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***12.05.2013. AFP: reinforcement of security guidelines for coverage in Syria (AFP press release)

AFP has been covering the bloody conflict in Syria for more than two years. Conditions inside the country are extremely dangerous and many journalists have been killed, injured or kidnapped since the conflict started. A contributor to AFP’s video service disappeared in November 2012. Faced with the worsening of conditions on the ground for journalists, AFP has reinforced its procedures for covering the conflict in Syria with the aim of improving safety for everybody working for the agency inside the country. 

- All journalists working for AFP in Syria (text, photo and video) must have volunteered to cover the conflict.

- All AFP staff working inside Syria must have taken an AFP-approved hostile environment training course.

- AFP will continue to cover the conflict on the ground with its own staff journalists, as it has done since the beginning of the unrest.

- AFP will also continue to use independent contractors (stringers) inside Syria. These contributors fall into two categories:

- Independent journalists who offer their production to AFP occasionally. In most cases, these journalists would be photographers or video producers with whom AFP has no links. AFP will ensure the reliability and credibility of the journalist and sign the necessary copyright documents;

- Independent journalists with whom AFP has a regular ongoing relationship. In this type of situation, AFP would put the following measures in place:

- These journalists would be approved in line with the editorial principles of the agency (reliability, quality of work, experience) under the authority of the Editor-in-Chief.

- If AFP believes the minimum security conditions for a reporting assignment are not met, AFP will inform the stringer in writing and state that AFP will not buy any production from the assignment if it goes ahead.

- These stringers are obliged to have insurance.

- A hostile environment training course will be provided for regular contributors to AFP.

- AFP will provide the relevant safety equipment for war zones including a bullet proof vest, helmet, protective suit and first aid kit.

- These contributors are free to work for other media, but when they are working for AFP their production will be exclusively for AFP clients.

***11.05.2013. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - FEATURE : Ten ways to repress a journalist

Governments and other organizations across the world are perfecting techniques to prevent journalists from shining a light on corruption and human rights abuses. From trumped-up charges, removing work licences to murder, here are 10 ways journalists are repressed and prevented from reporting freely and fairly.

Physical attacks
In some countries such as Syria, Turkmenistan and Somalia, governments, military forces and armed groups attack and even kill journalists who are seen to be critical of their policies and practices.

Last November, Palestinian cameramen Hussam Salameh and journalist Mahmoud al-Koumi, from the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV, were killed by a targeted Israeli missile strike on their car in Gaza City. Amnesty International found no evidence that either was anything other than a civilian journalist, despite claims by military authorities in Israel that both were “Hamas operatives”.

In May 2012, 18-year-old citizen journalist Abd al-Ghani Ka'ake was fatally shot by a government sniper in Syria while filming a demonstration in Aleppo. Armed opposition groups have also attacked and killed journalists.

Journalist Miguel Ángel López Velasco, his wife and their son were shot and killed at their home in Veracruz, Mexico, by unidentified gunmen in June 2011. He had previously received death threats.

Abdihared Osman Aden, from Somalia, was shot dead by unidentified men while walking to work on 19 January 2013. He is one of at least 23 journalists killed in the country since 2011.

Threat of prison
Journalists also risk being charged under legislation that criminalizes the peaceful expression of views, or with trumped-up, politically motivated charges (such as possession of drugs and fraud) to stop them from reporting is common.

On 12 March 2013, Avaz Zeynali was found guilty of bribery, extortion by threats, failure to implement a court decision and tax evasion and sentenced to nine years in prison in Azerbaijan. He has regularly reported on corruption and criticised the President’s clampdown on the media and activists.

In Iran, at least 18 journalists have been arrested since January 2013, accused of cooperating with "anti-revolutionary" media organizations outside Iran. Dozens of journalists and bloggers are now behind bars in Iran.

On 5 February 2013, Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim was sentenced to one-year imprisonment in Mogadishu, Somalia, for insulting a national institution after interviewing a woman who reported being raped by government forces. The case was quashed in March by the Supreme Court.

In January 2012, journalists Reyot Alemu and Woubshet Taye were convicted of terrorism offences in Ethiopia. During the trial, access to lawyers was restricted, defendants were not provided with effective interpretation and evidence obtained under coercion was admitted.

Harassment
Many governments find that threatening journalists or their relatives is effective in silencing them.

Relatives of the Voice of America reporter Negar Mohammadi, from Iran, have been banned from travelling and the passport of one of them was confiscated in February 2012.

In Yemen, Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani has been under threat since early 2013 after he wrote articles about secret detention centres and torture by the First Armoured Division. Weapons were twice fired outside his home and he received anonymous phone calls asking him if he could hear the shooting.

Musa Mohammad Auwal was arrested by the State Security Services in his home in Kaduna, Nigeria, last February, held for eight days and interrogated about his news organization and the whereabouts of his Editor-in-Chief (currently in hiding in fear of his life). He was released on bail.

Monitoring
In countries including Cuba and China, activists and journalists find it particularly difficult to report on human rights issues because their communications can be monitored by state officials.

In March 2012, Cuban blogger and journalist Yoani Sánchez was unable to receive text messages or calls during the Pope’s visit to the country.

In China many people were sentenced to long prison terms in 2012 for posting blogs or sending information that was deemed sensitive.

In March 2013, the authorities in Saudi Arabia reportedly threatened to block access to Skype, WhatsApp, Viber and Line, if these telecommunication companies do not enable their encrypted applications to be monitored.

Banning access to the internet
Some repressive regimes seek to control internet access in order to regulate journalists’ activities.

The authorities in China temporarily blocked access to the New York Times and Bloomberg websites and banned searches for ‘New York Times’ after the news organizations exposed controversial financial details of some of China’s leaders.

Set up excessive libel laws
Libel laws in countries can be misused in an attempt to prevent journalists from criticising government officials and powerful individuals.

In Timor-Leste Oscar Maria Salsinha and Raimundo Oki were accused of “slanderous denunciations” after publishing articles on a District Prosecutor who allegedly received a bribe in a traffic accident case that occurred on 18 October 2011.

In August 2012, Islam Affifi, editor of Egyptian newspaper El-Dostor, was brought to trial for publishing false information “insulting the President”. The trial is still continuing.

The Palestinian Authority’s security forces in the West Bank and Hamas’ Internal Security in the Gaza Strip both have a record of interrogating and harassing journalists. In March 2013, Palestinian Mamdouh Hamamreh was sentenced to one year in prison for allegedly insulting President Mahmoud Abbas. He was released after the President pardoned him.

Removing visas and work permits
In some countries, including Syria, governments deny or remove visas from foreign journalists to stop them from investigating human rights abuses while national journalists face the same risk to their work permits.

In 2011, Ayad Shabi’s permit was revoked in Syria after he failed to comply with official guidelines provided by the Ministry of Information on how to report on the protests.

Andrzej Poczobut is serving a three-year suspended prison sentence in Belarus – imposed in July 2011 – on charges of “libelling the President” for articles about prisoners of conscience in Belarus. Under the conditions of this ruling he has to register with the police regularly and cannot leave the country.

Last August a BBC journalist who had travelled to Gambia to report on a resumption of executions was held at the airport and told he had to leave the country, despite having authorization to be there.

In May 2012, Al Jazeera English closed its Beijing bureau in China after the authorities refused to renew the visa of Melissa Chan, whose stories included reports on secret jails and forced abortions.

Failure to investigate attacks against journalists
By failing to bring to justice those responsible for attacks against journalists, governments send the message that preventing reporting on what they see as sensitive issues is permitted.

One of the individuals accused of torturing journalist Nazeeha Saeed after she was arrested in Bahrain in 2011 was acquitted, despite forensic evidence of her torture. Nazeeha was detained and tortured after speaking out about the killing of a protester she witnessed at the Pearl Roundabout.

In April 2012, Idrak Abbasov and Adalet Abbasov were hospitalized in Azerbaijan after they were attacked by around 25 state employees and police. They had tried to film illegal house demolitions on the outskirts of Baku. The attack was never fully investigated.

No one has been brought to justice in Pakistan for the May 2011 abduction and killing of Saleem Shahzad. Just two days before his death Shahzad published a story on alleged al Qaeda infiltration of the military, one of the most sensitive and taboo topics in the country.

Shutting down media outlets
The authorities in many countries shut down newspapers and radio stations deemed critical of them.

In the first two months of 2012, the authorities in Sudan suspended three newspapers using laws that allow them to ban any publication containing information considered a threat to national security.

Last September, The Standard and Daily News newspapers in Gambia were forced to close after plain-clothed men suspected to be intelligence officers, entered their offices and ordered them to suspend all activities.

In Somalia, in April 2013, the authorities in Puntland banned three radio stations in what is seen as the latest in a string of attacks on the media ahead of local elections.

Promote smear attacks
In many countries, governments promote smear attacks against journalists critical of the authorities.

In Sri Lanka a state-sanctioned smear attack forced Gnanasiri Kottegoda to flee his home in 2012 and go into exile as his safety was compromised.
Venezuelan Rayma Suprani has been receiving threats and insults via text message and social media sites. She thinks this is a coordinated attack due to her work as a political cartoonist and journalist. 

***04.05.2013. SYRIA. James Foley, U.S. journalist abducted in Syria, likely detained by government: investigation

Reporter James Foley, who disappeared in Syria in November, is most likely in a Syrian Air Force detention center near Damascus, a lengthy investigation has determined.

By Michael Walsh / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

American conflict journalist James Foley disappeared in Syria 163 days ago, leaving his family with questions about his whereabouts — questions that a five-month investigation may have answered. Foley's family and GlobalPost, for whom he regularly reported, think that he is most likely in a Syrian Air Force detention center near Damascus.

"With a very high degree of confidence," said GlobalPost CEO and president Philip Balboni, "we now believe that Jim was most likely abducted by a pro-regime militia group and subsequently turned over to Syrian government forces."

Foley was last seen Nov. 22, 2012, in a car heading for the Turkish border when unidentified gunman, firing shots into the air, forced him into an unmarked car, eyewitnesses say.

"The not knowing is the hardest part," his father, John Foley, said. "He hasn't been seen. He hasn't been heard from. We don't know the state of his health."

"Very credible" confidential sources told GlobalPost that he has been detained by the Syrian government.

"Based on what we have learned, it is likely Jim is being held with one or more Western journalists, including most likely at least one other American," said Balboni.

Balboni said that they are pursuing all available options to negotiate Foley's release. GlobalPost met with the Syrian ambassador to Lebanon in Beirut to gain his support. He has delivered letters on their behalf to the Syrian government.

"We remain hopeful and totally committed to bringing Jim Foley home safely and as quickly as possible," said Balboni.

This is not the first time Foley has been locked up. In April 2011, Libyan forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi captured him along with three other journalists, one of whom was killed. The others spent 44 days in a prison before being released.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/james-foley-held-syria-investigation-article-1.1335141#ixzz2SVfwhDez

RELATED: FAMILY OF REPORTER NABBED IN SYRIA WANTS ANSWERS

***02.05.2013. Syrie. Journaliste en Syrie, le métier de tous les dangers (AFP)

BEYROUTH (AFP) Couvrir la guerre qui ravage la Syrie depuis deux ans est devenu le métier le plus périlleux de la planète car les reporters sont non seulement exposés aux dangers des combats mais aussi la cible d'enlèvements politiques ou crapuleux de la part du régime et des rebelles.

Alors que l'ONU célèbre vendredi la journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse, au moins sept journalistes sont portés disparus, dont le journaliste américain James Foley, qui avait fourni durant des mois des reportages vidéo à l'AFP et dont on est sans nouvelles depuis novembre.

Le dernier reporter à être porté disparu est Domenico Quirico du quotidien italien la Stampa qui, après être entré clandestinement, n'a pas donné signe depuis vingt jours. En raison de la distribution au compte-goutte de visas par le régime, beaucoup n'ont d'autre choix que de pénétrer clandestinement à travers la frontière poreuse, notamment par la Turquie, avec les insurgés.

Mais, en raison de la multiplication des groupes rebelles, le chemin est semé d'embûches. Certains insurgés sont accusés d'avoir volé des journalistes ou d'avoir réclamé des rançons et les jihadistes, plus radicaux encore, considèrent tous les reporters comme des espions à la solde de leur ennemi.

Le régime est lui aussi d'une rare brutalité. Il existe de sérieux soupçons que plusieurs reporters disparus seraient aux mains de services de renseignements syriens, comme Austin Tice, disparu le 13 août à Daraya, dans la région de Damas, où l'armée avait mené une opération de ratissage.

Le nombre de morts dans les rangs des journalistes est impressionnant: en deux ans, 23 d'entre eux ont été tués et 58 journalistes-citoyens ont subi le même sort. Ces derniers, favorables à la rébellion, avaient décidé d'écrire et de filmer le quotidien des villes assiégées et bombardées qu'aucun journaliste étranger ne peut atteindre.

"Le travail des journalistes pour couvrir le conflit en Syrie devient chaque jour plus compliqué et leurs conditions de travail ne cessent de se détériorer", assure à l'AFP Christophe Deloire, secrétaire Général de Reporters sans Frontières (RSF).

"Si au début du soulèvement en mars 2011 le danger ne venait +que+ de l'armée gouvernementale et si les journalistes continuent à être la cible d'attaques de la part du régime de Bachar Al-Assad, aujourd'hui les groupes armés de l'opposition sont également responsables de nombreuses exactions, notamment à l'encontre de journalistes étrangers. Les enlèvements deviennent monnaie courante" constate-t-il.

"Tout ceci, sans compter le caractère intrinsèquement biaisé de la couverture du conflit: du fait de l'absence de délivrance de visa de la part des autorités de Damas, très rares sont ceux qui peuvent se rendre dans les zones toujours sous contrôle du régime", ajoute M. Deloire.

"Les journalistes se trouvent contraints d'entrer en Syrie de manière illégale, par les zones libérées, et ne peuvent se déplacer de part et d'autre des lignes de front. Ce qui nuit gravement à la couverture de ce conflit", ajoute-t-il.

L'AFP par exemple est ainsi contrainte d'avoir des journalistes de part et d'autre des lignes de démarcation comme à Alep, la principale ville du nord, pour tenter d'obtenir l'image la plus claire et la plus honnête possible dans un pays où chacun défend "sa vérité".

A la veille de la journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse, l'AFP a réaffirmé sa détermination à continuer à couvrir le conflit sur le terrain, comme elle le fait depuis le début, et a publié une actualisation de ses procédures de couverture avec comme objectif principal la sécurité de tous ses collaborateurs y compris ses pigistes.

Dans ce cadre, un stage de formation sur le travail en zone de guerre sera dispensé aux stringers réguliers comme c'est déjà le cas pour les journalistes de l'AFP envoyés sur le terrain.

Mais le journalisme est devenu aussi un métier de détective pour tenter d'informer face à la multiplication des annonces fallacieuses.

Jamais dans l'histoire de ce métier, il n'y a eu un tel déluge de "nouvelles" relayées par les réseaux sociaux, ce qui nécessite de véritables "enquêtes" quotidiennes principalement quand il s'agit de défections de dignitaires, de massacres, de combats, de bombardements, de rapts.

sk/ram/sw#

***02.05.2013. IRAQ. IFJ Conference Outlines Key Reforms for  Democratic Iraqi Media

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and its affiliate, the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate (IJS), today denounced the ongoing attacks against journalists in Iraq and issued a series of recommendations to improve the safety and rights of journalists in the country.

The recommendations were made at the conference ‘Iraqi Media: Ten Years On – Journalists Rights, Safety and Legal Reform’ held in Istanbul, 28-29 April, to mark the 10th anniversary of the occupation of Iraq.

"Our affiliate in Iraq, the IJS, and its members have shown an extraordinary tenacity in standing up, for over a decade, to some of the toughest challenges encountered by journalists,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “They ranged from sectarian deadly attacks making the grim toll of killed journalists in Iraq the worst in the world to their courageous fight for a free and independent media.”

“Ten years on, collective action by journalists delivers every day on many fronts, from the campaign for a strong professional culture, to building quality in media, defending public values and campaigning on self-regulation.

“Despite the still uncertain political landscape, this has placed Iraqi journalists in a key position to gather the widest coalition to help build the new democratic Iraq and look forward to the next 10 years."

Participants, including journalists, media editors, members of the Iraqi parliament, the Ministry of Human Rights and the Iraqi High Commission of Human Rights, UNESCO, the Federation of Arab Journalists and the Centre of Law and Democracy debated the reforms needed to tackle issues such as impunity, journalist safety and journalists professional and social rights in Iraq.

In a joint statement, the representatives involved remembered the 380 journalists and media workers who have lost their lives in Iraq in the last ten years, denounced the ongoing attacks and violence against Iraqi journalists and expressed their deep concern at the failure to bring killers of journalists to justice.

They recommended the following:

Safety of journalists and the Issue of Impunity - Continued safety training for journalists, the need to establish a dialogue between, journalists, the state and media owners on the duty of care for the safety and welfare of journalists, and the requirement for authorities in Iraq to take ensure freedom of expression and bring aggressors to justice.

Journalists’ Professional and Social Right and Media Development – Call on companies to co-operate with the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate to negotiate agreements providing better protection for journalists and improve their employment rights, and call for media to make all information about their ownership and mission statement available to the public.

Media Laws – Call for all decision makers in Iraq, led by the government and parliament in cooperation with the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate and other organisations, to urgently work together to ensure the adoption of a set of laws to underpin the regulation of the media and protect its independence.
Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate – to build a database recoding the deaths and acts or violence against Iraqi journalists and work towards a strong, professional culture within journalism.

As the meeting was held in Istanbul, the Iraqi participants expressed their solidarity with Turkish journalists in prison and called on Turkish authorities to release them immediately and unconditionally.

***30.04.2013. YEMEN. ATTACKS AGAINST JOURNALISTS CONDEMNED

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and its affiliate,  the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS), have today condemned an attack  
on an Al Jazeera TV crew in the southern city of Aden in Yemen.

According to media reports, the crew was attacked on Saturday, 27 April, 2013, by members of the separatist movement, the South Yemen  
Movement, in the port city of Aden while they were filming a protest. Reports say that Al Jazeera correspondent Yasser Hassan had his nose  
broken, and photographer Samir Nimry was assaulted and had his camera confiscated.

“This is the latest in a series of attacks in Yemen in recent weeks that have left journalists of their family members injured. Such acts  
must not be tolerated,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “The authorities in Yemen must immediately investigate this incident,  
identify those responsible and hold them accountable.

The YJS has condemned the recent attacks on media staff in Yemen and renewed its call for freedom of the media throughout all the country.  
The union has also called for the confiscated camera to be returned.

“We are concerned about the increasing violence against and harassment of journalists in Yemen,” said IFJ General Secretary Beth Costa.  “We  
call on the government of the country to adhere to the requirements of  international law and ensure the rights and freedoms of journalists  
are upheld.”

***08.04.2013. RUSSIA. Journalist in Russia, Badly Beaten in 2008, Dies (The New York Times)

By ELLEN BARRY 

MOSCOW — The Russian journalist Mikhail Beketov, who became a symbol of Russia’s culture of impunity after he was brutally beaten in 2008, died of heart failure on Monday, his lawyer announced. After Mr. Beketov had called for the resignation of the municipal government in the city of Khimki, where he lived, his car was blown up. He later wrote about that in his newspaper, as well, and then was beaten so severely that he spent the rest of his life using a wheelchair, unable to form sentences. Three of his fingers and one of his legs had to be amputated.

