Only one course of action

Paul Holmes’s account of his arrest in Bosnia reminded me of my own detention by Croatian forces outside the port of Sibenik in mid-September 1991 after bombing by the Yugoslav air force. I was accused of spying for British intelligence, long considered supportive of Belgrade. I used the very same arguments as Paul - that Reuters was neutral, objective and deployed journalists to report from both sides. It happened to work then too.

I am not convinced I would have been sent on my way quite so easily if someone was able to wave the Thomson Reuters UK Armed Forces Covenant in my face.

Ours are among innumerable similar encounters experienced by Reuters journalists before and after us. Reuters journalists are not prone to advertising what is considered part of the territory of conflict reporting. But now it appears we need to do so, if only to make Mark Sandham and Lucinda Case aware of the dangerous consequences of their unfortunate decision.

The only course of action to repair Reuters reputation for independence is for the Covenant to be rescinded followed by a loud and visible reaffirmation of the Trust Principles. ■