Logo

14 Facts About Okke Ornstein

1.

Okke Ornstein has produced major stories through NTR and Al Jazeera.

2.

Okke Ornstein previously published through his own site Bananama Republic but now publishes for Correspondent at Large.

3.

Okke Ornstein was born in the Amstelveen, North Holland in 1965.

4.

Okke Ornstein first went to Panama to report in 2000.

5.

Okke Ornstein has a teenage daughter who lives in Panama and is in a relationship with Kimberlyn David.

6.

In 2012, Okke Ornstein faced backlash after publishing a number of pieces on fraud and corruption through his website Bananama Republic, where he wrote about criminal activity.

7.

In one case, Okke Ornstein wrote about the alleged fraudulent business practices of Monte Friesner, a citizen in Panama.

8.

Okke Ornstein was convicted of criminal defamation and sentenced to a 20-month sentence in 2012.

9.

Okke Ornstein travelled between the Netherlands and Panama several times between 2012 and 2016.

10.

When Okke Ornstein arrived at Panama International Airport on 16 November 2016, he was arrested on account of his 2012 conviction.

11.

Several organizations worked to secure Okke Ornstein freedom, including the Dutch Association and the International Federation of Journalists, who claimed the charges against him were unfounded.

12.

Okke Ornstein has since started a new website, called Correspondent at Large.

13.

Okke Ornstein has won a number of awards for his work in journalism.

14.

Okke Ornstein was nominated for the Tegel Award in 2015 for a radio documentary about refugees.