Liibaan Posted June 18, 2010 BBC reporter and award-winner is refused British entry visa A BBC reporter has been refused entry to the UK to collect a Parliamentary award for services to press and democratic freedom. Mohamed Olad Hassan, the main English language correspondent in Mogadishu for the BBC World Service, was chosen to receive the Speaker Abbott award by a panel of senior Parliamentarians, Speaker John Bercow and by Chris McLaughlin Friday, June 18th, 2010 A BBC reporter has been refused entry to the UK to collect a Parliamentary award for services to press and democratic freedom. Mohamed Olad Hassan, the main English language correspondent in Mogadishu for the BBC World Service, was chosen to receive the Speaker Abbott award by a panel of senior Parliamentarians, Speaker John Bercow and Tribune, which sponsors the award. But his flight, and a two-week programme of events and meetings organised by the Parliamentary Press Gallery, which instituted and organises the award, had to be abandoned when the British High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya, rejected his visa application. The award was accepted on Olad’s behalf by his colleague, Head of the World Service Africa Region Jerry Timmins, who told a reception in the Speaker’s House: “Olad sees this as an award not just for him but for all those who support him in his work and all the other journalists around the world who put their lives at risk to report the truth.” Mr Bercow said: “Olad has suffered physically and from the constant threat to his security yet he is determined to perform his duty.” Olad told Tribune: “I am really very grateful for the award and the support it gives to me. I am surprised at the denial of a visa to a journalist working with the BBC in Somalia for seven years and in possession of an official, documented invitation to meet the Speaker. “I am Somali and have a Somali passport. The Border Agency officials in Nairobi where I applied repeatedly asked me why I wanted asylum in the UK, which was very ridiculous.” The Home Office said that Olad had failed to supply required information to secure a visa, such as proof of earnings. Ministers would not have been able to intervene unless and until an application had been properly processed. The award is named after Speaker Abbot who in May 1803, at the height of the Napoleonic wars, first ruled that part of the House of Commons chamber should be reserved in future for the Press. Previous winners have included journalists from Sudan, Liberia, Syria, Iran and Russia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muriidi Posted June 18, 2010 2 seperate threats : web page web page .. one answer : .. do you think the americans will say "nie wieder .. so and so .." , or will they name airports after them like the french ..? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
