Last Updated: March 31, 2003
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ASNE has asked the government
of Iraq to provide assurances of the safety of three American journalists who
disappeared from their Baghdad hotel early March 25. ASNE has also asked the
Iraqi government to arrange for their safe passage from the country and the
opportunity to contact their employers and families.
The journalists are correspondent
Matthew McAllester and photographer Moises Saman of Newsday, Melville, N.Y.,
and award-winning freelance photographer Molly Bingham.
ASNE President Diane McFarlin
sent a letter to Foreign Minister Naji Sabri, expressing ASNE's concern.
"Since their disappearance
from the Palestine International Hotel in the early morning of Tuesday, March
25 the journalists have not been heard from by their colleagues in New York
or by other journalists in Iraq," McFarlin wrote. "There has been no confirmation
as to their location or who might be holding them."
McFarlin wrote that all
three are respected journalists with histories of thoughtful and fair coverage
of international news.
"We implore you to help
by focusing your attention and concern to the freedom and fate of these three
individuals," McFarlin continued. "Please help assure that they can obtain safe
passage out of Iraq or, at the very least, provide assurance of their well-being
and allow them contact with their employers and families."
The complete text of the
letter is available at http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?ID=4439
With about 800 members,
ASNE is the principal organization of American newspaper editors. It is active
in a number of areas, including open government, freedom of the press, journalism
credibility and ethics, newsroom management, diversity and readership.
