Horror at treatment of Florence Aubenas apparent in video, call for more support

"We found the video of Florence Aubenas and her appeal to be very disturbing," Reporters Without Borders said. "We would like to concentrate on the fact that she is alive and that the recording contains no explicit threat or ultimatum. But the exhaustion and anxiety on her face is extremely worrying. "We solemnly call on the kidnappers to release Florence and her assistant, Hussein Hanoun. Over and above the revulsion we feel for such abduction methods, our organization appeals to the news media of the entire world, especially the Arab world, to help Florence and Hussein, as well as the kidnapped Italian journalist, Giuliana Sgrena. "The need at this time is for unity and to avoid controversy at all cost," the press freedom organization added. It was the first recording showing the Libération correspondent since she was kidnapped along with her fixer, Hussein Hanoun, 55 days ago. Visibly affected by the long period in captivity, Aubenas made an appeal for help that showed her anxiety. "My health is very bad," she said in English. The video recording showed Aubenas seated, with her hands between her knees, as she made a desperate plea for help in English: "My name is Florence Aubenas. I'm French. I'm a journalist with Libération. My health is very bad. I'm very bad psychologically also. Please help me." She addressed a request for help to the French parliamentarian, Didier Julia. She was wearing a grey polo shirt and black trousers. A red background offered no information as to the identity of her kidnappers and the recording contained no specific claim of responsibility. The news agency Reuters said the recording was released by "insurgents." Aubenas, 43, who is one of her newspaper's leading correspondents, was kidnapped together with her Iraqi fixer and interpreter, Hussein Hanoun Al-Saadi, on 5 January in Baghdad where she been since 16 December. She has covered conflicts in Rwanda, Kosovo, Algeria and Afghanistan for Libération since 1986. Iraq continues to be the most dangerous country in the world for journalists. At least 32 have been killed and 15 kidnapped since the start of the war in March 2003.