Frédéric Nérac

French journalist

Frédéric Nérac
Born	France 1960
Disappeared	22 March 2003 (aged 43–44) Iraq
Status	Missing for 21 years, 5 months and 15 days, and now declared dead in dead in absentia
Nationality	French
Occupation	journalist
Spouse	Fabienne Nerac

Frédéric Nérac (1960 – unknown, declared dead 21 October 2005) was a French journalist, reported missing in Iraq since 22 March 2003.^[1] On 21 October 2005 he was officially declared dead in absentia, though no body has been found.

Background

Frédéric Nérac was covering the Invasion of Iraq for the UK-based ITN television network as an unembedded journalist, as opposed to journalists "embedded" with US or UK military units.^{[citation needed]}

On 22 March 2003, in Bassora, two ITN vehicles were captured in crossfire between US and Iraqi forces. One of the vehicles, carrying Terry Lloyd and Daniel Demoustier, was destroyed. The second vehicle, carrying Nérac, apparently managed to escape to cover, and disappeared. British forces and French officials investigated the area; US authorities were reported to be unhelpful in the search.^{[citation needed]}

On 21 October 2005, Nérac was declared dead by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.^[2] In 2006, citing an anonymous diplomatic source, Georges Malbrunot said that he believed that Nérac had been executed by Ba'athists and buried in the Az Zubayr cemetery.^[3]

References

^ "Support committees for missing journalists Frédéric Nérac and Guy-André Kieffer challenge presidential candidates | Reporters without borders". RSF. 22 March 2007. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
^ "Le Quai d'Orsay confirme la mort de Nérac". Le Figaro. EMM News Explorer. 21 October 2005. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
^ Cédric Housez (20 October 2006). "Affaire Nérac : les "révélations" de G. Malbrunot". Voltaire Network. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)

External links

(in French) Web site about the disappearance of Frédéric Nérac Archived 16 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine (Photographs)
Eighteen months after Fred Nérac went missing in Iraq, Reporters Without Borders urges the UK to hand its inquiry report to the family and French authorities, Reporters sans frontières.
Two Missing ITV Journalists Were Killed By US Troops Archived 11 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine, by Tom Newton Dunn, The Mirror.
Incident Account by Daniel Demoustier