(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is very pleased about Canadian journalist Ken Hechtman’s release after one week in detention. On 1 December 2001, the Taliban handed the freelance journalist over to the Pakistani police at the Chaman border post (southwestern Pakistan). Earlier, two Canadian diplomats in charge of the negotiations met with a Taliban officer, who committed […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is very pleased about Canadian journalist Ken Hechtman’s release after one week in detention. On 1 December 2001, the Taliban handed the freelance journalist over to the Pakistani police at the Chaman border post (southwestern Pakistan). Earlier, two Canadian diplomats in charge of the negotiations met with a Taliban officer, who committed to securing the journalist’s release within twenty-four hours.
According to Hechtman’s first report to the press, he was not kidnapped but rather arrested by the Taliban, who suspected him of being a spy. “I arrived in Spin Boldak [on] the day of the first air strikes. This made the Taliban very nervous.” He was reportedly not ill-treated but rather detained in the Spin Boldak hospital.
