LONDON: Some 37 foreign journalists based in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, have been held hostage since August 21. They have been surrounded by pro-Muammar Gaddafi forces since the battle to take the city began over two days ago and according to witnesses and journalists in the Rixos Hotel, they have been forced to stay inside. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) also said a number of foreign diplomats are also trapped inside the hotel. The hotel is surrounded by Gaddafi loyalists who are preventing the journalists from leaving. They are held hostage on the hotel's first floor, the prisoners of a dying regime that refuses to lay down its arms. There are frequent cuts in the power and water supply. “Their situation is very worrying. As the hotel has been targeted, the journalists have hung sheets outside the windows with the words ‘Television, press, don't shoot',” reported RSF. They are all wearing bullet-proof vests. “We don't know what to expect,” CNN correspondent Matthew Chance said, speaking on the air. “We would like to get out of here but we cannot.” Reporters Without Borders has urged all parties involved to ensure the safety of journalists, both Libyan and foreign, who are covering developments in Libya. The National Transitional Council, which has been recognized by many countries as Libya's provisional government, “must do everything in its power to allow journalists to cover the fighting freely and safely,” added RSF.
