European Parliament President Pöttering repeats appeal for BBC journalist’s release – EU press release/Non-UN document

Strasbourg, 20 June 2007

Marking the 100 days since the kidnapping of BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston, the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, has repeated his appeal to all Palestinian political forces to do their utmost for the immediate release of the BBC journalist. Hans-Gert Pöttering made the following statement in Strasbourg:

"One hundred days have now passed since Alan Johnston was abducted while working as a journalist in Gaza. These three months have also been a very difficult period for his family, friends and colleagues and I express once again the support of the European Parliament for the efforts to have him released. We are in solidarity with today's vigil action by BBC staff around the world to mark the 100 days of captivity.

Statements by Hamas in recent days give some cause for hope that Alan Johnston is alive. I appeal to all Palestinian political forces to do everything possible so that Alan Johnston will be released with out delay."

During his recent visit to the Middle East, Hans-Gert Pöttering raised the case of Alan Johnston in meetings with his Palestinian interlocutors. In particular he called for his release – as well as for the release of kidnapped Israeli soldiers and of imprisoned members of the Palestinian Legislative Council and Palestinian politicians – in his speech before the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset.