May 20, 2022
Family of photojournalist murdered in Libya reveal that his passport was held by South African officials for years after his death
Eleven years on, the call for justice continues for the murder of photojournalist Anton Hammerl
#JusticeforAnton
London, 20 May 2022 – The widow of photojournalist Anton Hammerl, Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl, has raised serious concerns about the handling of his case by the South African government.
At an event hosted by the Frontline Club, Ms Sukhraj-Hammerl announced for the first time that she is in possession of the passport Anton used to enter Libya in 2011.
The recovery of Anton’s passport, which was in his possession while he was in Libya, demonstrates that Anton’s remains were located after he was killed. Anton always carried his passport with him when reporting in the field, and eyewitnesses have confirmed to his family and their international legal team that he was carrying it on his person on the day he was killed.
Anton, a South African photojournalist who was living with his family in the UK, travelled from London to Libya in 2011 to cover the nation’s civil war. On 5 April 2011 Anton and three other journalists – James Foley, Clare Gillis and Manu Brabo – came under fire from forces loyal to the nation’s ruler, Colonel Gaddafi, while they were covering the conflict. Anton was shot and fatally wounded. The other three journalists were captured and detained. For 44 days, Anton’s family was led to believe that he was still alive and campaigned for his release alongside the families of the other journalists. However, they eventually discovered, on 19 May 2011, that he had been killed weeks before. There has never been a full investigation into his death, and his body has never been recovered.
Ms Sukhraj-Hammerl has now revealed that she received Anton’s passport in 2016 from a South African government official. At that point it had been in the custody of the South African government for at least three years.
In a letter to the South African government, Ms Sukhraj-Hammerl stated: “More than a decade since Anton’s death, we still don’t know the location of his remains. We still don’t have a grave to visit. We still don’t know the truth. Your administration’s response? Silence.”
She stated: “Senior officials who dealt with our family around the time of Anton’s death must have known about the passport—but did not return it to us at the time. They did not even tell us they had it. This was an important development in Anton’s case and is likely to have led us to finding the whereabouts of Anton’s remains. Yet, South African officials remained silent.”
Ms Sukhraj-Hammerl, through her legal team, first wrote to the South African government a year ago, in May 2021, to request a meeting to discuss the handling of the case. Despite further requests and chasing correspondence, she received no response. Responses to Freedom of Information (“FOI”) requests from South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (“DIRCO”) did not disclose information relating to holding his passport.
Speaking at the Frontline Club about Anton’s passport, Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl said: “Was this a cover up? I’m not sure. What we do know is that the officials that dealt with us in our search for Anton’s remains had his passport. They would have known that any information such as the whereabouts of his passport would be a lead for where his body might have been.”
Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, human rights lawyer and counsel for the family, said: “Anton Hammerl entered Libya at a time when Gaddafi’s forces were suspected of serious violations of international law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity, to bring the world accurate accounts of what was truly happening. He then became a victim of the regime’s criminal actions himself, killed for being a journalist. It is deeply concerning that his own government has failed to do everything in its power to secure accountability for his murder. We now know that South African officials held vital evidence for at least three years which they failed to pass on to the family promptly, and they have still not answered basic questions. Where did the passport come from? When was it sent to them, and under what circumstances? Answering these questions could provide vital leads to locating Anton’s remains.”
Journalist James (Jim) Foley was working with Anton on the day he died and was an eyewitness to Anton’s murder on 5 April 2011. Diane Foley, James Foley’s mother and president and founder of the James W Foley Legacy Foundation, spoke at the event. She said: “Accountability for perpetrators of violence against journalists is essential to stop the deliberate targeting of our courageous reporters.”
Matthew Caruana Galizia, journalist and director of the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, said: “Every victim of murder, every family, deserves justice. Progress in holding Anton’s killers to account is progress for all.”
The event was held as the safety of journalists in warzones is once again at the forefront of public consciousness given the fallout from the war in Ukraine.
