Demanding that Bart and Jim be left alone and that the sealers are prosecuted for attacking

them.

Please send polite but very firm letters to

 His Excellency High Commissioner Mr. Philemon Kambala
secretary@namibia.org.za
 Police Attache Mr Oscar P Embubulu
police@namibia.org.za

"Namibian Sealers turn Clubs on undercover Film-makers

In Namibia near or around Cape Cross Seal Colony today at 7am, Namibian seal pup clubbers, were filmed killing
seal pups. For which they have no permit to harvest. Namibian seal clubbers then assaulted the film-crew. A South
African well known film-maker Bart Smithers and a Jim Wickens of Eco-storm, a British citizen. They were beaten up
by the sealers, and then arrested and put in police custody in a vehicle. It has been further reported sealers then club
into the Police vehicle and further beat up the film-makers. Both are now being held at the Police Station in Henties
Bay. The British High Commission in Namibia has been contacted. The release of the men has been called for. A
British investigative journalist and his South African fixer have today been violently assaulted by seal hunters and
arrested by police whilst documenting the controversial Namibian seal cull.

Jim Wickens, a reporter with the Brighton-based Ecostorm agency, and Bart Smithers, a freelance cameraman and
fixer, were this morning attacked by a group of seal hunters armed with clubs before having their video camera
equipment stolen in the Cape Cross Seal Reserve, Western Namibia. The team, working with Dutch NGO
Bontvoordieren, are understood to have been filming the killing of seals for some twenty minutes before a group of
hunters approached and assaulted them - reportedly punching them to the ground and hitting them with clubs. Their
cameras and video footage were also seized in the incident, which happened about 7am this morning. Police
subsequently arrived before arresting the pair on suspicion of trespass and obstruction. According to Jim Wickens, a
seal hunter again attacked them whilst they were being held in a police vehicle. They pair are currently being held at a
local police station. Andrew Wasley, co-director of Ecostorm, said: "We are at present working with the British High
Commission in Namibia to establish the full picture and secure the release of our team. Clearly this was a violent and
unwarranted attack on two journalists doing their job - gathering information and pictures of the highly secretive
Namibian seal hunt." He continued: "As well as calling for the immediate release of Jim Wickens and Bart Smithers we
want the Namibian authorities to investigate the assaults and theft of equipment"

Bontvoordieren - and a growing number of international campaigners - are calling for the immediate release of the pair
from police custody. http://www.bontvoordieren.nl/

PLEASE CONTACT:
Andrew Wasley (Ecostorm) +44 (0)7977 239406 info@eco-storm.com
Claudia Linssen (Bontvoordieren) +31 206766600 info@bontvoordieren.nl "

ENDS