The police barely investigated the crime, ignoring witnesses who came forward offering information and surveillance videos that could have identified Mr. Beketov’s assailants. By then, Mr. Beketov had become a hero to many and the recipient of several journalism prizes, including one bestowed by the state.

Yevgenia Chirikova, an environmental activist from Khimki, said Mr. Beketov, who was 55 when he died, never recovered from the attack.

“In essence, they killed him back then,” she said in a telephone interview. “He was just dying all these years. That’s all.”

Yelena Kostuchenko, a journalist and friend, told the Committee to Protect Journalists that Mr. Beketov choked on a piece of food at lunch on Monday, which she linked to deep tracheal scarring that he sustained after the attack.

Mr. Beketov used his own money to finance the publication of a newspaper, Khimkinskaya Pravda, which had a circulation of about 10,000. He wrote scathingly about plans to build a major highway through the Khimki Forest, and of a decision to move a monument to servicemen killed in World War II. In May 2007, someone beat his dog to death and set his car on fire.

Mr. Beketov told journalists he suspected the mayor, Vladimir Strelchenko, but the case was closed shortly thereafter for lack of evidence. Months later, Mr. Beketov was still writing: “Last spring, I called for the resignation of the city’s leadership. A few days later, my automobile was blown up. What is next for me?”

Before he was attacked, Mr. Beketov had warned Ms. Chirikova that something might happen to him, and told her the police should “look in the Khimki administration.” But investigators eventually suspended the investigation for a lack of evidence.

“The fact that the mastermind of this crime has never been punished, that means that they simply don’t want to look for him,” she said. “They know exactly who did it.”

Mr. Strelchenko, who said he played no role in the attack, won a slander case against Mr. Beketov in 2010, when the journalist was unable to speak or walk. He remained mayor of Khimki for four years, stepping down for what the authorities said were unrelated reasons.

Ms. Chirikova said she was never sure whether Mr. Beketov understood that the mayor had left office.

Municipal authorities in Khimki announced Monday that they would assist in arranging Mr. Beketov’s burial.

In comments to the Interfax news service, Lyudmila M. Alekseyeva, the head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, hailed the “tenacity and heroism with which he defended the dignity and rights of citizens, despite his grave physical condition.”

***03.04.2013. SYRIA. Syria: 15 journalists and media activists killed in March - 153 within two years of the revolution (Syrian Journalists Assoication) (FYI - please note that PEC considers only professionnal journalists on its Ticking clock)

The number of media victims in Syria increased to 153 professional and citizen journalists who were killed since the beginning of the Syrian revolution in 2011. The Media Freedom Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association has documented killing of 15 journalists in March 2013. 10 in Damascus, 3 in Daraa, and 2 in Homs.

Syrian authorities released the German journalist Billy Six on 05-03-2013. After being held two and a half months.

On 11-03-2013 the journalist Shada al-Maddad was converted to terrorism court for interrogation. Al-Madda was arrested by the State Security Branch on 11.01.2013. After her visiting to the USA.
 
Media activist Mohammad Fawaz al-Shara was injured in Khirbet Ghazaleh in Daraa province on 14-03-2013. While he was covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army. 
 
The Kurdish People Protection Units of The Democratic Union Party (PKK branch in Syria) arrested the media activist Sardar Ahmed in Afrin town in Aleppo. On 16-03-2013.

The German public television channel "ARD" announced on 30-03-2013. That its correspondent Joerg Armbruster was seriously wounded by bullets, during covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Aleppo.

Victims of March 2013:
 
1.      Waleed Jamil Amira, photographer and media activist: was killed while filming clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in Jobar neighborhood in Damascus. On 03-03-2013.

2.      Mohammed Bashir Shkhshiro, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in Jobar neighborhood in Damascus. On 08-03-2013.
 
3.      Saqr Abu Nabot, media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in Daraa Albalad in Daraa. On 10-03-2013. Abu Nabot was a member of the Media Office of the Local Coordination Committees.
 
4.      Ghaith Abdul-Jawad, a media activist: was killed after targeting the media office of Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus. On 10-03-2013.
 
5.      Amer Badr al-Din Junaid, a media activist: was killed after targeting the media office of Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus. On 10-03-2013.
 
6.      Osama Abdel Basset Altaleb, a media activist: was killed while covering the bombing in the al-Quser town in Homs. On 11-03-2013.

7.      Ahmed Khaled Shehadeh, a journalist: was killed during shelling Darya town by rockets, in Damascus suburbs. On 12-03-2013. Shehadeh was managing editor of Enab Baladi newspaper, and active in the field of aid. He worked at the Office of the Commission of the European Union in Damascus.

8.      Anas al-Batsh, a media activist photographer: was shot by a sniper while he was filming clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army, in Harasta neighborhood in Damascus. On 13-03-2013.
 
9.      Mahmoud Alnatouf, a photographer and media activist: was killed while filming the Syrian Regime Army targeting Medmah al-Sham town in Damascus suburbs. On 14-03-2013.
 
10.  Mahmoud Abdul-Karim al-Aqraa, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in Douma town in Damascus suburbs. On 15-03-2013.
 
11.  Laith Mohammed al-Homsi, a photographer and media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in the Sheikh Miskin town in Daraa. On 22-03-2013.
 
12.  Hamed Abu Yasser: a media activist: was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime army in the Darya town in Damascus suburbs. On 27-03-2013. Abu Yasser grounded al-Sahwa newspaper with some activists, and worked in Media Office of the Daria Coordination.
 
13.  Mohammed Ibrahim Alaasmi, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Daal town in Daraa. On 28-03-2013. 
 
14.  Amer Diab, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and of the Syrian Regime Army in Al Otaiba town Damascus suburbs. On 30-03-2013
 
15.  Walid Khaled Aljalkh, a media activist: was killed in an ambush by the Syrian Regime Army in Kalat al-Husin region in Homs with another 14 people. On 31-03-2013.

Media Freedoms Committee at the Syrian Journalists Association
Damascus 1/4/2013 

***27.03.2013. ISRAEL/PALESTINE. MADA: 238 violations of media freedoms in 2012, with the killing of three journalists as most dangerous violations

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) held a press conference which reviewed the Annual Report on the violations against Media freedom in Palestine during 2012. The conference was held at MADA’s headquarter in Ramallah this morning.

The conference was opened by the Chairmen of the Board of Directors Dr. Ghazi Hanania, who expressed that the past year witnessed a serious escalation of violations against journalists by the Israeli occupation forces IOF, who had no qualms to kill three journalists deliberately during its latest aggression on the Gaza Strip. Dr. Hanania added: "the occupation authorities did not hesitate or flinch to justify its murders, which points to the extent of Israeli disregard not only for the laws and international conventions, but for the lives of Palestinian journalist, thus violating freedom of expression and the most important human right “the right to live."

Dr. Hanania then explained that reporting Israeli violations does not mean the absence of Palestinian violations: “Although we always confirmed that the Israeli violations are the most dangerous and threatening to the lives of Palestinian journalists and the most frequent, but the Palestinian violations are still high in numbers, although they have decreased compared to 2011, where the Fatah Hamas division still constitutes a fertile ground for violations to arise in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip”.

Dr. Hanania spoke to the audience about MADA’s role in defending media freedoms, either by monitoring violations and publishing press releases, monthly reports, annual reports, and special reports, or through the activities of the Legal Unit in defending journalists and spreading legal awareness through seminars and workshops.

Dr Hanania added: “the center resumes its efforts in launching campaigns to strengthen freedom of expression in Palestine and to spread awareness on the importance of the Access to Information Law, where we believe that the enactment of this law will play a big role in strengthening freedom of expression and the journalists ability to access relative information to their work, and strengthen the ability of citizens to participate in public agenda. The center also published two new studies on the Legal Regulations of Media Freedoms in Palestine, and on the Judiciary and Media: Freedom of Expression between Theory and Practice, as an effort by the center to help enact modern laws that are in line with international standards of freedom of expression”.

In his closing remarks, he thanked the Open Society Foundation for its support for the issuance of the report and the monitoring and documentation program, and he also thanked all MADA’s partners.

MADA’s annual report for 2012 explains that Media freedom status in Palestine had no promising signs since the start of the year. As journalists began the year with violations and attacks on their rights, they said their farewell to 2012 with the loss of three colleagues: Aqsa TV cameraman Mahmoud Alkoumi 30 years old, Aqsa TV photographer Hussam Salameh also 30 years old, Executive Director of the Jerusalem Educational Radio Muhamed Moussa Abu Eisha 24 years old.

MADA center reported 238 violations against journalists and Palestinian media outlets during the past year.  The Israeli Occupation Forces IOF has committed approximately 70% of the overall total with 164 violations, while different Palestinian sides committed 74 violations, the equivalent of about 30% of the total violations. And in comparison with 2011 the violations have increased approximately about 11.5% (32 violations).

The general director of MADA Mr. Mousa Rimawi outlined the violations committed by the Israeli forces in Palestine, and mentioned that the Israeli Occupation turned 2012 into hell for journalists and Media outlets, where they committed egregious perpetual violations against Journalists, most notably the killing of three journalists, the bombing of media organizations headquarters and journalists’ homes, and the serious physical assaults. Mr. Rimawi added that the Israeli Occupation not only committed awful violations but have also amplified them by %65 with 164 violations committed in 2012 comparing to 100 violations committed in 2011.

Mr. Rimawi explained that the increase in the number and quality of violations is due to several factors, most notably the power of the Palestinian image and word, and the key role played in the world public opinion by the Palestinian press in detecting the occupation violations. The other factor is that the occupation has never been held accountable and punished for its crimes against journalists and media freedoms, which encourages the occupation to commit more violations without consideration to any human rights, and international laws and conventions that guarantee freedom of expression and protection for journalists.

Mr. Rimawi pointed that the Israeli violations were mostly committed in eight areas: Gaza, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Nablus, Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya. 70% of Israeli violations were committed: in Gaza with 63 violations, in Jerusalem with 26 violations, and in Ramallah with 25 violations.

MADA also monitored 10 types of Israeli violations: Killing (3 cases), prevention from travel (1 case) bombings (37 cases), raiding (4 cases) closing and blocking of media sites (3 cases), prevention from coverage (5 cases), confiscation of equipment (4 cases), arrest (13 cases), physical abuse (80 cases), and detention (14 cases).

The annual report also explains that many violations cannot be monitored by MADA since journalists don’t commute freely between West bank cities, Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, for example journalists from West Bank don’t hold permission papers needed to enter Jerusalem nor Gaza, and Gaza journalists are also not allowed to enter the West Bank nor Jerusalem .

The Secretary of the board of MADA Mr. Majid Alarui reviewed the Palestinian violations against media freedoms monitored by the MADA over the past year, pointing out that the state of media freedoms is dramatically still worrying in Palestine, despite the drop in the number of Palestinian violations by 31% over the past year compared to 2011.

Mr. Alaruri reported that Palestinian violations were equally committed in Gaza and the West Bank as each witnessed 37 violations. Most notable types of violations were: prevention from travel, raiding of media institutions, preventing journalists from coverage, arrests, detentions, physical abuse, interrogations, trails, threats, and closing and blocking media sites.

Mr. Alruri pointed that detention is still the most prominent violations that have been monitored as it recorded during 2012 12 cases in comparison to 5 cases in 2011, in addition to the continued policy of calling journalists for investigation and interrogation with 13 violation reported, in addition to closing and blocking media sites, and prevention of travel.

The 2012 annual report: “MADA center noted a clear negligence of the authorities concerned in the investigation of violations against journalists and media institutions, where most cases of violations passed without serious investigation, and the impunity of the aggressors. This creates questions about the statements made by some officials in the West Bank and Gaza Strip regarding their full commitment and support to freedom of opinion and expression in Palestine”.

The annual report contains important details about the number of violations of media freedoms, their types, their dangers, and the cities most vulnerable to violations, per each side which commits violations against journalists in Palestine. And in regards to violations by Israeli occupation, MADA demanded the formation of an international investigating committee to inquire the circumstances relating to the killing of three journalists, and to hold the aggressors accountable for all violations and to pressure the occupation to comply with the laws and international conventions relating to freedom of opinion and expression and the safety of journalists, especially Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to facilitate the movement of journalists.

And in regards to the Palestinian violations, MADA demanded to Respect freedom of expression and opinion, the end of censorship on freedom of expression, allowing all media to operate freely and without Political restrictions, and to reconsider laws which organizes various sectors of the print and audio-visual media, in addition to the enactment of the Access to Information Law.

The press conference began with a minute of silence in tribute to the martyrs of the press in Palestine and around the world.

***04.03.2013. SYRIA: 11 media activists, including a French journalist killed in February

The Syrian regime is still targeting media activists and journalists. Media Freedom Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association has documented killing of 11 journalists in February 2013 to increase victims to 138 professional and citizen journalists have killed since the beginning of the Syrian revolution in 2011.
 
Olivier Voisan a French journalist, was killed of wounds sustained by shrapnel, while covering military operations for Free Syrian Army in Idlib. On 24-02-2013. Olivier Voisan worked for several French media and international, including newspapers Le Monde, Liberation, L'Express, the Guardian, and Agence France Presse AFP.

Also Mohammed Saeed al-Hamwi a journalist, was killed during bombing Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus. Hamwi was a student in the Faculty of Information at the Damascus University, known as (Ghias Shami) as one of the most prominent media activist. Hamwi injured by a mortar shrapnel pierced his eye on 02-05-2013  while covering clashes, and killed of his wounds on 17-02-2013.

The media activist Youssef Adel Bakri was killed during shelling on Karam Altarab neighborhood in Aleppo. On 15-02-2013. Yousef Bakri was correspondent of Aleppo News Network. He photographed many military operations of the Free Syrian Army.

On the 1st of February Reporters Without Borders said that Ayham Mostafa Ghazzoul, a contributor to the Damascus-based Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), died under torture four days after being arrested on 5 November 2012. Ghazzoul was arrested during the 16 February 2012 raid on the SCM in which all of its employees and contributors, including its director, Mazen Darwish. 

Ghazzoul freed after 67 days in detention. He was arrested again on 5 November  2012at the office on the National Union of Students on the University of Damascus campus and was again taken to air force intelligence headquarters.

A year passed on Mazen Darwish detention. Darwish is the director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression. Who was arrested with employees and contributors of SCM on 16-02-2012. Darwish and his two colleagues Hani Zitani and Hussein Al Ghurair still in arbitrary detention. According to news from Damascus, they were transferred to Adra central prison near the capital Damascus.

The brigade of Free Syria (Free Syrian Army) arrested journalists of the Aleppo Media Center and Aleppo News under the pretext of publishing false news about the brigade. On 15-02-2013. It was then released shortly after.

 Fighters of Free Syrian Army  take up arms at faces activists of Radio Free Deir al-Zour, which prompted radio to advertising a strike on 18.02.2013.
An expression of their rejection of restrictions on media, and their attacks on freedom of expression.

Victims of February 2013:
 
1.      Nabil al-Nabulsi, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Izraa town in Daraa. On 02-02-2013.

2.      Abdul Latif Khalil Khuder, a citizen journalist: was killed after succumbing to the wounds. He sustained by bombing of Medmah Sham town in Damascus, on 03-02-2013.

3.      Mohammed Kurdi, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Zamalka town in Damascus. On 06-02-2013.
 
4.      Zaid Abu Obeida, a media activist: was killed during the bombing of Daria town city of in Damascus, on 11-02-2013.
 
5.      Hamada Abdel-Salam al-Khatib, a citizen photographer: was killed while filming bombing on Talbisa town in Homs. On 12-02-2013.
 
6.      Youssef Adel Bakri, a media activist: was killed during shelling on Karam Altarab neighborhood in Aleppo. On 15-02-2013. Yousef Bakri was correspondent of Aleppo News Network. He photographed many military operations of the Free Syrian Army.
 
7.      Mohamed Mohamed, a media activist: was shot by a sniper while filming clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army, in al-Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood in Damascus, on 17-02-2013.
 
8.      Mohammed Saeed al-Hamwi, journalist: was killed during bombing Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus. Hamwi was a student in the Faculty of Information at the Damascus University, known as (Ghias Shami) as one of the most prominent media activist. Hamwi injured by a mortar shrapnel pierced his eye on 02-05-2013  while covering clashes, and killed of his wounds on 17-02-2013.
 
9.      Adnan Abu Abdo, a media activist: was killed by tank shelling on Darya town in Damascus, on 19-02-2013.

10.  Olivier Voisan: French journalist: was killed of wounds sustained by shrapnel, while covering military operations for Free Syrian Army in Idlib. On 24-02-2013. Olivier Voisan worked for several French media and international, including newspapers Le Monde, Liberation, L'Express, the Guardian, and Agence France Presse AFP.
 
11.  Wael Abdul Aziz, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime army, in Baba Amr neighborhood in Homs, on 25-02-2013.
  
Press Freedoms Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association
1/3/2013

***20.02.2013. PALESTINE. The occupation authorities carried out 27 arrests of journalists during the past two years (MADA)

Ramallah 20th February 2013: MADA center organized, in collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Information and Journalists’ Syndicate, a protest this morning in front of Ofer prison near the city of Ramallah. The protest was against the policy of detaining journalists practiced by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF), and it coincided with the trial of Shehab agency reporter Amer Abu Arfah’s who is under an administrative detention since 21st August 2011.

Mousa Rimawi the general director of MADA center stated that the policy of detaining journalists has been going on for decades, where Israeli occupation authorities carried out 27 cases of journalists’ arrest during the last two years, and has released most of them. Rimawi adds that the persistence of Israel policy is a blatant violation of the law and the international conventions that ensured freedom of expression. Today’s protest was held to demand the release of the detained journalists and to protest against this policy. A new manifestation of this policy was the arrest of a cartoonist of Alhayat al Jadeda newspaper Mohammed Saba'na last Saturday 16th February 2013, whose detention  was  renewed for another 9 days at Aljalama prison today.

On the other hand, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) prevented three journalists yesterday from covering the IOF raiding of Aldoha town near Bethlehem. 

Alquds TV correspondent Mamdouh Hamamreh told MADA, that him and his colleagues PalMedia cameraman Samer Hamad and Alquds Dot Com Cameraman Abdulrahman Younis went to cover the IOF raiding operation of Aldoha town, and once their cameras were turned on they were stopped from covering by the IOF, and they were checked for identifications and Press IDs. Hamamreh also added, “They prevented us from continuing the coverage of the operation, and even erased any footage Abdulrahman managed to take”.

Rimawi called on the international community for an immediate intervention, in order to force Israel to stop all attacks on journalists, which puts journalists’ lives in danger and prevents them from performing their professional duty, especially since the attacks significantly escalated over the past year and at the beginning of this year.

***16.02.2013. SRI LANKA. Sri Lanka Sunday Leader reporter Faraz Shauketaly shot (BBC)

A reporter from a newspaper in Sri Lanka has been shot by a group of unidentified men at his home near the capital, Colombo.
Sunday Leader's Faraz Shauketaly, who holds dual British and Sri Lankan citizenship, was rushed to hospital after being shot in the neck.

A doctor who treated Mr Shauketaly said the journalist was now out of danger.

Rights groups say more than a dozen media employees have been killed in Sri Lanka over the past decade.
None of the murders has been solved.

Anti-establishment paper

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says Mr Shauketaly was on the phone to a colleague at the Sunday Leader on Friday evening at his home in Mount Lavinia when the call was cut.

