Again, Pro-Gaddafi Forces Detain Foreign Photojournalists

Photo by Youssef Boudlal-Reuters

Less than a month after four foreign journalists—two reporters and two photographers, all for The New York Times—were captured while reporting the clash in Libya, pro-Gaddafi forces again detain four other journalists. They are James Foley (contributing reporter for GlobalPost), Clare Morgana Gillis (freelance reporter for The Atlantic), and two photographers—Manu Brabo of Spain and Anton Hammerl of South Africa. They were taken by the pro-Gaddafi forces on Tuesday (5/4) while reporting from near Brega in eastern Libya, and their being were left unknown until now.

Photo by GlobalPost

“Requests have been made to the Libyan foreign media office for the release of James Foley and the other journalists detained by government forces. We appeal to the Libyan authorities for the immediate and safe release of these journalists,”  Philip S. Balboni, the president of GlobalPost said in a statement.

The capturing and detention was later informed to GlobalPost by C.J. Chivers—a reporter for the New York Times—and Mr. Bouckaert, on Thursday morning after learning who had been detained. “The witnesses said that the area (a lonely road few miles from Brega) came under fire, and then suddenly two pickup trucks carrying gaddafi loyalists appeared and took the four journalists.

According to previous reports, journalists and photographers arrested by the pro-Gaddafi forces experiences days of brutality during the detention. Therefore, GlobalPost has been working with the State department, Human Rights Watch, and the Committee to Protect Journalists to guarantee the two journalists and two photographers’ safety and have them released as soon as possible.globalpost.com, nytimes.com