Two French journalists held prisoners in Afghanistan for six months
by Milota Sidorova
April 8th that was the last time the world has seen Hervé Ghesquiére and Stéphane Taponier, two French journalists operating in Kapisa – Afghan province near Kabul. Ghesquiére and Taponier were kidnapped with their group consisting driver and editor during their way to Kapisa and held prisoners for 183 days. More than six months they spent in captivity without knowing their kidnappers. The suspicion falls on Afghan warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, but this fact hasn't been proved yet. The situation is getting worse, since the country has been ruled by several military groups of local warlords who join and split among themselves. That's why it is diffi! cult to target the current location of the prisoners. Last time they appeared on a videotape, they looked healthy, but warned if Afghan prisoners were not released, they would be executed. What was the most remarkable about this case was the information embargo laid over Ghesquiére and Taponier. Immediately after their kidnapping, French public TV station, France 3 asked to maintain the details of this accident in secrecy. The movement has started after Paris based NGO Reporters Without Borders unveiled large portraits of journalists in their cities. Then the campaign was released having had the same portraits in Luxembourg gardens displayed in Paris. This has been the case of the longest reporter caption so far. The information embargo remains of David Rhode's case. Rhode was New York Times reporter captured by Taliban year ago, but for seven months there was full silence about his presence. New York Times insisted that any public mention could end up in Rhode's death! .
related story (sgx17722): http://www.france24.com/en/20100629-french-journalists-kidna...
by Milota Sidorova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv) |
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