The two hostages are sitting down there in Congo waiting without much happening.
Morten Furuholmen and Marius Dietrichson (their Norwegian lawyers) are going to have a meetings with the Norwegian Foreign Office next week. This weekend the two lawyers will probably go to London to talk with the Pro Bono lawyer Saul Lehrfreund.
He has been requested by the British Foreign Office to assist Joshua and Tjostolv. Lehrfreund works for an organization that works against the death penalty and is located in London. He is also in contact with the organization Reprieve who also works for the guys.
The verdict from the appeal is now being translated. It will be very interesting to read it when it’s in Norwegian.
The missionary who was going to visit the boys in prison on Monday got so sick that it couldn’t be done. But some of the things we sent with the missionary group have been delivered to the person who brings them food and supplies every day, so he got it in to them. They have enjoyed the crisp bread, cheese on tube and the support mail that also got delivered. Now they also have a little more of what they need in their clinic, including thread to stitch wounds with we hope. If not, they will get it later in February. Two people in the group will return to Kisangani for a few days around February 22nd. They will try to visit the boys then, and deliver the rest of the things we sent. Thanks again to all of you givers for supporting Tjostolv and Joshua.
Yesterday you could watch a television show called “The book show” about “An escape from safety” on NRK. There was an interview with Morten Strøksnes (Norwegian author). He is writing a book, I think it’s going to be called: “A murder in Congo”, and he gave sort of an analysis of what could have been Tjostolv and Joshua’s motives for traveling to Africa.
Kari Hilde French, February 10th 2010
