Chad
Photographer and aid workers heldPosted Nov 1 2007
French photographers and reporters Marc Garmirian, of the Capa news agency, and Jean-Daniel Guillou, of the Synchro X agency, along with members of Arche de Zoe, the French charity, were formally charged October 29 with “kidnapping minors” and “fraud.”
Garmirian and Guillou were covering Arche de Zoe while it was in Chad. According to the International Frederation of Journalists, Arche de Zoe told the press it wanted to help the 103 children they were flying to France to live with host families, not abduct them.
A third journalist, Marie-Agnes Peleran of the France 3 Mediteraanee TV station, who was with the group for personal reasons, is also being charged.
IFJ reports that the French government has condemned the operation and its ambassador said those involved would face the Chadian justice system.
Along with Reporters Without Borders and IFJ and their French affiliates SNJ and SNJ-CGT have issued statements saying the journalists covering Arche de Zoe are protected under international law and should be released.