A candlelight vigil was held yesterday in San Francisco
for two US journalists held captive by North Korea.
Photos by Luke Thomas
By Luke Thomas
July 10, 2009
While North Korea continues to test the patience of the international community with recent missile launches and a nuclear bomb test, San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar yesterday sponsored a candlelight vigil for two US journalists held captive by the isolated communist regime.
Journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling were arrested and detained March 17 by North Korean border authorities while filming a documentary for Current TV about human trafficking. They were subsequently charged with illegal entry and “hostile acts” and sentenced to 12 years of “reform through labor.”
“It’s really about people coming together collectively to express our support for them… to improve their morale and to keep their spirits strong until we free them,” Supervisor Mar said while supporters held signs, lit candles, wrote postcards and posed for a group photograph to be sent to the detainees.
Lee and Ling have since acknowledged they illegally entered the country from the Chinese border and have apologized to the North Korean authorities.
Washington is calling on Pyongyang to release them on the grounds of amnesty but it is feared North Korea intends to use the incident as leverage to resist US pressure to halt its nuclear program.
“This is a terrible time for them,” Mar said.
Jina Lee, who has spoken to her sister, Euna Lee, by phone on several occasions since her arrest, told Fog City Journal, “She’s not well and she’s losing weight.” Laura Ling has a stomach condition that also requires medication.
Jina Lee
The Obama administration is working to secure their release but is keeping the issue separate from talks related to North Korea’s recent nuclear bomb test and missile launches.
More Info
A web site to generate support for Ling and Lee is up and running at www.lauraandeuna.com.
Also, you can boost their spirits by sending them postcards (postage is 28 cents) via the following address:
Free Laura and Euna
PO Box 2174
Toluca Lake, CA 91610
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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The Hunger Site
July 11, 2009 at 8:00 am
Publicly silent,
Gore that is. I’m guessing the reporters will be released today or tomorrow and it will be because of the work that Al did with Hillary. Unfortunately, part of the deal will be that we’ll never know. el Greco, you can’t believe that Gore would do nothing. He’d make a good governor too by the way.
h.
July 10, 2009 at 2:13 pm
And a big shout-out to former VP Gore who has remained silent while his employees languish in a North Korean prison. Hey, Al, I can front you the 28 cents for a postcard if ya need it.