The screening of “Amazing Azerbaijan!” on Thursday, 11th April was followed by a Q&A with the film’s director Liz Mermin. The film contrasts the two-faced Azerbaijan: on one hand there was the glamour before and during Eurovision, carefully constructed by the government; the other side is that investigative journalists like Khadija Ismayilova regularly get persecuted for speaking up for democracy.

The documentary journalist and film director Liz Mermin gives the public an insight into how she gathered the footage.

Before opening up the debate, Mermin summarised the discrepancy between official Western thinking and the struggles of ordinary people: “Eurovision was being used by the government to say ‘look, we are European. We are Western and just between evil Russia and Eastern Iran.'”

To enrich her portraits about activists and exiles, Mermin spent ten days in Azerbaijan and tried to talk to government and industry officials.

“It was very difficult to get a journalist visa. It came through the night before we got on the plane. I was told I was given interviews with high ministers but none of those happened.”

After a member of the public addressed the lack of international interest in corruption and an anti-democratic governmental expenditure, the director explained:

“Crucial EU players don’t want to be part of these conversations because they have nothing to gain from it. We need people in power to get embarassed by what they are doing.”

Another issue that prevents extensive European attention and coverage is the EU’s dependency on Azerbaijani oil and energy supplies. BP also “wasn’t very interested in talking to me, for obvious reasons.” As a result, the film gave a platform to some of the country’s most passionate and aggressive activists, bloggers and intellectuals.

Liz Mermin answers questions from the public and calls for a higher mainstream media coverage of the Azerbaijan conflict.

A member of a human rights organisation in the audience pointed out that:

“it is hard to stand up for the wrongdoings in these countries when, often, western governments are guilty of similar things. I’m thinking about the ongoing Guantanamo debate for example.”

The hunger strike of the Bay’s strikers has been classified as “potentially deadly” on Thursday.

This screening of “Amazing Azerbaijan!” was part of One World Echoes, an international tour celebrating the 15th anniversary of One World, Europe’s largest human rights film festival, established in Prague in 1998 by Czech NGO People in Need. The London Echoes are co-organized by the Czech Centre London, Open City Docs Fest (London 20-23 June 2013) and The Frontline Club. On Friday 24 May, Frontline will show “Motherland or Death”, a screening about Cuba. Further details tbc.

The acclaimed book chronicles the work of the Frontline news agency, founded by journalists Rory Peck, Peter Jouvenal, Vaughan Smith and Nicholas Della Casa.

First published in 2005, the latest edition features a foreword from BBC world affairs editor John Simpson, who writes that the book is “the history of a moment in television news, which was brief enough, yet so bright it will stay in the minds of everyone who experienced it, like staring into a torch-beam on a dark night.”

Frontline Television’s reporters were motivated to document the true horrors of war and courageously went where other news organisations feared to tread. Risking everything to show the truth, they travelled the world’s most dangerous places in a quest to live life to the full, a quest some paid for with their lives. (Two of FTV’s founders, Peck and Della Casa, are now dead: killed in action.)

Between them, this colourful collection of adventurers and ex-army officers captured some of the key images at the end of the Cold War, and the fractured, fissile world which emerged.

The way they lived and died was an anachronism; they were eccentrics who might have been happier fighting wars in the British Empire a century before. Instead, they brought back pictures from the worst war zones the late twentieth century had to offer. And it suited them.

For the men of Frontline, how things were done was as important as what was done. All four of the founders, and those they recruited, shared the same panache, wit, and disdain for authority, planning the next trip to the Hindu Kush in the bar of the Ritz.

Their story reads like a latter-day Rudyard Kipling adventure. But while their lives may have been lived as if they were still playing the Great Game, they also cared passionately about their work and the truth it conveyed.

Part Bang Bang Club, part Flashman, Frontline is the gripping story of lives lived to the full in some of the worst places on earth.

The book can be purchased by visiting this link.

***************

Praise for Frontline:

“Loyn does a terrific job. His methodical, journalistic approach is perfect for grounding out a yarn that nobody would dare make up” Time Out – Book of the Week

“A gripping story, splashed with devil-may-care colour and scarcely credible tales of derring-do” The Guardian

“Girls, booze, physical hardship and flying bullets … Loyn keeps his narrative rattling along nicely” Daily Mail

“Barnstorming non-fiction. Every page is full of the kind of chutzpah, grit and valour that makes your own nine-to-five seem gut-wrenchingly futile.” Arena

“Hugely entertaining … the nearest thing to a Victorian adventure romp of empire against a background of fine marijuana, ‘Hotel California’, and the wheep and chirrup of satellite technology” Literary review

Freelance journalists Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan are finally free and in Kenya after being held hostage in Somalia for over one year. The duo were snatched on the outskirts of Mogadishu in August, 2008. It’s a story we have followed very closely since day one,

"I’m so happy to be free; it feels like a dream," Canadian Amanda Lindhout said. Her Australian colleague Nigel Brennan said he was still "in shock" link

We catalogued the story in the graphic above and on this post – which I’m glad to say I can finally stop editing. And I know those Frontlne bloggers who have worked in Somalia – namely Alex, David and Rob – all kept a close eye on developments and contacted their sources on the ground to see what, if anything, they could find out.