Shortly afterwards he answered a call and said he had been shot in the neck by three intruders, who had then escaped.

A group of foreign lodgers at his house said he was covered in blood and calling for help. Mr Shauketaly, 52, was taken to intensive care, where doctors pronounced him out of danger and have been working to remove a bullet.

Mr Shauketaly holds British and Sri Lankan passports and the UK government has called on the authorities to bring the attackers to justice.

Our correspondent says Mr Shauketaly had voiced fears that his investigative reporting might be putting him in danger, especially after strangers had called at his house recently asking for his whereabouts.

Four years ago, the Sunday Leader's editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was shot dead by a group of masked men on motorbikes.

The case, which has never been solved, highlighted the dismal state of press freedom in the country, analysts said.

"There has been a range of attacks in Sri Lanka on journalists, civil society organisations and others in recent years. To date, too many incidents have had little investigation and no resolution," UK Foreign Office Minister Alastair Burt said in a statement.

The Sunday Leader had long had a reputation for being outspokenly anti-government.

Its profile changed last year when it was bought by a well-connected businessman and retracted some of its articles, but it still does a considerable amount of investigative reporting.

***09.02.2013. COLOMBIA. De Las Balas a Los Expedientes. Informe sobre el estado de la libertad de prensa en Colombia durante 2012

La Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa-FLIP publica este 9 de febrero, día del periodista, su informe anual en el que hace una radiografía de la situación de la libertad de prensa en el 2012. La FLIP ve con preocupación que se hayan registrado un total de 158 agresiones directas contra periodistas en el ejercicio de su oficio, entre las que se incluye el asesinato de Guillermo Quiroz en San Pedro, Sucre; el atentado contra Fernando Londoño en Bogotá; la amenaza colectiva a 10 periodistas de Santa Marta, Magdalena; el desplazamiento forzado de 6 reporteros y el exilio de uno.

Si bien las condiciones de seguridad para periodistas en otros países de América Latina, como México, Honduras y Brasil son muy delicadas, Colombia es uno de los lugares más peligrosos para el periodismo, especialmente a nivel local.

Igualmente preocupa el estado de impunidad en que se encuentran varias investigaciones. En 2012 prescribieron dos casos de asesinatos de periodistas: el de José Domingo Cortés Soto, del Diario del Otún, baleado el 15 de noviembre de 1992 en Valencia, Córdoba, y el de John Félix Tirado Castañeda de la emisora Ondas del Urrá, ocurrido el 5 de agosto del mismo año en Cartago, Valle. Esto significa que, de los 140 periodistas asesinados desde 1977, hay 59 casos que ya prescribieron.

Las investigaciones por las interceptaciones y seguimientos a periodistas por parte del DAS, parecen haber entrado en un letargo. Se dieron condenas contra mandos medios de la entidad, pero las investigaciones a funcionarios de alto nivel siguen sin mostrar avances.

Por otro lado, se destacan ciertos avances en el caso de Jineth Bedoya, que fue declarado crimen de lesa humanidad, así como en los de Orlando Sierra y Jaime Garzón, ambos en etapa de juicio.

La FLIP registró el incremento de procesos judiciales contra periodistas como método de censura. En el 2012 la inquietud ha llegado al extremo con la condena dada por el Tribunal Superior de Cundinamarca contra el periodista de Fusagasugá, Luis Agustín González, por el delito de injuria tras cuestionar en un editorial las aspiraciones políticas de una reconocida dirigente del departamento. Igualmente notorio, entre otros, fue el caso ocurrido en agosto, cuando la Sala Penal de la Corte Suprema de Justicia anunció una denuncia penal contra la columnista de El Espectador, Cecilia Orozco, por criticar el trabajo de esta Corporación. Al final, la Corte se retractó.

La FLIP destaca que en el 2012 los roces entre periodismo y fuerza pública se acentuaron. La muerte de Guillermo Quiroz involucró a miembros de la Policía en hechos que están por esclarecerse. A su vez, se dieron agresiones en Bogotá, Arauca y Santander. Por otro lado, se resalta la decisión de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos de condenar a Colombia por las agresiones cometidas por miembros del Ejército al camarógrafo Richard Vélez, en 1996, y por la falta de justicia en el esclarecimiento de los hechos.

Por último, en el 2012 se dieron algunos avances en el reconocimiento de los periodistas que han sido afectados por el conflicto. En el marco de la Ley de Víctimas, la Unidad de Atención y Reparación a Víctimas reconoció a los periodistas como una población beneficiaria de reparación colectiva y, la Alcaldía de Bogotá, a través del Centro de Memoria Distrital, hizo un monumento a los afectados por el conflicto, dentro de las que se incluyó a los periodistas.

Descargue el informe completo aquí

***06.02.2013. SOMALIA. Trial and sentencing of Somali journalist and alleged rape victim a serious blow to fight against sexual violence – Pillay

GENEVA (6 February 2013) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Wednesday that the widely criticized trial and sentencing of a Somali journalist, and the alleged raped victim he interviewed, risks seriously undermining the fight against sexual violence and urged that their case should be reopened as soon as possible.

“Sexual abuse in the camps for displaced people in Somalia is a real issue, and any effort to expose, denounce and deter these crimes should be supported,” Pillay said. “It is deeply disturbing that a woman alleging rape can be penalized for reporting such a crime, and a journalist jailed for investigating it.”

“This is a terrible blow to freedom of expression in a country where independent journalists have also been regularly targeted and killed,” Pillay said. “Sexual violence is a perfectly valid subject for any journalist to investigate. No journalist should be arrested and sentenced by a court to one year in jail for doing his work,” she added.

The freelance journalist, Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim, who did not even publish any article based on his interview, was jailed for one year on Tuesday by a court in Mogadishu, along with Lul Ali Isman, the young woman who had alleged she had been raped by members of the security forces. Her husband and two others charged in the same case were released by the court.

Pillay condemned the statements made by some public authorities, including police commissioner General Sharif Shekuna Maye at a press conference on January 16, which exposed the alleged victim to public stigmatization, and potentially to personal risk, and in addition undermined her right to presumption of innocence. “The authorities should afford the necessary protection to victims reporting such crimes, and not seek to silence them,” she said.

“I am very concerned about the impact the penalization of the woman alleging rape could have in the fight against impunity in sexual violence cases, especially given the reports of increasing sexual violence in Somalia,” the High Commissioner said. “And I am particularly shocked by the exposure of the victim of the alleged rape to public stigmatization,” she added.

The High Commissioner also expressed her concerns about the handling of the pre-trial and trial phases, particularly the use of prolonged detention without charges – in contravention of Somalia’s own law -- and the limited space given to the defence.

“This sentencing of the alleged victim after such a perfunctory and procedurally questionable investigation into the veracity of her claim does a terrible disservice to the women of Somalia, who will now feel they have nowhere to turn if they are sexually abused  -- indeed will be actively deterred from doing so.”

“I raised this case ten days ago directly with the Government of Somalia,” Pillay said. “I am now calling on the Government to urgently re-open this case and launch a full inquiry to clearly establish what happened and, if any allegations of abuses against the victim and the journalist are confirmed, to hold those responsible accountable.”

***06.02.2013. TURKEY. Trial of 46 journalists and media workers (EFJ)

On 4 February, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) was represented by its president Arne König and by the president of the Turkish Union of Journalists (TGS), Ercan Ipekci at the trial of 46 journalists and media workers held at the special security prison Silivri, outside of Istanbul. The Journalists are accused of being members, or working on behalf of KCK, the so-called “city organisation” of the illegal and armed PKK, the Kurdish Workers Party.

“It was shocking for us to hear that normal journalistic activity can be considered illegal and an act of terror,” said EFJ President Arne König.

The trial is scheduled to last all week as the prosecutor is presenting his evidence running into 800 pages of indictment. Using tapped telephone talks with activists, the prosecutor claims for example that Ömer Celik, the editor of the Dicle News Agency, is close to the KCK and PKK, and uses his journalistic profession as a cover for terror activities. Yet, the accused makes it clear on the recordings that decisions to cover political issues had to be taken in an editorial meeting.

“If all talks of this sort in a newsroom are preparation for terroristic activities, then there would be several hundred thousands of terrorists all over Europe,” said Arne König, referring to the more than 300 000 journalists represented by the EFJ.

The EFJ has from the beginning tried to attend the trial of Turkish journalists. Currently, there are around 75 of them standing trial, down from 100 who were behind bars last year at the height of the media crackdown.

“But we do not see any real change of attitude from the Turkish authorities,” said Ercan Ipekci.

In fact, there was a big operation the last week against the lawyers of the accused journalists. As a result, many lawyers and six other journalists were arrested and accused of being members of an illegal terrorist organization (DHKP-C). The EFJ warns of a new threat from provisions of a draft bill which is before Parliament designed to ban Turkish organisations or individuals from receiving financial support from foreign sources.

The EFJ and the TGS call on the international community to help put an end to violations of freedom of expression in Turkey.

***05.02.2013. IRAN. UN experts call on Iran to stop journalist arrests and release those detained

GENEVA (5 February 2013) – A group of United Nations independent human rights experts* called on Monday for the Government of Iran to immediately halt the recent wave of mass arrests of journalists and to release those already detained.

Last week, security forces raided five newspaper offices and arrested at least 17 journalists, the majority of whom work for independent news outlets. Arrest warrants and summons have been issued for several others. Before these recent arrests, over 40 journalists were already imprisoned in Iran.

“The recent wave of arrests of journalists solely for carrying out their professional activities is a flagrant violation of Iran’s obligations under international human rights law,” the UN human rights experts said.

The group of rights experts underlined the fears that the 17 arrests carried out so far are part of a broader campaign to crack down on independent journalists and media outlets in Iran, under the accusation that they have collaborated with ‘anti-revolutionary’ foreign media outlets and human rights organisations. “The right to communicate with international organisations, including non-governmental ones, is a fundamental aspect of freedom of expression, and using such accusations to conduct mass arrests flies in the face of Iran’s international human rights obligations,” the experts said.

“It is disturbing that mass arrests and detention are being used in retaliation against the exercise of freedom of expression. Journalists must be able to speak and write without fear of persecution, arrest and intimidation,” the human rights experts said.

“Ahead of the June 2013 elections, the recent arrests may serve to reinforce self-censorship and severely constrict freedom of opinion and expression at a key moment in Iran’s political development,” warned the experts.

*The Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran.

***04.02.2013. SYRIA. 18 professional and citizen journalists killed in January (Syrian Journalists Association)

 Journalists were killed while covering fierce clashes between government forces and the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) last January.
Press freedom committee of the Syrian Journalists Association has documented killing 18 journalists in January and 8 media activists last December 2012. 127 professional or citizen journalists have died since the beginning of the civil war in 2011 as a result of their reporting.

Yves Debay, a Belgium journalist reporting for the French magazine Assault, was shot by a sniper stationed on the building of the central prison in Aleppo on 17 January. Debay covered several hot spots around the world, such as the Lebanese civil war, and the second Gulf War, the war in Yugoslavia, and the war in Afghanistan.

Mohamed Al-Messalmah, a Syrian journalist also known as Mohamed Al-Horani, was killed the next day while covering fighting in Bousra Al-Harir, a suburb of the southern city of Deraa. He worked for Al Jazeera TV  as a reporter.

 Al-Jazeera said Al-Horani was killed by a regular army sniper. Aged 33, he had worked for the Qatar-based TV news channel for more than a year. He had previously been an anti-government activist.

Three journalists from" network of free media" are being targeted by a mortar shell, Abdul Karim Nazir Ismail, Issam Obeid, Louay Nimer,  led  them to  death in Arbin town in Damascus suburbs On 01/31/2013.

Victims of December (2012)

1.         Naji al-Asaad, a journalist: was killed in front of his house in al-Taddamun neighborhood in Damascus, on 04-12-2012. Naji al-Asaad a retired journalist worked with Tishreen state newspaper. He was newspaper editor secretary, and head of Investigations section. After his retirement, he ran readers page at the newspaper.

2.         Mohamed Khair Sheikh Qwaider, a citizen journalist: was killed in a battle between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian regime army, in Erbeen town in Damascus suburbs on 06-12-2012. Sheikh Qwaider was ran page "We are all Erbeen martyrs" on Facebook. He was a member of the Erbeen coordinating in the Syrian revolution. He was one of the first journalists in town Erbeen. He contributed to documenting the names of the revolution martyrs and detainees.

3.         Mohammed al-Beesh, a citizen journalist: was killed during bombing of Daria in Damascus suburbs on 07-12-2012.

4.         Ahmed Abdul Salam Leila, a media activist: was killed while covering battle of Infantry Military College in Andan town in Aleppo. On 15-12-2012.

5.         Abdul Karim al-Ezzo, a citizen journalist: was shot by a sniper in al-Abbasia neighborhood in Homs, on 21-12-2012.
 
6.         Yasser Shaaban, a media activist: was killed by a bomb in Dara Azaa town in Aleppo. On 25-12-2012. Shaaban was an activist with Aleppo News Network, and Syrian Revolution General Commission.
 
7.         Abu Yazan al-Hamwi, a media activist: shot by a sniper while escorting Aljazeera live team in Wadi al-Daif region in Idlib countryside on 26-12-2012.
 
8.         Abdul Razak Abdul Rahim Al-Zoubi, a media activist: was killed during bombing of Tafas town in Daraa. 30-12-2012.

Victims of January (2013)

9.         Yasser Muwaffaq Nadam, a media activist: was killed during a clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Douma town, in Damascus suburbs . On 02-01-2013.
 
10.       Khaled Mohammed al-Khatib, a citizen journalist: was killed during an air raid on al-Medmah Sham town in Damascus suburbs, on 04-01-2013. Al-Khatib was director of the Press Office of al-Medmah Local Council.
 
11.       Motaz Khalil Mansour, a photographer and media activist: was killed during an air raid on al-Medmah Sham town in Damascus suburbs, on 04-01-2013. Mansour was the most important photographer in al-Medmah town. He filmed dozens videos during shelling his town.
 
12.       Sohail Mahmoud Ali, a journalist and a cameraman: was killed during coverage armed clashes taking in Aleppo, while he was present in the area belonging to the Syrian Army Regime, according to the Syrian Human Rights Observatory. On 04-01-2013. Ali was working with al-Dunia channel which is close to the Syrian regime.
 
13.       Ahmad Koussa, a media activist: shot by a sniper in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus. On 07-01-2013.

14.       Basim Fawaz Zoubi, a media activist: was killed by Syrian regime forces in Daraa, on 13-01-2013.

15.       Ahmed Asaad Shehab, a media activist: was executed by the regime troops after storming al-Hasawiyeh in Homs province, on 15-01-2013.
 
16.       Yves Debay, a Belgian-born French journalist : was killed by a sniper, in Aleppo. On 17-01-2013. Debay was based in Aleppo, where he covered clashes between the Syrian Regime Army (SRA) and Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the city for his online newsmagazine (Assault) . A veteran military correspondent, he contributed reports for the French military magazine Raid, and had written several books about military conflicts. Debay covered the second Gulf War, Lebanese civil war Yugoslavia war, and Afghanistan war.

17.       Muhammad al-Mesalma (al-Hourani), an Al-Jazeera reporter:  was killed by a sniper in Daraa, on 18-01-2013. al-Mesalma was shot while reporting on fighting in Basri Al-Hariri village in Daraa province. Al-Mesalma reported for al-Jazeera about a year on ongoing military clashes between the Syrian Regime Army (SRA) and Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Darra.
 
18.       Amjad al-Sioufi, a media activist: was killed during shelling on East Gouta in Damascus suburbs, on 18-01-2013.
 
19.       Munir al-Namous, a media activist: was shot by a sniper in Madaya town of in Damascus suburbs. On 18-01-2012.

20.       Faisal Al-Basha, a media activist: was killed in Ras al-Ain town in Hasaka, on 01/18/2013.
 
21.       Qasim Khalil al-Maaishi, a media activist: was killed in Ras al-Ain in Hasaka. On 18-01-2013.
 
22.       Yesr Fawaz Zoubi, a media activist: was killed during clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Busr al-Harir village in Darra. On 20-01-2013.
 
23.       Mohammed Abdel-Rahman, a sports journalist: was assassinated with his father in Tishreen neighborhood in Damascus. On 26-01-2013. Abdul Rahman was working for "Syrian Soccer" sport website.
 
24.       Abdul Karim Nazir Ismail, a media activist: was targeted by a mortar shelling with a group of Free Syrian Army in Arbin town in Damascus suburbs. On 31-01-2013.
 
25.       Issam Obeid, a media activist: was targeted by a mortar shelling with a group of Free Syrian Army in Arbin town in Damascus suburbs. On 31-01-2013.
 
26.       Loay al-Nimer a media activist: was targeted by a mortar shelling with a group of Free Syrian Army in Arbin town in Damascus suburbs. On 31-01-2013.
-- 
Massoud Akko 004746262365Skype: akkopress

***02.02.2013. IRAK. Inquiétude pour un journaliste français emprisonné à Bagdad (AFP)

Nadir Dendoune, 40 ans, réalisait des reportages sur le dixième anniversaire de l'invasion de l'Irak. On lui reproche d'avoir pris des photos sans autorisation.LibérationUn journaliste français a été arrêté par la police irakienne pour avoir pris des photos sans autorisation à Bagdad et est détenu dans une prison de la capitale irakienne sans inculpation, a-t-on appris mardi auprès d’une source consulaire française et d’un responsable irakien. Nadir Dendoune, 40 ans, s'était rendu en Irak pour réaliser des reportages sur le dixième anniversaire de l’invasion du pays pour le mensuel français Le Monde Diplomatique, selon la source consulaire qui s’exprimait sous le couvert de l’anonymat.

Le reporter, qui détient également les nationalités algérienne et australienne, «ne s’est pas déclaré auprès des autorités locales et n’a pas demandé les autorisations pour prendre des photos», a-t-elle ajouté. Un responsable des forces de sécurité irakiennes a indiqué à l’AFP que Nadir Dendoune avait photographié des «sites sensibles appartenant au dispositif sécuritaire», sans préciser lesquels. Par ailleurs, le journaliste «est en détention provisoire et non en prison», a précisé ce responsable qui a requis l’anonymat.

En Irak, tous les journalistes ont besoin d’une autorisation avant de pouvoir travailler et, a fortiori, de prendre des photos de soldats et de policiers. Nadir Dendoune a été arrêté dans le quartier de Dora (sud-ouest) «en milieu de semaine dernière» et «est toujours en détention, il n’a pas été encore inculpé», a ajouté la source consulaire. Les autorités irakiennes ont assuré qu’il «est bien traité», selon elle.«Nous ne savons pas pourquoi il a été arrêté»

En France, Madjid Messaoudene, un ami de Nadir Dendoune et conseiller municipal de la ville de Saint-Denis (nord de Paris), a confié son inquiétude à l’AFP, car «nous ne savons pas pourquoi il a été arrêté, on n’a pas d’informations et rien qui rassure vraiment». De même source, Nadir Dendoune n’a pu prévenir ses proches que «cinq jours après son arrestation».

Selon Madjid Messaoudene, son ami était bien muni d’un visa de presse à son arrivée en Irak le 15 janvier et a été interpellé mercredi dernier. Des proches de Nadir Dendoune ont été reçus à l’ambassade d’Irak à Paris mardi matin. «Ils attendent eux-mêmes d’en savoir plus», d’après Madjid Messaoudene.

