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Revision as of 20:44, 7 July 2007
| Alan Johnston | |
|---|---|
| Education | MA in English and politics (Dundee) Diploma in Journalism Studies (Cardiff) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Parent(s) | Graham and Margaret Johnston |
Alan Graham Johnston (born May 17, 1962) is a British journalist working for the BBC. He has been the BBC's correspondent in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and the Gaza Strip. As the only Western journalist permanently based in Gaza, he was kidnapped by a group of Palestinian militants on March 12, 2007, and released nearly four months later on July 4.
Journalism
Johnston joined the BBC in 1991, and has spent eight years as a correspondent for them, including in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, as well as Kabul, Afghanistan. He was in Kabul when Afghanistan was still under the control of the Taliban. He was due to be the BBC's full-time correspondent in Gaza until April 1, 2007, and at the time of his kidnapping was the only foreign reporter with a major Western media organisation to still be based in the city.
Johnston covered many major stories in Gaza for the BBC, including Israel's unilateral disengagement plan in 2005, Hamas winning the 2006 legislative elections, the 2006 Israel-Gaza conflict and the Palestinian factional violence of late 2006 to 2007.
Johnston is regarded by the BBC as a respected, experienced journalist, and due to his local knowledge, he was someone other journalists would turn to for information when in Gaza.
Johnston's BBC colleague Paul Adams noted that it was Johnston's "job to bring us day after day reports of the Palestinian predicament in the Gaza Strip." Mustafa Barghouti, Palestinian Information Minister, has described Johnston as a "friend of our people", and said that Johnston "has done a lot for our cause." Imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti has also called Johnston a "friend of the Palestinian people".
When not working as a correspondent, Johnston produces radio reports, one of which, on life after the Taliban, won a Sony Radio Academy Award bronze. Johnston has also worked as programme editor of The World Today and as a general reporter in the BBC World Service newsroom.
The London Press Club named Johnston as British Broadcasting Journalist of the Year at an awards ceremony held on May 10, 2007. Accepting the award for Johnston, who was spending his 60th day in captivity, his father said that while the award meant a lot, "my family ... would like Alan to stand here today himself."
The day after he was released, Johnston was awarded a prize by Amnesty International for his radio reports on human rights in Gaza, praising him for his "commitment to telling ordinary peoples' stories."
Kidnapping
Main article: Kidnapping of Alan Johnston
On March 12, 2007, Johnston was kidnapped. On July 4, Johnston was freed, according to Hamas without any ransom being paid, and was taken to meet Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh before leaving with an entourage of British diplomats to Jerusalem.
References
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
BBC 12 Marwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Staff writer (2007-03-12). "Living with risk in Gaza". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Kevin Flower and Octavia Nasr (2007-03-12). "BBC fears its Gaza correspondent abducted". CNN. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Conal Urquhart (2007-03-13). "Masked gunmen kidnap British reporter in Gaza City street attack". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Rory McCarthy (2007-03-14). "Hamas government acts to free kidnapped BBC man". Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Staff writer (2007-04-11). "Broadcasters in BBC reporter plea". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-04-11.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Associated Press (2007-04-18). "Barghouti calls for release of BBC journalist". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2007-04-18.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "The News Programme Award". Sony Radio Academy Awards. Archived from the original on 2007-04-10. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
- BBC (March 2007). "Biographies - Alan Johnston BBC Gaza Correspondent". Retrieved 2007-04-10.
- Craig Brown (2007-05-11). "Missing reporter is journalist of year". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Staff writer (2007-07-05). "BBC's Johnston wins Amnesty award". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-07-05.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
