Khaled Oweis
Reuters concerned for photographer held in Syria
Saturday 02 April 2011
Reuters is concerned for the safety of photographer Khaled al-Hariri, who has been detained by Syrian authorities for five days.
Hariri, 50, has a condition which needs daily medication. A Syrian national, he was last seen when his wife dropped him off by car near the Reuters bureau in Damascus on Monday morning.
A witness has told Hariri’s family that he was stopped by two men outside the office and taken away. A Syrian official told the family that he would be released by the authorities if there was “no evidence against him”. He gave no details.
“We are deeply concerned about our colleague Khaled al-Hariri, who has been missing in Syria for five days now,” editor-in-chief Stephen Adler said on Saturday. “We continue to ask the Syrian authorities for their urgent assistance to help get Khaled home safely.”
Hariri is one of four Reuters journalists to have been detained in the past week in Syria. The three others, all foreigners, have been released and expelled. A fifth Reuters journalist, Jordanian Khaled Yacoub Oweis, was not detained but was expelled on 25 March after five years as the news agency's correspondent in the Syrian capital.
Two Lebanese television journalists, producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji, were detained in Damascus last Saturday. They were held incommunicado for two days before being deported to Lebanon. On Tuesday, Amman correspondent Suleiman al-Khalidi, a Jordanian, was arrested in Damascus, held for three days and then expelled on Friday.
● SOURCE Reuters
Hariri, 50, has a condition which needs daily medication. A Syrian national, he was last seen when his wife dropped him off by car near the Reuters bureau in Damascus on Monday morning.
A witness has told Hariri’s family that he was stopped by two men outside the office and taken away. A Syrian official told the family that he would be released by the authorities if there was “no evidence against him”. He gave no details.
“We are deeply concerned about our colleague Khaled al-Hariri, who has been missing in Syria for five days now,” editor-in-chief Stephen Adler said on Saturday. “We continue to ask the Syrian authorities for their urgent assistance to help get Khaled home safely.”
Hariri is one of four Reuters journalists to have been detained in the past week in Syria. The three others, all foreigners, have been released and expelled. A fifth Reuters journalist, Jordanian Khaled Yacoub Oweis, was not detained but was expelled on 25 March after five years as the news agency's correspondent in the Syrian capital.
Two Lebanese television journalists, producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji, were detained in Damascus last Saturday. They were held incommunicado for two days before being deported to Lebanon. On Tuesday, Amman correspondent Suleiman al-Khalidi, a Jordanian, was arrested in Damascus, held for three days and then expelled on Friday.
● SOURCE Reuters
Reuters journalists under attack in Syria, Libya
Thursday 31 March 2011
Reuters is urgently seeking the safe return of two of its veteran journalists in Syria, one of whom was said to be in state custody while the other was reported missing. In Libya, a Reuters correspondent was expelled on Wednesday without explanation.
Citing diplomatic sources, Reuters said correspondent Suleiman al-Khalidi, a 54-year-old Jordanian who has worked for Reuters for more than 20 years in Jordan, Kuwait, Syria and Iraq, had been detained in Damascus on Tuesday. The Jordanian foreign minister said in a Twitter post that he was monitoring the case closely.
He was able to make two brief telephone calls to his wife on Thursday, saying he hoped to return soon.
Reuters also said Damascus-based photographer Khaled al-Hariri, a Syrian who has also worked for Reuters for more than 20 years, has not been heard from since Monday. It said he was last seen at the Damascus bureau on Monday morning.
Both journalists had been covering political unrest in Syria.
“Thomson Reuters is deeply concerned about the whereabouts of our colleagues Khaled al-Hariri and Suleiman al-Khalidi,” editor-in-chief Stephen Adler said. “We call upon the Syrian authorities to help us urgently in ensuring their safe and timely release.”
Syrian authorities have detained several local journalists and press freedom advocates in recent days, although some have since been released. Reuters journalists were among those targeted. On Monday, authorities expelled producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji after holding them incommunicado for two days. On Friday, Syrian authorities revoked the press credentials of another Reuters senior correspondent, Khaled Oweis, for purportedly “false” coverage.