Rob Crilly gives an excellent overview of the unique risks of working in Somalia. These risks multiply exponentially if you work as a freelance. This is an issue we have covered before and no doubt will again.

It’s fantastic to hear Amanda and Nigel have been released and may their story be a lesson to anyone else thinking of heading into Somalia.

But let us not forget that Beverly Geisbrecht, another Canadian freelance journalist, who was kidnapped a year ago this month, remains held somewhere along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border.

A group of six Canadian media organisations have banded together to petition the Canadian government and help raise awareness of the kidnap of freelance journalists Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan in Somalia over one year ago,

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is launching a campaign, joined by the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), Canadian Media Guild (CMG), the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada and PEN Canada (NEPMCC), asking the federal government to do everything in its power to bring home Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout and her Australian colleague Nigel Brennan. link

CAJ president Mary Agnes Welch is careful to note that this new petition is not about media attention,

“is about personal action. Media attention could jeopardise the safety of Amanda and Nigel” link

This petition follows on from an earlier petition which, according to one commenter who appears to have created the petition, has kind of lost steam.

Amanda Lindhout is not the only Canadian freelance journalist being held against her will. Beverly Giesbrecht was kidnapped in the region between Pakistan and Afghanistan in November, 2008. She is still being held.

We’ve followed this kidnap story very closely since August 23, 2008 when the duo were captured, reportedly on the outskirts of Mogadishu a they were heading to an refugee camp. You can see the timeline of events in the graphic above.

If you’d like to add this constantly updated graphic to your website, blog or social networking site please go to Frontline Club on Dipity and grab the “embed widget” and follow the instructions for embedding into your site. Meanwhile here are the contents of the petition letter,

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada
Langevin Block
Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A2

Dear Prime Minister,

We, the friends, supporters and colleagues of Amanda Lindhout, join with the undersigned organisations to ask the Canadian government to make it a top priority to work for the immediate and unconditional release of Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout and her Australian colleague Nigel Brennan.

The two journalists have been held in captivity in Somalia for over a year. We urge you to commit full governmental support and resources to work with Amanda’s and Nigel’s families to bring them home. A year is too long – efforts must be redoubled.

Please do everything in your power to bring Amanda home to Canada.

Yours sincerely,

Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ)
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)
Canadian Media Guild (CMG)
National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC)
PEN Canada link

"It is true that Lindhout and Brennan are not in Mogadishu," said [Ambroise Pierre, head of the Africa desk for Reporters Without Borders] "They were not moved several times; they were moved once. Exactly where, we cannot say."

"They moved from the city for security reasons," said [Dahir Abdulle Alasow, who runs a Somali news website and the Associated Somali Journalists], in an e-mail from Belgium. "The kidnapper’s chief . . . told one of my colleagues that the Canadian government used what he called GPS and, after the air attack of Saleh Nabhan, they decided to move." link

This is the first news of the kidnapped duo that I have come across for at least two months.

One year ago today, freelance journalists Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan were kidnapped on the outskirts of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. The duo are reportedly being held in poor conditions, are in bad health and there is no indication that a release date is any closer one year on. Their Somali colleagues were released in January, 2009. The parents of the two journalists have released a joint statement to mark the one year anniversary,

"Together, the two families continue to work tirelessly to secure Nigel’s and Amanda’s safe release. With little outside support, the families, who have been united as one throughout this horrendous ordeal, continue to do everything and anything to gain the earliest possible release for their loved ones Amanda and Nigel. Our thoughts and all our love are with Amanda and Nigel, today, just as they have been for the past 365 days, and just as they will be until they are safely home with us.

In issuing this brief joint statement the families hope that the media will respect their wishes to be left alone during this particularly emotional time.” link

We continue to update the timeline as and when reports of the kidnapping are published and we feed these reports into the Dipity interactive timeline you can see above. Dipity have very kindly agreed to feature the timeline on their homepage to mark the anniversary.

Current.tv journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee are about to arrive in California after spending 140 days in a North Korean prison having been convicted of committing "hostile acts". The North Korean leader Kim Jong Il pardoned the duo after a surprise visit by Bill Clinton. You can watch the arrival of the two journalists live on CNN.com – if you tune in right now… Current.tv founder Al Gore released a statement about the release of Ling and Lee,

Current Media journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who have been detained in North Korea since March 17th, will be coming home on Wednesday morning with former President Bill Clinton, who is at this moment returning from North Korea having obtained their release.

We want to thank the Obama Administration for its continuous and determined efforts to achieve this outcome, and President Clinton for his willingness to undertake this mission.