Nadir Dendoune devait rentrer à Paris pour assister à la projection de son documentaire «Palestine» à l’Institut du monde arabe (IMA), prévue mercredi soir. «La projection aura bien lieu demain à l’IMA, même s’il n’est pas revenu», a précisé Nadir Messaoudene. Nadir Dendoune est l’auteur de trois livres dont «Un tocard sur le toit du monde», publié en 2010 chez JC lattès.

***18.01.2013. SOMALIA. NUSOJ Condemns the Murder of the Somali Journalist, detained Journalist to appear in Court Next Week

Mogadishu, 18 January, 2012, The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns the murder of the Somali journalist on Friday Morning in the strongest terms possible and calls for prompt investigations into the murder case and along the other previous cases, meanwhile, the Somali Journalist held in communicado for conducting a interview of a woman who claimed she was raped by members of the Somali Security forces will appear in
court on next Tuesday 22 January, 2012.

Armed gunmen shot to death Abdi Hareed Osman of Radio Shabelle in Wadajir district on Friday morning. The motive of the killing is yet unknown.

NUSOJ condemns the killing of the journalists and calls for prompt investigation into the murder case. The union sends its sympathies and condolences families, friends and colleague who might have missed Mr. Osman.

"on behalf of the Somali Journalists, I send my sympathies and condolences to the families and friends of late Osman." Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, "We call for prompt investigations, so that the killers be brought to justice, to end the culture of impunity."

Osman is the first journalist killed in Somalia in 2013. 18 Media workers have been killed in Somalia in 2012 alone and none of the killers has been punished for their crimes. The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, His excellency, Hassan Sheik Mohamoud told journalists and union representative that "The era of impunity has finished and the criminals will be identified and brought to justice, during the meeting on 9 November 2012 at the presidential palace.

The National Union of Somali Journalists calls for government to speed up the formation of the task force against the crimes against the journalists in order for the criminals who are enjoying the impunity be brought to justice.

On a separate incident, the Somali Journalists and union officials gathered at the court on Thursday 17 January, 2013, where it was
expected from the police to bring the detained journalist Abdiasis Koronto of Radio Dalsan, but was later announced that it was delayed
until next Monday. The hearing of his case will take place next Tuesday 22 January, 2013 and Somali journalists are very well prepared
to defend the journalist in court by facilitating all necessary means to win the freedom of the detained journalist. Already, a lawyer has
been secured for the journalist who will defend him at the court.
 
For further information, contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Human Rights House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / newsletter@nusoj.org.so
Internet: http://www.nusoj.org.so

***01.01.2013. SYRIE. Défection de journalistes du camp Assad : "notre mission ' tuer par la parole" (AFP)

PARIS (28.12.2012) - Lama al-Khadra résume son travail à Radio Damas d'une phrase : "notre mission était de tuer par la parole". Avec deux autres responsables de cette radio officielle syrienne, elle a fait "défection" à Paris et rejoint le camp de l'opposition au président Bachar al-Assad. 

"C'est difficile de toujours porter un masque, ne rien montrer, penser, parler, comme eux, les hommes du régime", dit-elle après la lecture solennelle d'une "déclaration de défection" dans l'arrière-boutique d'une librairie du centre de Paris. 

Pendant des mois, cette responsable des programmes politiques et culturels de Radio Damas, la radio publique historique en Syrie, a dû "mettre des mots" sur les opposants au régime. "Il fallait se cantonner aux dépêches de Sana (l'agence officielle de presse syrienne), et dénigrer les opposants, ce n'est pas facile", assure-t-elle. Lama écrit alors "groupes armés" pour "manifestants", "complot" pour "contestation". 

La journaliste décrit un climat de paranoïa générale dans la rédaction, où on n'ose regarder que les télévisions officielles : "Il était dangereux de regarder al-Jazeera sans passer pour un révolutionnaire". 

"Au sein des rédactions des médias officiels, beaucoup de journalistes vivent la souffrance du peuple", assure-t-elle. 

"Certains d'entre nous ont été convoqués par les services secrets", précise Kamal Jamal Beck, directeur des programmes de la radio et également patron du site internet de la radio et de la télévision, lui-même interrogé à trois reprises. 

"Travailler pour un média d'Etat en Syrie, c'est comme être dans une prison invisible", confesse Baddour Abdel Karim, ancienne patronne du service culture de la radio. "Nous n'étions plus journalistes", regrette-t-elle, décrivant une rédaction où "certains soutiennent le régime et ne s'en cachent pas, d'autres restent en place parce qu'ils n'ont pas le choix". 

Lancer une nouvelle radio 

Kamal Jamal Beck raconte l'action d'"experts iraniens en informations". "A l'intérieur de la radio, un service a été créé avec ces experts iraniens parlant parfaitement arabe", affirme-t-il. Les journalistes "les plus zélés" ou les shabbihas, la milice de nervis du régime, sont formés par ces experts ou à Beyrouth auprès de la chaîne de télévision du Hezbollah, Al-Manar. 

Après l'enlèvement et l'assassinat par un groupe rebelle jihadiste en juillet de leur ami et collègue Mohammed al-Saïd, décision est prise : partir. 

Les trois journalistes quittent la Syrie pour le Liban, avant de rejoindre cette semaine Paris avec l'aide des autorités françaises. 

"Pour nous, assoiffés de liberté, le départ est amer", disent-ils. Mais ils ne veulent plus rester en Syrie, "avec des balles dans la bouche". 

Ils vivent désormais dans la banlieue sud de Paris et rêvent de lancer une nouvelle radio, "embryon d'une future radio publique de l'après-Assad". 

"En l'absence d'un canal de transmission médiatique, il y a un fossé entre le terrain et les responsables de l'opposition à l'extérieur", estime Baddour Abdel Karim. 

Tous trois veulent, avec la Coalition nationale syrienne, la principale instance de l'opposition, créer une radio qui "prenne le pouls de la révolution syrienne" pour "renforcer l'union nationale entre les Syriens". 

Depuis le début de la contestation qui a tourné à la guerre civile, des dizaines de journalistes ont fait défection. La plupart ont quitté leur poste en toute discrétion et ont pris la route de l'exil, en Turquie, en Jordanie ou au Liban comme des centaines de milliers de Syriens. D'autres, telle l'ancienne présentatrice Ola Abbas partie en juillet de la chaîne officielle d'informations télévisées en continu Al-Ikhbariya, ont déserté le micro et l'ont fait savoir. 

Pour tous ceux qui continuent de se rendre au siège de la radiotélévision d'Etat, place des Omeyyades, dans le centre de Damas, l'enlèvement ou l'assassinat par les rebelles sont des menaces de plus en plus fortes. 

17 journalistes professionnels, étrangers et Syriens, et 44 citoyens-journalistes ont été tués depuis le début du conflit en mars 2011 en Syrie, "cimetière des acteurs de l'information".  

***31.12.2012. IFJ Renews Call to UN and Governments to Halt Slaughter of Journalists after 121 Killings in Bloody 2012

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said that 2012 has been one of the bloodiest years for journalists and media workers after recording 121 killings in targeted attacks and cross fire incidents. The IFJ warned that these terrible numbers are the result of a systematic failure by governments and the United Nations to fulfill their international obligations to protect and enforce journalists’ basic right to life.

“The death toll for 2012 is another indictment of governments which pay lip service to the protection of journalists but have consistently failed to stop their slaughter,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “It is no wonder that these sky-high numbers of killed journalists have become a constant feature in the last decade during which the usual reaction from governments and the United Nations has been a few words of condemnation, a cursory inquiry and a shrug of indifference.”

According to figures released today by the Federation which has published annual reports of journalists and media workers killed in work-related incidents since 1990, 121 journalists and media staff lost their lives in targeted attacks, bomb attacks and other cross-fire incidents this year, up from 107 recorded in 2011. Thirty more died in accidents or of illness while they were at work in 2012, against 20 last year.

Syria tops the IFJ’s list of the most dangerous countries for media in 2012. More violence and lawlessness in Somalia turned the country into a media killing field while organised crime in Mexico and insurgents in Pakistan account for the high numbers of fatalities in these countries.

The Federation said that, in their majority, journalists were deliberately targeted because of their work and with the clear intention to silence them. This constant finding in IFJ annual reports bring into sharp focus the need for genuine measures to protect journalists and punish those responsible for violence against media.

Last month, the IFJ urged accountability for violence targeting media at the UN Inter-Agency’s conference in Vienna, Austria which officially launched the UN Action Plan on the safety of journalists and the issue of Impunity, noting that ‘ the new UN plan is akin to drinking in the last chance saloon."

“We now look to the UN Plan on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity to deliver on its mandate,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “The situation is so desperate that inaction no longer represents an option.”

As of 31 December, the IFJ recorded the following information on killings of journalists and media staff in 2012:

Targeted killings, bomb attacks and cross-fire incidents: 121

Accidental and illness related deaths: 30

Total Deaths: 151

The deadliest region in 2012 was the Middle East and Arab World with 47 journalists and media personnel killed.  Syria had the region's highest death toll with 36 dead.

Among countries with the highest  numbers of media fatalities are:

Syria: 35
Somalia: 18
Pakistan: 10
Mexico: 10
Philippines: 5
Iraq: 5    

The list of journalists and media personnel killed in 2012 is available on the IFJ website:

www.ifj.org

For more information, please contact IFJ  :
Jim Boumelha, IFJ President                   :+44 1865723450
Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary           : + 32 2 235 22 10/ +32 279077194
Ernest Sagaga, Communications Officer   : +32 2 235 22 07/+32 477 71 40 29

***28.12.2012. UN Plan of Action on The Safety of Journalits and the Issue of Impunity: new draft version of the Implementation Strategy (for the period 2013-2014). This latest version has been prepared taking into account the discussions which took place at the 2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting on The Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, held on 22-23 November in Vienna, Austria.

go to the following link: www.unesco.org/webworld/en/UN-plan-safety

***20.12.2012. Global death toll for journalists \'third worst on record\' (INSI)

Journalists killed while covering the the violence in Syria made up the majority of news media casualties in 2012 in one of the bloodiest years on record.
Preliminary findings by the International News Safety Institute show that at least 156 journalists and other media staff were killed because of their work. The global death toll is the third worst on record since INSI began in 2003.
The 33 casualties in Syria were almost double those of the second most dangerous country for journalists, Somalia, where 18 media workers were killed.
News crews have faced unprecedented challenges while trying to report on the unfolding events in Syria, with journalists killed in crossfire or targeted by government or opposition forces. Other journalists have been attacked, tortured, kidnapped and threatened.
The first journalist to be killed in Syria was Shukry Abu Burghol of the state-run al-Thawra newspaper. He was shot by gunmen in Damascus in late December and died on January 2.
Few international journalists have been able to cover the conflict - Syria has been dubbed 'the most difficult one [conflict] we've done' by BBC Middle East correspondent Paul Wood.  
Last week, award-winning NBC correspondent Richard Engel and his team were kidnapped in Syria. They were released on Tuesday after five days in captivity. Other journalists are still missing, including Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva who was kidnapped in October.
And with local news outlets under state control, citizen journalists and activists took extreme risks to try to document the war with cameras and mobile phones.
It has been the deadliest year on record for journalists in Somalia, with 18 media workers killed – all of whom were murdered. Many of these cases were linked to militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab.
The third most dangerous country is Nigeria, where 12 media workers died. Seven of these were unidentified staffers for Nigerian newspaper ThisDay who were killed when suicide bombers detonated explosives by their offices in Abuja and Kaduna in coordinated attacks. A spokesperson for the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram later said the group attacked the newspaper's offices to send a strong message that it would 'no longer condone reports misrepresenting them in the press'.
Pakistan and Mexico were the fourth and fifth deadliest countries, with 10 and 11 fatalities.
The worst year on record was in 2007, when INSI counted the deaths of 172 media workers – 65 of whom were in Iraq. In 2006, 168 journalists died.
Richard Sambrook, Honorary President of the International News Safety Institute, said:
"These figures are a shocking testimony to the risks run by journalists in the course of their work. Not just those reporting conflict - but also those confronting corruption and crime. What's most shocking is how few murders of journalists are pursued to prosecution. All parties - agencies, governments and industry - must work together to reduce risks and end impunity for those who threaten journalists.
“In the words of Sunday Times Correspondent Marie Colvin, who we sadly lost in Syria this year, 'The real difficulty is having enough faith in humanity to believe that enough people, be they government, military or man on the street, will care when your file reaches the printed page, the website or the TC screen. We do have that faith because we believe we do make a difference.' (St Bride's London, 2010)”
The preliminary findings, compiled in liaison with INSI's regional contacts, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI), are a prelude to INSI's biannual 'Killing the Messenger' report, an analysis of media casualties around the globe.
As a safety organisation, INSI records all deaths, whether deliberate, accidental or health-related, of all news media staff and freelancers while on assignment or as a result of their news organisation being attacked because of its work.

***12.12.2012. SYRIA. IFJ and EFJ Warn of Media Safety Crisis in Syria after Rebels' Threats to Execute Reporter

Fears are mounting for the life of Anhar Kochneva, a female journalist and a dual national of Russia and Ukraine, who was kidnapped in October by the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Her captors are now threatening to execute her tomorrow unless their demand for a ransom is met.

The International Federation and its European group, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today called on those who hold the reporter to respect her right to life.

"This news is very alarming indeed and we are gravely concerned for the safety of Anhar  Kochneva," said IFJ President, Jim Boumelha. "Those who are holding her will be held responsible for summary execution if she is killed."

According to the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), an IFJ and EFJ affiliate, Anhar Kochneva was kidnapped near the Syrian city of Khoms at the beginning of October. The union says that the journalist, who was reporting for a number of prominent Russian media from Syria, appeared on 7 November in a video published on the Internet, in which she appealed to the Embassies of Ukraine and Russia as well as the Syrian government to meet the demands of her kidnappers. RUJ quoted family and friends as saying that she is held by two commanders of the Free Syrian Army, Aby Jamal and Farid Abu Hussein.

In a second video released on 28 November, the journalist read a text in Arabic, admitting to having "participated in the battles, translated for and supported Syrian and Russian officers, worked as a military interpreter," added RUJ, noting that both appeals seemed to be made under pressure. Her captors are believed to have demanded a ransom of 50 million US Dollars, threatening to execute the journalist on 13 December if the payment is not made, RUJ says.

The European Federation of Journalists has accused the FSA of putting the journalist's life in danger for financial gains.

"This blatant use of journalists as a money spinning scheme is outrageous,' added Arne König, EFJ President. "She and her family should not be subjected to such a cruel blackmail. She should be released immediately and unharmed to be reunited with her relatives and colleagues."  

The case of Anhar Kochneva is a reminder of risks to media in the current Syrian conflict in which both sides have been accused of serious violations, including arbitrary arrests and detention, kidnappings as well as killings of journalists and media workers.

At least three other journalists and media staff are either missing or held by warring factions in Syria. They include U.S. freelance journalist Austin Tice, who writes for The Washington Post and McClatchy newspapers and went missing in August 2012, Palestinian Bashar Fahmi al-Kadumi of the Arabic-language television channel Al-Hurra who disappeared during the same month in the city of Aleppo and Mustafa al-Khateeb, a Syrian interpreter who was arrested by the FSA in the city of Bab al Salameh in October.

***11.11.2012. Number of journalists in prison reaches record high (Source: Committee to Protect Journalists)

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, December 11, 2012 - The number of journalists imprisoned worldwide reached a record high this year, a trend driven primarily by terrorism and other anti-state charges levied against critical reporters and editors, according to a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

"We are living in an age when anti-state charges and 'terrorist' labels have become the preferred means that governments use to intimidate, detain, and imprison journalists," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "Criminalizing probing coverage of inconvenient topics violates not only international law, but impedes the right of people around the world to gather, disseminate, and receive independent information."

The three leading jailers of journalists were Turkey (49), Iran (45), and China (32), where imprisonments followed sweeping crackdowns on criticism and dissent, making use of anti-state charges in retaliation for critical coverage. This pattern is present in most of the countries in the census. In Turkey, the world's worst jailer, authorities held dozens of Kurdish reporters and editors on terror-related charges and other journalists for allegedly plotting against the government. Following an extensive case-by-case review in 2012, CPJ confirmed journalism-related reasons in numerous cases previously unlisted by the organization, thus significantly raising the country's total.

CPJ's 2012 census of imprisoned journalists identified 232 writers, editors, and photojournalists behind bars on December 1, an increase of 53 from 2011 and the highest since the organization began the survey in 1990. The 2012 figure surpasses the previous record of 185 journalists imprisoned in 1996, underlining a disturbing trend of conflating coverage of opposition groups or sensitive topics with terrorism, evident since 2001.

Rounding out the top five jailers were Eritrea, with 28 journalists in prison, and Syria with 15, the worst abusers of the rule of law. None of the journalists in jail in either country have been publicly charged with a crime or brought before a court or trial. In line with findings over the past five years, a little more than half (118) of those held globally were online journalists and more than a third were freelancers.

"With a record number of journalists imprisoned around the world, the time has come to speak out," said Simon. "We must fight back against governments seeking to cloak their repressive tactics under the banner of fighting terrorism; we must push for broad legislative changes in countries where critical journalism is being criminalized; we must stand up for all those journalists in prison and do all in our power to secure their release; and we must ensure the Internet itself remains an open global platform for critical expression."

All of the governments included in CPJ's 2012 census have received letters expressing serious concern. CPJ continues to advocate for the release of four recipients of its International Press Freedom Award who remain imprisoned: Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan held in China, Azimjon Askarov in Kyrgyzstan, Shi Tao in China, and Mohammad Davari in Iran. In 2012, CPJ helped 58 imprisoned journalists from around the world win early release.

CPJ also registered some improvement this year: For the first time since 1996, Burma did not rank among the nations jailing journalists. As part of the country's historic transition to civilian rule, authorities released at least 12 imprisoned journalists in a series of pardons in 2012.

Of the 27 countries imprisoning journalists, the top 10 jailers were:
* Turkey: 49
* Iran: 45
* China: 32
* Eritrea: 28
* Syria: 15
* Vietnam: 14
* Azerbaijan: 9
* Ethiopia: 6
* Saudi Arabia: 4
* Uzbekistan: 4

CPJ's annual census is a snapshot of those incarcerated at midnight on December 1, 2012. It does not include the many journalists imprisoned and released throughout the year, which are otherwise documented on http://www.cpj.org . Journalists who either disappear or are abducted by nonstate entities such as criminal gangs or militant groups are not included in the prison census. Their cases are classified as "missing" or "abducted."

An analysis of CPJ's 2012 imprisoned census is available along with detailed accounts of each imprisoned case.

The report is also available in Arabic, French, Russian, Turkish, and Spanish.
Download the report in English:
CPJ_Prison_2012_overview.pdf (291 KB)

***11.12.2012. Killing of a journalist in SOUTH SUDAN (Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville) 

We are concerned about a number of physical attacks on human rights defenders and the killing of a journalist in South Sudan in recent months, which can also be seen as an assault on freedom of expression.

In the most recent attack, Diing Chan Awol, a local blogger and well-known political commentator in South Sudan was killed outside his home in the Juba suburb of Gudek on the morning of Wednesday 5 December. Local witnesses have asserted that the victim was shot after being lured out of his house by unidentified gunmen. According to his family, he had been receiving a number of threats including a clear ultimatum to stop writing or face the consequences.

