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Alan Johnston
April 26, 2007 12:00 AM
By Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP in European Parliament
By Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP in European Parliament
Madam President, Alan Johnston has been a BBC journalist for 16 years and has worked in a variety of countries, including Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, so he has not exactly chosen a comfortable life! During his three years in Gaza he has taken a strong interest in social and political developments there and he has told the story of the people of Gaza. Therefore, as others have said, it very much harms the Palestinian cause for him not to be doing the job that he loves and does so well.
In 2005 and 2006 alone, 181 journalists and assistants were killed, 1678 arrested, 56 kidnapped and 2780 physically attacked or threatened. The year 2006 saw the highest death toll since 1994 when 103 died, in particular in Rwanda, Algeria and the former Yugoslavia. Censorship and media bans are, of course, widespread and persistent.
In this joint motion for a resolution we are calling on all EU bodies - Member State diplomats, the High Representative for CFSP and the Commission - to strengthen and coordinate their efforts to secure Mr Johnston's release. We are also calling on the Palestinian Authority to increase its efforts and it, no doubt, will give the matter all the greater priority if it is pressed by the Palestinian people. I thank all those in Gaza - journalists and citizens of all kinds - for their vocal demands for Alan Johnston's release. They know that they need a journalist of integrity and commitment to give them a window on the world.
Free democracies cannot flourish without press freedom. As we insist on Alan Johnston's safe return, we salute the courage of all journalists who put their safety on the line in order to bring the truth to the world and to allow us all to enjoy democracy.
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