All of us at Current are overjoyed at Laura and Euna’s safe return. Our hearts go out to them – and to their families – for persevering through this horrible experience.

We will have more to say in the days and weeks ahead. But for now, all our thoughts are with Laura and Euna and their families, who have shown remarkable courage and initiative for the 140 days of this ordeal.

Al Gore and Joel Hyatt
Co-Founders
Current Media link

Great news that the two have been released, but what about Reuters cameraman Ibrahim Jassam? He’s still being detained by U.S. miltary in Iraq after almost a year. Just look at the amount of attention his case has received in the past four weeks in comparison to the North Korea story,

And while I dont want to be too cynical, but how would the U.S. government have reacted if, say, a North Korean hack was found crossing the U.S. border illegally? Or, how about if an Iranian journalist had been found in the possession of confidential U.S. government documents? like Roxanna Saberi in Tehran.

I wonder how ready the U.S. government would be to pardon them? And I wonder how few times the name Ibrahim Jassam appears in and on U.S. media sites during this release fenzy. I’m watching the CNN live feed and I’ve yet to hear the name mentioned once, but I live in completely iditiotic naive hope

Photo taken by Reuters.

Amanda Lindhout, the Canadian journalist kidnapped in Somalia in August 2008, has reportedly made a plea over the telephone to Omni TV. The heart wrenching plea was broadcast earlier today in Ontario. Lindhout complains of stomach problems, dentistry issues and is worried she may die of illness or be killed by her captives. The kidnappers are thought to be demanding a ransom of between $1 – $1.5 million.

The mother of fellow kidnap victim, Australian freelance photographer Nigel Brennan, recently spoke out in frustration with the lack of progress in the kidnapping case. The duo will mark a full year in captivity on August 23.

The mother of Nigel Brennan, the freelance photojournalist who was kidnapped in Somalia in August 2008, has met with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. According to Sky News Heather Brennan made an unexpected approach to Rudd when she approached the PM as he was visiting Queensland today. She spoke with him for twenty minutes,

"These are difficult, sensitive and complex negotiations… (said Rudd) …If I was to look at the consular cases upon which I have spent the most time since I’ve been prime minister, it is this one,’ he said.  ‘It is one which the government takes seriously, but I do not underestimate the degree of difficulty involved in this. It is very hard." link

Meanwhile friends of Nigel Brennan are seriously worried about his health following reports in May and a recent telephone conversation with the kidnap victim,

Family friend Rebecca Hutchins urged the media to give attention to the case.  ‘He is really very, very unwell,’ Ms Hutchins said.  ‘I think mentally he would be in a very dark place and emotionally. Physically that is where the problem is at the moment. He is not well.’  The family spoke to Mr Brennan as recently as Wednesday. link

Please consider taking two minutes to sign the petition to help both Nigel Brennan and Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout who was kidnapped along with Nigel in August, 2008. And link to the petition if you have a blog, twitter account, website or email account.

Image taken from ABC Local News website.

Two French journalists were kidnapped in the Somali capital Mogadishu this morning. Gunmen snatched the duo from the Sahafi Hotel (pictured above) where most journalists stay when visiting. I’ll add more to this post as and when I get information,

Somali gunmen stormed a hotel in the capital Mogadishu and grabbed two French journalists on Tuesday, a hotel worker said.

"Several gunmen entered the Sahafi Hotel, pointed guns at the guards and went into the hotel rooms where they took away the two French nationals," the hotel manager who declined to give name told Reuters.

"The two males told me they were journalists," he added. (Reporting by Abdi Guled; Writing by Wangui Kanina) link originally via a BreakingNews Twitter tip off.

UPDATE: From BBC News,

(10) Gunmen wearing Somali police uniforms turned up at the guest house, seized the two reporters and took them in a vehicle towards a part of the city run by insurgents, said witnesses. link

UPDATE: Reuters is reporting the two "journalists" are in fact security consultants posing as journalists,

A government official, who asked not to be named, said the two French men had been posing as reporters for their own protection.

"They were security consultants who arrived in Somalia to train State House security guards, not journalists," the official said…

… It was not immediately clear who had taken the men, but a pro-government Islamist militia blamed dissident troops.

"Government soldiers who have mutinied were involved in kidnapping the two French citizens," militia spokesman Abdirisak Qeylow told Reuters.

"Negotiation is under way for their release. Maybe they are demanding ransom, I don’t know the exact amount. But we are doing our best for them to be released soon." link

The Telegraph’s Colin Freeman and photographer José Cendón were kidnapped and held for six weeks earlier this year. Meanwhile, freelance journalists Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan after still being held hostage after being kidnapped in Mogadishu in August, 2008. Their driver and fixer were released in January, 2009. This new kidnap comes at a time of "fresh fighting" in the north of Mogadishu, although one could argue fighting never really gets the time to go stale in Mogadishu…

Photo of the Sahafi Hotel by Garas Balley