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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Prison distress in Chad child row | Prison distress in Chad child row |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Sixteen Europeans being held in Chad on child kidnapping and fraud charges have been shown to reporters in Abeche looking distraught and dishevelled. | Sixteen Europeans being held in Chad on child kidnapping and fraud charges have been shown to reporters in Abeche looking distraught and dishevelled. |
| A BBC correspondent says it had been thought they would be moved to the capital, N'Djamena, for their safety. | A BBC correspondent says it had been thought they would be moved to the capital, N'Djamena, for their safety. |
| But the transfer will not happen immediately, the prosecutor in Abeche, Ahmat Daoud, says. | But the transfer will not happen immediately, the prosecutor in Abeche, Ahmat Daoud, says. |
| The group was arrested in the town last week while allegedly trying to smuggle more than 100 children to France. | The group was arrested in the town last week while allegedly trying to smuggle more than 100 children to France. |
| If they are found guilty, the group face between five and 20 years in prison with hard labour. | If they are found guilty, the group face between five and 20 years in prison with hard labour. |
| The charity behind the flight, Zoe's Ark, said it believed the children were orphans from Sudan's war-torn Darfur region. | The charity behind the flight, Zoe's Ark, said it believed the children were orphans from Sudan's war-torn Darfur region. |
| Staff from the UN children's agency Unicef say many of the children, now being kept in an orphanage in Abeche, a town near Chad's border with Darfur, cry at night for their parents and say they are from villages in Chad. | Staff from the UN children's agency Unicef say many of the children, now being kept in an orphanage in Abeche, a town near Chad's border with Darfur, cry at night for their parents and say they are from villages in Chad. |
| Close to tears | Close to tears |
| The BBC's Stephanie Hancock in Abeche says journalists were briefly allowed to view the prisoners in custody; they were prevented from talking to them. | The BBC's Stephanie Hancock in Abeche says journalists were briefly allowed to view the prisoners in custody; they were prevented from talking to them. |
| We have a country; we have a justice system; we want them to be judged in Chad Abeche protester href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7069973.stm">In pictures: Child row drama Ordeal of Chad children Would you give up your child? | |
| All the foreigners were being held together in one room. | All the foreigners were being held together in one room. |
| Seated on the floor still dressed in their airline uniforms and charity T-shirts, they appeared extremely dishevelled, she says. | Seated on the floor still dressed in their airline uniforms and charity T-shirts, they appeared extremely dishevelled, she says. |
| One French prisoner was lying on the floor clearly in a good deal of pain. | One French prisoner was lying on the floor clearly in a good deal of pain. |
| A Spanish air hostess was close to tears. | A Spanish air hostess was close to tears. |
| While there were no obvious signs the group had been physically maltreated, one French prisoner gestured that he had been beaten, our reporter says. | While there were no obvious signs the group had been physically maltreated, one French prisoner gestured that he had been beaten, our reporter says. |
| Mr Daoud said a request has been made to the Supreme Court in the capital, N'Djamena, to have the group moved there, but "to talk of transferring the prisoners is too early". | Mr Daoud said a request has been made to the Supreme Court in the capital, N'Djamena, to have the group moved there, but "to talk of transferring the prisoners is too early". |
| "Now the file is at the justice of Abeche and we are reflecting on it, and the possibility of transferring them to a jurisdiction better placed as our jurisdiction here in Abeche needs a lot of support," he told reporters. | "Now the file is at the justice of Abeche and we are reflecting on it, and the possibility of transferring them to a jurisdiction better placed as our jurisdiction here in Abeche needs a lot of support," he told reporters. |
| "It's a very important file, and very big file, which needs a lot of investigation at a national and international level. There are things which must be investigated outside Chad, especially in France where host families for these children are." | "It's a very important file, and very big file, which needs a lot of investigation at a national and international level. There are things which must be investigated outside Chad, especially in France where host families for these children are." |
| Charges | Charges |
| Correspondents say a small angry crowd gathered outside the courtroom where the charges were brought. | Correspondents say a small angry crowd gathered outside the courtroom where the charges were brought. |
| There were no obvious signs the group had been physically maltreated | There were no obvious signs the group had been physically maltreated |
| They made it clear they wanted the group to face justice in Chad. | They made it clear they wanted the group to face justice in Chad. |
| "We have a country; we have a justice system; we have everything. We want them to be judged in Chad - we don't want them to be taken to Europe," one told the BBC. | "We have a country; we have a justice system; we have everything. We want them to be judged in Chad - we don't want them to be taken to Europe," one told the BBC. |
| Nine French prisoners, six members of Zoe's Ark and three journalists, were charged with attempted child abduction and fraud. | Nine French prisoners, six members of Zoe's Ark and three journalists, were charged with attempted child abduction and fraud. |
| The seven Spanish air crew were charged as accomplices. | The seven Spanish air crew were charged as accomplices. |
| Under Chadian law, child kidnapping carries a sentence of five to 20 years hard labour, while the fraud charges could see the group face a further five years in jail. | Under Chadian law, child kidnapping carries a sentence of five to 20 years hard labour, while the fraud charges could see the group face a further five years in jail. |
| One Chadian has so far also been charged as an accomplice. | One Chadian has so far also been charged as an accomplice. |
| Another European - a Belgian pilot - is in detention in the capital, N'Djamena, but is not reported to be facing charges at present. | Another European - a Belgian pilot - is in detention in the capital, N'Djamena, but is not reported to be facing charges at present. |
| 'Exploiting' | 'Exploiting' |
| A senior French opposition MP told the BBC he feared Chad was trying to exploit the situation for political purposes. | A senior French opposition MP told the BBC he feared Chad was trying to exploit the situation for political purposes. |
| The children are not being treated for any serious illnesses or injuries | The children are not being treated for any serious illnesses or injuries |
| "I know some of these people who are working in Darfur, and they are very generous people, and probably they have made several mistakes - it's not easy to understand," said Jack Lang, a former Socialist minister. | "I know some of these people who are working in Darfur, and they are very generous people, and probably they have made several mistakes - it's not easy to understand," said Jack Lang, a former Socialist minister. |
| "And the French government in the first time was not against this operation, it was a humanitarian operation. | "And the French government in the first time was not against this operation, it was a humanitarian operation. |
| "But now it appears that the Chadian government wants to create with France difficult relations." | "But now it appears that the Chadian government wants to create with France difficult relations." |
| Spain's foreign ministry said it "disagreed" with the charges against its citizens. | Spain's foreign ministry said it "disagreed" with the charges against its citizens. |
| The charity insists it was trying in good faith to take endangered children abroad for medical treatment. | The charity insists it was trying in good faith to take endangered children abroad for medical treatment. |
| But aid workers said they were not treating any of the children for any serious illnesses or injuries. | But aid workers said they were not treating any of the children for any serious illnesses or injuries. |