10.1.08

Plea to free French journalists from death sentence

French media are putting pressure on the French government and the president of the west African country of Niger to release two journalists who are being held for visiting north Niger’s Tuareg rebels without permission. The journalists working for the Arte television channel, face the death penalty if found guilty of the charges.

Earlier this week Le Monde published an open letter appealing to Niger’s president to free reporter Thomas Dandois and his cameraman Pierre Creisson and Liberation has added its weight by publishing a piece criticising the government for not doing more to secure the release of the two men.

Fresh reports also suggest that UK Foreign Secretary, David Milliband is also being lobbied on behalf of Dandois who holds a British passport and has relatives in Scotland.

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