Release of UK journalist demanded | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Release of UK journalist demanded

PESHAWAR- Reporters Sans Frontiers Reporters (without borders), an international organization for the protection 4 of journalists rights, has called immediate release of British journalist Amardeep Bassey.

In a letter to Interior Minister Lt.Gen Moin-ud-din Haider, Sans Frontiers (RSF) called for the immediate release of the journalist of Sunday Mercury. “Once again, a reporter, of Indian origin, has been arrested by the Pakistani services on a ridiculous pretext. “The accusations of spying are grotesque, and indicate discrimination against the journalist on the basis of origin”, said Robert Menard, RSF.

The organisation has asked the interior minister to do all in his power to ensure Amardeep Bassey’s release. According to RSF, Amardeep Bassey, a reporter of the Birmingham-based newspaper was arrested on 11th May, at the Pak-Afghan border post of Torkhan (in the northwest of the country). The reporter was returning from Afghanistan led by two guides from Pakistan’s tribal areas. According to the police, Amardeep Bassey was arrested and detained in Landikotal prison because he did not had an exit visa from Pakistan, although he had been in Peshawar a few days previously. RSF spoke to Dave Brooks, the editor of the newspaper, who said his reporter had been in the region for some weeks. He had been invited to Kabul (Afghanistan) by the UK’s Foreign Office to cover the activities of the British peacekeeping forces.

Amardeep Bassey, who has reported from Pakistan on previous occasions, decided to remain in the region and went to Peshawar. He has written articles on the reconstruction of Afghanistan and has interviewed ad English man held in Peshawar for drug dealing.

29 years old Amardeep Bassay was awarded last year’s prize for best investigative journalist in the Midlands for the quality of his articles.

During the war in Afghanistan, the authorities refused to grant press visas to Indian journalist. The few reporters of Indian origin were victims of discrimination. For example Aditya Sinha, an American journalist working for the Indian daily Hindustan Times, and Rajiv Chandrasekaran, special correspondent for the Washington Post, were deported from Pakistan after being questioned by number of secret service.

Source: The Nation
Date:5/15/2002