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Namibians 'club seal journalists' Namibia frees 'seal journalists'
(about 3 hours later)
Two journalists from the UK and South Africa are due in court after being allegedly attacked then arrested while filming seal hunters in Namibia. Two journalists have been released after paying a "heavy fine" at a Namibian court.
A group of hunters used clubs to hit Jim Wickens and South African cameraman Bart Smithers, according to the World Society for the Protection of Animals. The men were arrested for filming the annual seal cull, which involves clubbing seal pups to death.
They were then arrested by police and reportedly had their equipment seized. Jim Wilckens from the UK and South African cameraman Bart Smithers were allegedly attacked with clubs by seal hunters before being arrested.
Namibia's annual seal hunt began on 1 July, with a quota of 85,000 animals due to be killed. Namibia's annual seal cull began on 1 July, with a quota of some 85,000 seals due to be killed.
Mr Wickens works for the Eco-Storm agency, based in Brighton in southern England. He was making a report for Dutch lobby group Bont voor Dieren along with Mr Smithers. Eco-storm's Andrew Wasley would not divulge how much money the journalists had to pay, but told the BBC it was "a heavy fine".
A Foreign Office spokesman said he was aware of the arrest and was investigating.
The pair were filming the seal hunt in the Cape Cross Seal Reserve on Namibia's Atlantic Ocean coast.The pair were filming the seal hunt in the Cape Cross Seal Reserve on Namibia's Atlantic Ocean coast.
The World Society for the Protection of Animals said the men were attacked with clubs by a group of hunters before being arrested.
Their equipment was also reportedly seized by the police.
Mr Wilckens works for the Eco-Storm agency, based in Brighton in southern England. He was making a report for Dutch lobby group Bont voor Dieren along with Mr Smithers.
WSPA marine mammals campaigner Claire Bass said: "The sealers know how the world will react to these hunts and are clearly prepared to go to any lengths to keep this brutal industry from public view. There can be no justification for a clubbing attack against investigators whose only weapon is a camera."WSPA marine mammals campaigner Claire Bass said: "The sealers know how the world will react to these hunts and are clearly prepared to go to any lengths to keep this brutal industry from public view. There can be no justification for a clubbing attack against investigators whose only weapon is a camera."
Namibia's government says culling is necessary to control the population of seals and maintain fish stocks.Namibia's government says culling is necessary to control the population of seals and maintain fish stocks.
It says the seals eat more fish than the country's fishermen catch.It says the seals eat more fish than the country's fishermen catch.