We welcome the fact that the President has ordered the security services to conduct a “thorough investigation,” into the murder of Mr Diing Chan Awol, who was also known by his pen name, Isaiah Abraham. Yesterday during the Human Rights Day celebration in Juba, many speakers spoke about his killing and the Legal Advisor of the President read a statement on behalf of the President in which he mentioned the Government's determination to seek justice and accountability for crimes committed.        

In addition to this tragic silencing of a prominent public commentator, during the past six months, there have also been similar attempts to intimidate local human rights activists belonging to the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance, two members of which have been kidnapped and badly beaten by unidentified armed men.  

One of the two men, Ring Bulabuk, a leading human rights and civil society activist, was kidnapped in October, and subjected to torture. Before his kidnap, the victim publicly criticized corruption practices by senior government officials.

We urge the Government of South Sudan to take remedial action and send a strong signal of its readiness to protect the safety of journalists and human rights defenders, as part of a wider effort to bolster support for freedom of expression in this young and fragile democracy.

In a separate incident, we are deeply concerned by the killing of 10 people in Wau, Northern Bahr al Ghazal State, when the South Sudan army allegedly fired at protestors at the weekend. Six people were reportedly killed late on Saturday and another four on Sunday morning. The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is investigating the incidents.  

***07.12.2012. IFJ Voices Concerns for Media Safety in Egypt Crisis after Reporter’s Shooting

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today raised concerns of the safety of journalists and media workers who are covering the unfolding crisis in Egypt. The Federation was reacting to reports of a serious incident in which journalist El-Hosseini Abul-Deif was shot on Wednesday.

The reporter, who worked for El-Fagr newspaper, was shot and critically injured during the clashes and doctors at Zahraa Hospital declared him clinically dead on Thursday morning, according to media reports. Five people were killed during violent clashes between opponents and supporters of President Mohammed Morsi.

“We condemn the shooting of El-Hosseini and urge the authorities to investigate thoroughly the circumstances of this incident,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “The violence on the streets of Cairo must not serve as an excuse for mindless attacks on journalists, causing loss of life and serious injury.”

Reports say that El-Hosseini was seemingly shot at close range for photographs he had taken of the protests outside the Presidential palace in Cairo. The Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate has blamed members of the Muslim Brotherhood for the attack.

Egypt is in the grip of unrest following the decision of President Mosri to issue a decree, stripping the judiciary of power to challenge his decisions. His critics also oppose the draft of the country’s new Constitution to be voted on 15 December, saying it does not offer adequate protection of fundamental rights.

The IFJ is concerned that the escalation of the crisis in Egypt is attracting stronger media interest, raising the risks to the safety of journalists and other media workers who are likely to travel to the country.

“We urge journalists in Egypt to take extra precautions for their physical safety in this highly volatile situation,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “At the same time, the authorities have an obligation to protect our colleagues and to do everything in their power to prevent and punish acts of violence targeting media.”

***01.12.2012. SYRIA. Syria: 100 journalists and media activist where killed since revolution upraised. November is the bloodiest
(Media Freedoms Committee at the Syrian Journalists Association)

November was , the bloodiest records against media and journalists in Syria, as the Commission of the press freedoms in the Syrian Journalists Association, who involved in monitoring and documenting abuses against journalists and media activists has documented. The Commission has documented that / 13 / journalists and media activists were killed all over the country. In a clear, serious and dangerous indication indicates that the targeting of journalists and media workers. Three of them by armed forces of the opposition in Damascus and Hasakah. Four journalists were killed in Damascus and its countryside, three killed in Aleppo, and two each in Deir Ezzor and Hasaka and one in Idleb.

Mays Ghassan Alchihawi, a student in the third year in the Faculty of Information at the University of Damascus was released .after she was arrested on 02/10/2012.

Shaza Al maddad , was arrested at the beginning of November, She has summoned for investigation by the Internal forces in the capital, Damascus.

She has been summoned to the branch mentioned twice, first after returning from the United States after spending months as a guest in Visiting journalist Program, the second after she resigned from her job in Damas Post website because of her political view and the way she was covering Syrian revolution events.

Baraa Mays , a media and political activist working for Aleppo News network was arrested in a checkpoint near aL-HAYAT Hospital in Aleppo, there is no information about the circumstances of his arrest and whereabouts until this moment.

Arabiya TV channel correspondent Mohammed Dughmush wounded shrapnel, while covering a demonstration in the Al Bustan Al kaser in the city of Aleppo, on 11/16/2012. Where dozens of civilians has killed and wounded by bombing missile.

Media activist Mustafa Kerman, was killed there, during the shelling too.

The Turkish journalist Johnat Unal was released on 11.17.2012, he was abducted by Syrian intelligence last August, according to a statement the deputy in the Turkish parliament for the Republican People's Party, "Hassan Akgul."

While the situation of Bashar journalist Fahmi Kaddoumi, the reporter of Al Hurra still unknown. Where he has disappeared three months ago, since 20 -08 - 2012 third day of Eid al-Fitr, during his doing his job as a correspondent for the channel "a" l Hurra” at the outskirts of the city of Aleppo with his Turkish colleague photographer Johnat Unal. While Syrian regime formally denied his detention, no clue on his situation yet.

Below are the names of journalists and media activists who were killed in November:

Mohammed Khalil al-Wagaa, a media activist: was killed in artillery shelling on the Mayadeen town in Deir al-Zour. On 01-11-2012.

Hassan Haidar Sheikh Hamoud, a media activist: was killed while filming the bombing on Saan and Housh Hijo neighborhood in Talbisa town in Homs. On 02-11-2012

Jamal Abdel Nasser Malas, a photographer and media activist: was killed during the shelling on Maart al-Nouman town in Idleb. On 03-11-2012.

Samer Kherisha, a photographer and media activist: was killed while filming military operations with the Free Syrian Army, in the Arbin in Damascus Suburbs. On 05-11-2012.

Mustafa Kerman, a media activist: was killed during bombing Al Bustan al-Qasir neighborhood by rockets in Aleppo, on 16-11-2012.

Abdullah Hassan Kaaka, a media activist: was killed under torture in the Military Intelligence branch in Aleppo, on 17-11-2012. Abdullah is the brother of Abdul Ghani and Ahmed Kaaka who were killed during the Syrian revolution.

Mohammed al-Khalid, a media activist: was killed by "Namr" battalion gunmen of Diraa al-Shahba brigade in Aleppo. On 18-11-2012. al-Khaled was executed by firing squad for his repeated criticism of some elements of the Free Syrian Army.

Mohammad al-Zaher, a media activist: was killed by shelling on al-Bouaida town in Damascus suburbs. On 19-11-2012.

Abed Khalil, a journalist: was killed by the free Syrian army in Ras al-Ain town in al-Hasaka province. On 19-11-2012.

Hozan Abdel Halim Mahmoud, a media activist and photographer: was killed by the military forces of the Democratic Union Party in Ras al-Ain According to Syria Stamp Network. On 20-11-2012. Hozan has covered Kurdish demonstrations in Qamishli. He moved on 19-11-2012 to Ras al-Ain town to cover clashes between the Free Syrian Army and forces of the Democratic Union Party. Hozan was killed during the clash while he was filming. he was a correspondent of Syria Stamp Network.

Basil Tawfiq: a journalist: was killed by an "armed terrorist group" according to the Syrian Arab News Agency "SANA". In al-Taddamun neighborhood in Damascus. On 22-11-2012. Tawfiq was working as a journalist at the Syrian General Organisation of Radio and TV.

Mohammed Al-Khal, a photographer and activist media: was killed while filming military operations with the Free Syrian Army, in Deir ez-Zor, on 11-25-2012.

Mohammed Quraytam journalist: was killed by shelling Darya town, in Damascus suburbs. On 29-11-2012. Quraytam was working with (Inab Baladi) newspaper, and one important activist in the Syrian peaceful movement. He was a member of the media committee in the “Freedom Days” group. And a former prison in 2003.

Media Freedoms Committee at the Syrian Journalists Association
Damascus 1/12/2012

***23.11.2012. On the International Day to End Impunity - MADA: ‘Yes’ to holding those who abuse journalists to account

Ramallah 23/11/2012: on this day, 23rd November, human rights organizations in general and freedom of expression organizations in particular organize activities in honour of the International Day to End Impunity. Such activities include campaigns and various events in order to hold those who abuse journalists to account, especially in light of the international community’s failure to secure their protection. Crimes against journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories have been acutely witnessed during the latest phase of aggression against Gaza. Israeli occupation forces killed three journalists, namely Mahmoud Al- Komi, Hossam Salamah and Mohammed Abu Eisha, and bombed the headquarters of a number of media outlets; furthermore, occupation forces killed four journalists during its aggression on the Gaza Strip at the beginning of 2009. A total number of 23 journalists have been murdered since the commencement of the new millennium.

According to the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a total of 559 journalists have been killed worldwide since the turn of 2008, with 129 journalists losing their lives since the beginning of this year alone. Many of the casualties have included journalists operating in the Arab regions, particularly in Iraq, and throughout 2012 a great number have fallen victim in Syria where media freedoms have deteriorated in an unprecedented way over the last year and a half. The fate of Palestinian journalists Bashar Qaddoumi and Muheeb Nawati remains unknown, following their disappearance in Syria and the refusal of the authorities to supply information regarding their whereabouts or welfare.

Members of the Global Network for Free Expression (IFEX), which represents 95 international, regional and national institutions including the MADA Center (which is an IFEX Council member), elected 23rd November as the International Day to End Impunity during their General Meeting in the Lebanese capital of Beirut in June 2011. This date marks the anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre where 32 journalists were killed in the Philippines in 2009, the deadliest attack on journalists in recent history.

IFEX also launched its annual ‘23 actions in 23 days’ campaign at the beginning of this month in which the network profiled 23 individual stories around the world who have suffered gross violations and who have not yet experienced due justice. Palestinian photojournalist Jafar Ishtayeh is one such journalist and IFEX highlighted his story on the eighth day of the campaign. On the same day, MADA organized a sit-in in the city of Ramallah protesting the continued violations of journalists perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces.

On this marked occasion, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) demands accountability for all aggressors against journalists in Palestine and around the world. It demands the release of imprisoned journalists and appeals to international society and relevant United Nations organizations to employ and implement clear and specific mechanisms to ensure adequate protection for journalists, particularly during times of war and in conflict zones.

PAKISTAN - International Day To End Impunity - Impunity against Pakistani Media rises to unacceptable levels

Pakistan, November 23, 2012. Eighty eight journalists have been killed in Pakistan during last decade out of which 36 were shot dead in target killing. In 2012, ten journalists including one TV channel driver were killed in three provinces, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of the country as impunity against Pakistani media rises to unacceptable levels. According to the figures compiled by the Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP) twenty six journalists have been killed in Balochistan province during last five years which Khuzdar district had been declared as one of the dangerous place for working journalist by the Reporters without Borders (RSF).Up to November 18, this year four journalists were shot dead in Balochistan province.

The biggest challenge apart from direct threat to the life of journalists in Pakistan is a culture of impunity.”The killers of not a single of the 88 journalists killed in Pakistan excluding US journalist Daniel Pearl have been arrested, tried and convicted. This promoted impunity and allowed anyone to threaten and target journalists because they know they can get away with murder. Journalists often complain about receiving threats, including from the country’s intelligence agencies which can lead to violent attacks against them. Investigations, when commissioned, tend to lack credibility and recent case of GEO TV channel reporter Wali Khan Baber who was shot dead in Karachi in January, 2011, saw the murder of all six witnesses who were willing to testify against the five dependants.

The areas bordering Afghanistan-FATA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are the most dangerous areas for journalists. Journalists hailing from Balochistan province face violence and threats from ethnic, sectarian and separatist groups as well as from security forces and intelligence agencies. Tribal leaders, militants ,district administrations, political agents and security agencies ask journalists in FATA, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to get clearance from them before filing their news to both print and electronic media.

Situation in the country’ biggest Punjab province is not even better where a young female journalist Seemab bibi committed suicide by jumping from the fourth storey of a hotel in provincial capital Lahore on August 15 this year over nonpayment of her several months salary while many anchorpersons and senior journalists were threatened by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.Similarly in small towns a large number of journalists were detained, injured, threatened and implicated in false cases on their reporting.

South Punjab, a home of 50 million people is in the grip of religious extremism and sectarian violence now days. Law enforcement agencies have arrested dangerous terrorists from various areas of South Punjab who are activists of banned religious organizations including their mastermind a PHD degree holder. Suicide jackets, hand grenades, mine, and explosive material in heavy quantity was also recovered from an area seven kilometers away where RMNP is based. This situation demands strict safety precautions from media men. They put their life in danger to cover different assignments. Religious extremism is spreading in different parts of the country. There are many sectarian organizations fighting for domination. Former Bahawalpur province is a part of South Punjab where militants have strong base. Religious extremists force journalists to cover their speeches and pressurize them to publish their news word by word. Recently a man was burnt alive in Chanigoth town of Bahawalpur province where

TV channels reporters received threatening messages from extremists on cell phones. Rural journalists in various parts of former Bahawalpur province and feudal dominated areas of South Punjab face three major problems and put their life in danger while they report on sectarian extremism, honor killings and corruption of feudals and government functionaries.

The security of the media persons remained a big question during the eleven months of 2012, and no proper steps have been taken to provide security by the authorities and even by the media houses. The attitude of media houses was more indifferent towards the safety and security of journalists as compare with the authorities. The journalists who are involved in their professional duties in the conflict areas are more vulnerable and exposed before the law enforcement agencies, militant groups and other non state actors. The majority of the journalists are under paid or allowed only to use ID cards of the channels they work for and have to arrange their own earnings.

Article 19 of the constitution of Pakistan guarantees that every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of press. RMNP urges the authorities to stop the impunity to the perpetrators who are involved in killings, abduction and disappearances of the journalists, attacks on journalists and media houses. The non committal and indifferent attitude of federal and provincial governments towards the killings of journalists has provided encouragement to the powerful groups to unleash against the journalists to suppress the freedom of expression and freedom of media. The killings of journalists and continuous attacks on them shows that policy of the civilian government towards the freedom of media and expression is no more different from the military rule and it may be called as extension of the policy of military dictators.

Journalists Killed in 2012 in Pakistan: 18 November 2012 Rehmatullah Abid - 3 October 2012 Musthaq Khand - 29 September 2012 Abdul Haq Baloch - 21 September 2012 Aamir Liaquat (TV Channel Driver) - 28 May 2012 Abdul Qadir Hijazi - 19 May 2012 Abdul Razzak Gul - 10 May 2012 Aurangzeb Tunio – 8 May 2012 Tariq Kamal 9 - 19 April 2012 Murtaza Razvi - 10-17 January 2012 Mukarram Khan Atif

Ehsan Ahmed Sehar is President Rural Media Network Pakistan

SOMALIA: International Day to End Impunity commemorated in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, 23 November, 2012

Somali journalists, media employers, union representatives, trade unionists and officials from the Somali presidency and the office of
the prime minister among other government officials who gathered at the conference hall of the presidential guest house to mark the World
Day to End crimes of impunity against the journalists in the midst of a year in which 18 media workers have been killed in Somalia and that
no one has been brought to court.

The participants condemned all the heinous murders against the journalist during the occasion of the International day to end
impunity organized by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and supported by the Media department of the Somali presidency, was
focused the safety of the journalists and the impunity as part of the union’s campaign in its fight against the continued impunity. During
the event, it was announced that the task force will be launched very soon and that both the prime ministers’ office and the office of the
presidency has been busy in the establishment of this important committee and that seven people have been shortlisted.

Officials from the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) on behalf of the Somali Journalists requested the Somalia’s President,
H.E. Hassan Sheik Mohamoud to launch a body that investigates the crimes against the journalist during a meeting with Somali journalists
and other media stakeholders on 9 November 2012 at the presidential palace in Mogadishu. President Hassan Sheik Mohamoud told the
journalists and other media stakeholders that the era of the impunity will soon finish and has asked the Prime Minister of Somalia H.E. Abdi
Farah Shirdon (Saa'id) to urgently set up a Task Force to thoroughly investigate all cases involving the killing of Somali Journalists with
a view to bringing those responsible to justice, which was an important step taken forward in the history of the Somali media
community.

The Secretary General of the National Union of the Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim called the Somali President’s
announcement in forming a task force a milestone achievement which has boosted the morale of the working journalists during the bloodiest
year for the Somali media community in its history, while noted that this event is a reminder to the murderers that they will be punished
for the crimes they committed.

“This important gathering of the International Day to end impunity serves two important issues; to remember our fallen colleagues and
sends a message to the criminals that they were not forgotten and will be brought to justice once and for all.” Mohamed Ibrahim, Secretary
General of the National Union of Somali Journalists said, “We welcome our president’s pledge in ending the impunity, which hope might
provide the media workers an safe environment which they can practice their profession freely without fear of being killed.”

The chairman of the Somali Congress of Trade Unions, Mr. Mohamed Osman condemned the targeted attacks against the media workers and
acknowledged that the media workers receive all sorts of threats, intimidations, arrests among the Somali workers at large and
encouraged the media workers to continue.

Several speakers from the Somali Media stations managers, youth representatives and other government officials pointed out that the
task force establishment is a great achievement which shows the Somali government commitment in ending the era of the impunity.

Garad Salad, an official from the Media department of the office of the prime minister said that the Somali government has taken your
concerns very seriously and is committed a real change, not only the safety of the journalists but also the whole country at large and
urged the journalists to stick to the ethical and professional standards while reporting and take part the country’s long road to
reconstruction, development and peace and reconciliation.

Finally, the Director of the Somali presidency, Mr. Kamal Dahir said that the Somali government is committed in ending the continued
impunity and condemns the assassinations against the media workers. Mr. Dahir told the event participants that the Somali Presidency and
the office of the prime minister has been working jointly in the formation of the task force from the day the journalists, NUSOJ and
other media stakeholders met with the president, H.E. Hassan Sheik Mohamoud on November 9, 2012 noting that the shortlisted people will
be announced by the office of the prime minister in the coming days to go.

“Both offices, the presidency and the prime minister’s office consulted with the ministry of information, police, judiciary and the
journalists’ union in the establishment of the task force, which shows how the Somali government is committed in ending the unpunished crimes
against the journalists.” Kamal Dahir, Director of the Somali presidency said, “We will continue to ensure the safety and the
security of the Somali journalists as your concern is out concern as well.” <END>

For further information, please contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Second Floor, Press House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / nusojsomali@gmail.com or nusoj@ymail.com
E-Newsletter: newsletter@nusoj.org.so
Internet: http://www.nusoj.org.so
Follow us on Twitter: @NUSOJ_Somalia

COLOMBIA - Lanzamiento del informe anual sobre impunidad en América Latina

23 de Noviembre de 2012

En el marco del Día Mundial Contra la Impunidad, que se celebra cada 23 de noviembre, IFEX-ALC, el capítulo de América Latina de la Red Internacional de organizaciones que promueven y defienden la libertad de expresión -IFEX, y de la cual hace parte la Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa- FLIP, lanza el Informe anual de impunidad 2012: Rostros y Rastros de la Libertad de Expresión en Latinoamérica y el Caribe.

Este informe resalta la situación deimpunidad por ataques contra periodistas en 12 países de la región, entre ellos, Colombia, México, Honduras y Brasil. Cada capítulo desarrolla un análisis del contexto social y judicial de cada país, en el que se presentan fenómenos de violencia e impunidad contra los comunicadores.

