Libérons les journalistes emprisonnés

AFP CHAIRMAN EMMANUEL HOOG ON FRIDAY DEMANDED IN A LETTER ADDRESSED TO PRESIDENT PIERRE NKURUNZIZA THE RELEASE OF JOURNALISTS JEAN-PHILIPPE RÉMY AND PHIL MOORE WHO WERE ARRESTED THURSDAY IN BURUNDI.

Phil Moore is a British freelance photographer who works regularly for AFP and Frenchman Jean-Philippe Rémy is the Le Monde correspondent for Africa. Phil Moore and Jean-Philippe Rémy were arrested “while carrying out their mission to inform”, said AFP chairman Emmanuel Hoog.

“There is no justification for the arrest of these two experienced reporters who are widely respected in the profession. We ask you, Mr President, to immediately intervene to obtain the release of these two reporters and to take all the necessary steps to ensure their safety”. Last October, AFP and RFI filed a complaint against “persons unknown” over the torture of their Burundi correspondent Esdras Ndikumana, who was forced into exile after being beaten in detention in August 2015. Hoog repeated his call that Nkurunziza “provide the security guarantees that would allow Ndikumana to return to his country to do his work of reporting the news”.

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