ALAN 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. Johnston was kidnapped by a group of Palestinian militants on March 12, 2007, and released nearly four months later on July 4.

Contents

Biography

Journalism

Kidnapping

References

See also

External links

Biography

Johnston was born in Lindi, Tanganyika (present-day Tanzania), to Scottish parents^[1], and was educated at Dollar Academy in Dollar, Scotland.^[2] He went on to study at Dundee University, where he graduated with an MA in English and politics. Johnston also has a diploma in Journalism Studies from the University of Wales in Cardiff.^[3]

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.^[4] 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.^[5][6]
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,^[7] and due to his local knowledge, he was someone other journalists would turn to for information when in Gaza. Prior to being kidnapped however, Johnston was not a journalist well known to the general public. Following his release he announced his intention to return to obscurity.^[8]
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."^[9] Imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti has also called Johnston a "friend of the Palestinian people".^[10]
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.^[11] Johnston has also worked as programme editor of ''The World Today'' and as a general reporter in the BBC World Service newsroom.^[12]
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."^[13]
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."^[14]

Kidnapping

Main articles: Kidnapping of Alan Johnston

Alan Johnston banner at BBC TV Centre

On March 12, 2007, Johnston was kidnapped by the Army of Islam. His captivity led to many protests worldwide. Hamas put immense pressure on the Army of Islam, including (according to a senior Hamas militant) the threat to hunt them down and kill them if they didn't release Johnston.^[15][16] On July 4, 2007, Johnston was freed. He was taken to meet Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh before leaving with an entourage of British diplomats to Jerusalem.
Nine days later, it was reported that Hamas paid the Army of Islam $4 million dollars to free Johnston. Hamas denied paying a ransom. [1]

References

1. The 'very grounded' journalist who won acclaim for his work in world's war zones
2. Journalist's tragic role in Gaza's deadly rivalries
3. Fears for BBC Gaza correspondent
4. Living with risk in Gaza
5. BBC fears its Gaza correspondent abducted
6. Masked gunmen kidnap British reporter in Gaza City street attack
7. Hamas government acts to free kidnapped BBC man
8. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6267928.stm
9. Broadcasters in BBC reporter plea
10. Barghouti calls for release of BBC journalist
11. The News Programme Award
12. Biographies - Alan Johnston BBC Gaza Correspondent BBC
13. Missing reporter is journalist of year
14. BBC's Johnston wins Amnesty award
15. ''Time magazine'' July 16, 2007 issue. p. 15
16. Hamas' Next Move

See also

★ Durmush Hamula

★ Gilad Shalit

★ John McCarthy

★ Yvonne Ridley

★ Olaf Wiig

★ Steve Centanni

★ 2006 Fox journalists kidnapping

External links

★ BBC News Profile: Alan Johnston

★ BBC News Middle East