Igualmente, por cada país, el informe expone un caso emblemático. Para Colombia, IFEX-ALC seleccionó el caso de la periodista Jineth Bedoya, quien fue secuestrada, torturada y abusada sexualmente, en mayo del 2000, mientras cumplía con su trabajo periodístico. 12 años después de lo ocurrido ninguna persona ha sido condenada.

En cuanto a los asesinatos a periodistas, según el registro de la FLIP, en Colombia 139 reporteros han sido asesinados desde 1977 hasta el 2012, y de estos casos, 55 procesos continúan sin información oficial de la Fiscalía sobre el estado de las investigaciones.

El lanzamiento del informe de IFEX-ALC, se lleva a cabo en Ciudad de Guatemala, con el apoyo de CERIGUA, el Centro de Reportes Informativos sobre Guatemala, y coincide con las actividades del Día Mundial Contra la Impunidad, una fecha que conmemora el aniversario de la masacre de Ampatuan, ocurrida en Filipinas en 2009, donde 32 periodistas y trabajadores de medios fueron asesinados.

FUNDACIÓN PARA LA LIBERTAD DE PRENSA 

Tel. (571) 3406943 - (571) 2454734
Bogotá, Colombia
info@flip.org.co
www.flip.org.co
2012 Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa

***21.11.2012. Israel Has Journalists in its Sights as Gaza Strikes Kill Three more, Says IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused the Israeli army of waging war on journalists in Gaza. The Federation was reacting to yesterday’s strikes which killed three journalists travelling in their cars in two separate incidents in Gaza city.

“This latest deadly attack targeting journalists is clear evidence that the Israeli military has declared war on journalists in Gaza,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “There can be no more lame excuses from the Israeli Defence Force that it was targeting enemy communications. The army, which claims its strikes are surgically precise, must have known there were journalists in these cars and it must be held to account for what appears to amount to a war crime.”

Media reports say that Mahmoud Al-Komi, cameraman for Al-Aqsa TV and his colleague Hossam Salameh were killed when their car was hit by an Israeli missile near the Ashifa hospital. The two were reportedly on their way to the hospital to report on victims of the Israeli attacks. Another journalist, Muhammad Abu Aisha, Director of Al-Quds Educational radio, was also reported killed in his car in a separate incident.

Meanwhile, journalists in Gaza have reported more attacks on media offices and hotels where journalists are staying. The AFP offices in Gaza were among media facilities which have been hit, along with Deira and Beach hotels.

The Israeli Defence Forces warned journalists in a tweet to stay away from Hamas facilities whom they accuse of using media workers as human shields. But the IFJ says that warnings should be given ahead of any attack to allow for evacuation of civilians, including journalists.

“The intimidation of journalists has turned into an open war through the Israeli Defence Forces’ practice of shooting first and warning later,” added Boumelha. This is reckless and highly irresponsible and we are urging the world community to investigate potential breaches of international humanitarian law.”

The IFJ is examining options for an urgent mission to Gaza to investigate the targeting and killing of journalists.

***20.11.2012. GAZA. Israeli forces killed Aqsa TV cameramen Salamah and Al-Komi
MADA demands the formation of an international investigation commission

Ramallah- 21 November 2012: Israeli occupation forces committed a new crime against the Palestinian journalists when they killed Al-Aqsa TV cameramen  Mahmoud Al-Komi (30 years) and Hossam Salameh (30) years at about six o'clock in this evening, after their car  was targeted In Gaza City, by a Missile fired from an Israeli warplane, which led to their deaths immediately. 

MADA lawyer Karem Nashwan said that Salamah and Al-Komi were travelling in Al-Aqsa TV car, with press sign, but the occupation forces targeted it.  The crime took place in Alnaser (Victory) Street near alshifa Tower near Alshifa Hospital, and it seems they had intended to go to cover the martyrs and the wounded in the hospital, where occupation forces have escalated from its bombardment of the Gaza frantically through the last few hours, where about twenty martyrs fell.  Al-Komi and Salamah were married and each of them has four children. 

This heinous crime comes as part of the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestinian journalists since the beginning of the aggression on the Gaza Strip since seven days, and the Israeli attacks on them for decades, where twenty journalists have been killed over the past decade, four of them during the Israeli aggression on Gaza at the beginning of 2009.

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) expresses   condolences to their families, and repeats condemnation of this crime, which is considered a breach flagrant of the international conventions that protect journalists .MADA demands the formation of an international investigation committee, and hold accountable those responsible for this crime and crimes committed against Journalists. Israeli impunity for its crimes against journalists encouraged them to commit more of them.

***19.11.2012. GAZA. Arab Journalists Demand UN to Open Formal Investigation into Israeli Attacks on Journalists in Gaza

Journalists’ leaders representing 14 journalists’ syndicates and associations in the Arab World currently gathered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, strongly condemn the attacks of the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip and the deliberate targeting of journalists and media staff.

The participants, gathered to discuss press freedom in the Arab World and the protection given for killers of journalists and impunity, condemn and denounce the Israeli army’s deliberate attack on the headquarters of media organizations in Gaza on the morning of the 18th of November 2012, in particular ‘Quds TV’. The attacks injured at least six journalists, including photographer Khader al-Zahar, who lost his leg as a result.

The participants believe that the Israeli army attacks on Palestinian journalists and media in Palestine, and Gaza in particular, is part of a systematic and deliberate plan used by the Israeli occupation authorities to cover up the heinous practices and killings and destruction committed against the Palestinian people.

The participants support the Palestinian journalists and media professionals in their plight and support the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in their demands to the United Nations to form an international commission of inquiry into the crimes of the occupation, to question and punish the perpetrators of these crimes and the violations against journalists and media organizations in the Gaza Strip.

Participants consider this attack to be a violation of international law and international humanitarian law, including the UN Security Council Resolution 1738, which criminalizes the intentional targeting of journalists in conflict zones. They further warn that failure to hold accountable and punish those responsible for this incident would be considered as providing a license from the international community to the Israeli authorities to keep on targeting the media and journalists.

The President of International Federation of Journalists, Jim Boumelha, who is participating in the conference, said: ”We demand the United Nations to set up a committee to carry out a full investigation into these attacks and take action against the Israeli government. Moreover, the international community must respond immediately to this heinous act. The United Nations confirmed in particular the rights of journalists working in conflict areas and member states cannot stand by when one state acts in a reckless and dangerous manner."

The participants appealed to their colleagues in the international community of journalists and union members in the International Federation of Journalists to express their solidarity with their fellow Palestinian journalists and their right to work in a safe and free environment. The participants recommended the International Federation of Journalists to work in collaboration with member unions in the region to continue organizing training courses, professional safety trainings and awareness activities for journalists and media professionals.

Participating unions include: Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Jordan Press Association, the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate, journalists Association of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain Journalists Association, Yemeni Journalists Syndicate, Omani Journalists Association, Sudanese Journalists Union, National Union of Somali Journalists, Algerian journalists' union, National Union of the Moroccan Press, Mauritanian Journalists Syndicate, Mauritanian Journalists' Association.

***19.11.2012. GAZA: The occupation attacks on journalists are unrelenting (MADA) 

Ramallah, 19th November 2012: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) monitored fresh attacks on journalists and media outlets on 18th and 19th November 2012. These violations occur as part of the continued targeting of journalists and media outlets in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Palmedia cameraman, Samer Hamad informed MADA that the occupation forces prevented his reporting of clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces in the Dar Salah region near the city of Bethlehem this morning. Hamad added: "They prevented me and my colleagues, the photographers Mousa Al-Shaaer and Luay Sababa, from coverage.  The soldiers were pushing us and they put their hands on the cameras whenever we tried filming. They took my car keys until I stop coverage, but they returned them later. We told them that we are journalists, but they did not care and continued to prevent us from coverage and pushing us".

In another incident, a female Israeli soldier attempted to assault Muna Hasan, a correspondent of Raya FM radio this morning as she reported on clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces in the area of Jabal Almokaber in Jerusalem. According to Muna, the Israeli soldier prevented her from covering the events, pushed her several times and raised her hand to physically assault her, before she managed to escape. Muna added: "She screamed at me several times and she said to me “Get out of here”, but I did not care her".

On Sunday 18th November 2012, French Agency photographer Mahfouz Abu Turk and fellow agency colleague Ahmed Grabula attempted to cover the clashes at Qalandia checkpoint. Abu Turk stated: "When we started filming a group of soldiers approached us, so we showed them our press cards so they left us. But one of the officers pushed me several times during the covering, so i went away from the soldiers." He added: "During imaging I noticed that two soldiers are talking , laughing and looking at me, I felt that they were planning to target me, so I tried to withdraw from the region, but a sniper fired at me bullet with iron coated with rubber hitting my neck. Fortunately I was wearing a leather jacket and the belt of the camera saved my neck, I received treatment in the field". Abu Turk concluded: "I've been a photographer for 30 years, for the second time I feel that I'm targeted for killings by the Israeli occupation forces only for covering events”.

On Sunday 18th November 2012, Israeli occupation forces also attacked Palestine TV correspondent Ali Dar Ali while reporting on clashes near the Israeli Ofer camp. Ali informed MADA that as he covered the clashes, rubber bullets were being fired indiscriminately at young Palestinians; one of the bullets hit his waist, causing redness and swelling. Ali added: "We have been deliberately being targeted where the press signs were obvious, and I was holding the microphone and the cameraman was holding a camera.  There is no doubt that we are journalists".

Since the commencement of the aggression on Gaza six days ago, the occupation forces have started to interfere with radio and local television stations and penetrate their frequencies. Rabah Marzouk, Executive Director of Quds Radio in Gaza informed MADA that since the second day of the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip, the occupation army has seized the radio station's airwaves and broadcast information to the people in Gaza "warning them not to cooperate with the Palestinian resistance". This message was repeated on several occasions in addition to interfering with the station’s operations. Interfering through ‘jamming’ is not considered as important an issue as physically seizing a station’s airwaves and broadcasting messages from the occupation army. The frequencies of other stations have also been seized, including Radio Al-Aqsa, and an Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed such actions in a statement to the AFP agency: "We controlled Hamas television and broadcasted warnings”.

Ahmed Kherti, director of audio engineering at Sawt Alshaab radio station informed MADA of the Israeli army’s interferrance with the station’s airwaves and control of its frequencies. Warning messages for the people of Gaza were broadcasted, instructing them to stay away from the resistance, from Hamas positions and from eastern regions (the border area).  The radio’s website was hacked and pictures of the Israeli flag along with phrases such as "peace for Israel" and "Israel is under threat" were posted. Other Palestinian news sites were also subjected to intense hacking attacks, a number of whom were forced to stop working for hours or days on end, including the SAFA and Pal Today agencies.

Sunday 18th November 2012, the Israeli Occupation Forces bombed the Shawa, Alhusari and Alshurouq towers, warning foreign journalists to evacuate the Alshurouq tower in particular. Many offices and employees of local, Arab and international media outlets operate in Gaza and this latest aerial assault has placed yet more obstacles in the path of journalists and media reporting. MADA issued a statement on Sunday 18th November 2012 denouncing the Israeli occupation strike against media headquarters and another press release in condemnation of killing the baby son of Arabic BBC journalist, Jihad Mashharawi, through the bombing and destruction of his home.

MADA center renews its condemnation of the increasing number of attacks on journalists, which constitute a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions. MADA calls upon the International community to immediately intervene to protect journalists. 

***19.11.2012. IFJ Calls for Probe into Media Targeting in Gaza Violence

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the international community to investigate deliberate attacks by Israeli military against media buildings in Gaza.

At least six journalists were injured, including cameraman Khader al Zarah who lost a leg after their offices came under sustained bombing from Israel's military which targeted in the early hours of Sunday Al Shawa and Husari where several media organisations, including Hamas' TB Al Quds TV, Al Qudsa radio, Maan network and many other radio stations are based. Another media facility, the Asshurouq building, which houses Sky, ITN, Al Arabiya TV and Abu Dhabi TV was also attacked.

"We demand a full inquiry by the United Nations to investigate the attacks and to take action against the Government of Israel," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "The international community must respond immediately to this outrage. The rights of journalists in conflict zones have been particularly highlighted by the United Nations and members states cannot stand by when one state acts in a reckless and dangerous manner."  

The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate (PJS) condemned the bombing and the National Federation of Israeli Journalists (NFIJ), has called for the respect of journalists' safety.

The Israeli authorities reportedly told the Foreign Press Association in Israel that the army targeted the antenna on the media buildings but journalists who escaped from the Al Quds TV building told the PJS affiliate that three floors of the building were bombed.

The IFJ says that these recent attacks serve as a reminder of the government's failure to protect journalists covering armed conflicts.  The Federation recalls a similar direct assault on media houses took place the 22-day military offensive by the Israeli army on Gaza in 2009.

The issue of journalists' protection is scheduled to be debated at a UN Inter-agency meeting in Vienna next week and the Federation is urging the UN to take governments to task over their international obligations on this matter.

"The reckless intimidation of media by the Israeli Defense Force on a shocking scale should not go unpunished. If it does, it leaves journalists and media exposed to the threat of attack in any conflict at any time in the future," added Boumelha.

***18.11.2012. MADA: the occupation is trying to silence the press in Gaza and its crimes against journalists must not go unpunished.

Ramallah – 18 November 2012: Again, journalists and media outlet headquarters were targeted directly by the Israeli occupation forces to silence journalists covering events and the crimes committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

This morning (18/11/2012), the occupation forces targeted the offices of Al-Quds TV and Al-Aqsa TV in the Gaza Strip, causing injury to six journalists and a driver working for Al-Quds TV. Their injuries ranged from minor to medium, in addition to causing severe damage to their offices.

Imad Ifranji, director of Al-Quds TV in Gaza, told MADA that the Israeli occupation forces fired three missiles at the TV editing and filming department and at the eleventh floor of Burj al-Shawa – Husari at 1:30 am. IFranji added: "shelling caused injury to all in the office of photographers and assistants and a driver, in addition to significant damage in the section, in addition to damages in the ambulance that rushed to the place for the transfer of injuries, and damage to the TV car." According to IFranji, the injured included the following:

- Khader al-Zahar: amputation of his right leg from below the knee and bruising.

- Hazem Da’our: wounded by shrapnel and bruising.

- Mohammed al-Akhras: shrapnel fragments throughout his body. His injuries are considered of medium severity.

- Ibrahim Lapad: wounds and bruising.

- Hussein al-Madhoun: suffocation and bruising.

-Omar Ifranji: wounds in the foot.

- Darwish Bulbul: minor injuries.

Saed Radwan, programme director at Al-Aqsa TV, reported that Israeli Occupation warplanes targeted the broadcasting section on the fifteenth floor of the Alshorouq (sunrise) tower, in the Alrimal area of Gaza city at 6:30am. Severe damage was caused and most of the equipment and studios were destroyed. Radwan added: "one rocket penetrated the office of ‘Palestine Media Production’ actually on the fourteenth floor, causing damage".

Last Friday (11/16/2012) the occupation forces targeted the house of European Agency photographer Ali Ibrahim resulting in moderate injuries to his father (71 years), his sister (40 years) and her daughter (8 years), as well as causing extensive damage to their home. On the same day, occupation forces targeted the headquarters of "Free Media" in the Sheikh Radwan area of the Gaza Strip, almost completely destroying it.

The Israeli occupation forces killed Omar Mashharawi, the 11-month-old son of a BBC Arabic employee Jihad Mashharawi when his home was targeted on Wednesday.

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns the renewed Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the direct targeting of a number of journalists and media institutions. It calls for the need to protect journalists and prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes against the press and freedom of expression. The evasion from punishment of the Israeli occupation forces (which coincides with the commencement of global events to end impunity at the beginning of this month and culminating on the 23rd November) especially with regard to its crimes against the four journalists killed during the aggression on Gaza in 2009, enabled such occupation forces to commit further crimes against journalists and the media and demonstrates the urgent need to prosecute the perpetrators of attacks on freedom of the press. 

Riham Abu Aita
Public Relation Officer
Riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org
0097222976519

PCHR Strongly Condemns Targeting of Journalists in Gaza by Israeli Warplanes
 
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the wounding of 10 journalists and media professionals while they were carrying out their jobs, when Israeli Occupation Forces attacked the offices of al-Quds Television and al-Aqsa Television this morning.  PCHR stresses that journalists and media professionals, like civilian persons, enjoy special protection in time of war under international humanitarian law; targeting them constitutes a systematic crime to silence the press and prevent journalists from reporting on the crimes that are being committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.
 
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 01:35 on Sunday, 18 November 2012, Israeli warplanes fired 4 missiles at the office of al-Quds Satellite Channel, which is located on the top floor of the 11-storey Shawa and Hussari tower building in Gaza City.  The missiles penetrated the roof of the building and exploded inside the office.  As a result, 7 journalists and trainees who were in the office were wounded.  The wounds of two were described as serious; Khader al-Zahhar, 20, lost his leg in the attack and sustained shrapnel wounds throughout his body, and Mohammed al-Akhras, 20, also sustained extensive shrapnel wounds.  The other persons who were wounded are:
 
1)     Ibrahim Lubbas, 22, who sustained bruising throughout his body;
2)     Omar al-Efranji, 18, who sustained bruising throughout his body;
3)     Hussein al-Madhoun, 22, who sustained bruising throughout his body;
4)     Hazem al-Da'our, 25, who suffered from temporary suffocation; and
5)     Darwish Bulbol, 29, who suffered from temporary suffocation.  
 
The office and the nearby offices of al-Quds Radio and Ramattan News Agency were extensively damaged.
 
At approximately 06:55. also on Sunday, a missile was fired at the office of al-Aqsa Television on the 15th floor of al-Shorouq tower building in the west of Gaza City.  The missile penetrated to the 14th floor and exploded inside the offices of Palestine Media Production (PMP).  As a result, 3 journalists were moderately wounded:
 
1)     Mazen Naeem, 27, Correspondent of Press TV;
2)     Mohammed al-Sharafi, 30; a cameraman of PMP; and
3)     Mohammed al-Mubayidh, 25, a cameraman of PMP.  
 
The offices of al-Aqsa Television and PMP were damaged.
 
At the time of writing this press release, media reports indicate that, early this afternoon, Israeli forces requested international journalists to leave al-Shorouq tower building in Gaza City; this indicates that more crimes may be committed against journalists and media institutions in the Gaza Strip.  It is worth noting that many local and international press and media outlets use these offices, including Fox News, Abu Dhabi Satellite Channel, Dubai Channel, al-Arabiya News Channel, MBC and PMP, which provides media services to many international televisions.  
 
Additionally, in the early morning, Israeli forces jammed the broadcasts of a number of local radio stations, and broadcast messages on the waves of these stations.  Further to this, 4 local news websites were hacked by Israeli forces on Saturday evening and Sunday morning.  
 
It should be noted that Israeli forces have committed dozens of crimes against local and international journalists since 2000.  As a result of these crimes, 11 journalists, including two international ones, have been killed while carrying out their jobs reporting on crimes committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians, and dozens of other journalists have been wounded.
 
PCHR strongly condemns crimes committed by Israeli forces against journalists and media professionals, who enjoy special protection in time of war under the international humanitarian law.  PCHR calls upon the international community, in particular the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, to fulfill their obligations to ensure respect for the Convention, and to effectively intervene to prevent grave breaches of the Convention by Israel.

