GAZA, March 13, 2007, (WAFA)-Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) strongly condemns on Tuesday the kidnapping of the BBC British Journalist Alan Johnson in Gaza City.

In a press release, GCMHP said that Mr. Johnson has been a long-term friend of the Programme and called for his immediate and unconditional release as well as punishing the perpetrators.

"The kidnapping of Mr. Johnson is just an additional signal of the serious deterioration of the security situation of Gaza. We, at GCMHP, view this incident with utmost concern that it may lead to the complete evacuation of all international staff working in UN agencies, diplomatic missions, humanitarian organizations, and journalists in Gaza. All this would result in more political and security slump and human suffering for the Palestinian people," GCMHP said.

We emphasize that such acts of kidnapping distort the Palestinian people's image and defame their reputation and damage their interests with the outside world as a whole. We also emphasize that the sole beneficiary of such kidnapping incidents are suspected groups who seek to shake the internal political and security stability and upset the state of supremacy of law in the Palestinian society.

GCMHP demanded the Palestinian National Authority PNA to take its responsibility in the release of Mr. Johnson and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice.

M.H.(13:25 P)(11:25 GMT)