Death Anton Hammerl

places mentioned inside libya relative capital tripoli.

according media reports, on morning of 5 april 2011, 3 other reporters beside hammerl attacked libyan soldiers shot @ them in remote desert location outside of brega. these included 2 americans: james foley, freelance reporter , regular contributor global post, , clare morgana gillis, freelance reporter (atlantic monthly, christian science monitor, usa today), spanish photographer manu brabo. when shooting started, foley , gillis both heard hammerl yell out, help! hammerl killed , other 3 journalists beaten pro-gaddafi forces , taken prisoners.

foley stated: once saw anton lying there dead, had changed. whole world has changed. don t know felt of blows. gillis said, glanced down @ him being taken by, , saw him lying in pool of blood. , put truck , our heads pushed down. weren t able see happened after him. after attack in hammerl killed, libyan authorities gave hammerl s family false information 45 days hammerl still alive.

timeline of events

before hammerl began journey, 2 journalists had been killed while covering libyan civil war. both ali hassan al-jaber , mohammed nabbous had been killed in benghazi during month of march. in meantime, front, although fluid, had moved westward. flew london libya on 28 march cover uprising against colonel muammar gaddafi s regime. according family, hammerl last talked them 4 april , told them drive group of journalists rural location distance benghazi base.

a day later, hammerl killed in desert outside of brega. reporters headed toward front lines of battle when walked fight between rebels , gaddafi forces; latter shot hammerl , captured others. hammerl s body left behind in desert. @ time, eyewitness reports printed said car in hammerl , journalists had been riding destroyed after occupants removed, no death reported.

hammerl s family notified missing , asked south africa aid them in gaining release. on 7 april, human rights watch contacted hammerl s wife, stating believed hammerl captured, along 2 american journalists , spanish photographer, gaddafi loyalists. hammerl s wife contacted south african consular officials in london and, since south africa no longer had diplomatic staff in tripoli embassy, passed information on officials in south africa.

on 8 april, human rights watch informed hammerl s family libyan authorities confirmed had captured 4 journalists, including hammerl, 2 americans , spaniard. human rights organisation said libyan authorities had said journalists taken tripoli , released. same day, senior consul official in south africa said staff turkish embassy facilitate negotiations release acting on behalf of government. on 9 april, south african consular official informed family south african president jacob zuma intended visit libya , raise matter of hammerl s detention libyan government. suggestion release happen show of goodwill gaddafi. however, next day, hammerl s family informed issue of release had not been raised president zuma s delegation. zuma criticised not raising issue. 14 april, south african government working us, spanish , austrian governments secure release, of other journalists.

on 20 april, 2 photojournalists, tim hetherington , chris hondros reported killed in misrata. south african journalists , photographers demonstrated outside houses of parliament in cape town, south africa, , demanded government action on hammerl s imprisonment. on 21 april, south african journalists , photographers demonstrated in hyde park, johannesburg, draw attention plight of hammerl.

each of other 3 captured reporters emerged, not hammerl. each of 3 had been allowed call families saturday, 23 april, hammerl s family had yet hear him. gillis, thought have been captured hammerl, called parents detention in libya, reported in media on 21 april gillis had said hammerl had not been , 2 other journalists, foley , brabo, when captured.

hammerl still believed alive. according story on 22 april global post, boston-based news website foley worked, libyan official claimed hammerl alive , well. south african foreign affairs official confirmed this. 16 april, austrian foreign ministry said 2 independent sources had confirmed hammerl alive , well. confirmation obtained network of contacts in libya.

on 28 april, united nations dispatched three-man task force libya investigate allegations forces loyal gaddafi had committed human rights violations, including detention of foreign journalists. supporters rallied people call hammerl s return. 30 april, online petition calling release of south african photographer hammerl , 3 other detained journalists had received on 32,000 signatures.

on world press freedom day, on 3 may, vigils held hammerl @ st bride s church, fleet street, london, , @ institute advancement of journalism in johannesburg. on 14 may, hammerl family launched yellow ribbons of hope anton campaign mark 40 days , 40 nights since hammerl last had contact outside world. mark day, called on people around world wear yellow ribbon, has long been used signify absence of loved one.

on 17 may, libyan government claimed release hammerl. on 18 may, foley, gillis , brabo, nigel chandler (an english journalist being held), released , brought rixos hotel in tripoli. hammerl s family , friends watched unfold live on television.

with release of journalists, family learned of hammerl s death , gaddafi government s attempt cover up. @ 22:00 bst, thursday, 19 may, penny sukhraj received telephone call south african authorities , told her husband believed dead, shot in desert pro-gaddafi forces. later evening, sukhraj spoke gillis , foley, shared eyewitness accounts of events on last day had seen hammerl alive, , death. during time in detention, said had keep hammerl s death secret , fearful talking situation endanger lives , jeopardise chances of freedom. before learning of death, hammerl family getting ready begin physical search hammerl sending south african journalist , friend des latham libya.

by 26 may, before president zuma made trip libya, hammerl family called on zuma use influence gaddafi regime locate hammerl s remains , bring him home south africa. on 2 july, more 400 friends, family , colleagues gathered @ people church, johannesburg, reflect on hammerl s life.

on 8 september, hammerl s friends, family , colleagues returned st bride s church, fleet street, london memorial service. family continues efforts locate hammerl s remains. on 1 november, sukhraj wrote open letter libyan people: dear people of libya call on please our hearts, eyes , ears in our search whereabouts of anton s remains.