jpk update

france inter radio has broadcast fresh evidence on the JPK affair. UPDATE Second most popular radio station in the republic, France Inter has released a major investigation into the JPK Affair on the tenth anniversary of the disappearance of the former Pape'ete editor. Titled "Sharks in troubled waters - a counter-investigation into the JPK Affair" the programme sees fresh testimony from witnesses connected to the affair. Following below is a translation taken from the introductory webpage. "Sunday, December 16, 2007 "Sharks in troubled waters - a counter-investigation into the JPK Affair "10 years ago, during the night of 15 to 16 December 1997, the investigative journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud disappeared in mysterious circumstances in French Polynesia. "Under his byline JPK, Jean-Pascal Couraud denounced political, economic, and judicial scandals and abuses of power by Gaston Flosse, leader of French Polynesia for almost 30 years, protected by Jacque...

PRESS RELEASE > reporters sans frontieres 15 December 2007 The tenth anniversary of the disappearance of Jean-Pascal Couraud: Reporters Without Borders calls on the authorities not to betray the hopes of his family A few days before the tenth anniversary of the disappearance of the former editor of the Les Nouvelles in Tahiti, Jean-Pascal Couraud ( "JPK"), on December 15, 2007, Reporters Without Borders calls on the French authorities including the Justice minister, known as the the Keeper of Judicial Seals, Rachida Dati, to renew their commitment to establishing the truth about the exact circumstances of the death of the journalist. "Recent events allow us to believe that the investigation into the death of Jean-Pascal Couraud could move forward on a sound basis. Ten years after the fact, it is urgent, both from a moral and legal viewpoint, that the ins and outs of this case be brought out into the open. We call on French justice not to provide arguments to those who...

Philippe Couraud, above , heads a support committee for missing journalist Jean-Pascal Couraud - today hoping for a decision on their appeal against the closing off of evidence in an official investigation into allegations of assassination. An English translation of an update sent to members of the JPK support committee, features below. .................................................................................................... Papeete, October 19, 2007 To all the friends, members and supporters of the Support Committee: Evidence already collected shows that the investigation should be pursued As indicated in our last release in September 2007, we have seen in recent weeks that investigatory judge, Philippe Stelmach, proposes to close off evidence for the State case. As we expected, a reading of the investigation file shows quite the opposite is very necessary: to continue the investigation. Principal elements underpinning such a finding are as follows: 1 - Many contradictions...

COMMITTEE UPDATE Soutien JPK released the following update earlier today, carried below in French. Papeete, le 19 octobre 2007 A tous les amis, membres et sympathisants du Comité de soutien, Les éléments déjà recueillis montrent que l’enquête doit être poursuivie Comme indiqué dans notre dernier communiqué du mois de septembre 2007, nous avons pris connaissance ces dernières semaines du dossier d’enquête que le juge d’instruction Philippe Stelmach se propose de clore en l’état. Comme nous nous y attendions, la lecture du dossier d’instruction montre bien au contraire la réelle nécessité de poursuivre l’enquête. Les principaux éléments sur lesquels se fonde un tel constat sont les suivants : 1- Les nombreuses contradictions et mensonges avérés de certains proches de Jean-Pascal Couraud sur le déroulement précis de la dernière soirée passée à son domicile : leur mise en évidence lors des gardes à vue réalisées en début d’année 2007 nécessite de nouvelles invest...

OPEN LETTER The following letter was sent from the JPK Support Committee at 17:29, dated 2nd July 2007, concerning an ongoing inquiry into the alleged assassination of former Pape'ete editor Jean Pascal Couraud. Original French has been translated, fairly roughly, into English by avaiki news agency. --------------------------------------------- June 26, 2007 For all our friends and sympathizers of the committee of support, a progress report on the case. Attached: Letter dated June 20, 2007 Minister of Justice Article Liberation of June 25, 2007 According to our sources, gendarmes have finished their investigations relating to the letter of inquiry with which they had been charged, and are about to pass the whole case to the examining magistrate. The lawyer which worked with Jean-Pascal Couraud at the time of his disappearance has just lodged our application. The examining magistrate could then propose instruction from any time now seeking quick closure, so the whole investigation ...

NEWS New President Nicholas Sarkozy is in the crosshairs of a magazine editor deeply concerned about continued activities by a man allegedly involved with the assassination of Jean-Pascal Couraud. In the May edition of Tahiti Pacifique magazine, editor Alex du Prel calls for an independent inquiry into what he describes as "two generations" of territorial rule by "oligarchy." Not named, but identified is former GIP head Leonard "Rere" Puputauki, a man among many said to operate with "impunity" despite breaking dozens of French laws - language mirrored by a UNESCO declaration calling for aid to be tied to media freedoms. SEE Open letter to presidential candidates Medellin Declaration from UNESCO media convention