Notes for editors:
Anton Hammerl was an award-winning photojournalist. To learn more about him, his work, and the #JusticeforAnton campaign visit http://www.justiceforanton.com
The event was held on 19 May 2022, 19.00 BST, at the Frontline Club, London, and chaired by journalist Inigo Gilmore. It was held on 19 May to coincide with the eleventh anniversary of the day that Anton’s family found out that he had been killed six weeks earlier by Gaddafi loyalists, having been falsely led to believe by Libyan authorities that he was alive and well.
Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl is represented by an international legal team from Doughty Street Chambers: barristers Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, Tatyana Eatwell and Catherine Meredith.
For any media queries, please contact Bronwyn Friedlander, Justice for Anton campaign, on +44 (0) 7939 320 759 or bronwyn.friedlander@gmail.com.
June 28, 2021
London – Geneva: The widow of photojournalist Anton Hammerl, Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl, is appealing to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva to act to secure justice for his murder in Libya in 2011, after a decade with no action, no answers, and no accountability for his death.
She is supported in her campaign by leading media organisations, unions and NGOs, including the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, Justice for Journalists Foundation, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the James W Foley Legacy Foundation, Reporters without Borders (RSF), the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and the Redress Trust.
To coincide with the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, representatives from the International Federation of Journalists and South African National Editors’ Forum will join a virtual ‘side event’ later today, 15.00 – 16.00 CET/ SAST (14.00 – 15.00 BST), to raise awareness of Anton’s case and continuing impunity for crimes against journalists in Libya. The full line-up is:
- Chair: Jeremy Dear, Deputy General Secretary, International Federation of Journalists
- Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl, widow of Anton Hammerl and journalist
- Jeremy Bowen, BBC Middle East Editor
- Sbu Ngalwa, Chair, South African National Editors’ Forum
- Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, Doughty Street Chambers, legal counsel for Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl
- Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Director, International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and Member, High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom
Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl said, “Ten years is too long to have lived without any answers as to what happened to Anton after he was murdered. We trusted the governments involved to help us bring Anton home and investigate his death. None of that has happened. We appeal to the international community to consider this and act to end this injustice.”
On 1 April 2021, just days before the tenth anniversary of Anton’s death, Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl’s lawyers, Doughty Street Chambers, submitted complaints to UN Human Rights Council experts: the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Dr Morris Tidball-Binz, and the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances.
The complaints state that there was “a clear indication from the outset that Mr Hammerl, a civilian, had been unlawfully targeted and that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that his killing constituted a war crime” in violation of international law.
The family is requesting that the UN raise concerns with the Libyan authorities, urgently request information from the South African, Austrian and UK authorities and take steps to ensure an investigation into the circumstances of Anton’s death, including an investigation into the whereabouts of his remains.
Anton Hammerl was killed by Gaddafi loyalists on 5 April 2011 while covering the civil war. For over six weeks, his family was falsely led to believe by the Libyan authorities that he was alive and well. His remains have never been located and there has been no investigation into the circumstances of his death or the aftermath by the Libyan, South African, Austrian or UK authorities, or any other law enforcement or investigative body. He was a dual South African and Austrian national and a UK resident at the time of his death.
Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, counsel for the family, said, “Anton Hammerl was a brilliant photojournalist who travelled to Libya to bear witness to what was happening away from the world’s gaze, including suspected serious human rights abuses by al-Gaddafi forces. He then became a victim of such abuses by those very troops. For ten long years Libya has failed to comply with its legal obligations to locate Anton’s body and investigate his murder. If Libya will not take action, the world must not continue to stand idly by. The international community must now act and end this unacceptable impunity.”
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Advocacy and Communications Director Gypsy Guillén Kaiser said, “Anton Hammerl’s death left a void with his family and friends, but it is also a deep loss for journalism. Every killing of a journalist that is met with impunity only perpetuates further deadly violence. We join in solidarity with #JusticeforAnton and demand that once and for all, this case and that of every journalist killed globally be met with justice.”
Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation Director Matthew Caruana Galizia said, “A group of men murdered an innocent person, a journalist, in cold blood and have so far gotten away with it. Anton’s family need justice, but they don’t even know where his body was buried. Libyan authorities must work with Anton’s family and representatives to make sure that those who murdered him are held to account.”
