A Paris-based media watchdog has launched a campaign to collect French coins from journalists as a donation to their imprisoned fellows all over the world. The secretary general of the organization rapporteur sans frontiers (RSF) Robert Menard, told the Kuwaiti news agency (KUNA) on Tuesday that this campaign was meant to help free over 113 journalists jailed worldwide.
"The money will go mainly for their families, lawyers, expenses, food and medicine," he said.
He said that because of the change of the currency into euro, it was an opportunity to take the old coins as a donation to jailed journalists. The French money, like 11 other European countries, will no longer be used as of February 17 and the euro will be the only official currency used.
"The organization has distributed 230 boxes to French media bodies to collect journalists' last French coins… we hope that they will positively respond to this campaign," he said.
According to Menard, 113 journalists remain in prison mainly in China, Burma, Ir! an and Eritrea, countries he described as less respectful to journalist's freedom of access.
He said that the campaign, launched early January, will end on March 15. (Albawaba.com)
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