----- Forwarded Message ----
From: RSF ASIA <asie@rsf.org>
To: asie@rsf.org; Vincent Brossel <vbrossel@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 13 May, 2008 11:45:57 AM
Subject: INDIA: Photographer killed in clashes in Kashmir (Eng+Fr)
Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières
Press release
13 May 2008
INDIA
Photographer killed in clashes in Kashmir
Reporters Without Borders is shocked by the death on 11 May of photographer, Ashok Sodhi, who was covering fierce clashes between security forces and armed militants in Kashmir for the English-language Daily Excelsior.
Sodhi, 45, was killed by a bullet to the head while covering a military operation aimed at flushing out armed militants who had taken refuge in the town of Samba, 45 kilometres south of Jammu, in Jammu And Kashmir State.
The Jammu-based photographer, was hit while trying to take shots of a house in which fighters were holed up. He reportedly ignored warnings from the security forces as he approached the spot.
"This latest death sadly reminds us of the risks run by representatives of the media in this particularly unstable border region, which is subjected to repeated incursions by armed Islamist militants", the worldwide press freedom organisation said.
"It remains unacceptable that reporters should be targeted during fighting. The Indian authorities and press owners should do their utmost to guarantee the safety of journalists", it added.
"I was always telling him to keep out of the way of exchanges of fire and this kind of clash", his wife told news channel CNN-IBN. "However, he would often say that if he had to die in an encounter, he would."
The fighting, which lasted several days was the most ferocious for years, during which armed Islamist groups have been regularly crossing the Indian-Pakistani border. The conflict in Kashmir has left more than 60,000 dead in 20 years.
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13 Mai 2008
INDE
Un photographe tué au cours d'un affrontement au Cachemire
Reporters sans frontières est choquée par la mort, le 11 mai 2008, du photographe Ashok Sodhi, qui couvrait, pour le quotidien anglophone Daily Excelsior, un affrontement entre les forces de sécurité et des militants armés au Cachemire,.
"Ce nouveau décès vient tristement rappeler les risques encourus par les représentants des médias dans cette région frontalière particulièrement instable et soumise aux incursions répétées de militants islamistes armés. Il reste toutefois inacceptable que les reporters soient pris pour cible lors des combats. Les autorités indiennes et les patrons de presse doivent tout mettre en ¦uvre pour assurer la sécurité des journalistes", a déclaré Reporters sans frontières.
Ashok Sodhi, 45 ans, a été tué d'une balle dans la tête alors qu'il couvrait une opération militaire visant à déloger des militants armés, qui s'étaient réfugiés dans la ville de Samba, 45 kilomètres au sud de Jammu (Etat du Jammu et Cachemire).
Le photographe du Daily Excelsior, basé à Jammu, a été touché alors qu'il tentait de prendre des clichés de la maison dans laquelle les combattants s'étaient retranchés. Ashok Sodhi aurait ignoré les avertissements des forces de sécurité en s'approchant des lieux.
"Je lui ai toujours dit de se tenir à l'écart des échanges de tir et de ce genre d'affrontements. Je lui ai toujours dit de rester au milieu des gens. Néanmoins, il aimait souvent dire que s'il devait mourir dans un affrontement, il mourrait", a affirmé sa femme à la chaîne d'informations CNN-IBN.
Les combats qui ont duré plusieurs jours auraient été les plus violents depuis des années, alors que des groupes islamistes armés traversent régulièrement la frontière indo-pakistanaise. Le conflit au Cachemire a fait plus de 60 000 victimes en vingt ans.
--
--
Vincent Brossel
Asia - Pacific Desk
Reporters Sans Frontières
47 rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
33 1 44 83 84 70
33 1 45 23 11 51 (fax)
asia@rsf.org
www.rsf.org
Vincent Brossel
Asia - Pacific Desk
Reporters Sans Frontières
47 rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
33 1 44 83 84 70
33 1 45 23 11 51 (fax)
asia@rsf.org
www.rsf.org
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