Unidad documental compuesta 2 - General documents relating to Ian Mather's imprisonment and release

1 file

Material relating to the imprisonment and release of journalists Ian Mather and Simon Winchester, and photographer Tony Prime (nicknamed The Ushuaia Three after the location of their prison) on suspicion of espionage by Argentinean authorities in April 1982, during the Falklands War.

The material, which is all photocopies, includes: an Argentinean pamphlet relating to the Argentinean Army having invaded the Falkland Islands; press releases from the Observer News Service, containing articles by Mather on his experiences in prison; papers from the Committee for the Release of the British Journalists held in Argentina, detailing the aims of the committee and the background to the situation; a letter he wrote while in prison, including extracts from his prison diary, to Donald Trelford (Observer editor), about life in jail, descriptions of the different prisoners and prison officials, and trying to contact friends and family; biographies of Ian Mather, Tony Prime and Simon Winchester; memos from Times Newspaper Limited relating to activities to try and release the men; copies of court papers relating to the bail applications for the journalists (in Spanish); transcripts of the grounds put forward by the prosecutor opposing bail of the journalists, and the grounds of the defence; transcripts of the interrogations of Tony Prime and Simon Winchester; press release from What the Papers Say announcing that the Observer won 'Newspaper of the Year' in 1982; press releases from Free the Journalists Committee or Committee for the Release of the British Journalists held in Argentina, which was specifically set up to campaign for their release; booklets from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ); poem by Mather's niece about the prisoners and the Falklands War; types and a memorandum titled 'The Ushuaia Three', describing efforts to drop the charges of espionage after their release.

Majority of material in English, but some material in Spanish.

Material arranged chronologically

Subject to access restrictions.

Copyright: Various

Additional material relating to the Falklands War at Falklands War research files OBS/6/2/2/1/1/3, Telex reports at OBS/6/2/2/1/2 and Correspondence at OBS/6/2/2/1/4