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Euro MP demands release of Indian-origin reporter

Shyam Bhatia in London

A member of the European Parliament in Strasbourg has joined calls demanding the immediate release of a British reporter of Indian-origin who is being held in jail in north-western Pakistan.

West Midlands Euro MP Philip Bradbourn described the detention of Amardeep Bassey, who works for the Birmingham-based Sunday Mercury, as 'crazy'.

He said he had asked the President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, to demand the release of Bassey on bail pending a further investigation.

Speaking in Strasbourg, Bradbourn said, "This is a crazy situation, Mr Bassey has no idea why he has been accused of spying. The allegation seems to stem from the fact that he did not have an appropriate visa stamp on his passport.

"Until this situation is sorted out, I am pressing President Cox to push for Mr Bassey's release on bail. I have also been in touch with the British High Commission in Islamabad to ensure they are on the case."

British consular officials in Pakistan have confirmed they are demanding access to Bassey and the foreign office in London says it is continuing to monitor his detention following allegations of spying.

Sources in Pakistan confirmed earlier this week that Bassey, who is being held in a 'lock-up' with 55 other inmates in Landi Kotal prison near Peshawar, has had no contact with British officials since his arrest last Friday.

Bassey (29) is investigations editor of the Sunday Mercury in Birmingham, which in turn is owned by the Trinity Mirror group.

A spokesman for Trinity Mirror said the spying allegations were nonsense, adding that Bassey had been arrested because his visa to enter the country did not have an exit stamp.

"He had not got an exit visa showing he had already left Pakistan even though he had gone through all the right channels," the Trinity Mirror spokesman added.

"I suspect this is a bureaucratic mix-up. The spying allegation is absolute nonsense."

In Peshawar Bassey's friend Tariq Khan, who works for the Human Rights Commission in Peshawar, Pakistan, said: "Amardeep had come over on a trip with the British Army.

"He is a friend and I arranged for him to go to Afghanistan with a couple of friends. He has a valid visa for both countries, but the trouble is he did not have an exit stamp on his visa when he left Pakistan. He was arrested with the other two men when he tried to return to Pakistan on Friday. I have tried to convince the authorities that he is a journalist and not a spy, but it is a very tricky situation. Amardeep has an Indian background and they are very suspicious and it is a very sensitive time. I spoke to him and he was fine, but naturally was a bit depressed. He is being kept in a cell with about 20-30 others."

"Hopefully he will be freed soon. If the British High Commission gets actively involved and brings pressure to bear, then he could be out in hours. Otherwise, it could be months," Khan said.

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