PESHAWAR, Feb 14: The journalist community held a demonstration outside the Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, demanding immediate release of Al Jazeera photojournalist Sami Mohiuddin, who has been detained at the Guantanamo Bay prison since his arrest at the Chaman border in 2001.

The demonstration was organised by the Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ). The demonstrators were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the illegal captivity.

Speaking on the occasion, KhUJ president Jan Afzal condemned the prolonged detention of Mr Mohiuddin and called upon the US government to release him immediately. He said the photojournalist had not committed any sin by covering the activities of the Taliban government and accommodating their viewpoint.

Mr Mohiuddin’s detention at a torture facility “is contrary to the United Nations’ human rights charter, democratic norms and ethical values,” he said.

Mr Afzal also criticised the kidnapping of Sohail Qalandar, Resident Editor of daily Express, and his friend Niaz Mohammad. He demanded of the government to take immediate steps for their recovery.

Al Jazeera spokesman Saiful Islam Saifi told the demonstrators that Mr Mohiuddin was coming to Pakistan from Jalalabad after the fall of the Taliban government when he was arrested by Pakistani authorities at the Chaman border. Later, he was handed over to the US forces in Afghanistan.

He said Mr Mohiuddin was a professional cameraman and had nothing to do with the politics of Afghanistan.

President of the Tribal Union of Journalists (TUJ) Sailab Mehsud lashed out at federal and provincial governments on the kidnapping of Mr Qalandar, and accused them of dilly-dallying.

He said the journalist community had shown enough patience. He said they had been peaceful throughout their protest campaign but the government paid no heed to their demand.

He also criticised what he called the barbaric campaign of the US forces against independent media in the conflict zones like Afghanistan. He urged the US administration to release Mr Mohiuddin who had documented the war history in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the hunger-strike of TUJ members for the recovery of Mr Qalandar entered the 9th day on Wednesday.