AP photographer gets first hearing in Iraq

On Sunday, the first criminal hearing was held in the case of AP photographer Bilal Hussein, who has been in U.S. custody without charges for nearly 20 months, AP reports.

Hussein’s defense attorney, Paul Gardephe, said no formal charges were lodged, and the magistrate judge hearing the case issued an order sealing the proceedings and details of the material presented.

"There is still no formal charge against Bilal, and The Associated Press continues to believe that Bilal Hussein was a photojournalist working in a war zone and that claims that he is involved with insurgent activities are false," said AP spokesman Paul Colford in a statement.