OSCE media watchdog asks U.S. to clarify detention of French journalists
VIENNA, 26 May 2003 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve, has asked U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell for clarifications regarding the detention of six French journalists on arrival in Los Angeles on 10 and 11 May. All were later sent back to France.
According to information provided by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the six journalists arrived at Los Angeles International Airport in two groups. The first, consisting of Alexandre Alfonsi of Télé 7 Jours, Stéphanie Pic of Télé Poche and Michel Perrot of TV Hebdo, arrived on 10 May. None had press visas.
Pic and Perrot passed immigration, but Alfonsi was denied access to the U.S. on the grounds that he lacked the required visa. In the end, all three journalists were then detained and held for a total of 26 hours.
The other group, Thierry Falcoz, editor in chief of Game One cable television, and two of his cameramen, Laurent Patureau and Alex Gorsky, arrived at the airport on 11 May. According to RSF none had press visas.
Falcoz and Gorsky were allowed to pass immigration but Patureau was stopped by an official who said he needed a press visa. When Patureau's colleagues protested, all three were detained.
They spent nine hours in an airport waiting room and later were taken to a U.S. immigration detention centre. According to RSF, they were subjected to repeated body searches and interrogation. They were handcuffed when taken from one place to another, and they were also fingerprinted. They were then deported back to France.
In his letter to Powell, Mr. Duve wrote, "As you know, the United States, as an OSCE participating State, is a signatory to OSCE commitments in the field of freedom of expression, among them the Helsinki Final Act that deals with freedom of movement for journalists and the 1991 Moscow Meeting ('28.9participating Stateswilltake no measures aimed at barring journalists from the legitimate exercise of their profession.')".
"I ask Your Excellency to provide my Office with any additional information available on this matter and with the reasons for the detention of the six French journalists."