Despite the fact that Tjostolv is mentally unstable, he is being tributed by the judge to be on a truthful mission, and the public are standing up and cheering. Our lawyers haven’t gotten access to the letters - fake or not. Tjostolv has been taken back to the prison. But they have found a good solution. He has gotten the best and the only renovated cell in the prison on the other side of the courtyard where Joshua is. This is very good news in an otherwise sad time. That means that Josh and Tjostolv live in separate cells, but are close to each other. Despite some statements made by Tjostolv in court today, the mood in the prison was ok. The two Norwegians have a lot of respect among their inmates. That’s reassuring for us to know.
The defence worked hard to get the case delayed yesterday. The international pressure against Congo increases, but the highest judge seems to have decided to keep the case going regardless of illness or pressure from outside. Joshua is a little better, eats more and sleeps better. He has, as I’ve written earlier not seen a doctor, and has most likely had typhoid fever.
I was very disappointed today. Dr. Rannveig Fjær is in Kisangani, and we have contact daily. I call her and tell her what I want Joshua to know. She writes it down, and then he gets it as a letter. Dr. Fjær gave the letter (from me) to the Foreign Ministry’s representative who is allowed to see him. The representative forgot to give him the letter. This is a letter Joshua really needed to get at the moment. I think we can all understand that if we were in prison under the conditions like the guys have been, every letter of encouragement from the family would mean the world.
Kari Hilde French, November 11th 2009
