A journalist from the Dutch news website NU.nl was stopped by the police at a World Cup stadium in Qatar on Friday. The recordings he made showed security guards and agents.
Camera journalist Bas Scharwachter has noticed in recent days that the organizing country does not seem ready for the World Cup in many respects. Whereupon he went to the stadium to make images there.
He writes on Twitter that he had to delete the photos on his phone, and then go to the deleted folder to delete them permanently. He was then allowed to continue with his work. Scharwachter still has the video images on his camera.
Editor-in-chief Gert-Jaap Hoekman of NU.nl confirms the story. “Scharwachter was making atmospheric images at a stadium, because we are curious about the preparations for Monday’s match. The images also show police officers and security guards. They sit relaxed on the floor. I’m familiar with the restrictions there, but I don’t see why you shouldn’t be allowed to make those images.”
Hoekman does not yet know whether he will take any steps. “It says something about how journalists have to do their job there. That’s something I worry about.”
Danish TV crew
The Dutch journalists’ union NVJ calls the order to erase images unacceptable. “We are not reassured that FIFA’s efforts have led to a real expansion of press freedom in Qatar. That should have happened, but in practice this is not always the case. Apparently the Qatari government says something and it is not followed. This is not possible,” says Paul Teixeira, who is responsible for press safety for the Dutch federation.
Earlier this week, a Danish camera crew was attacked by Qatari security guards during a live report. The reporter of the Danish channel TV 2 was pulled away and the security guards threatened to destroy the camera. The organizers of the World Cup later apologized.
Teixeira: “It can sometimes go wrong that an overzealous civil servant or agent does not realize what the government has decided and acts out of reflex. But now it’s not the first time. This puts Qatar in a very bad position. I expect at least an apology to follow, that’s the bare minimum.”
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