FRANCE: Paris-based organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launches a committee in support of French journalist Marc Garmirian arrested in Chad

'Reporters Without Borders' and relatives of French journalist Marc Garmirian, ask for his release after authorities in Chad charged him with abduction and fraud, along with members of Zoe's Ark group, meaning he could face 5 to 20 years hard labour if he is convicted. Paris-based organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched a website petition on Wednesday (October 31) in support of French reporter Marc Garmiran, of Capa News Agency and photographer Jean-Daniel Guillou of the Synchro X agency, arrested in Chad together with members of Zoe's Ark group while they were trying to fly 103 African children to Europe. Marc Garmirian's relatives, attended the press conference that took place at the CFJ, a journalist training centre. Claude Garmirian's mother, Claude, very moved when she addressed the press said "I ask Mr Sarkozy and (Chadian President) Mr (Idriss) Deby to do all in their power to ensure Marc's release, , (who was working as) a reporter in the execution of his duties. I ask these two heads of states to declare that Marc was working and is not guilty." Marc's girlfriend, Dominique Perrin stressed that Garmirian was shooting a documentary on the Zoe's Ark NGO and had no links with the association. "Of course, he does not have any links with this association but he travelled there to investigate, to shoot, to interview people. It's not being an accomplice ......when one films people it does not mean you are a party to their acts," she said. They asked for the immediate release of the reporters for the freedom and the independence of the press. "We have to ask clearly to the Head of state, the only one who can be heard, and Mr. Deby will only take into account what Mr. Sarkozy says, here we are. We should ask him something clear, we no longer debate on the fact that Marc is, or not a journalist. That is to take us for fools! Today, we want him, Nicolas Sarkozy, to ask Mr Deby to release the reporters. It's unreasonable to still have them in prison, it's unacceptable when we are told that they must be tried to know if they are guilty or innocent. They are, of course, innocent. They only did their jobs so it is up to Mr. Sarkozy, today, to tell Mr. Deby "I want the release of the journalists and I want it immediately", said Robert Menard, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) secretary general. RSF intends to travel to Chad and meet authorities to plead the cause of the French reporters Meanwhile in Abeché, several hundred angry locals gathered outside the governor's office in the eastern town, where nine French nationals and seven Spaniards were arrested last week as they tried to fly 103 children out of the impoverished state. The detained French are members of a group called Zoe's Ark which said it wanted to place orphans aged 3-10 years from Sudan's war-torn Darfur region with European families. United Nations and French officials have said it appears many of the children were from Chad and were not orphans. The case has triggered outrage among Chadians, with many on the barren border with Sudan questioning the motives of scores of foreign aid groups that work with Darfur refugees. Families of children missing in eastern Chad, itself riven by conflict and sheltering some 230,000 Sudanese refugees from Darfur, arrived at the orphanage where the 103 children are being held in the hope of finding lost relatives. The scandal is an embarrassment for France which is a longstanding ally of Chadian President Idriss Deby. Speaking during a visit to the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he would speak to Chad's Deby about the case to "draw his attention to the (principle of) presumption of innocence and the situation of the people over there, notably journalists. At least those that we now know were apparently not involved in the actions of this association". He said a case had also been opened in France into the affair and that the two countries should discuss the issue calmly. Although he did not explicitly say he wanted the French nationals to return home to face investigation, he hinted that was what he was seeking. Chadian authorities have charged the French nationals with abduction and fraud, meaning they could face 5 to 20 years hard labour if convicted. France has troops stationed in Chad and will provide roughly half of a European Union peacekeeping force of up to 3,000 soldiers to be deployed in the east in the coming weeks to protect Sudanese and Chadian refugees there.

ITN Source | November 1, 2007

Tags:. .ensure. .calmly. .plead. .fools. .chads