In Libya, authorities on Wednesday expelled Michael Georgy, who had been covering the conflict for several weeks, Reuters said. The Libyan government provided no justification for its action. Georgy, who was among a group of foreign journalists allowed to report from Tripoli under severe government restrictions, arrived in neighbouring Tunisia. He had been detained for several hours earlier this month while trying to reach Misrata, Reuters said.
“We are concerned for the safety of our two missing colleagues and urge Syrian authorities to do everything to ensure their safety,” said Mohamed Abdel Dayem, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Middle East and North Africa programme coordinator. “We are also disappointed to hear that the Libyan government has expelled Reuters’ Michael Georgy, seemly without cause.”
Two Lebanese Reuters television journalists who had been working in Syria since the previous week, producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji, were held incommunicado for two days before being released by Syrian authorities on Monday. They were expelled to Lebanon.
Reuters correspondent Khaled Yacoub Oweis, a Jordanian who had been based in Damascus, was expelled from Syria on Friday for what a Syrian information ministry official described as his “unprofessional and false” coverage of events.
Two weeks ago Saudi Arabia expelled correspondent Ulf Laessing from Riyadh.
Prominent Jordanian journalists and rights activists staged a silent protest on the steps of Jordan’s Journalists Syndicate in Amman on Thursday over Khalidi’s detention.
● SOURCE Committee to Protect Journalists | Reuters
Citing diplomatic sources, Reuters said correspondent Suleiman al-Khalidi, a 54-year-old Jordanian who has worked for Reuters for more than 20 years in Jordan, Kuwait, Syria and Iraq, had been detained in Damascus on Tuesday. The Jordanian foreign minister said in a Twitter post that he was monitoring the case closely.
He was able to make two brief telephone calls to his wife on Thursday, saying he hoped to return soon.
Reuters also said Damascus-based photographer Khaled al-Hariri, a Syrian who has also worked for Reuters for more than 20 years, has not been heard from since Monday. It said he was last seen at the Damascus bureau on Monday morning.
Both journalists had been covering political unrest in Syria.
“Thomson Reuters is deeply concerned about the whereabouts of our colleagues Khaled al-Hariri and Suleiman al-Khalidi,” editor-in-chief Stephen Adler said. “We call upon the Syrian authorities to help us urgently in ensuring their safe and timely release.”
Syrian authorities have detained several local journalists and press freedom advocates in recent days, although some have since been released. Reuters journalists were among those targeted. On Monday, authorities expelled producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji after holding them incommunicado for two days. On Friday, Syrian authorities revoked the press credentials of another Reuters senior correspondent, Khaled Oweis, for purportedly “false” coverage.
In Libya, authorities on Wednesday expelled Michael Georgy, who had been covering the conflict for several weeks, Reuters said. The Libyan government provided no justification for its action. Georgy, who was among a group of foreign journalists allowed to report from Tripoli under severe government restrictions, arrived in neighbouring Tunisia. He had been detained for several hours earlier this month while trying to reach Misrata, Reuters said.
“We are concerned for the safety of our two missing colleagues and urge Syrian authorities to do everything to ensure their safety,” said Mohamed Abdel Dayem, the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Middle East and North Africa programme coordinator. “We are also disappointed to hear that the Libyan government has expelled Reuters’ Michael Georgy, seemly without cause.”
Two Lebanese Reuters television journalists who had been working in Syria since the previous week, producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji, were held incommunicado for two days before being released by Syrian authorities on Monday. They were expelled to Lebanon.
Reuters correspondent Khaled Yacoub Oweis, a Jordanian who had been based in Damascus, was expelled from Syria on Friday for what a Syrian information ministry official described as his “unprofessional and false” coverage of events.
Two weeks ago Saudi Arabia expelled correspondent Ulf Laessing from Riyadh.
Prominent Jordanian journalists and rights activists staged a silent protest on the steps of Jordan’s Journalists Syndicate in Amman on Thursday over Khalidi’s detention.
● SOURCE Committee to Protect Journalists | Reuters
