As Ramadan begins, Reporters Without Borders calls for the release of five detained journalists

On the occasion of the first day of Ramadan, Reporters Without Borders has appealed to the U.S. Secretary of State, Donald Rumsfeld, to obtain the release of five journalists currently being held by the U.S. military in Iraq. "During this sacred month of Ramadan, which represents a time for sharing and forgiveness between Muslims and the rest of the world, we call for Donald Rumsfeld to take whatever steps necessary to ensure that the journalists now being held by the U.S. military are freed as soon as possible. These journalists, who are all foreign press correspondents, and which include an American media correspondent, have been denied access to a lawyer, and the right to receive a visit from their families or their employers. In all five cases, the American forces have presented no proof that would substantiate their involvement in any illegal activity," Reporters Without Borders stated. The organization recalls that Abdel Amir Younes Hussein, a cameraman with American cable television network CBS News, has been held since 5 April 2005. Journalist Ammar Daham Naef Khalaf who works for Agence France-presse (AFP), has been detained since 11 April 2005. Cameramen Samer Mohamed Noor and Ali Omar Abrahem Al Mashadani, of the British press agency Reuters, have been held since 4 June 2005 and 8 August 2005, respectively. Correspondent Hameed Majed of Baghdad's satellite television network Al-Arabiya, has been detained since 15 September 2005. Al-Arabiya circulated a press communiqué calling for the release of its correspondent and denouncing the U.S. Army's conduct in Iraq, which it says “violates international laws and conventions by refusing to divulge the reason for detaining the journalist."