15 June 2005

REPORTER, TRANSLATOR FREED


Calling it a "day of joy", press freedom advocates around the world hailed the release of French reporter Florence Aubenas and Iraqi translator Hussein Hanoun al-Saadi from captivity on 12 June 2005. The pair had been held hostage in Iraq for more than five months.

Aubenas, a veteran war correspondent for the daily newspaper "Libération", and Hanoun al-Saadi were abducted on 5 January by unidentified individuals. Dozens of European media organisations and journalists, including 150 news media executives and editors, rallied to support Aubenas and Hanoun al-Saadi and raise awareness of the kidnappings.

Hanoun al-Saadi was reunited with his family in Baghdad shortly after his release, while Aubenas arrived home in France on 12 June.

While welcoming the release, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said Iraqi authorities must do more to ensure the safety of journalists working in the country.

The IFEX member is drafting guidelines on safety precautions for journalists in Iraq, and has produced a safety package containing a handbook of safety tips, first aid kits and a CD-Rom guide to security and protection for media staff.

IFJ has also opened a safety centre in Baghdad to provide round the clock assistance to journalists and to host hostile-training programmes.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 30 journalists have been kidnapped by armed groups in Iraq since April 2004.

Meanwhile, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) notes that French cameraman Fred Nérac remains missing more than three years after he lost contact with colleagues in southern Iraq on 22 March 2003 while filming for British broadcaster ITN.

Visit these links:
- IFJ: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3184&Language=EN
- RSF:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=14050
- CPJ:
http://www.cpj.org/news/2005/Iraq13june05na.html
- List of Abducted Journalists in Iraq: http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2003/gulf03/iraq_abducted.html


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Also from the Communiqué, 15 June 2005

ALGERIA: HARSH LAWS PENALISE JOURNALISTS 15 June 2005 ETHIOPIA: CRACKDOWN ON MEDIA AMID ELECTION CONTROVERSY 15 June 2005 NEPAL: KING MUZZLES PRESS FREEDOM 15 June 2005 CHINA: CHINA TIGHTENS GRIP ON INTERNET 15 June 2005 IRAN: DISSIDENTS SILENCED IN LEAD-UP TO ELECTIONS 15 June 2005 ITALY: ITALIAN LAW FAILS TO CURB MEDIA CONCENTRATION: OSCE 15 June 2005 INTERNATIONAL: ALFRED FRIENDLY PRESS FELLOWSHIPS 15 June 2005 INTERNATIONAL: MISA PRESS FREEDOM AWARD 15 June 2005

Iraq

Journalist protection law falls short, should be repealed, says CPJ 25 January 2012 Journalist illegally detained, while another is attacked 23 January 2012 News media torched, journalists attacked and arrested in outbreak of violence 5 December 2011 New wave of abuses and intimidation against the media 31 October 2011 Series of new attacks and acts of intimidation against journalists 21 October 2011 See all alerts: Iraq


Middle East

PALESTINE: MADA condemns escalating campaign against journalists 8 February 2012 IRAN: Blogger sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment, newspaper suspended 7 February 2012 IRAN: Arrest sweeps target Arab minority 7 February 2012 YEMEN: IFJ warns press freedom remains under siege after threats against editor 6 February 2012 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / KUWAIT: "UAE 5" activist denied entry into Kuwait 6 February 2012


 
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