Collection of signatures to support kidnapped journalists in Irak
The World Editors Forum is partner in an initiative with Liberation, the French daily newspaper and Reporters without Borders to campaign for the release of Florence Aubenas, Hussein Hanoun and other journalists held hostage in Iraq (as reporter Mari Jeanne Ion, cameraman Sorin Dumitru Miscoci of the Romanian television station, Prima TV, and Eduard Ovidiu Ohanesian of the privately-owned daily newspaper, Romania Libera).
The latest initiative is called “THE BRUSSELS DECLARATION” (see also below). As you can see in this text, a first mobilization took place in Brussels on 22 March 2005. Now we need dozens and dozens of signatures of editors and publishers from around the world (newspapers, magazines, broadcasters, e-zines, weblogs...) to give to the European Parliament on 15 APRIL 2005 a strong message of support for our colleagues. This date is very symbolic because it will mark HUNDRED DAYS of captivity for Florence Aubenas and Hussein Hanoun.
I want to ask you for something very simple: just sign the Brussels declaration and distribute this appeal to your colleagues in your country. All you need to do is to send back this e-mail back to me: bpecquerie@wan.asso.fr Just say “I sign the Brussels declaration” with your name, your title and your newspaper or organisation. Your professional email address will be the proof of your sincerity and honesty (please don’t use a personal email).
I hope you can join us. Florence Aubenas, Hussein Hanoun and the three Romanian journalists need your help!
PLEASE ANSWER BY 12 APRIL 2005 IN ORDER TO ALLOW ME THE FINAL LIST OF SIGNATORIES AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Brussels Declaration by Worldwide media
in support of Florence Aubenas and Hussein Hanoun
Many Editors have already signed this appeal to European institutions and European Union member-states to work for the release of the hostages. We invite others to sign up before 12 April.
The declaration reads :
We, editorial directors of European media, express our solidarity with Florence Aubenas, special correspondent for the French daily newspaper Lib?ration, and her Iraqi guide Hussein Hanoun, kidnapped in Iraq on 5 January 2005 as well as reporter Mari Jeanne Ion and cameraman Sorin Dumitru Miscoci of the Romanian television station, Prima TV, and Eduard Ovidiu Ohanesian of the privately-owned daily newspaper, Romania Libera.
We reaffirm that there can be no freedom without the freedom to inform the public, everywhere and in every place. This freedom is a fundamental right that every one of us should work to defend and promote.
In addition, we call on all European institutions and member countries of the Union, to redouble their efforts for the two hostages. And, more than that, that they make themselves active defenders of press freedom, without which we cannot speak about democracy.
Today, Florence Aubenas, Hussein Hanoun, Mari Jeanne Ion, Sorin Dumitru Miscoci and Eduard Ovidiu Ohanesian need all of us.
Brussels, 2 April 2005
European media that have signed the first declaration on 22 March (now more than 160 signatures, click here for the updated list) :
Austria = Der Standard, Gerfried Sperl, Editor
Belgium = Le Soir, B?atrice Delvaux, Editor
Denmark = Politiken, Toger Seidenfaden, Executive Editor-in-Chief
Estonia = Eesti P?evaleth, Priit Hobem?gi, Editor
Finland = Turun Sanomat, Ari Valjakka, Editor
France = Liberation, Serge July, Editor
Germany = Die Welt, Andrea Seibel, Vice Editor-in-Chief
Greece = To Vima, Stathis Eustathiadis, Senior Foreign Editor
Hungary = HVG, Julia Vasarhelyi, Deputy Editor
Ireland = The Irish Times, Peter Murtagh, Managing Editor
Italy =La Stampa, Vittorio Sabadin, Vice Editor
Luxembourg = Tageblatt, Dani?le Fonck, Editor
Norway = Aftenposten, Harald Stanghelle, Political Editor
Portugal = Publico, Teresa de Souza, Foreign Affairs Editor,
Slovakia = SME, Martin Simecka, Editor
Spain = El Pais, Miguel-Angel Bastenier, International Affairs Director
The Netherlands = Trouw / PCM Uitgevers, Jan Prins and Fritz van Exter, Editors
United Kingdom = The Times, George Brock, Saturday Editor
The Declaration, with the complete list of signatories, will be delivered by the French daily Liberation, the World Association of Newspapers, the World Editors Forum and Reporters Without Borders to the European institutions on 15 April, hundred days to the day after the two were kidnapped.
PLEASE ANSWER BY 12 APRIL IN ORDER TO SEND THE FINAL LIST OF SIGNATORIES AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Please return your agreement very urgently to:
Bertrand Pecquerie, WEF Director
e-mail : bpecquerie@wan.asso.fr
JUST SAY ? I sign the Brussels declaration. ?
We need your name, your function and the name of your newspaper or organisation.
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I quit believing a long time ago in declarations, signatures and in the "people power".
I still believe though that this action has been conceived for the unification of Europe, for removing the brakes that keep Romania hanging on a wrong path, marching with an incompetent president who, with his shameful face and attitude, displaying all around the World a warrior and at the same time an anti-European stance, mocks at the decent Romanian individuals, at the very national interest of this people and not at last at the global peace, at the dignity of this planet.
Hopefully there is a real chance for removing the pest which has transformed the Balkans and Romania with preponderence into the black hole of the continent.
Success in your action!
~Vera