BRUSSELS, Aug 19 (AFP) - The International Federation of Journalists called Thursday for greater action to protect reporters, after the recent targeting by militants of journalists in Iraq and Nepal.
The call came as an armed group reportedly threatened to kill a kidnapped American journalist unless US forces withdraw from the Shiite holy city of Najaf within 48 hours.
That case came less than a week after a British journalist, James Brandon, was abducted and threatened with death before being freed after aides of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr apparently came to his rescue.
"This grotesque repeat performance of intimidation is a terrible reminder of the risks all journalists face," said IFJ chief Aidan White, referring to the latest abduction, of American journalist Micah Garen.
The Brussels-based IFJ, which represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 100 countries, "called upon groups that have influence with the militants to do everything they can to secure Mr. Garens release," said White.
The group also highlighted the kidnapping and killing of a reporter for state-run radio in Nepal, allegedly by Maoist rebels fighting to overthrown the country's monarchy.
According to the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, the rebels distributed leaflets in Radio Nepal journalist Dekendra Raj Thapa's hometown in western Nepal announcing he had been "convicted" of spying.
"The continuing crisis facing journalists and media staff in these areas of conflict is an intolerable threat to democracy," said White.
"It is time for the international community to make it clear that action will be taken to find those responsible and to improve levels of protection for media people," he added.