Martin Karl Schibbye (Swedish pronunciation:[ˈɧɪ̌bːʏ];[1] born 17 October 1980) is aSwedishjournalist and former editor. After an assignment in the conflict-ridden Ogaden region ofEthiopia he was sentenced to eleven years in prison for terrorist crimes on 27 December 2011, but was later pardoned and released on 10 September 2012. He was held at the notoriousKaliti Prison.[2]
Schibbye became editor of Sweden'sRevolutionary Communist Youth magazineRebell in his twenties.[3] After military service inSträngnäs 00-01, he graduated with aB.A. in political science and anM.A. in economic history and aB.A. in journalism. Today he is a freelance journalist.
He has worked as aforeign correspondent for severalnewspapers, includingThe Times,Amelia andProletären.[4] He has worked in several different countries, includingAlgeria, thePhilippines, theUnited Arab Emirates,Cuba,Venezuela,Syria,Lebanon,Palestine,Thailand andVietnam. He has been the editor of the quarterlyIraksolidaritet and the monthly magazineFolket i Bild/Kulturfront. Recently he worked for the magazineFilter.
On 1 July 2011 Schibbye was arrested along with the Swedish photographerJohan Persson in Ethiopia suspected of terrorist crimes after they illegally entered theOgaden region fromSomalia in the company ofONLF guerrillas.[5] Schibbye and Persson were sentenced to 11 years in jail on 27 December 2011.[6] The evidence submitted during the trial included film produced by the Ethiopian authorities, based both on material recorded by Schibbye and Persson and on interviews made under duress by the authorities.[7]
Reporters Without Borders voiced disapproval of the way the Ethiopian judicial system was handling the case and warned of the danger of serious diplomatic repercussions of the jail sentences: "Every meeting between Ethiopian officials and their European or western counterparts will henceforth be affected by this case."[8]
On 10 September 2012 they were pardoned and released. Schibbye returned to Sweden on 14 September 2012 and subsequently held apress conference together withJohan Persson, telling about their time in Ethiopia. Schibbye published a book in 2013, "438 dagar" (438 Days), detailing his experience.
Schibbye was awarded the 2011Robespierre Prize ofSEK 10,000 by theJan Myrdal Society for his journalism, specifically his coverage of Iraq.[9] He received the 2012 Freelance Award, the 2012Anna Politkovskaya Memorial Award, and Reporters Without Borders’ 2013 Press Freedom Prize. His book with Johan Persson, "438 dagar", was shortlisted for the 2013August Prize in the non-fiction category.
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