Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=1/12/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=PAKISTAN FRENCH JOURNALISTS (S ONLY)

NUMBER=2-311735

BYLINE=MICHAEL KITCHEN

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Pakistan has released two French journalists arrested earlier for traveling to the Afghan border without permission. V-O-A's Michael Kitchen reports from Islamabad.

TEXT: A provincial high court reduced six-month prison sentences to seven days for reporters Marc Epstein and Jean-Paul Guilloteau. The court, however, doubled their fine to more than 35-hundred dollars each. Once the fines are paid, they can leave Pakistan.

Khawar Mehdi, a Pakistani journalist who aided the two men, is still in custody, awaiting charges.

The French reporters were charged with visiting the city of Quetta in violation of their visas.

Vincent Brossel, with the press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders, says the arrests were meant to stop foreign reports from that area of Pakistan.

/// BROSSEL ACT ///

They don't want to see foreign journalists working with real investigative strategies in this part of the world.

/// END ACT ///

The reporters visited the area to film what was said to be a secret camp used by Afghan militants hiding in Pakistan. Allegations later surfaced, however, that the camp was a fake, set up to fool the journalists. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/MK/KPD