Yahoo News 16 Jul 09;
WINDHOEK (AFP) – Two foreign reporters were arrested Thursday by Namibian police for filming the annual clubbing to death of small seal pups for their fur along the coast.
British investigative journalist Jim Wilckens and South African cameraman Bart Smithers were arrested by police whilst documenting the controversial Namibian seal cull.
"The two have been arrested today (Thursday)," police spokesman Angula Amulungu told AFP, alleging that they had contravened the Fisheries and Marine Resources Act.
They were being held in police holding cells at Henties Bay some 400 kilometres (250 miles) west of the capital Windhoek.
They would appear in court on Friday, he added.
Wilckens, a reporter with the British-based Eco-Storm agency, and Smithers were working with the Dutch non-governmental organisation Bont Voor Dieren.
Andrew Wasley, co-director of Ecostorm, alleged that the two had been beaten up by workers involved in the cull.
"We are working with the British High Commission in Namibia to establish the full picture and secure the release of our team," Wasley said in a statement. "Clearly this was a violent and unwarranted attack on two journalists doing their job -- their cameras and video footage were also seized, which should be returned."
The annual commercial seal harvesting season officially opened on July 1 with a quota of 85,000 pups due to be clubbed to death on the Namibian coast.
Pair convicted in Namibia for filming seal hunt
Yahoo News 17 Jul 09;
WINDHOEK (AFP) – Two European journalists were fined on Friday by a court in Namibia for filming the annual seal hunt along the coast of the southern African nation, their lawyer said.
British investigative journalist Jim Wilckens and South African cameraman Bart Smithers were found guilty of violating the Marine Resources Act by entering a restricted area without permission, lawyer Raywood Rukoro said.
Both were released after paying a fine of 5,000 dollars (625 US dollars) each, he said, adding that they intended to leave Namibia soon, even though they are not being deported.
"We are happy this is over and we will leave as soon as possible," Wilckens told reporters afterwards.
The duo was arrested by police whilst documenting the Namibian seal cull. They were kept at police cells at Henties Bay, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the capital Windhoek.
Wilckens, a reporter with the British-based Eco-Storm agency, and Smithers were working with the Dutch non-governmental organisation Bont Voor Dieren.
Andrew Wasley, co-director of Eco-Storm, alleged that the two had been beaten up by workers involved in the cull.
"One of the two reporters laid a charge of physical assault, but no one has been arrested yet", a police officer told AFP.
The annual commercial seal harvesting season opened on July 1 with a quota of 85,000 pups due to be clubbed and killed for their fur on the Namibian coast.
