(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter addressed to Attorney General John Ashcroft, RSF expressed its concern about the arrest and detention pending trial of Steve Morgan and Nick Clyde, independent photographer and videographer, respectively, in Los Angeles. RSF asked the attorney general to explain the reasons for the arrests. “Without going into the substance of this […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter addressed to Attorney General John Ashcroft, RSF expressed its concern about the arrest and detention pending trial of Steve Morgan and Nick Clyde, independent photographer and videographer, respectively, in Los Angeles. RSF asked the attorney general to explain the reasons for the arrests. “Without going into the substance of this case, we believe that journalists have the right to cover this type of event,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. “If it turns out that they were only present at the demonstration to do their jobs, then no charges should be filed against them,” he added.
According to information obtained by RSF, on 14 July 2001, Morgan, a British photographer, and Clyde, an Australian cameraman, were arrested while covering a protest by about fifteen members of Greenpeace. The activists were protesting the latest anti-missile test carried out by the United States, and their actions delayed the test. The two journalists and the Greenpeace members were all arrested and are being held pending trial in Los Angeles. They face up to ten years’ imprisonment for “conspiring to violate a safety zone and violating an order.” According to Bruno Rebelle, director of Greenpeace France, their hearings will likely be held on 13 August. Rebelle confirmed that “the photographer and videographer were present simply to do their jobs as independent witnesses.”
