deserts". The film was distributed through the DVD magazine "Wholphin" and was shown on Current TV.
Bauer has received recognition for his work, winning the first place for independent material in a photojournalism competition organized by the National Press Photographers Association in 2008. He was also a finalist for the Harry Chapin Media Awards in 2007 and was nominated for the Mark of Excellence Awards by the Society of Professional Journalists. In the same year, he received the Matthew M. Lyon Prize for his outstanding work in photography.
Imprisonment in Iran
On July 31, 2009, Bauer, along with Sarah Shourd and Joshua Fattal, found themselves imprisoned in Iran on charges of espionage in favor of the United States. The three Americans denied these allegations, claiming that they had accidentally crossed the Iran border during a hike in the mountains.
Despite efforts by the United States Department of State to secure their release, Iranian leaders refused the direct request of President Barack Obama. Furthermore, attempts to exchange them for other prisoners were unsuccessful. Appeals from concerned parents to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country's spiritual leader, also yielded no results. To this day, the Americans have not been officially charged.
In May, Iraqi authorities allowed the imprisoned individuals to visit their parents, revealing that Bauer and Shourd had become engaged and planned to marry once they were freed.
