Voltaire Network journalists arrived safely in Malta

Monday, 29 August 2011, 4 pm GMT - All the members of the Voltaire Network team arrived today at the port of Valletta, Malta.

Thierry Meyssan, Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya, Mathieu Ozanon and Julien Teil are safe. British journalist Lizzie Phelan of Press TV, who was also in danger, was with them as was the team of Telesur. Walter E. Fauntroy, former United States congressman and former assistant to Martin Luther King also arrived safely.

The boat they boarded to leave Libya had room for only 12 people. Eventually 52 refugees could be accommodated, in addition to the crew. It took them 36 hours to reach Malta in very rough seas.

Before departure, the passenger list had been the object of intense negotiations and was finally approved by the various authorities who now control Tripoli. Until the last moment, the journalists of Voltaire Network and their friends were worried they would be unable to embark. At the end, one person, whose name we don’t know, was arrested on the boat by the rebels.

These 52 people were able to escape and save their lives. They have left many friends behind.

On arrival in Malta, Thierry Meyssan thanked all those who have lent their support: "Thank you all. Your mobilization was tremendous. We owe you our lives. "

Team of Voltaire Network journalists have left Tripoli

Sunday, 28 August 2011, 06:10 pm GMT - According to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs crisis center, the three journalists of French nationality are aboard a rescue ship and have already left Libya.

Voltaire Network wishes to thank the crisis center for its efficiency, as well as all those who assisted with the evacuation of its journalists.

Voltaire Network is very moved by the messages of support received in recent days.

Voltaire Network still awaiting news from its journalists in Tripoli

Sunday, 28 August 2011, 12:20 pm GMT - Voltaire Network is still without news of its four journalists stranded in Tripoli. The last contact with Thierry Meyssan, Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya, Mathieu Ozonan and Julien Teil took place on Saturday, 27 August 2011 at 9 am GMT. Since then, it has not been possible to establish communication with them.

On Friday, 26 August 2011, the journalists had been taken to a waiting room where they spent the day hoping in vain to embark on a ship chartered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for their evacuation. They were then returned to a hotel in Tripoli. On Saturday morning, August 27, they were again expecting to leave Libya by boat.

In the absence of any further communication with its journalists, Voltaire Network is not in a position to say where they are at present.

In France, the Crisis Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was contacted by telephone, indicated that it is closely monitoring the situation with regard to French nationals Thierry Meyssan, Mathieu Ozanon and Julien Teil. Voltaire Network is equally concerned about Mahdi Darius Nazemroaya, a Canadian national and Research Associate of the Montreal-based Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).