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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Petition urges BBC man's release | Petition urges BBC man's release |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An online petition calling for the release of the BBC's Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston, has now gathered more than 30,000 signatures. | An online petition calling for the release of the BBC's Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston, has now gathered more than 30,000 signatures. |
| The reporter is presumed to have been abducted when he disappeared on 12 March after leaving his Gaza office. | The reporter is presumed to have been abducted when he disappeared on 12 March after leaving his Gaza office. |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for his immediate and unconditional release. | UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for his immediate and unconditional release. |
| The BBC held a day of action on Thursday with al-Jazeera, CNN and Sky News joining a special live programme. | The BBC held a day of action on Thursday with al-Jazeera, CNN and Sky News joining a special live programme. |
| The unprecedented broadcast paid tribute to Alan Johnston's work and detailed the dangers for correspondents working in the Gaza Strip. | The unprecedented broadcast paid tribute to Alan Johnston's work and detailed the dangers for correspondents working in the Gaza Strip. |
| 'Safe and well' | 'Safe and well' |
| Mr Ban said Mr Johnston's coverage of Palestinian issues had won him a worldwide reputation. | Mr Ban said Mr Johnston's coverage of Palestinian issues had won him a worldwide reputation. |
| He said freedom of the press should be protected "as a matter of principle". | He said freedom of the press should be protected "as a matter of principle". |
| The BBC's director general, Mark Thompson, met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas who told him "he had credible evidence that Alan was safe and well". | |
| You have family. Please think about what this is doing to my family. Please let my son go now, today Graham JohnstonAlan's father Add your name to petition | You have family. Please think about what this is doing to my family. Please let my son go now, today Graham JohnstonAlan's father Add your name to petition |
| But Mr Thompson said there had been no contact with any kidnappers and no demands had been received. | But Mr Thompson said there had been no contact with any kidnappers and no demands had been received. |
| At a news conference in London on Thursday, Mr Johnston's parents appealed to their son's captors to immediately release him. | At a news conference in London on Thursday, Mr Johnston's parents appealed to their son's captors to immediately release him. |
| "You have family," said Alan's father, Graham Johnston. | "You have family," said Alan's father, Graham Johnston. |
| "Please think about what this is doing to my family. Please let my son go now, today." | "Please think about what this is doing to my family. Please let my son go now, today." |
| Kidnappers have abducted dozens of foreigners in Gaza, but none have been held for as long as Mr Johnston, missing for more than one month now. | Kidnappers have abducted dozens of foreigners in Gaza, but none have been held for as long as Mr Johnston, missing for more than one month now. |
| The 44-year-old joined the BBC World Service in 1991 and has spent eight of the last 16 years as a correspondent, including periods in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. | The 44-year-old joined the BBC World Service in 1991 and has spent eight of the last 16 years as a correspondent, including periods in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. |
| He has lived and worked in Gaza for three years and was the only Western reporter permanently based in the often violent and lawless territory. | He has lived and worked in Gaza for three years and was the only Western reporter permanently based in the often violent and lawless territory. |
| His posting in Gaza had been due to end in late March. | His posting in Gaza had been due to end in late March. |