Boston University alumnus Matt Trevithick was among four other captives released from prison in Iran, according to BU spokesman Colin Riley.
Trevithick, a 2008 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, had been imprisoned for 40 days and was released independently from the prisoner swap between United States and Iran Saturday. At this moment, it is unknown why Trevithick was arrested.
“We are really glad that Matthew is released and on his way home,” Riley said.
After graduating with a degree in international relations, Trevithick worked at the American University of Iraq in Sulaimani. In 2010, he took a communications job in Kabul at the American University of Afghanistan, an article published in BU’s Bostonia Magazine cited.
Trevithick was a member of the BU men’s rowing team and worked on creating a rowing club in Afghanistan during his time there, according to the Bostonia article.
Before his arrest, Trevithick was in a four-month language program in Iran. He is the co-founder of a Turkey-based research and evaluation organization — “a nonpartisan research center that provided objective analysis on the humanitarian crisis in the region,” according to a statement released by Trevithick’s family.
“We are profoundly grateful to all those who worked for his release and are happy for all the families whose loved ones are also heading home,” the family wrote.
The other prisoners released Saturday include Amir Hekmati, Saeed Abedini, Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari and Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, according to CNN.
