Johan Persson (photographer)

Johan Karl Persson (born March 3, 1982) is a Swedish photographer who was sentenced to eleven years in prison for terrorist crimes in Ethiopia on December 27, 2011, but who was later pardoned and released on September 10, 2012.

Johan Persson at the press conference in the ABF building in Stockholm on September 14, 2012.

Career

Persson studied at the School of Photography at Studium in Gothenburg, Sweden. Since he completed his education Persson has worked as a freelance photographer starting with reportage pictures of Skinheads of Beijing that can be seen through Photo Agency Kontinent[1] He has collaborated with journalist Anna Roxvall[2] during many years. Together they have produced highly praised articles about neo-Nazis in the United States[3] and Mexican undocumented immigrants returning home published by Svenska Dagbladet (SvD).[4] In addition, they reported on culture and politics in various African countries: refugee camps in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,[5] speed trained amateur doctors in Malawi,[6] sowing seeds for democracy in southern Sudan,[7] pirate fishing in Camaroon[8] and Botswana Heavy Metal generation.[9]

Arrested for suspicion of terrorist crimes in Ethiopia
Main article: Ethiopian Judicial Authority v Swedish journalists 2011
See also: Human rights in Ethiopia

It was on July 1 that photographer Johan Persson and reporter Martin Schibbye were arrested by Ethiopian security forces while Persson and Schibbye were crossing the border from Somalia to Ethiopia in an attempt to make a report in the closed Ethiopian region of Ogaden. The purpose of the trip was to confirm information they previously received from refugees about human rights violations in Ogaden. On September 7 they were charged with the suspicion of terrorism offenses and for illegally entering the Ogaden region from Somalia.[10] In December, Persson and Schibbye were sentenced to 11 years in jail.[11][12]

Amnesty International demanded on December 21, 2011, to release immediately and unconditionally two Swedish journalists convicted by an Ethiopian court despite their legitimate journalistic work.[13]

On September 10, 2012, they were pardoned and released. Persson returned to Sweden on September 14, 2012, and subsequently held a press conference together with Martin Schibbye, telling about their time in Ethiopia.

Awards

Persson was nominated for the Swedish Red Cross Journalist Prize for 2011.[14] He won third prize for Third prize in International Daily Life singles, Picture of the Year, Neo-Nazis in USA.[15]

References
  1. "Johan Persson | Photographers | Kontinent". Kontinent.se. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  2. "reportage i urval". Annaroxvall.se. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  3. "Fokus » Den ariska drömmen". Fokus.se. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  4. "USA:s papperslösa vänder hem när jobben blir färre | SvD" (in Swedish). Svd.se. April 26, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  5. document.write(""); Tweet Anna Roxvall utrikes@svd.se (November 16, 2008). "Operation pågår mitt i brinnande krig | Utrikes | SvD" (in Swedish). Svd.se. Retrieved December 27, 2011.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. document.write(""); Tweet Johan Persson Anna Roxvall (August 17, 2008). "Farligt att bli mamma i Malawi | Utrikes | SvD" (in Swedish). Svd.se. Retrieved December 27, 2011.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Botswana Heavy Metal Generation | Kontinent stories". Kontinent.se. September 17, 2010. Archived from the original on December 28, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  10. document.write(""); Tweet Stockholm TT (September 7, 2011). "Svenskar terroråtalas i Etiopien | Inrikes | SvD" (in Swedish). Svd.se. Retrieved December 27, 2011.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. "Ethiopia jails Swedish journalists on terror charges". BBC News. December 27, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  12. "Swedish journalists receive 11 years in jail". CNN.com. December 27, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  13. Ethiopia: Swedish journalists must be released immediately and unconditionally Archived March 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Amnesty International December 21, 2011
  14. "This year's nominees to the Red Cross Prize for Journalism". December 27, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  15. "More Kontinent » Photography Awards". Kontinent.se. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
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