New York, January 10, 2000—Veteran foreign correspondent Frank Smyth, who has covered war and conflict from El Salvador to Iraq, has been named CPJ’s representative in Washington, DC He began his duties on January 3.
After more than a decade reporting from hot spots around the world, Smyth knows the dangers that journalists face. He began his career in Central America and has reported from Rwanda, Colombia, Guatemala, Eritrea and Ethiopia. In 1991 he was captured and imprisoned by Iraqi authorities while reporting on the Kurdish revolt in northern Iraq.
His articles and opinion pieces have appeared in The Village Voice, The New Republic, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Foreign Affairs. He also contributed to Crimes of War, a collection of essays on human rights and armed conflicts edited by Roy Gutman and David Rieff. He is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and a Contributing Editor at IntellectualCapital.com.
“My experiences around the world have filled me with respect for journalists who risk their lives every day to cover the dangerous stories,” said Smyth. “I hope I can help make their job a little bit safer.”
As Washington representative Smyth will help to bring CPJ’s concerns to the attention of U.S. government officials and the diplomatic community in Washington. He will host visiting journalists from around the world, and speak publicly for CPJ.
Smyth can be reached at CPJ’s Washington office at (202) 363-2720, or through e-mail at franksmyth@compuserve.com
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