NRK journalists Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani were arrested by the police in Qatar on Monday night. They are now, after almost two days, released and on their way home to Norway.

Ekeland and Ghorbani were on a reportage trip in Qatar in connection with the World Cup next year.

Football President Terje Svendsen of the Norwegian Football Association reacts strongly to what has happened.

– We are happy that the Norwegian journalists are now on their way home. It is completely unacceptable for Qatari authorities to arrest journalists who engage in factual, critical journalism. We react very strongly to this and are deeply concerned about the conditions of journalists in Qatar, says Svendsen to NRK.

He announces in the Norwegian Football Association will raise the issue at the political level in FIFA.

– Our clear position will be at the political level in FIFA, and also through the UEFA group that handles the Qatar issues. Even more important, however, is that the Norwegian authorities get involved in the case. Qatar is an important partner for the Norwegian state and a case where Qatari authorities arrest Norwegian journalists is not a development that can be left to the sports or football movement alone, says Svendsen.