Letter, Ribbon Campaign Calls For Photographer's Release From Libya
LONDON (May 16, 2011) – A group of more than 80 photographers today signed and sent a letter to South African, Austrian, and Hungarian government officials imploring them to do everything within their power to ensure that freelance photojournalist Anton Hammerl is brought safely out of Libya.
It's been more than 40 days now since Hammerl, a photojournalist with South African and Austrian citizenship, went missing in Libya while covering the civil war in that country.
Forces loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi have admitted to holding the British-based Hammerl, but his family have received no news of his well being since he was reportedly captured on April 4.
There were three other journalists captured with Hammerl, and according to the Guardian in Manchester the Libyan forces have allowed access to Clare Gillis, James Foley, and Varela de Seijas Brabo, two Americans and a Spaniard who were traveling with him.
Hammeril's wife, Penny Sukhraj, told reporters in the U.K. that the last time she spoke with him was on the night of April 4 when he told her on Skype that he would be traveling out of Benghazi. The next she heard was a call from the group Human Rights Watch informing her that he and three others had been captured and would be taken to Tripoli before being released.
The photographer's family and friends do not understand why Hammerl is being treated differently than the other three journalists, and why no consular visits have been allowed or information released about his condition. And while other journalists detained by Libyan forces were released after a short period of time, Hammerl and the others have been held for more than a month now.
In a statement released by Hammerl’s family on Thursday, his wife appealed to the South African government: “Anxiety is escalating in the light of reports that the other journalists captured with Anton have been allowed to call their loved ones and receive visitors. We haven’t heard from him, and nobody has had access to him. We absolutely need to know that Anton is well and that he will come home.”
In Cape Town, South African President Jacob Zuma has been called upon to personally intervene to secure Hammerl's release. Zuma has enjoyed a personal and close relationship with Qaddafi over the years, referring to him as the "brother leader," and there have been reports that Qaddafi provided Zuma with $2 million dollars prior to his election as president.
Jeronimo Nisa, an NPPA member and staff photographer at The Decatur Daily in Decatur, AL, is one of those who signed the letter and provided News Photographer magazine with a copy.
In addition to Zuma, the letter also went to South Africa's Minister for international Relations; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria and of Hungary; and United Nations officials.
Those sending the letter to government officials today included friends, media representatives, and groups representing freedom of expression and human rights communities.
In addition to the petition letter, Hammerl's friends and supporters around the world have started a yellow ribbon campaign, a long-standing practice of honoring someone who is missing that simultaneously calls for their release from captivity.
An award-winning photographer, Hammerl is the father of a daughter and two sons and he lives with his family in London.
NPPA Marketplace
- Insure Your Equipment
- You go where the action is….so should your insurance! Hays delivers comprehensive insurance for your gear - covering cameras, computers, editing equipment and rental.
- Join the NPPA
- NPPA members receive a wide range of benefits, from educational opportunities to mentoring, exclusive discounts, insurance options, business tips, and much more.