NEW YORK, April 3, 2007, (WAFA)--The Committee to Protect Journalists(CPJ) renewed its call for the release of BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, seized in Gaza more than three weeks ago.

"Despite reports that the Hamas-led Palestinian government had identified Johnston's abductors and expected him to be freed soon, no further information about the journalist has surfaced. Palestinian Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal told CPJ that preliminary information led the government to believe that a certain group he did not identify was behind the abduction, but after several communications with the group they denied any involvement. Since then, he said, the government has been following several leads but they have not yielded any new information," CPJ said in a press release.

"We are deeply concerned that Alan Johnston has been missing for 22 days, and we appeal to those holding our colleague to release him at once," CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. "We call on President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, and the Palestinian Authority to do everything in their power to return our colleague to safety."

Journalists in Gaza began a three-day boycott on Monday to pressure the Palestinian Authority to do more to locate Alan Johnston, local journalists told CPJ. During that time, journalists said, they will not cover any official government news. Palestinian journalists have staged several protests calling for Johnston's immediate release. More than 300 journalists held a picket line outside the Council of Ministers building in Gaza City on Monday.

The BBC reported that top media personalities, including CNN's Chief International Correspondent and CPJ board member Christiane Amanpour, signed an open letter published in Britain's Guardian newspaper urging Johnston's quick and safe release.

Johnston, 44, was seized by four armed men in a white Subaru as he was driving near the BBC's Gaza City office on Al-Wihdah Street around 2 p.m. on March 12.

M.H.(12:20 P)(09:20 GMT)