(RSF/IFEX) – In a 14 September 1999 letter to Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ehud Barak, RSF protested the arrest of a Lebanese freelance journalist, Cosette Elias Ibrahim, along with two men, De Gaulle Butros Bou Taleb and Samir George Khiami. RSF stated that it is “deeply concerned by this arrest, which constitutes a blatant […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a 14 September 1999 letter to Prime Minister and Defence
Minister Ehud Barak, RSF protested the arrest of a Lebanese freelance
journalist, Cosette Elias Ibrahim, along with two men, De Gaulle Butros Bou
Taleb and Samir George Khiami. RSF stated that it is “deeply concerned by
this arrest, which constitutes a blatant infringement of the right to freely
inform” and added that “the Israeli army is responsible for her safety,
because under the Geneva Convention, journalists present in zones of
conflict should be protected as civilians.” The organisation requested
information on this case and urged the Israeli prime minister “to use (his)
influence to obtain Ms Ibrahim’s release.”
The three persons were abducted by Israeli security officers in the village
of Rmeish, in southern Lebanon. The date of this abduction is not clear, but
is believed to be 2 September. They are reportedly being held in custody in
Khiam, Israel’s main jail in the occupied zone. The journalist is accused of
“refusing to cooperate with the Israeli army of occupation.” There are fears
that she has been tortured during interrogations.
