Still no progress Hammerl’s release
|Published
Journalists and photographers demonstrated in Johannesburg for the release of news photographer Anton Hammerl, who is being held captive in Libya. Photo: Independent Newspapers Journalists and photographers demonstrated in Johannesburg for the release of news photographer Anton Hammerl, who is being held captive in Libya. Photo: Independent Newspapers
Anton Hammerl is alive and well, but – 20 days after his capture in Libya by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi – there is still no telling when he will be released.
Friday afternoon’s confirmation by the Libyan government that it was holding South African photojournalist Hammerl was followed by a weekend of waiting, with nothing new to report at the end of it.
Hammerl’s wife, Penny Sukhraj, who lives in London with him and their two sons, said on Sunday night she was hoping for a phone call from her husband.
Fellow journalist American Clare Gillis, who was initially thought to have been captured with Hammerl, called her parents from detention in Libya for the first time on Thursday.
Gillis said Hammerl had not been with her and two other journalists when they were captured. This caused concern about Hammerl’s whereabouts, until the Libyans told the South African government they were holding him.
But Friday’s confirmation has been followed by a weekend of silence.
“I think they (the South African government) will tell us when there’s something tangible to report. They probably don’t want to get our hopes up,” said Sukhraj. - The Star