RWB condemns air strikes on news media in Gaza city (RSF)

Reporters without Borders condemn Israeli air strikes targeting news organizations in Gaza City today and call for an immediate end to such attacks. At least night journalists were reportedly injured and several local and international media were prevented from operating.

“These attacks constitute obstruction of freedom of information,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. “We remind the Israeli authorities that, under humanitarian law, the news media enjoy the same protection as civilians and cannot be regarded as military targets.

“Even if the targeted media support Hamas, this does not in any way legitimize the attacks. We call for a transparent investigation into the circumstances of these air strikes. Attacks on civilian targets are war crimes and serious violations of the Geneva Conventions. Those responsible must be identified.”

At around 2 a.m. today, Israeli warplanes fired several missiles at the Al-Shawa Wa Hassri Tower, a building in the Gaza City neighborhood of Rimal that houses local and international media organizations. Around 15 reporters and photographers wearing vests with the word “TV Press” were on the building’s roof at the time, covering the Israeli air strikes.

Five missiles destroyed the 11th-floor offices used by Al-Quds TV. The station said six journalists were injured, four of them Al-Quds employees – Darwish Bulbul, Khadar Al-Zahar, Muhammad al-Akhras and Hazem al-Da’our. The other two were identified as Hussein Al-Madhoun, a freelance photographer working for the Ma’an news agency, and Ibrahim Labed, a reporter for the Palestinian news agency SAFA. Zahar’s condition was described as critical after one of his legs had to be amputated.

At around 7 a.m., three Al-Aqsa TV employees were seriously injured when two missiles were fired at the Al-Shourouk building, also known as the “journalists’ building.” A spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces said on the @IDFSpokesperson Twitter account that the air strike had targeted a Hamas communication centre.

Among the local and international media whose offices were damaged by Israeli missiles were Sky News Arabia, the German TV station ARD, the Arab TV stations MBC and Abu Dhabi TV, Al-Arabiya, Reuters, Russia Today and the Ma’an news agency.

Information was also one of the victims of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead against the Gaza Strip in December 2008 and January 2009 (read the RWB report). At the time, Reporters Without Borders condemned Israel’s decision to declare the Gaza Strip a “closed military zone” and deny access to journalists working for international media. The IDF also targeted pro-Hamas media during Operation Cast Lead.

***08.11.2012. RESTRICTIONS TO LIMIT INTERNET ACCESS ON THE RISE, WARNS UNESCO

New York, Nov 8 2012 2:10PM
The United Nations agency which deals with freedom of expression on the Internet today warned that restrictions directly limiting Internet access appear to be on the rise, and called on governments to implement policies that facilitate broadband connectivity instead of putting up barriers particularly during political developments.

“Knowledge and ideas today flow in volumes and at speed that we could not have imagined years ago, ‘regardless of frontier’ and at low cost,” the Assistant Director-General for Communication of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Janis Karklins, told participants at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). “However, barriers to this flow still exist, and new ones continue to emerge.”

The Forum, which opened in Baku, Azerbaijan on Tuesday, includes the participation of governments, intergovernmental organizations, business representatives, the technical community, civil society organizations, as well as any individual Internet users interested in Internet governance issues.

The theme for this year’s Forum is ‘Internet Governance for Sustainable Human, Economic and Social Development’ and reflects the increasing role of the Internet in the evolution of the various aspects of development, across all countries.

According to its website, UNESCO recognizes that the Internet holds enormous potential for development, providing an unprecedented volume of resources for information and knowledge and opens up new opportunities. “The principle of freedom of expression must apply not only to traditional media but also to the Internet and all types of emerging media platforms which will definitely contribute to development, democracy and dialogue,” it states.

In an IGF session focusing on online freedom of expression, Mr. Karklins said UNESCO has seen cases of Internet service shutdowns during times of political developments in some countries, limiting connection of specific communication platforms, arbitrarily blocking and filtering content, and criminalizing legitimate speech to silence dissent.

“Unwarranted surveillance and violations of the right to privacy have also been inflicted upon Internet users around the world,” Mr. Karklins said. “Many have faced imprisonment, harassment and cyber-attacks. In extreme cases, people who have expressed themselves on the Internet have been killed.”

The constant evolution of the Internet landscape, as well as its trans-national nature, present challenges to legal frameworks, with discrepancies arising in laws in different jurisdictions, Mr. Karklins noted, and warned that freedom of expression must be safeguarded to prevent abuses to this fundamental right.
The UNESCO official also underlined that States must promote accessible Internet connection and inexpensive equipment, as well as media literacy among their citizens.

“Within a multi-stakeholder Internet governance framework, the effective realization of freedom of expression should be considered just as critical as widening access to infrastructure. This is in the interest of individuals, the societies, of governments and the community of nations,” he added, and reiterated UNESCO’s commitment to promoting freedom of expression through traditional as well as online platforms.
Nov 8 2012 2:10PM

***31.10.2012. SYRIA. 85 journalists and media activists killed during the revolution -7 journalists and media activists were killed in October 2012 (Syrian Journalists Association) 

Seven journalists and media activists being killed in October 2012, according to the Media Freedoms Committee in the Syrian Journalists Association, which is monitoring violations against journalists and media activists in Syria.

The number of journalists and media activists who have been killed in Syria has risen to /85/ since March 2011.

Media Freedoms Committee documented in October 2012 the killing of /7/ journalists and media activists. Three in Damascus and its suburbs, two in Homs, one in Deir Ezzour, one in Aleppo.

Below are the names of journalists and media activists who were killed in October:

1.      Ahmed Ali Sa’ada, a citizen photographer: was killed in shelling by Assad's forces in Douma in Damascus suburbs. On 02-10-2012. Sa'ada was a photographer and reporter for the Syrian National Council, and a volunteer with the Syrian Red Crescent.

2.      Mona Bakkour, a journalist: was killed in the explosion of the officers' club, and Saadallah al-Jabri Square in Aleppo. On 03-10-2012. She was in a al-Siyahi hotel overlooking at Saadallah al-Jabri Square where explosion happened. Bakour was working in the office of Thawra newspaper in Aleppo, and manages "Syria al-Qaalla” site.

3.      Muhammad al-Ashram, a journalist: was killed by a bullet in his chest and the other in his foot, in al-Mwazafeen neighborhood in Deir al-Zour. On 10-10-2012. Al-Ashram was al-Ikhbariya channel correspondent, which is a state channel.
 
4.      Hisham Moussalli, Editor at the Syrian General Organisation of Radio and TV: He was killed under torture, after being detained for two months by Syrian Security .He was returned to his family in Damascus as corpse. On 15-10-2012.
 
5.      Omar Abdel Razzaq Al-Lattouf, a media activist: He was arrested at ICARDA checkpoint near Aleppo, he was brutally tortured and was killed under torture. On 21-10-2012. Al-Lattouf was from Talbisseh town ,Homs. He was returning from Turkey when he was arrested.
 
6.       Mohammed Jomaa Abdel Karim Al-Lattouf, a media activist: He was arrested at ICARDA checkpoint near Aleppo, he was brutally tortured and was killed under torture. On 21-10-2012. Al-Lattouf was from Talbisseh town ,Homs. He was returning from Turkey when he was arrested.
 
7.      Anas al-Ahmed, a media activist: was killed in a shelling on Muadamayet Al Sham town. On 23-10-2012. Al-Ahmad was an officially spokesperson of the Revolutionary Council in Damascus's suburbs.

Media Freedoms Committee at the Syrian Journalists Association
Damascus 1/11/2012

 ***30.10.2012. Attacks on journalists in Somalia and Bolivia (Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville)

"We are extremely alarmed by the continuing assault on Somalia’s media workers and journalists by Al Shabab and other elements. Yesterday, a well-known musician and poet working for Radio Kulmiye, Mr Warsame Shire Awale, was shot dead in what appears to have been yet another targeted killing of media workers.

The previous day (Sunday, 28 October) Mohamed Mohamud Turyare, a journalist and producer with another radio station, Radio Shabelle, died as a result of wounds received a week earlier on 21 October, when in a similar attack near his home he was reportedly shot by two men with pistols.
 
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSJ) has said that Warsame Shire Awale had received threats linked to critical comments he had made about gunmen targeting civilians, and added that it believes his murder may also be the result of his public commentaries.

According to the NUSJ, these two latest deaths take the number of media workers killed this year in Somalia to 18, the second highest toll in the world after Syria. Nine of them were killed in the past six weeks, including three in separate incidents in the past seven days alone.

We urge the new Government of Somalia to take urgent steps to protect journalists and other media workers, and to end the complete impunity that has been enjoyed by their killers. Each death should be properly investigated. Al Shabab has allegedly claimed responsibility for around ten of the killings, but the remainder may have been committed by other elements easier to investigate and arrest.

The role of the media is crucial as Somalia tries to get back on its feet, and the continued regular slaughter of the country’s journalists risks stifling the media’s ability to contribute to an improvement in law and order and good governance.

We also roundly condemn the vicious and brazen attack yesterday on Bolivian radio journalist Fernando Vidal, who reportedly had petrol poured over him and was set on fire while in the studio in the town of Yacuiba near the border with Argentina. Early reports suggest that he and the studio technician who also suffered burns, have survived the attack.

You may recall, at the press conference here 12 days ago, the High Commissioner said she was shocked by the number of journalists who are killed because of their work. She reminded governments that it is their responsibility to fully respect the right to freedom of expression and to protect those who exercise this right."

***30.10.2012. GREECE. EFJ calls Greek Court to drop charges against journalist Kostas Vaxevanis

Kostas Vaxevanis should not face criminal charges for doing his job, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) said today.  
After an inquiry by the Prosecutor of the Misdemeanor Court of Athens on Saturday 27 October, the police was seeking Greek investigative journalist Kostas Vaxevanis for publishing on HOT DOC magazine the "Lagarde List" consisting in 2059 names of Greek citizens with deposits in the Swiss HSBC bank. Mr Vaxevanis was briefly detained by the police the following day and he is now facing trial on 1st November for publishing the "Lagarde List" thus "violating privacy law".    

"We clearly think that the publication of a list already shown in public in 2010 by Ms Lagarde when she was still French Minister of Finance is only a matter of providing information to the public. Mr Vaxevanis was doing his job of a journalist working for the public good, not only in relation to the list itself but also in relation to the lack of reaction of the authorities to carry out inquiries about potential large-scale tax evasion".

Dimitris Trimis, the President of the EFJ/IFJ affiliate JUADN, said "I consider absolutely hypocritical the Court's fastidious inquiry against investigative journalism, in particular when evidence is brought to public attention concerning matters investigated with no success for months by Justice and politicians who blame each other for inefficiency. Press openness and transparency are the very soul of Democracy and Justice!"

The EFJ also points out that as Mr Vaxevanis  is brought to court,  one of the large dailies "TA NEA" also published the "Lagarde list", fortunately without any judicial prosecution up to now.

Almost two and a half years ago Ms. Christine Lagarde (French Minister of Finance at that time) gave to her Greek counterpart Minister of Economy Mr. G. Papakonstantinou a CD, with the names of 2059 Greek citizens having large bank accounts in Swiss Bank HSBC.  The Greek press continuously referred to the existence of the list. Mr. Evangelos Venizelos currently President of PASOK and a successor of Mr. G. Papakonstantinou in the Ministry of Economy at the time, admitted at a Parliamentary Committee hearing that he had a copy of the list in his office. However the authorities always considered that it could not be used "for reasons of violating privacy law".

For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 00
The EFJ is the European group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

***29.10.2012. SEEMO/IPI Press Release: SEEMO condemns detention of Greek journalist and hopes for a fair trial
 
Vienna 29 October 2012- On 28 October 2012, Greek journalist Kostas Vaxevanis expected the police to come and detain him several hours after having published a list of 2,059 names of Greek residents who hold bank accounts at the HSBC bank in Geneva. Vaxevanis published a special issue of his Hot Doc magazine, dedicated to this list.
 
 He was arrested in the northern suburbs of Athens on Sunday, minutes after he had tweeted his whereabouts and challenged police waiting outside to pick him up, according to the Athens News.  He was released three hours later and ordered to appear in court on Monday, 29 October. However, the hearing has been deferred to 1 November. Kostas Vaxevanis is expected to be charged for violating personal data.
 
In 2010, Greek authorities received an alleged list of Greek account holders in the Swiss Bank from the then French Minister of Finance and present Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagard. For two years, according to numerous news accounts, this list circulated from one drawer to another, since several ministers tried to avoid taking action. Finally, Vaxevanis decided to publish the names, arguing official inaction. Media claim that some account holders may be tax dodgers. Apparently, high profile politicians and business people are named.
 
 The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI),  considers that that press freedom, data privacy protection and the right of the public to know have all to be respected. “I call on the court to establish if the list published by Hot Doc is a violation of privacy.  At the same time, the court should take into account that the public has the right to know if account holders are also tax dodgers, especially now, when Greeks are expected to endure severe economic cuts,” SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said. “As a press freedom organization, we believe that the public has the right to know and that journalists should not be detained. I condemn the detention of  Vaxevanis, “Vujovic added.

***29.10.2012. OSCE media freedom representative expresses concern over Greek journalist case, calls for open trial

ASTANA, 29 October 2012 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, expressed concern today about the arrest and the forthcoming trial of a Greek journalist, Kostas Vaxevanis, charged with violating privacy laws, and called on the authorities to ensure a fair and open trial.

Vaxevanis was arrested on Sunday morning and released several hours later. The detention followed a publication in his weekly magazine, Hot Doc, of the names of 2,000 Greek nationals, including prominent members of Greece’s political and business elite, who allegedly hold accounts in a Swiss bank for tax evasion purposes.

“I am relieved that Vaxenavis was released from custody after a brief detention, and trust that he will now be tried in a transparent manner considering the acute public interest in the case,” Mijatović said.

“I am confident that the Greek courts will find the right path between respecting confidentiality and privacy and at the same time ensuring the public's right to know,” she added.

“It is the responsibility of media as the watchdog of democracy to disclose information in the public interest even if it is considered sensitive by some,” Mijatović said. “OSCE commitments oblige participating States to safeguard and implement society’s right to freely discuss issues of public concern, including corruption or bureaucratic wrongdoing,” Mijatović said.

Mijatović is currently in Astana on an official visit.

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/fom/96683

For further information contact:
Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Wallnerstrasse 6
1010 Vienna
Austria
Office: +43 1 514 36 6800
Fax: +43 1 514 36 6802
pm-fom@osce.org

***19.10.2012. TUNISIE. La FIJ se félicite du succès de la mobilisation des médias en Tunisie

La Fédération Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ) s’est aujourd’hui félicitée de la décision par le gouvernement tunisien d’appliquer deux décrets qui garantissent la liberté de la presse. L’annonce a été faite  mercredi suite à une mobilisation générale des journalistes qui ont fait grève pour exiger le respect de leur indépendance.

« Nous saluons cette décision des autorités tunisiennes dont nous attendons d’autres mesures en faveur des revendications des journalistes », a déclaré Beth Costa, la Secrétaire générale de la FIJ qui participait à la manifestation. « Le succès de la mobilisation de mercredi  démontre la détermination des journalistes tunisiens, sous la coordination de leur syndicat, à défendre le journalisme professionnel dans le pays ».

Les dirigeants du Syndicat national des journalistes tunisiens (SNJT), affilié à la FIJ, se sont déclarés satisfaits de la décision qui répond à certaines de leurs demandes mais regrettent « le temps perdu et les conflits que cela a engendré », selon le quotidien français, Le Monde.

La décision annoncée  concerne l’application du décret 115 qui porte sur les droits des journalistes. Cette disposition légale interdit toute restriction à la circulation de l’information et garantit la protection des journalistes. Le décret 116 crée une Haute Autorité indépendante de la communication audiovisuelle et garantit la liberté de la communication audiovisuelle. Cet organe est appelé à délivrer les licences des radios et télévisions tunisiennes, indique Le Monde.

Selon  le syndicat, la grève  a été bien suivie avec la participation de centaines de journalistes qui ont manifesté devant le siège du SNJT en brandissant es pancartes et autocollants dénonçant la  censure dans la presse tunisienne. La Secrétaire de la FIJ a pris part à la manifestation pour témoigner la solidarité de la Fédération et de ses affiliés qui ont répondu massivement à son appel pour soutenir les journalistes tunisiens.

La manifestation des journalistes s’est tenue dans un climat de tension entre le gouvernement dominé par le parti islamiste Ennahda et les journalistes. Ces derniers l’accusent de garder la main mise sur les médias avec des nominations de dirigeants controversés à la tête des médias publics.

La FIJ a récemment soutenu un autre mouvement de grève à Dar Assabah, le groupe  de presse tunisien, suite à la nomination de Lotfi Touati, comme directeur général. M.Touati est accusé d’avoir appartenu au régime répressif de l’ancien président, Ben Ali. Une délégation de la FIJ dirigée par son président Jim Boumelha avait rencontré le Premier ministre tunisien Hamadi  Jebali pour discuter de l’indépendance des journalistes.

M. Jebali avait assuré la délégation de son attachement à la liberté de la presse et s’était engagé à prendre des mesures nécessaires à cet effet.

« L’annonce de la décision sur les décrets 115 et 116 est une victoire de notre membre dans lutte pour une presse libre en Tunisie », a dit M. Boumelha. « Nous espérons que le gouvernement poursuivra dans la même lancée pour faire de la liberté de la presse une réalité irréversible dans le pays », a ajouté M. Boumelha.

***15.10.2012. FRANCE. At Bayeux, war correspondents stress duty to report

By Jean-Paul Marthoz/CPJ Senior Adviser

Winners of this year's Bayeux-Calvados prizes, which largely recognized reporting in Libya and Syria, are honored in Bayeux, France. (Anne-Marie Impe)Syria and Libya were the main themes at the 19th edition of the Bayeux-Calvados Prize for War Correspondents, which took place this weekend in the historical city of Bayeux, a few miles away from the Normandy beaches where Allied forces landed in June 1944 to liberate Europe from the Nazi yoke.Chaired by Magnum photographer Gilles Peress, the jury rewarded courage to report, while the laureates used the tribune to call on the international media to keep sending reporters to areas of brutal conflict.

"Today 80% of journalists covering Syria are freelancers. The big media have to send their people too," said Javier Espinosa, the winner of the print press award for his article "The last battle of Bab Amr." A Beirut-based correspondent for the Madrid daily El Mundo, Espinosa knows the risks involved. He was with French photographer Rémi Ochlik and Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin when they were killed by mortar fire in Homs. "We have the duty to tell the world what is happening there. I will go back to Syria as soon as I can," he said.

On the eve of the official ceremony Espinosa and a band of seasoned war reporters--Laurent Van der Stockt, Mani, Maite Carrasco, Rémy Ourdan--debated on the risks involved and insisted that they are not hotheads in need of adrenalin and in search of glory. Risk-taking, however, is one of the key criteria guiding jury members.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson took risks indeed to produce the gripping report "Syria, the frontline city" that won him the television award. He followed a team of African Union observers on a particularly scary mission in the middle of angry rebels and edgy soldiers. BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen also had to make his own informed judgment when he plunged into the midst of mayhem in Douma, a report for which he was awarded the radio prize.

The Bayeux-Calvados trophies also rewarded reporting on Libya (France 24's Mathieu Mabin, AFP photojournalist Aris Messinis and Associated Press photographer Manu Brabo), Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (Rémy Ourdan, Le Monde), Egypt (Ed Ou, Getty Images) and the battles of war wounded beyond the battlefield (David Wood, The Huffington Post).

