'Chicago Tribune' Journalist Paul Salopek To Be Freed in Sudan

By: The president of Sudan agreed Friday to release an American journalist and two Chadians who were jailed on charges of espionage after meeting with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a spokesman for the governor said.

Chicago Tribune journalist Paul Salopek - a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner and former student at Cuesta College and Paso Robles High School - and his driver and interpreter will be released Saturday, said Pahl Shipley, a spokesman for Richardson.

Richardson met with President Omar al-Bashir soon after arriving in Khartoum.

"The governor asked for their release on humanitarian grounds," Shipley said. "He knows the president understands the value of a free and independent press and the president agreed" to the release.

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A memo to Tribune employees by George deLama, deputy managing editor/news, posted at Romenesko at www.poynter.org, reads:

"I am delighted to confirm the news that Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico has secured the release of Paul Salopek and his Chadian driver and translator on humanitarian grounds after a meeting in Khartoum with Sudanese President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir.

"Ann Marie [Lipinski, the paper's editor] phoned from Khartoum a few minutes ago to say that Richardson and his party, including Paul's wife, Linda, are scheduled to fly to El Fasher in Darfur province on Saturday morning, Sudan time, to pick up Paul and his Chadian colleagues. They are scheduled to return to Khartoum, drop off the Chadians so they can be repatriated to their country, then depart Sudan and fly back to New Mexico later in the day.

"I also spoke with Linda this morning, who voiced her deepest gratitude for all the efforts everyone has made on Paul's behalf and all the messages of support she has received from Paul's many friends and colleagues at the Tribune and in the industry.

"We, too, are deeply grateful for Gov. Richardson's personal involement in helping resolve Paul's situation. The stage for his decisive visit to Sudan was set by intensive efforts these last few weeks on the part of numerous people, inside and outside of the Tribune and National Geographic, working to free our colleague. We express our deep gratitude to all of them as well.

"Finally, I want to thank all of you for your patience and understanding and support as we have worked around the clock trying to get to this moment. This is a wonderful development, and we will all be thrilled and relieved once Paul is finally on board Gov. Richardson's plane and on his way home."