**Updates IFEX alert of 28 January 2004; for further information on CPJ's
report about the dangers faced by Iraqi journalists, see alert of 17 May
2004**
(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is an 18 May 2004 CPJ press release:
REUTERS JOURNALISTS ABUSED BY U.S. TROOPS IN IRAQ
New York, May 18, 2004-Reuters news agency revealed today that three of its
Iraqi employees were subjected to sexual abuse and humiliation in January,
when they were arrested by U.S. troops near Fallujah while covering the
aftermath of the downing of a U.S. helicopter.
According to Reuters, U.S. troops detained cameraman Salem Ureibi,
journalist Ahmad Mohammad Hussein al-Badrani, and their driver, Sattar Jabar
al-Badrani, on January 2. The men were released without charge three days
later.
A cameraman working for the U.S.-based TV network NBC, Ali Mohammed Hussein al-Badrani, was also detained with the group, according to NBC News Vice
President Bill Wheatley. Wheatley said that while U.S. troops mistreated the
NBC cameraman, putting bags over his head and kicking him, he did not suffer
sexual abuse.
According to Reuters, while their employees were detained, "[t]wo of the
three said they had been forced to insert a finger into their anus and then
lick it, and were forced to put shoes in their mouths."
Reuters also reported that, "All three said they were forced to make
demeaning gestures as soldiers laughed, taunted them and took photographs."
The employees also claimed that U.S. soldiers said they would take them to
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and that the soldiers "deprived them of sleep, placed
bags over their heads, kicked and hit them and forced them to remain in
stress positions for long periods." One of the Reuters journalists said he
feared that he would be raped because soldiers told him they wanted to have
sex with him.
The employees said the abuse occurred at Forward Operating Base Volturno,
near Fallujah.
According to Reuters, the employees decided to go public with the
allegations only after the U.S. military claimed that there was no evidence
of abuse, and after the recent allegations of similar abuse of Iraqi
prisoners at Abu Ghraib Prison, near Baghdad, came to light.
At the time of the journalists' arrests, U.S. military officials told
journalists that troops at the scene of the helicopter crash had come under
fire from Iraqi insurgents posing as members of the press. However, a
military official said later that there was no credible evidence that the
detained journalists were responsible for shooting at the troops. It is
unclear whether U.S. troops mistook the Reuters and NBC journalists for
armed guerrillas.
While the detentions were widely reported, many of the specific allegations
of abuse were not made public until today. On January 21, CPJ sent a letter
to Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez urging him "to ensure that [the investigation
into the abuse of the Reuters journalists] is conducted in a thorough and
expeditious manner in order to address growing concerns about the conduct of
U.S. forces toward working journalists in Iraq."
In a summary of its investigation dated January 28 and sent to Reuters, the
military said it had interviewed the soldiers responsible for the detainees,
and that "none admit or report knowledge of physical abuse or torture."
However, the U.S. military did not interview any of the detainees as part of
its investigation.
Yesterday, Reuters received a letter from Lt. General Sanchez dated March 5
claiming that the initial military investigation had been "thorough and
complete."
"The U.S. military's superficial investigation is an affront to the dignity
of these journalists, whose allegations are extremely serious," said CPJ
Executive Director Ann Cooper. "Clearly, a more vigorous investigation is
called for, along with punishment for anyone found responsible for abuse."
NBC's Wheatley told CPJ that NBC has sent several letters to U.S. military
officials but has yet to see the results of the investigation.
Also yesterday, CPJ released a detailed report about the dangers faced by
Iraqi journalists, who regularly endure harassment, threats, and attacks
from both U.S. troops and Iraqi insurgents.
Read the report here:
http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2004/iraq_journ_5_04/iraq_journ_5_04.html
CPJ is investigating other incidents of alleged abuse of Iraqi journalists
by U.S. troops, including the case of Al-Jazeera cameraman Suhaib al-Baz,
who in a recent interview claimed that he had also been abused while in U.S.
custody.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an independent, nonpartisan
organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide. For more
information about press conditions in Iraq, visit www.cpj.org.
For further information, contact Joel Campagna (x 103) or Hani Sabra (x 104)
at CPJ, 330 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10001, U.S.A., tel: +1 212 465 1004,
fax: +1 212 465 9568, e-mail: mideast@cpj.org, jcampagna@cpj.org,
hsabra@cpj.org; Internet: http://www.cpj.org/
The information contained in this press release/update is the sole
responsibility of CPJ. In citing this material for broadcast or publication,
please credit CPJ.
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