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said, “Anton’s family and friends deserve justice. They have waited ten long years for answers and the truth. Instead, they have faced a lack of action, cover-ups and lies. The impunity must end. The Libyan authorities must fulfill their legal obligations and the international community must step up the pressure for action, answers and justice.”
Justice for Journalists Foundation Director Maria Ordzhonikidze said, “We stand with the family of Anton Hammerl and our partners in campaign efforts to bring attention to the legal limbo that the families of the murdered media professionals find themselves in when the loved ones lose their lives in the countries not motivated to investigate. It underlines the necessity of an international investigative body with a mandate to end the impunity of criminals going after the journalists with no fear and no accountability.”
RSF’s Director of International Campaigns Rebecca Vincent said, “We stand in full solidarity with Anton Hammerl’s family and are proud to support their campaign for #JusticeforAnton. No family should have to endure what they’ve been through over the past decade, left with few answers and no accountability for his murder. Every time impunity is allowed to prevail in the killing of a journalist, the door is left open for further such attacks, making it less safe for journalists to do their jobs around the world. When we campaign for #JusticeforAnton, we campaign for an end to impunity for the killings of journalists, and for better protections for journalists everywhere.”
South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) chair Sbu Ngalwa said, “As an organisation whose efforts are to campaign for media freedom and the rights of all journalists we stand with Penny and her family in seeking the answers about Anton’s death. We ask all those with the necessary power to help bring closure to this very traumatic and painful period for Penny and her children. Hammerl was a respected photojournalist and he paid the highest price for his contribution to journalism.”
Anton’s family request that those who wish to show their support for the campaign join supporters in posting a selfie to social media wearing a yellow ribbon and using the hashtags #JusticeforAnton or #JusticeforAntonHammerl.
A decade on, the family is once again calling on people around the world to don a yellow ribbon for Anton, to support the new campaign for justice. The Yellow Ribbons of Hope campaign for Anton was first launched on 14 May 2011 to mark the devastating milestone of 40 days and 40 nights of Anton’s disappearance in Libya.
Ends
For any media queries, please contact Bronwyn Friedlander, Justice for Anton campaign, on +44 (0) 7939 320 759 or bronwyn.friedlander@gmail.com.
Notes to Editors
Pre-registration is essential for this afternoon’s panel discussion event, for more information and to register visit https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/event/international-media-freedom-impunity-and-journalists-deaths-case-anton-hammerl
The Justice for Anton campaign is grateful to the Justice for Journalists Foundation (JFJ) for its support. JFJ is a London-based non-governmental organisation which funds journalistic investigations into violent crimes against media workers and helps professional and citizen journalists to mitigate their risks. The foundation was established in August 2018 by Mikhail Khodorkovsky, founder of the Open Russia pro-democracy movement, an Amnesty International-recognised prisoner of conscience, and Putin’s most prominent critic, together with his former business partner, philanthropist, and member of the Free Russia Forum’s standing committee Leonid Nevzlin.
Anton Hammerl was an award-winning photojournalist, to learn more about him, his work, and the #JusticeforAnton campaign visit www.justiceforanton.com
What are the UN Special Procedures?
The Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council are independent human rights experts with mandates to report and advise on human rights issues, supported by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Why do the UN Special Procedures matter as a first step in Anton’s case?
Although Anton’s family are entitled to an investigation as a matter of international law, it is ten years since his murder and no steps have yet been taken to investigate within Libya. The family is now asking the UN Special Procedures to act, exercising their powers to act in cases of reported violations of human rights and gathering information. What is needed now is an investigation, to answer the family’s questions and secure evidence.
April 1, 2021
Just days before the tenth anniversary of photojournalist Anton Hammerl’s death, his widow Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl has launched a campaign to seek justice for his murder. Anton Hammerl was shot and fatally wounded in Libya by forces loyal to Gaddafi on 5 April 2011. He was covering the 2011 Libyan conflict as a freelancer. Anton’s body has never been located and there has been no investigation into the circumstances of his death, or the aftermath, by the Libyan, South African, Austrian or UK authorities, or any other law enforcement or investigative body.
