Family of London photographer gunned down in Libya submit complaints to United Nations in fight for justice
Family of London photographer gunned down in Libya submit complaints to United Nations in fight for justice
The family of a London photographer who was shot dead in Libya today submitted three complaints to the United Nations as they launched a bid for an inquiry into his death.
Anton Hammerl, 42, is believed to have been gunned down by pro Gaddafi forces in the Libyan desert almost 10 years ago on April 5 2011.
He was working with American journalists James Foley and Clare Morgana Gillis, British journalist Nigel Chandler and Spanish photographer Manuel Varela when they were seized by Libyan officials.
The award winning photographer, who had South African and Austrian dual citizenship and lived in Surbiton, was shot and the others arrested.
His family were led to believe he was still alive for six weeks until the other journalists were released and they confirmed he had been killed.
Mr Hammerl's remains have never been found and there has been no investigation into the circumstances of his death or its aftermath.
Lawyer's acting on behalf of his wife Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl’s today submitted three complaints to United Nations in a bid to get justice.
They state that there was “a clear indication from the outset that Mr Hammerl, a civilian, had been unlawfully targeted and that there were reasonable grounds to suspect that his killing constituted a war crime” in violation of international law.
The family is requesting that the UN raise concerns with the Libyan authorities, urgently request information from the South African, Austrian and UK authorities and take steps to ensure an investigation into the circumstances of Mr Hammerl’s death take place, including an investigation into the whereabouts of his remains.
His wife Penny Sukhraj-Hammerl said the family has "never been able to accept that there are no answers".
"We hope that an inquiry will give us the closure we need," she said.
"We haven't had the due proper investigation and that is what we are calling for - the facts surrounding the events that led up to Anton's passing. We just need to know what happened and all of the states and governments involved should be able to give us the answers we need."
Ms Sukhraj-Hammerl announced she was renewing her fight for justice at a briefing today at Doughty Street Chambers.
She was joined by Rebecca Vincent from Reporters Without Borders and Diane Foley, the mother of journalist James Foley, who was working with Mr Hammerl and witnessed his death.
Mr Foley was abducted by Islamic State fighters on November 22, 2012 while working as a war correspondent in Syria. He was beheaded in August 2014 by British militant Mohammed Emwazi, who was known as Jihadi John.
His mother now runs the James W Foley Legacy Foundation, which advocates for the freedom of Americans held hostage abroad.
Ms Sukhraj-Hammerl added: It's been intolerably cruel not knowing what happened. We were led to believe one thing and that Anton was alive and then we found out he was not. It has been really hard to live with this.
“We have never been able to accept that there are no answers. If we had a body we would be entitled to an inquest. If one of your family members passed away you would have answers to how they died, we have had nothing close to that."
Reference: Evening Standard: Rachael Burford
Articles-Popular
- Main
- Contact Us
- Planetary Existences-2
- Planetary Existences
- TWO REVELATIONS-2
- The Two Revelations
- Jeffery Epstein - The Saga - 9
- Jeffery Epstein - The Saga - 8
- Jeffery Epstein - The Saga - 10
- Universality of Initiation
- The Participants In The Mysteries-2
- The Path Of Initiation
- Initiation and the Devas
- The Fourth Way - Study of Oneself - P.D.Ouspensky
- Impeachment Investigators Subpoena White House - Ukraine
- Discipleship - Group Relations - 2
- The Probationary Path - 2
- The Final Initiation
- The Succeeding Two Initiations
- The Participants In The Mysteries
- Discipleship - Group Relationships
- Discipleship
- Jeffery Epstein - The Saga - 7
- The Fourth Way - Wrong Functions - P.D Ouspensky
- Statues are a mark of honour. Like Edward Colston, Cecil Rhodes and Oliver Cromwell have to go
- Jeffery Epstein - The Saga - 6
Articles - Latest
- Russian spy expelled from Britain under crackdown as Vladimir Putin told to stop 'malign activity'
- John Swinney to become Scottish first minister after vote by MSPs
- Russia threatens to strike UK military sites amid rising tensions over Ukraine
- Nigel Farage drops huge election hint - and Rishi Sunak will be happy
- China's president arrives in Europe to reinvigorate ties at a time of global tensions
- Russia issues WW3 'retaliation' warning to London over Crimea Bridge
- The Tory big beasts tipped to lose their seats
- Andy Burnham makes cheeky request to people of Manchester as he’s re-elected mayor
- The unexpected announcement of a prime minister divides Haiti's newly created transitional council
- Blinken to Hamas: Accept Israel's 'extraordinarily generous' Gaza truce proposal
- 'Loan shark', 83, ordered to pay back over £173,000
- Thai court adds jail time for rights lawyer who urged monarchy reform
- Rapist jailed a decade after campaign of abuse against London woman
- Former SNP council leader appears in court charged with sexual offences
- Former mayor of Winchester smothered elderly mother with cushion, court told