MBC’s reporter Hassan Zitouni to Echorouk: “Algerian authorities intervened to save me”

Algerian MBC’s reporter Hassan Zitouni refused to return homeland and to the UK before making sure that his colleagues Majdi and Mohamed are safe, calling upon the Libyan authorities to free them, asserting that he was highly respected and goodly treated by the Libyan armed troops during his detention.

Echorouk: Why did you enter Libyan soil and how did you get in there without an official request?  

Hassan Zitouni: I was in a pure media mission, and there are no secrets or other objectives behind being there. I was searching for truth to show it to the rest of the world, just like any other professional reporter.  

Echorouk: Why did MBC choose you for this mission?

H.Z: There were other reporters in Benghazi and MBC told me that I have to go there to continue the coverage; however, I refused many times.

Echorouk: Why?

H.Z: Because my mother prevented me from going to Libya saying that she would never forgive me if I go there.

Echorouk: Then, how did you agreed?

H.Z: MBC insisted and I changed my view because I felt that this was part of my work that I can’t refuse. I was confused at the beginning then I decided to go there without telling her about this mission, until she was surprised by the news of kidnapping. She cried and worried about me.

Echorouk: How did you get over Libya despite the no fly zone?

H.Z: I was among reporters who got permission to enter Libya when Seif El-Islam Kaddafi called us to come there, but after the no fly zone over it we were obliged to enter by land. First, we went to Ras Jadir, however; reporters there said that they stayed ten days to enter but the authorities allows only people wishing to leave the country, and those who leave can’t return another time. So I decided to move to the Egyptian borders and joined the photographer and his assistant in Bawabat M’saed border region, where I was allowed to enter Libya because I have a British passport, while my colleagues have Libyan and Egyptian passports. We get over Libya on March 29 and we start working as normally as usual. We focused on the humanitarian side, as MBC told us, and sometimes we spoke about reactions of the Transitional Council.

Echorouk: How did you find the situation in Benghazi and how did the rebels deal with you?

H.Z: There was a state of chaos and there was no commander to talk with. There was no part for coordination. No one to regulate the work of reporters, more than that there were fights with rebels who do not recognize TV channels but Al Jazerera.

Echorouk: Were you affected by the air strike against Libya?

H.Z: No, we wanted to approach the warzone for a clear image but it was impossible.

Echorouk: Tell us about the moment you have been detained and by whom have you been arrested?

H.Z: We have been in the car heading towards Brega for some shots, we found two soldiers of the Libyan armed troops. They told us to sit on the ground; they took our cell phones, cameras and even money.

Echorouk: Where have you been taken after that?

H.Z: We were taken to the center of armed forces in Brega where we stayed for almost an hour.

Echorouk: How did they treat you?

H.Z: There reaction was unexpected, as they gave us food, drink and even fruits before taking us to Sirte. They took us to the center of military intelligence, our eyes were blindfolded all the way and we could not see anything.  

Echrouok: What were their questions?

H.Z: They asked me about my MBC’s mission, content of the videos, our aims exactly and the identity of the channel.

Echorouk: Where did they take you after that?

H.Z: They took us to a room in the same center, there were ten beds. They were humanitarian with us, and we were not subject to torture, to the contrary they allowed me to talk to my mother to reassure her that I am fine.

Echorouk: Why did they release you alone without your colleagues?

H.Z: Algerian authorities intervened, including members of the Embassy and the Secretary General of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. They apologized to me after I spent seven days in detention.

Echorouk: How it comes that you appeared on Al Jamahiria channel?

H.Z: They asked me to appear on Al Jamahiria for an hour in order to talk about media in the Arab World.

Echorouk: Have you already been arrested during a mission?

H.Z: Yes, during the war in Pakistan. Authorities there detained me for four hours, and then released me.

Echorouk: What about your colleagues, MBC’s photographer and his assistant?

H.Z: I don’t know. The channel contacted all officials in Turkey, South Africa, and the Libyan Foreign Ministry in order to free them. I have no news about them since I left the center four days ago. I was taken to “Rex Hotel” in Tripoli. Now I am worried about them.

Echorouk: In your opinion, why did the Libyan authorities refused to free them until now, despite you are working for the same channel?

H.Z: May be because Mohamed is an Egyptian and there are some conflicts between the two countries and Majdi is a Libyan.