British journalist held for filming Kenya police(researching disputed terror arrests)

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

NAIROBI, April 21 (Reuters) - A British journalist and Kenyan colleague have been arrested and interviewed by Nairobi anti-terror officers for filming a police station while researching a story on disputed terror arrests.

Dan Edge and Susan Kurumba were taken into custody on Friday under suspicion of "terror-related activity" for shooting footage of the outside of Kileleshwa police station in the capital of the east African nation, their companies said.

"The arresting officer completely overreacted by confiscating their tapes and calling the anti-terrorism police," said John Gatibaru, general manager of local production company Vivid Features, which employs Kurumba.

Edge was working for Britain's Channel Four investigative programme "Dispatches", with Kurumba assisting him.

The pair "have got all the relevant required filming permits ... they have got everything they need to be working in the country," a spokeswoman for Channel Four in London said.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L21259052.htm

[pitohui]

1. kenya is a bit touchy about where you are allowed to take photos

many kenyans do not want to be photographed or do not want to be photographed unless they are paid for the right to use their image, it may be part of the masai culture, in any case, i was advised never to take photos of any person who had not agreed in advance and never to take photos while on masai land

combine this w. kenya's high awareness of security issues and you have a touchy situation if you don't have the proper rights to photograph a certain area -- when in doubt, the rule i followed was not to take a photo if i wasn't sure, but easier for a tourist to follow this rule than someone who is there in the first place to take photos or films for their job

assuming the film-makers DO have the correct permits, which seems likely since they are backed by a television channel, i hope this can all be settled w.out harm to the film-makers and they can come to a peaceful resolution that allows them to make their film w.out any harm to security procedures in the area

it sounds like a misunderstanding to me that will hopefully quickly be resolved

[Babette]

4. Part of this is due to abuse by western photographers.

I did part of my Kenyan study abroad in Lamu. We were told to be very very careful about photographing people or places at all. There had been a big scandal when an American photographer went to Lamu and took lots of pictures, only to print them in a calendar without asking the people involved or giving them compensation at all. One young girl with stunning eyes was featured prominently. She had no idea she would end up in a calendar. Her family was extremely upset. The people are very strongly Islamic there, and took a great deal of offense at the use of the girl to make money.

We were told not to photograph any uniformed official or official building in any of Kenya. They suspect people of trying to make them look foolish or trying to get them into trouble.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Kenya police free UK journalist

A British journalist and his Kenyan producer have been released without charge after being arrested by anti-terror police in Kenya.

Dan Edge, 29, of Northamptonshire, and Susan Karumba, 27, were arrested on Friday as they filmed in Nairobi.

The pair were released after the British High Commissioner, Adam Wood, became involved.
...
A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said they pair had been released after being interviewed as terror suspects. She said they were both in good health and no further action will be taken against them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6580481.stm

[pitohui]

3. good news, glad to hear it

i suspected as soon as hearing about it that this whole mess was a misunderstanding