On May 10, journalists gathered at Simcoe park to mark the 60th day that BBC journalist Alan Johnston has been held in captivity.

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) and the Canadian Media Guild (CMG) worked with free-lance journalist, Daniel Lak to organise the rally which was held at 12:00p.m. May 10. Speakers from the CBC, Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail included Peter Mansbridge, Brian Stewart, Anna Maria Tremonti, Rick MacInnes Rae, Patrick Martin, and Sandro Contenta.

230 signatures were collected on a petition that called for the immediate release of BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston, and that everyone with influence on this situation increase their efforts, to ensure that Alan is freed quickly and unharmed.

On May 9, these appeals took on a new urgency when his kidnappers, a group called Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) delivered a tape to Al Jazeera news in which they made specific demands. This is the first time the group has made public demands through the media. They are asking for the release of Abu Qatada, a Palestinian-born Islamic cleric held in the UK as a threat to national security.

Anna Maria Tremonti from CBC's "The Current"

Onlookers at the Rally

Globe and Mail journalist Patrick Martin

On May 10 Journalists gathered at Simcoe park to mark the 60th day that BBC journalist Alan Johnston has been held in captivity.

CJFE believes that a single media worker harmed or kidnapped is one too many. The International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) reports dozens of instances of journalists taken hostage each year, many of them in Iraq and the Gaza strip. Fourteen journalists have been kidnapped in the Gaza Strip since 2005. Reporters, camera crew and producers need to know they can work safely in troubled areas like Gaza. If journalists are unable to report freely, the world will have lost vital access to information.

Click here to sign on to the BBC Petition for Alan Johnston

Photos courtesy of Jake Peters