donderdag, juni 12, 2003
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists expressed deep concern today about the safety of two European journalists detained in Laos on murder charges, while Amnesty International demanded assurances that they would not be tortured. The CPJ said in an open letter to the communist country's president that it fears the journalists are being punished for reporting on ethnic Hmong rebels in a remote area of north-eastern Laos.
"Your government has long denied the persistence of the anti-communist rebel movement and has suppressed information about the military efforts to crush the insurgency," the CPJ said in a letter to President Khamtay Siphandone.
The Laotian government announced yesterday the arrest on June 4 of Belgian photojournalist Thierry Falise, French cameraman Vincent Reynaud, and their Hmong guide, Naw Karl Mua, who is a US citizen and a pastor. It said the "three foreigners ... cooperated with bandits to kill a village security man" in Xieng Khuang province. It has refused to say where they are being held. The CPJ is "deeply concerned about the safety of the two European journalists and their American guide" and calls for their "prompt and unconditional release", the letter said.
Bron: Daily Telegraph.
"Your government has long denied the persistence of the anti-communist rebel movement and has suppressed information about the military efforts to crush the insurgency," the CPJ said in a letter to President Khamtay Siphandone.
The Laotian government announced yesterday the arrest on June 4 of Belgian photojournalist Thierry Falise, French cameraman Vincent Reynaud, and their Hmong guide, Naw Karl Mua, who is a US citizen and a pastor. It said the "three foreigners ... cooperated with bandits to kill a village security man" in Xieng Khuang province. It has refused to say where they are being held. The CPJ is "deeply concerned about the safety of the two European journalists and their American guide" and calls for their "prompt and unconditional release", the letter said.
Bron: Daily Telegraph.
# posted by Jan-Edward : 09:36
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