MEPs call for BBC man in Gaza to be freed

The European Parliament has called for the immediate release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston, who was abducted in the Gaza Strip last month.

Johnston, who has spent three years living in Gaza as a correspondent for the BBC, was kidnapped on March 12th as he drove home. It is widely believed that a criminal family in Gaza was behind the abduction.

He has been held longer than any other foreign journalist seized in the Gaza Strip. However, the Palestinian government has said it has information that he is still alive and unharmed.

A resolution passed by the parliament this week demands his immediate and unconditional release. It calls on the Palestinian Authority to redouble its efforts to secure his freedom and to ensure that journalists in Gaza are able to work free from the threat of kidnapping and harassment. The resolution also insists that all attacks against journalists and other civilians should be investigated thoroughly and those responsible brought to justice.

Fine Gael MEP Simon Coveney, co-author of the resolution, said EU member states had an opportunity to support the Palestinian Authority in its efforts to end the situation peacefully.

"Mr Johnston is a journalist of the highest integrity, with a record of balanced reporting during 16 years of working for the BBC, and in particular, during the past three years in Gaza. We must do all we can to secure his release unharmed as a matter of urgency," he said.

"It is important to support Mr Johnston's family during this difficult time, and also his BBC colleagues, who have been campaigning tirelessly."

Elsewhere in the parliament this week, Fianna Fáil MEP Brian Crowley has accused the EU of attempting to interfere with Ireland's justice system, by introducing criminal sanctions for breaches of intellectual property rights.