Forty members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) have signed on to a letter calling on the international community to press for the release of journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling
June 2, 2009
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov
32/34 Smolenskaya-Sennaya pl., 119200
Moscow G-200
Ambassador Wi Sung-lac
South Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade North Korean Nuclear Affairs Bureau
Hu Zhengyue
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People’s Republic of China No. 2, Chaoyangmen
Nandajie, Chaoyang District Beijing, 100701
Stephen W. Bosworth
Special Representative for North Korea Policy U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Sasae Kenichiro
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Kasumigaseki 2-2-1, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo
Kim Kye-gwan
Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
To the representatives of countries involved in the Six-Party Talks:
As journalists and members of the global press freedom community we are writing to express our concern about the March 17 detention of Euna Lee and Laura Ling, and their upcoming trial on June 4 on charges of illegally entering the Peoples Republic of Korea and unspecified “hostile acts.”
Both women are journalists reporting for Current TV. Their families have called for understanding from the DPRK’s government, and they have apologized for any possible transgressions. Family members have said the women had assured them before they left the United States that they had never intended to enter North Korea while they were on their reporting trip.
We call on you to use your diplomatic efforts to press for the release of these two journalists.
Sincerely,
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
ARTICLE 19: The Global Campaign for Free Expression
Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo (ABRAJI)
Arab Archives Institute (AAI)
Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)
Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI)
Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES)
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR)
Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
Center for Media Studies and Peace Building (CEMESP)
Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social (CENCOS)
Comité por la Libre Expresión (C-Libre)
Foro de Periodismo Argentino (FOPEA)
Freedom House Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ)
Globe International International Press Institute (IPI)
Index on Censorship
Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS)
Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety (IRFS)
Journaliste en danger (JED)
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)
Media Institute Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Media Rights Agenda (MRA)
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA)
Mizzima News
Observatorio Latinoamericano para la Libertad de Expresión (OLA)
Observatory for the Freedom of Press, Publishing and Creation in Tunisia (OLPEC)
Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF)
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
Public Association “Journalists”
Sindicato de Periodistas del Paraguay (SPP)
Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM)
Thai Journalists Association (TJA)
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC)
World Association of Newspapers (WAN)
World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC)