(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed outrage over revelations by the Bucharest Prosecutor’s Office that the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Iraq may have been orchestrated by their Iraqi guide and a businessman. “We have confidence that the Romanian justice system will do its utmost to shed light on this disturbing case. They must punish […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed outrage over revelations by the Bucharest Prosecutor’s Office that the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Iraq may have been orchestrated by their Iraqi guide and a businessman.
“We have confidence that the Romanian justice system will do its utmost to shed light on this disturbing case. They must punish all those implicated in what appears to be a put up job, in line with their wrongdoing.”
“These latest revelations detract nothing from the painful ordeal of Marie-Jeanne Ion, Sorin Dumitru Miscoci and Eduard Ovidiu Ohanesian during these past 55 days”, RSF said.
The Bucharest Prosecutor’s Office announced in a 27 May 2005 release that the kidnapping, as well as the threats made by the group that held the journalists and their Iraqi guide, Mohamad Munaf, were designed to create strong emotion in Romanian public opinion that would focus attention on businessman Omar Hayssam.
“He hoped to thus escape conviction in several cases in which he was accused of organised crime and numerous financial offences,” said the Prosecutor’s Office. The accusations are reportedly based on the testimonies of nine people arrested and questioned in Baghdad, “who were directly implicated in this hostage-taking.”
Munaf and Hayssam are both the subject of an arrest warrant for “terrorism” issued by the Bucharest Appeal Court, placing them in custody for a period of 29 days. This warrant was issued in the absence of Munaf, who, after being released with the three journalists on 22 May, is being held by US forces in Iraq.
