Call for really international support for Aubenas, Hanoun and three Romanian journalists

As Florence Aubenas of the French daily Libération and her Iraqi guide Hussein Hanoun enter their fourth month in captivity in Iraq, Reporters Without Borders today called for renewed expressions of support internationally for them and the three Romanian journalists who were taken hostage on 28 March. "Demonstrations of solidarity from everyone are not just helpful, they are essential," the press freedom organization said. "Active support must be organized internationally at a time when more hostages are being taken and journalists of many nationalities are being targeted." As part of the new drive, a statement signed by more than 100 European news media executives and editors has been given to European parliament speaker Josep Borrell. It calls on "all the European institutions and European Union member countries to step up efforts in support of the hostages." This initiative was decided at a meeting of French news media executives and editors, with the support of Reporters Without Borders. At the same time, Aubenas' father, Benoît Aubenas, will speak to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights this evening or tomorrow, using time allotted to Reporters Without Borders for addressing the commission, which is currently holding its annual session. Benoît Aubenas plans to say that Florence "was working in Iraq to tell us all, you and us, what happens in this country to men and women and children who are the victims of war, poverty, hunger and death (…) This is all Florence was doing in Iraq, like the recently kidnapped Romanian hostages, Sorin Dumitru Miscoci, Marie Jeanne Ion and Eduard Ovidiu Ohanesian. I appeal to your commission to immediately undertake all actions that will help bring this unbearable situation to an end. I am convinced that the governments present here will give your commission their full support in this respect." As part of this desire to promote a really international campaign of support, Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard and Libération managing editor Antoine de Gaudemar will travel to Bucarest on 6 April to meet the families of the three Romanian hostages, the media they work for (Prima TV and Romania Libera) as well as representatives of the other leading Romanian news media and political leaders. In addition to these acts of solidarity, Reporters Without Borders called on the news media to begin reflecting together on the concrete measures that could be taken to ensure better protection for journalists working in Iraq and, in general, in war zones and other high risk areas. "Safety has a price," the organization said. "Not all news media could meet such expenses. It is imperative that forms of cooperation and pooling of resources are considered in order to ensure better safety for reporters." Reporters Without Borders added: "At the same time, governments must think about how to better protect journalists in war zones. The Geneva conventions must be scrupulously respected by governments, beginning with the democratic governments, which must show an example. Thought could also be given to how reinforce the provisions of the fourth convention on the protection of civilians in wartime and the two 1977 supplementary protocols in order to improve protection for journalists."