Surge of support for Chesnot, Malbrunot and al-Joundi as 7,500 sign petition and a solidarity concert is set for Paris city hall

A groundswell of extraordinary public support continues for French hostages in Iraq Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot and their Syrian guide Mohammed al-Joundi. Reporters Without Borders and the Paris mayor's office are holding an evening of solidarity on Wednesday 8 September at 6.30pm outside the city hall. Artists, actors, intellectuals and journalists will join in calling for the release of the three hostages. More than 7,500 people have signed Reporters Without Borders' petition and thousands of messages of support have been left with the international press freedom organisation. "This campaign is needed more than ever, since their captors may have set France a new deadline and come up with new conditions for the release of the hostages," said Reporters Without Borders. Some of the messages received: "Remember that in your suffering our hearts are with you, in Paris and worldwide" "As long as you remain hostages, we shall be hostages too. We are with you". "Dear fellow countrymen Georges and Christian, I have sent a shooting star above your heads to bring you back to your families safe and sound" "Freedom of the press is as essential as the freedom to breathe. But what good is it to breathe without freedom of expression". "In the name of the Greens, a party that has spoken out against the law banning the veil, I condemn this unacceptable blackmail of French democracy", Gille Lemaire, national secretary for the Greens. "Liberty is always at risk and cannot be surrendered. We are all French today". "Because you are symbols of freedom you should not, you cannot die". "No man has the privilege to silence another". Reporters Without Borders has kept up a round the clock vigil outside Paris city hall since 31 August under giant photos of the two journalists. Here signatures are collected for the petition and messages of support can be left. Bulletin boards carry latest news agency reports. The vigil will continue until the release of the two journalists and their guide. In a video broadcast by Qatari-based al-Jazeera television on 28 August, a group calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq gave France 48 hours to repeal the 15 March 2004 law banning signs or clothing showing religious observance in state schools. Since then there have been contradictory reports about the outcome and the French authorities, while remaining optimistic, have urged caution. Georges Malbrunot, 41, a freelance journalist working for Le Figaro and Ouest-France, Christian Chesnot, 38, a freelance for RFI and Radio France were abducted on 20 August along with Mohammed al-Joundi, their driver and guide for more than a year. The full programme for the evening of solidarity can be found on: www.rsf.org