After a decade with no action, no answers and no accountability, Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl has instructed a legal team from Doughty Street Chambers: Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, Tatyana Eatwell and Catherine Meredith. Her intention to renew the pursuit for justice for Anton was announced in an online launch and press briefing earlier today (1 April 2021), hosted by Doughty Street Chambers with participation from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), who are supporting the family. Today, the legal team filed complaints with the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Dr Morris Tidball-Binz, and the UN Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, requesting that they raise their concerns about Anton’s case with the Libyan authorities; urgently request information from the South African, Austrian and UK authorities; and take steps to ensure an investigation into the circumstances of Anton’s death and disappearance now take place, including an investigation into the whereabouts of his remains so that they may be recovered and returned to his family.
More details about the case are available here, in this press release from Anton’s family, Doughty Street Chambers and RSF; and more details about the campaign are here.
Today’s launch event was chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, and the speakers were Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl, Anton’s widow; Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC; Diane Foley, mother of journalist James Foley and president and founder of the James W Foley Legacy Foundation; and Rebecca Vincent, RSF’s Director of International Campaigns.
March 24, 2021
THE MURDER OF PHOTOJOURNALIST ANTON HAMMERL IN LIBYA, 2011
WHEN: 1st April 2021
LOCATION: Online Seminar via Zoom
The Murder of Photojournalist Anton Hammerl in Libya, 2011
Ten years on, a call for justice for the murder of photojournalist Anton Hammerl and the launch of the #JusticeforAnton Campaign
About this Event
Photojournalist Anton Hammerl was killed by Gaddafi loyalists on 5 April 2011 while covering the conflict in Libya. Anton’s remains have never been located and there has been no investigation into the circumstances of his death or the aftermath, when, for over six weeks, his family was falsely led to believe by the Libyan authorities that he was alive and well. As the ten-year anniversary of his death approaches, a decade with no action, no answers and no accountability, Anton’s widow, Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl has instructed a legal team from Doughty Street Chambers (Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, Tatyana Eatwell and Catherine Meredith).
Hear from Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl about why she has chosen to renew her fight for justice for Anton ten years on, and from legal counsel, Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, about what this will entail.
They will be joined by Rebecca Vincent, Director of International Campaigns, Reporters Without Borders, and Diane Foley, mother of deceased journalist, James Foley, who was working with Anton on the day he died, and was an eyewitness to his killing. She is the President and Founder of the James W Foley Legacy Foundation. Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and a barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, will chair the event.
Programme
• 13.00 – 14.00 hrs (BST, UK time), Thursday 1 April 2021
• 14.00 – 15.00 hrs (SAST, South Africa time), Thursday 1 April 2021
• 08.00 – 09.00 hrs (EDT, New York and Washington DC, USA time), Thursday 1 April 2021
Chair: Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Doughty Street Chambers and Director, International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute
Speakers will include:
• Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl, widow of Anton Hammerl and journalist
• Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC, Doughty Street Chambers, counsel for Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl
• Diane Foley, President and founder, James W Foley Legacy Foundation
• Rebecca Vincent, Director of International Campaigns, Reporters Without Borders
Attendance Details
This briefing will take place on Zoom. Please note that this is an on-record briefing for journalists, supporters and all those interested in learning more about the campaign – preregistration is essential.
For media enquiries or further information regarding the content of the briefing please contact Bronwyn Friedlander, Justice for Anton campaign, on +44 (0) 7939 320 759 or bronwyn.friedlander@gmail.com.
For any technical queries regarding the webinar/ briefing event on 1st April, please email events@doughtystreet.co.uk.
Please note that this is an on-record briefing for journalists – preregistration is essential.
For media enquiries, interview requests or further information regarding the content of the briefing please contact Bronwyn Friedlander, Justice for Anton campaign, on +44 (0) 7939 320 759 or bronwyn.friedlander@gmail.com.
For any technical queries, please email events@doughtystreet.co.uk or contact +44 (0) 207 404 1313.
Original source: Doughty Street Chambers
Justice for Anton 