Reporters Without Borders has called for information about the arrest of a documentary-maker and of his cameraman, of whom there has been no news since early May, and the murder of a local TV producer shot dead at the wheel of his car on 28 June.
Cyrus Kar, a US national of Iranian origin and his Iranian cameraman Farshid Faraji, were both arrested in Iraq on 2 May 2005 while making a documentary entitled, "In search of Darius the Great".
Ahmed Wael Al Bacri, producer on local al-Charkiya television died at the wheel of his car while he was returning to his home in Baghdad.
"We ask for light to be shed on the circumstances of the arrest of documentary-maker Cyrus Kar and his cameraman Farshid Faraji. The US and Iraqi authorities should quickly investigate to find out the reasons for their detention," the organisation said, adding, "We are particularly worried Faraji about whom we have had no news since his arrest on 2 May.
"We have found out that Kar was seen in a US Army vehicle. It is not the first time that US forces have arbitrarily detained journalists in Iraq. The extremely sensitive context in the country does not justify this detention and it is important the US forces continue to respect the work of journalists."
We all know that Iraq is pretty much the 51st state right now. Americans or anyone else being detained who just happen to be involved in the media is a bad thing. If people in the media are being detained US or Iraqi authorities need to be up front and honest about why they were detained or we should all safely assume that it's because said authorities are interested in squelching free speech.
Now, why would anyone want to squelch free speech?
UPDATED 7/11/5:
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/10/AR2005071000326_pf.html|Iranian-American Filmmaker Freed in Iraq] (WashingtonPost.com / AP.org)
That's an amusing article that includes the following:
"Kar was detained as an imperative security threat to Iraq," the military said Sunday in a statement. "After his initial questioning, the military notified the FBI, who initiated an investigation to determine if Kar had engaged in terrorist activities."Ah, yes, it's proof the system works when a man innocent of any wrong-doing is detained for nearly 2 months and released. Nice that the article mentions that this is complete big brother talk.
The U.S. military then convened a review board hearing on July 4 to determine whether Kar was an "enemy combatant."
"Based on the FBI investigation, the testimony of Kar and the witness he called, and other witness statements, the board determined Kar was not an enemy combatant and recommended his release, which was approved," the statement said.
The U.S. military defended its detention of Kar.
"This case highlights the effectiveness of our detainee review process," spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Alston was quoted as saying in the statement. "We followed well-established procedures and Mr. Kar has now been properly released."
"Hey, what do you want? We're good guys! We let you go!"
From RSF.org:
28 June 2005TV producer killed and a documentary maker and a cameramen arrested
Reporters Without Borders has called for information about the arrest of a documentary-maker and of his cameraman, of whom there has been no news since early May, and the murder of a local TV producer shot dead at the wheel of his car on 28 June.
Cyrus Kar, a US national of Iranian origin and his Iranian cameraman Farshid Faraji, were both arrested in Iraq on 2 May 2005 while making a documentary entitled, "In search of Darius the Great".
Ahmed Wael Al Bacri, producer on local al-Charkiya television died at the wheel of his car while he was returning to his home in Baghdad.
"We ask for light to be shed on the circumstances of the arrest of documentary-maker Cyrus Kar and his cameraman Farshid Faraji. The US and Iraqi authorities should quickly investigate to find out the reasons for their detention," the organisation said, adding, "We are particularly worried Faraji about whom we have had no news since his arrest on 2 May.
"We have found out that Kar was seen in a US Army vehicle. It is not the first time that US forces have arbitrarily detained journalists in Iraq. The extremely sensitive context in the country does not justify this detention and it is important the US forces continue to respect the work of journalists."
"We demand the full truth about this case and the murder of Ahmed Wael Al Bacr. We ask the competent authorities to take all necessary steps to investigate the circumstances of his death. Iraqi journalists are frequently the target of attacks and pay a high price for reporting the news," the organisation added.
After filming the first part of their documentary in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Turkey, Kar and Faraji went to Iraq after receiving permission to film there from both the American and Iraqi governments.
Iraqi police arrested them shortly after they arrived in Baghdad. After finding that Kar was a US national they handed him over to the US Army. He has since been held in a detention centre, Camp Cropper, close to Baghdad airport. The FBI searched his home and made him take a lie-detector test. Despite this he is still being held by the US Army, who have given out no information about him.
Nothing has been heard of Faraji since he was arrested. His name does not appear on the lists of prisoners drawn up by the Red Cross in Iraq.
From AP.org and WashingtonPost.com:
Iranian-American Filmmaker Freed in Iraq
By FRANK GRIFFITHS
The Associated Press
Sunday, July 10, 2005; 12:12 PM
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- An Iranian-American aspiring filmmaker who has been detained by the U.S. military for nearly two months without being charged was released Sunday, officials said.
Cyrus Kar, 44, of Los Angeles, was taken into custody May 17 near Balad when potential bomb parts were found in a taxi in which he was riding. His family had filed a lawsuit accusing the federal government of violating his civil rights when it continued to hold him after the FBI cleared him of suspicion.
Kar's Iranian cameraman also was released from U.S. custody Sunday, but the military said it would continue to hold the taxi driver pending the results of an investigation.
"Kar was detained as an imperative security threat to Iraq," the military said Sunday in a statement. "After his initial questioning, the military notified the FBI, who initiated an investigation to determine if Kar had engaged in terrorist activities."
The U.S. military then convened a review board hearing on July 4 to determine whether Kar was an "enemy combatant."
"Based on the FBI investigation, the testimony of Kar and the witness he called, and other witness statements, the board determined Kar was not an enemy combatant and recommended his release, which was approved," the statement said.
The U.S. military defended its detention of Kar.
"This case highlights the effectiveness of our detainee review process," spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Alston was quoted as saying in the statement. "We followed well-established procedures and Mr. Kar has now been properly released."
Kar was born in Iran but immigrated to the United States as a child. He served in the Navy and worked in the computer industry before becoming interested in documentary filmmaking.
With help from independent producer Philippe Diaz, Kar began working on a documentary about the ancient Persian king Cyrus the Great. He interviewed experts and shot of footage at archaeological sites in Afghanistan and Iran, according to his family and Diaz.
On May 17, officials and relatives say, Kar was in a taxi that was stopped at a checkpoint near Balad where Iraqi security forces allegedly seized several dozen washing machine timers, which can be used in bombs.
Balad is about 50 miles north of Baghdad.
Kar's relatives say the FBI told them weeks ago that he had been cleared and that the taxi driver was transporting the parts to a friend.
He was one of five U.S. citizens the Pentagon has acknowledged were captured separate and being held on suspicion of insurgent activities in Iraq.
© 2005 The Associated Press
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