Forty IFEX members appeal for diplomatic support in detained journalists’ case

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Arab Archives Institute, ARTICLE 19, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Brazilian Association for Investigative Journalism, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, Cartoonists Rights, Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), Center for Media Studies & Peace Building (CEMESP), Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social, Comité por la Libre Expresión – C-Libre, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Foro de Periodismo Argentino, Freedom House, Globe International Center, Index on Censorship, Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS), Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, International Press Institute (IPI), Journaliste en danger (JED), Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Media Institute, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Mizzima News, Observatorio Latinoamericano para la Libertad de Expresión – OLA, Observatory for the Freedom of Press, Publishing and Creation in Tunisia (OLPEC), Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF), Pakistan Press Foundation, Public Association “Journalists”, Sindicato de Periodistas del Paraguay, South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM), Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), Thai Journalists Association, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers

3 June 2009

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Free expression advocates from around the world gathered this week in Oslo, Norway, at the IFEX General Meeting. Forty IFEX members signed on to a letter calling on the international community to press for the release of journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling.

(CPJ/IFEX) – Free expression advocates from around the world gathered this week in Oslo, Norway, at the IFEX General Meeting. Forty IFEX members signed on to this letter, calling on the international community to press for the release of journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling:

June 2, 2009

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov
32/34 Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl., 119200
Moscow G-200

Ambassador Wi Sung-lac
South Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
North Korean Nuclear Affairs Bureau

Hu Zhengyue
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People’s Republic of China
No. 2, Chaoyangmen Nandajie, Chaoyang District
Beijing, 100701

Stephen W. Bosworth
Special Representative for North Korea Policy
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Sasae Kenichiro
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Kasumigaseki 2-2-1, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-8919, Japan

Kim Kye-gwan
Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

To the representatives of countries involved in the Six-Party Talks:

As journalists and members of the global press freedom community we are writing to express our concern about the March 17 detention of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, and their upcoming trial on June 4 on charges of illegally entering the Peoples Republic of Korea and unspecified “hostile acts.”

Both women are journalists reporting for Current TV. Their families have called for understanding from the DPRK’s government, and they have apologized for any possible transgressions. Family members have said the women had assured them before they left the United States that they had never intended to enter North Korea while they were on their reporting trip.

We call on you to use your diplomatic efforts to press for the release of these two journalists.

Sincerely,

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