French photographer dies after being hit by police teargas canister in Tunisia

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters Via The Guardian

Lucas Mebrouk Dolega is first casualty from foreign media to die in protests, says French press freedom group



Reuters in Paris | Sunday 16 January 2011 14.07 GMT

A French photographer covering the street protests in Tunisia has died after sustaining head injuries on Friday from a teargas canister fired by a police officer, Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders) said today.

Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, 32, was in Tunis for the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA), covering the protests that led to the ousting of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali on Friday.

The four weeks of protests which erupted over unemployment, poor living conditions and alleged government corruption have killed several dozen people, but Mebrouk Dolega was the first casualty from the foreign media, said the RSF, a French-based group that campaigns for press freedom.

It said a police officer standing near Mebrouk Dolega during a street riot had fired the teargas canister.

The French-German dual national, who worked for the agency under the name Lucas Dolega, was rushed to a hospital and underwent surgery, but his condition deteriorated.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/16/french-photographer-dies-tunisia-protests

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RIP fellow photographer dude. This is a line of work I'm starting up in and find it a particularly poignant story.

[dhill926]

1. dangerous line of work.......

they provide a great service documenting history as it takes place.

R.I.P.

[Odin2005]

2. That sucks!

:(

[greiner3]

3. Not safe to be a journalist;

However, where on the human body is the Tunesia? I've heard of one knee.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

17. Bad joke?

Or is it a case of Tunis Envy?

Either way, yes, being a journalist in a war zone is not safe. No safer than being a soldier or a protester or a bystander. And you can't get good photos by hiding behind a wall.

:hi:

[sabrina 1]

4. So many journalists have died over the past ten years.

They are very courageous to go to these dangerous places to bring the news to the rest of the world.

R.I.P. :cry:

[The Straight Story]

5. Update - not dead:

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/world/detail/94943/

[joshcryer]

6. Good news, thanks. Hope he pulls through.

Cops love to point their fucking teargas guns at people rather than at the ground like they're supposed to. There's really no incidence of "accidental injury" from these canisters.

[w4rma]

8. Not an update. That article is from yesterday. The OP is from today. (nt)

[TexasEditor]

7. Killed by a 10-inch-long teargas projectile

Journalist Rubén Salazar’s Death: Accident or Assassination?

"A prominent journalist is cautioned by two LAPD officers about his coverage of the shootings. A short time later, the journalist meets with staffers of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and tells them he suspects he’s being followed by police. He cleans out his wallet and clears off his office desk. Days later, he is dead. Killed by a 10-inch-long teargas projectile fired by a Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputy."

http://www.pontealdia.com/primer-plano/journalist-ruben-salazar-s-death-accident-or-assassination.html

[chatnoir]

9. Update: according to Le Monde he is not dead

English Translation

Franco-German photographer wounded in Tunis is not dead
LEMONDE.FR with AFP | 16.01.11 | 11h54 • Updated 16.01.11 | 19h07

The Franco-German photographer of the EPA agency, Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, seriously injured Friday in Tunis, is in "critical condition" but is not dead, says the Consulate of France in Tunis, Sunday, Jan. 16. Earlier in the day, the head of the EPA (European Pressphoto Agency) in Paris indicated that "Lucas was dead" and this information was confirmed by a French consular source in Tunis. In press, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the French Minister of Culture, Frederic Mitterrand , had also mentioned the death of the photographer of 32 years.

"His condition is critical but stable", said the consulate during a telephone call to AFP in Paris.

...

http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2011/01/16/deces-du-photographe-francais-blesse-vendredi-a-tunis_1466302_3212.html#ens_id=1245377


Original

Le photographe franco-allemand blessé à Tunis n'est pas mort

LEMONDE.FR avec AFP | 16.01.11 | 11h54 • Mis à jour le 16.01.11 | 19h07

Le photographe franco-allemand de l'agence EPA, Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, gravement blessé vendredi à Tunis, est dans "un état critique" mais n'est pas mort, indique, dimanche 16 janvier, le consulat de France à Tunis. Plus tôt dans la journée, le responsable de l'agence EPA (European Pressphoto Agency) à Paris avait indiqué que "Lucas était décédé" et cette information avait été confirmée par une source consulaire française à Tunis. Dans des communiqués, Reporters sans frontières (RSF) et le ministre de la culture français, Frédéric Mitterrand, avaient aussi évoqué le décès du photographe de 32 ans.

"Son état est critique mais stable", a indiqué le consulat lors d'un appel téléphonique à l'AFP à Paris.

...

http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2011/01/16/deces-du-photographe-francais-blesse-vendredi-a-tunis_1466302_3212.html#ens_id=1245377

[Turborama]

10. Thank you for that. I hope they are right & if it's true that he has a full and speedy recovery n/t

[boppers]

11. Schrodinger's Photographer. eom

[Turborama]

12. What does that mean?

And how does it relate to the post I wrote?

[boppers]

13. It's a bit of dark quantum physics humor.

http://tinyurl.com/8n2bm (wikipedia article with a quote, which DU munges)

Depending on the media source (observer), he is alive, or dead.

[CreekDog]

15. is it funny that someone was killed?

:wtf:

[boppers]

16. Death is funny, and sad.

He's both alive, and dead. Brain-dead, but breathing.

[chatnoir]

14. Sadly, Le Monde has an update...

English Translation

Wounded Franco-German photographer died in Tunis
LEMONDE.FR with AFP | 17.01.11 | 7:00 p.m.

According to information provided by his employer, the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA), based in Frankfurt, the Franco-German photographer Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, 32, seriously injured Friday in Tunis, died Monday, Jan. 17. The agency said the information was taken from the French embassy in Tunis and the family of the photographer.

http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2011/01/17/le-photographe-franco-allemand-blesse-a-tunis-est-mort_1466934_3212.html


Original

Le photographe franco-allemand blessé à Tunis est mort
LEMONDE.FR avec AFP | 17.01.11 | 19h00

Selon une information communiquée par son employeur, l'Agence européenne de photographie de presse (EPA), basée à Francfort, le photographe franco-allemand Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, 32 ans, gravement blessé vendredi à Tunis, est décédé lundi 17 janvier. L'agence a précisé tenir l'information de l'ambassade française à Tunis et de la famille du photographe.

...

http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2011/01/17/le-photographe-franco-allemand-blesse-a-tunis-est-mort_1466934_3212.html

----------------------

I had been trying to find more info when I first found this:

Injured French photographer "clinically dead"
Author: Olivier Laurent
16 Jan 2011

French photographer, Lucas Mebrouk Dolega, is said to be clinically dead, three days after he was shot, in the face, by a tear gas canister while covering the civil unrest in Tunisia, BJP has been told.

...

However, on Sunday evening, Dolega's family released a statement announcing that the photographer was still breathing, but in a "extremely critical" condition. The statement reads: "The partner and family of French photographer Lucas Mebrouk clarify that at this time, he has not died. Nevertheless, he is in an extremely critical state."
BJP now understands that Dolega has been declared clinically dead by his doctors. However, he's currently under mechanical respiration, BJP has been told.

...

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/news/1937417/french-photographer-dies-tunisia#ixzz1BJrwhl9Y


Very very sad all the way around and according to some it appeared intentional as it was point blank.


Edited for correct translation of EPA