Campus Chronicle

Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: Expressions

The dangers of the Iraqi war are experienced by more than just the Iraqi soldiers, United States soldiers, and Iraqi civilians. The violence and danger has spilled over into the world of journalism.
Richard Butler, a photojournalist for CBS, and his Iraqi interpreter were seized by the Iraqi army in Basra in early February. The interpreter was released three days later but Butler was not so lucky.
According to the Iraqi defense ministry, Butler was found in a house in Basra with his hands tied behind his back and a sack over his head. How the Iraqi defense ministry stumbled upon Butler was sheer luck. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, "the Iraqi forces launched the raid following an intelligence tip-off that was not about Mr. Butler, but about a weapons cache in Basra ."
From the opposite end of the spectrum, Bilal Hussein, a photographer for the Associated Press, was released after being detained for two years by the US military in Iraq. Hussein was detained in western Anbar under "suspicion of working with insurgents." The US military statement accused Hussein of "possessing equipment for making bombs and working with insurgents to photograph explosions targeted at security forces." Despite the fact that Hussein had always denied any links with insurgents, and that Human Rights Watch had appealed for his release, and the fact that he had never been charged of any crime, the US military continued to detain Hussein. His release came a week after Iraqi judges ordered his release under an amnesty law that was passed in February. To protect itself, the US has a "United Nations Security Council mandate to detain anyone believed to be a security risk, notwithstanding Iraqi judicial orders."
Reporters without Borders, an organization that campaigns for press freedom, was relieved that the journalists were released. In relation to the recent dangers confronted by journalists the organization says that, "Iraq continues to be extremely dangerous for journalists, including foreign reporters, five years after the start of the war." Further displaying their involvement and promoting awareness to this problem, the organization says that they "have not forgotten the 14 journalists of whom there has been no word in the many months since their abduction."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools