Former Miss North Dakota Roxana Saberi Has Gone Missing In Iran

Roxana Saberi, 31, is a former Miss North Dakota and journalist who has gone missing in Iran. She was arrested after buying a bottle of wine and was last heard from on February 10, when she called her father, Reza Saberi, to let him know she was being detained.

Officials in Iran have not publicly confirmed Roxana’s arrest, which prompted her family to come forth with their story in an attempt to find some answers. Human rights organizations have continually called Iran to task for arresting journalists and tramping free speech. 

Roxana won the title of Miss North Dakota back in 1997 and went on to become a freelance journalist working for National Public Radio and other media outlets. She’d been living in Iran for the past six years. Then wouldn’t she know better than to purchase wine in that country?, you might ask, while drinking Sutter Home from a box. Well, ass, according to her father, who is Iranian, one cannot be detained for merely buying wine. But… yeah. Buying and selling alcohol is illegal in Iran. When she called her father, Roxana told him not to worry, that she would likely be out in two days. However, those two days have turned into weeks, with no word on her whereabouts.

Her parents say their daughter was working on a book about the people and culture of Iran and return home to Fargo, North Dakota to get it published.

Miss North Dakota Arrested In Iran [NY Post]