Paris-based press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders has hailed the release of Chicago Tribune correspondent Paul Salopek and his two Chadian assistants, interpreter Suleiman Abakar Moussa and driver Idriss Abdulraman Anu, who were arrested in the western Darfur region on 6 August while Salopek was working on a report on the Sahel for National Geographic magazine.

Salopek's release was negotiated directly with President Omar Al Bashir by Governor Bill Richardson of the US state of New Mexico, where Salopek lives. As a result of these negotiations, the  judicial authorities in Al Fashir, the capital of North Darfur province, dropped all charges against Salopek, who was due to join Richardson in Khartoum last night.

Salopek had appeared before a court in Al Fashir on 26 August on charges of spying and illegal dissemination of information. He was also accused of entering Sudan from Chad without a visa. His trial had been scheduled to resume today.

Despite promising democratic reforms, the government has been taking a tougher stance towards the press because of the separatist rebellion in Dafur. It has now become virtually impossible for foreign journalists to get to Darfur unless they enter the country clandestinely across the border with Chad.