The Case of Bilal Hussein

On April 12, 2006, Associated Press photographer Bilal Hussein, part of the AP’s 2005 Pulitzer winning team of photojournalists in Iraq, was seized inside his Rimadi apartment and taken into custody by the US military. As of today, 19 months afterwards, Hussein is still being held in detention without being charged with a crime.

This week, US Navy Captain Brian J. Bill finally notified AP lawyers that Bilal Hussein is to be tried in Iraqi Criminal Court on Sunday, December 9th. They still have not, however, revealed why they are prosecuting the photojournalist. The Associated Press’s President and chief Executive Officer Tom Curley has written editorials and repeatedly defended the 36 year old staff photographer, this week in a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressing concerns over Hussein’s chances for a fair trial. Informal allegations made by military spokespeople include the insinuation that the Irqai photographer’s access to photographing insurgent activity was inappropriately privileged.