Bayeux is also the site of the Mémorial des Reporters, an alignment of white stone steles that commemorate the memory of journalists killed in war. The names of the 2012 victims were unveiled on a rainy Saturday afternoon in front of some 200 journalists, municipal authorities, and others. During the evening ceremony, the directors of "Envoyé Special," the top current affairs program on the public service channel France 2, gave a moving tribute to Gilles Jacquier, the war reporter killed last January in Homs while embedded with Syrian security forces. "He was reporting on humankind in all its blackness and all its humanity," they said.

On June 6, 1944, Robert Capa, the legendary photojournalist, had landed a few miles away on Omaha beach, with the first wave of U.S. soldiers. His famous grainy images offer a powerful testimony of one of the most momentous battles in history. Two days later in the Lion d'Or hotel in Bayeux, he celebrated the successful landing with journalist pals Ernie Pyle, George Rodger, and a few bottles of Calvados.

The plaque that honors Capa's memory stands not far from the Mémorial. His famous sentence, "If your photos aren't good enough, you aren't close enough," was on everyone's minds this weekend in the bistros of Bayeux as an inspiring and daring celebration of the grandeur and the passion of war reporting.

***02.10.2012. IRAN. Iran clamp down on critical voices (UN Human Rights Office)

The UN Human Rights Office is seriously concerned by the arrest and imprisonment of several prominent human rights defenders, journalists and political activists in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the past two weeks. This appears to reflect a further severe clamp down on critical voices in the country.

In particular, we are concerned about the 29 September arrest of Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, a prominent human rights lawyer and co-founder (with Shirin Ebadi) of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders. Mr Dadkhah is now beginning a nine-year jail sentence previously imposed on him after he was charged with “membership of an association seeking to overthrow the government and propaganda against the system.”

The prison sentence was coupled with a 10-year ban on legal practice and teaching. Mr Dadkhah had been involved in defending many high-profile cases, and the case against him is widely believed to be linked to his work as a human rights defender.

Mr Dadkhah's case is reminiscent of those of other jailed human rights defenders in Iran, in particular that of the lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, whose case has been raised in the past by the High Commissioner.  Ms Sotoudeh is one of the three final nominees for the prestigious Martin Ennals human rights award, which is being awarded this evening here in Geneva, despite the fact she is serving a six-year jail term.
Last Wednesday (26 September), the authorities closed down an independent newspaper, the Daily Shargh, for publishing a cartoon, and arrested its director, Mehdi Rahmanian. A summons was also issued against the cartoonists.

Mr Ali Akbar Javanfekr, the press advisor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and head of the state-run news agency (IRNA), was arrested on the same day to serve a six-month jail sentence issued previously for insulting the Supreme Leader. The Reuters bureau chief in Iran, Ms. Parisa Hafezi, has also been charged with spreading lies and propaganda, and the wire agency's entire operation has reportedly been suspended. The ongoing arrest and detention of media professionals and intimidation of media organizations is deeply worrying, especially given we are now entering the run-up to the June 2013 Presidential elections.

Also in the past ten days, Ms Faezeh Hashemi, and Mr Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani, the daughter and son of Mr Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former President of Iran, were both arrested by the authorities. Faezeh Hashemi was arrested on 22 September to serve a six-month jail sentence, apparently linked to her participation in an opposition rally in February 2011. Her brother, Mehdi, was taken into custody at Tehran airport two days later, on Monday 24 September, after returning from 36 months exile in London. He is facing charges related to his role in the 2009 post-election unrest.

Lawyers, human rights defenders and independent media make a key contribution in democratic societies and must be allowed to carry out their work without facing intimidation, harassment, arrest and prosecution. The arrests and harsh sentences imposed on such figures reflect a disturbing trend apparently aimed at curbing freedom of expression, opinion and association, which are guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a State party.

We urge the Government of Iran to promptly release all those who have been arrested for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights.

For more information or media requests, please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org) 

***01.10.2012. Syria: 78 journalists and media activists martyred during the revolution - 13 journalists and media activists were killed in September 2012 (SJA)

This month has been the most violent month since the Syrian revolution began in March 2011, with /13/ journalists and media activists being killed in September 2012, according to the Media Freedoms Committee in the Syrian Journalists Association, which is monitoring violations against journalists and media activists in Syria.

The number of journalists and media activists who have been killed in Syria has risen to /78/ since March 2011.

Media Freedoms Committee documented in September 2012 the killing of /13/ journalists and media activists. Five in Damascus and its suburbs, four in Deir Ezzour, two in Aleppo, and one in Hama and one in Homs.

Below are the names of journalists and media activists who were killed in September:

- Mohammad Badee’e Al Qasem: a media activist; killed on 4/9/2012 while covering the clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the regime’s forces near the mailbox center in Deir ez-Zor city; Al Qasem is one of the founders of the media center of Deir Al Zor.

- Anas Abdullah, a citizen cameraman: was killed by a shrapnel from a mortar shell, while he was covering the violent shelling on his neighborhood al-Tadamon, as well as the violations committed by Assad forces in Damascus on 06-09-2012.

- Tahseen al-Toom, a media activist: killed due to his wounds on 06-09-2012. After targeting his car by a tank shell in Arbeen in Damascus suburbs on 29-08-2012.

- Nawaf al-Hindi, a human rights and media activist: was killed by a mortar shell in Bait Saham, Damascus suburbs, on 06-09-2012.

- Tamer al-Awam, a film maker and media activist: killed due to his wounds. Tamer injured by a bullet while he was covering the events in Aleppo, on 09-09-2012.Al-Awam who returned to Syria secretly made several documentary films about Syrian revolution, the last film was about events in Idlib. Al-Awam reported a lot of events for German and international media, and he organized many demonstrations and activities to support Syrian revolution in Europe.

- Yusuf Ahmed Deeb, a journalist: killed by warplanes bombing printing house of “Liwaa al-Fatih” newspaper in Aleppo, on 16-09-2012.

- Abdul Rahman Maree al-Mashhour, a media activist: was killed in a demonstration in Hamidiya neighborhood in Deir ez-Zor, on 18-09-2012.

- Abdul Karim al-Oqda, a photographer and ground reporter: was killed with three of his colleagues, while the Syrian regime forces surrounded his house and burned, in al-Arbaain neighborhood in Hama, on 19-09-2012. Al-Oqda was one of the most prominent of Sham News Network reporters and photographers in Hama, he filmed of more than 1250 videos from the combat zones.

- Mamoun Ahmed al-Gghanndo, a journalist: was killed with his twin brother Faris, by falling a mortar shell on his house, in al-Madamia town in Damascus suburbs. On 25-09-2012.

- Abdul Aziz Ragheb El-Sheikh, a media activist: was killed by random shelling on al-Qousur neighborhood in Deir ez-Zor. On 26-09-2012. El-Sheikh was a correspondent of Sham News Network in Deir ez-Zor.

- Maya Nasser, an Iranian journalist: a correspondent of "Press TV" Iran channel, was killed by a sniper near of the Umayyad Square in Damascus, according to the "Press TV" channel. On 26-09-2012.

- Yusuf al-Aqraa, a media activist: was killed during filming a battle in the al-Soultaniya neighborhood, in Homs. On 27-09-2012. Al-Aqraa was one of media activists of al-Farouq Battalions Press Office in the Free Syrian Army.

- Mohammed Fayyad al-Askar, a citizen journalist: was shot on the ground by al-Assad forces in Deir ez-Zor, on 28-09-2012. Al-Askar was an activist in the Deir al-Zour News Network, and Free Deir ez-Zor Radio.

Media Freedoms Committee at the Syria Journalists Association
Damascus 1/10/2012

***25.09.2012. VIETNAM - Navi Pillay concerned about harsh sentences against journalists and bloggers

GENEVA (25 September 2012) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday expressed deep concern about the conviction and harsh sentencing of three  prominent Vietnamese journalists and bloggers, noting this reflected a trend of increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in Viet Nam, especially against those who use the Internet to voice their criticisms.

On Monday, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai (also known as Dieu Cay) received 12 years’ imprisonment and five years’ probation, Ms. Ta Phong Tan received ten years’ imprisonment and three years’ probation, and Mr. Pan Thanh Hai four years’ imprisonment and three years’ probation. The three were convicted of “conducting propaganda” against the State under article 88 of the Penal Code, for posting articles on the website of the Vietnamese Club of Free Journalists, of which they are prominent members.

"The harsh prison terms handed down to bloggers exemplify the severe restrictions on freedom of expression in Viet Nam," Pillay said, adding that the fact that the court's decision came after only a few hours of deliberation raises further questions about the defendants’ right to due process and a fair trial. Pillay also expressed concern about reports that several supporters were detained and prevented from attending the trial. In 2009, during the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Viet Nam’s human rights record, the State accepted a number of recommendations on freedom of expression, including one to “fully guarantee the right to receive, seek and impart information and ideas in compliance with article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

"Monday's verdicts are an unfortunate development that undermines the commitments Viet Nam has made internationally, including during the UPR, to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression," the High Commissioner said.

***21.09.2012. SOMALIA. Somalia: NUSOJ Condemns Killing of Journalists in a wave of Suicidebombings in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, 20 September 2012

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) vehemently condemns the barbaric attack that killed three journalists and wounded at least
7 other journalists after three suicide bombers blew themselves up at a cafeteria known for journalists’ gathering, on Thursday afternoon
around 5:50pm local time bringing the total journalists killed this year alone to 12, while the union sends its condolences and shares the
tragedy with the Somali media community at large.

The Journalists killed in the attack include Liibaan Ali Nor and Abdisatar Dahir Sabriye of Somali National Television and Abdirahman
Yasin, Director of local independent Radio station, Radio Hamar, VoD, on the spot. Whereas, Abdiqadir Ahmed Timoos, Mohamed Husein
“Gentleman”, Mohamed Ibrahim “Biibaaye” of  radio Mogadishu and SNTV, Abdullahi Mohamed “Suldaan” and Nuure Mohamed Ali of kulmiye radio,
Mohamed Bishaar of Mustaqbal Radio and Abdikarin Gutale of S24 Television were wounded among them severely, according to witnesses
accounts. All reporters and newscasters, anchors, editor and director at their respective media stations. Five of these wounds are currently
receiving treatment from Madina Hospital and other privately owned hospitals. There are other journalists slightly wounded, but were
discharged from the hospitals due to their injuries.

The attack, took place at the Village restaurant better  known as “Hooyooyinka” across from the National Theatre,  where journalists and
media workers regularly meet. Witnesses said that the attackers refused any chance of escape by first blowing up in the middle of the
restaurant and when people fled for survival, another suicide attacker blew himself up at the only entrance of the restaurant by killing
those who survived the first suicide attacker followed by another one outside the restaurant.

“I was completely lucky, I left the area five minutes before the attack.” Abdifatah Omar Halane, director of Gool FM Radio told NUSOJ
while he was on the way to the hospital carrying wounds “this is a complete tragedy and loss of many important friends and colleagues.”

No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack. But similar attacks were carried out previously by the Shabab militant group.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns this violent attack against the journalists in the strongest terms possible, while
the union sends its sympathies and condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those killed in the attack and wishes those
injured for immediate recovery.

“We are shocked by these Horrific attack against the journalists and we condemn the act in the strongest terms possible.” Mohamed Ibrahim,
NUSOJ Secretary General said, “Though words can not express how awful this is but We send our condolences to the families and friends of
killed journalists and share the pains of these disasters to all the Somali media community at large.”

“Somali Journalists and media workers should be vigilant about the public gatherings to avoid further risks and call for the  Somali
government to launch urgent investigations into the killings of Somali Journalists and bring the killers to court” Mr. Ibrahim added.

This year, 2012.  was a bloody year for the Somali journalists bringing the total journalists and media workers to 12.

The National Union of Somali Journalists once again warns all journalists and media workers in Mogadishu to stay away from public
gatherings and should take safety precautions as much as possible. Most of the Journalists and media workers lack the needed safety
trainings, an important skills for hostile environments.

The National Union of Somali Journalists urges to journalists and media workers who work in these difficult and dangerous situation to
continue their work and not be intimidated by these senseless attacks, which is meant to silence the Somalia media.

NUSOJ will update you the list of the slightly wounded journalists shortly.
 
For further information, please contact: National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Second Floor, Press House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / nusojsomali@gmail.com or nusoj@ymail.com
E-Newsletter: newsletter@nusoj.org.so
Internet: http://www.nusoj.org.so
Follow us on Twitter: @NUSOJ_Somalia

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) mourns the loss of the another prominent journalist who was assassinated in Mogadishu’s
General Daud High School in Yaqshid neighborhood on Friday noon around 11:30am heightening the dangerous work journalists do in Somalia and
bringing the total number of journalists killed this to 13.

Unknown assailants shot five bullets, three of them on the head of Hassan Yusuf Absuge, in his 40s,  a veteran and academic, who was the
head of Programs of radio Maanta, as he was heading his home, finishing his night shift, according to the Radio Maanta. Late Hassan
Yusuf  Absuge died on the scene.

“We have lost our colleague, he was killed at General Daud High school, after leaving the radio station.”  Hussein Abdulle Mohamed,
program producer of Radio Maanta told NUSOJ.

No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) outrageously condemns the act of assassination against our colleagues.  .

“We condemn this brutal assassinations against the media practitioners in Mogadishu, an act meant to intimidate the journalists either stop
the profession or force into exile.” Mohamed Ibrahim, Secretary General  of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) said, “We
call on the Federal government of Somalia to give priority on the security of the journalists and open independent investigations into
the murders of the journalists cases.”

“It is very unfortunate that journalists are killed in assassinations on the eve of the World Peace day.” Mr. Ibrahim added.

On Thursday afternoon, three journalists were killed in suicide bombing and 7 others were wounded.

***20.09.2012. SYRIA. APPEAL FOR ANY INFORMATION ON TWO JOURNALISTS MISSING (INSI)

The International News Safety Institute appeals for any information on two journalists missing in Syria for the past month.
Al-Hurra TV correspondent Bashar Fahmi, a Jordanian citizen of Palestinian origin, and his Turkish cameraman Cuneyt Unal, have been missing since they entered Syria on August 20.
Initial reports suggested they had been captured by Syrian loyalist forces in Aleppo.
On August 27 Unal appeared in an interview with a pro-government Syrian television channel. He said that he had been seized by Syrian soldiers in Aleppo and gave a brief statement in which he described himself as part of an international militant force. The Turkish Foreign Minister said that Unal was forced to make the statement.
There was no mention of Fahmi and nothing further has been heard from either man.
On September 4, the Syrian Information Ministry released a statement saying that Fahmi was not with the Syrian authorities.
"The safety of these men is of major concern and we appeal for any information on their whereabouts and wellbeing," said INSI Director Rodney Pinder.
"The Syrian authorities especially have a duty to ensure the safety of all correspondents in their country. They and others in Syria must know something and we ask them to please make contact. INSI assures any informant of the utmost confidentiality."
INSI has recorded the deaths of 23 journalists in Syria this year, and many more have been wounded and arrested and detained.

Anyone with information can contact Rodney Pinder email rodney.pinder@newssafety.org or mobile +44 7734 709267

***20.09.2012. OSCE media freedom representative visits Serbia, urges government to speed up media reforms

BELGRADE, 20 September 2012 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today urged the Serbian government to accelerate reforms to safeguard media freedom.

“Independent journalism and free reporting do exist in Serbia, but looking at the cases of threats and violence against journalists, this still comes at a price,” said Mijatović, who paid her first visit as the OSCE media freedom representative to Belgrade, where she discussed Serbia’s media freedom situation with government officials and journalists.

She also emphasized that the murder cases of three journalists - Slavko Čuruvija, Milan Pantić and Dada Vujasinović – still remain unsolved and that the investigation into these cases should be intensified to bring those responsible to justice.

During her visit, the Representative met Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, Speaker of Parliament Nebojša Stefanović, Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkić, First Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Aleksandar Vučić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić, Minister of Culture and Information Bratislav Petković, State Secretary of the Justice Ministry Danilo Nikolić, members of the Broadcasting Agency’s Council, the Director General of the Public Radio and Television Aleksandar Tijanić and media and civil society representatives.

In her meetings Mijatović underscored the need to address the challenges facing media freedom in Serbia: “Without a robust legal and regulatory framework, institutionally protected public and private media and a politically and financially independent broadcast regulator and public service broadcaster, it will not be possible to meet the challenges of digitalization and harmonization with international standards, let alone create a free and vibrant media environment.”

“There is also an urgent need for the state to completely withdraw from the media market and to foster an environment conducive to free media and safety of journalists,” she added. “The case of journalist Laszlo Sass showed that there is a need to fully decriminalize defamation as the threat of criminal sanctions for speech offences has the potential to stifle public debate.”

The Representative also called upon journalists and media owners to resist political and economic pressure and to serve the public and society at large.

Mijatović welcomed the readiness of the authorities to co-operate with her office, as well as to improve media legislation in a open and inclusive manner, support public service broadcaster RTS, ensure the independence of broadcast regulator RBA and to foster transparency of media ownership.

Mijatović is also opening the second South East Europe Media Conference on “Shaping Policy for the Future” today in Belgrade. Organized with the OSCE Mission to Serbia, the event brings together some 200 international and regional journalists, media professionals and experts.

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/fom/93891

***17.09.2012. Mexican journalists covering drugs traumatised as if in war - Report

Journalists in peacetime Mexico trying to cover drug-related stories are suffering levels of traumatic stress similar to those of war correspondents, according to a scientific study.
The survey was carried out by Dr Anthony Feinstein, professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto, who 10 years ago also published the most authoritative study into trauma and stress among war reporters.
He found that 25 per cent of the 104 journalists he surveyed reported they had stopped covering drug news because of intimidation directed either at them or their family - and that they reported significantly more symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and general psychological dysfunction than colleagues.
Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world in which to be a journalist, largely due to targeting by drug lords trying to influence the news. INSI figures show it was the most murderous country last year with 11 deaths and is the fifth this year so far with seven dead. It has been in the top six deadliest countries consistently over the past 15 years. The rate of impunity is high with killers of journalists rarely brought to justice.
Feinstein's study, carried out with assistance from INSI, was the first of its kind on the effects of trauma on journalists covering their own country in peacetime. He found that more than 70 per cent of the journalists lived in a province where there was drug-related violence. Almost half of them knew a colleague who had been murdered by the drug cartels. More than half of those reporting drug-related news had been threatened. One in 10 had had a family member threatened.
Feinstein, whose landmark work Dangerous Lives: War and the Men and Women Who Report It exposed the trauma suffered by many war correspondents, said the percentage of Mexican journalists showing evidence of psychological distress fitted with data from the war reporters.
But he added:"Unlike the war group, who 'parachute' in and out of danger ... most Mexican journalists studied here both work and live in areas where extreme is endemic. There is no respite from danger..."
UNESCO, which funded the research, said it raised important questions about freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Mexico.
"If journalists are too intimidated to report the news and if their emotional stress is such that they can no longer continue working on a story, the supply of information to the public becomes undermined," it said.
"These disturbing psychological findings should come as a call to Mexican news organisations to support the men and women who, at considerable risk, tell the stories of a local conflict with regional implications for all of the Americas."

***11.09.2012. IFJ and EFJ Welcome Release on Pardon of Journalists Held in Ethiopia

Two Swedish journalists are among prisoners who have been pardoned in Ethiopia to mark the country’s New Year Day. Johan Persson and Martin
Schibbye were jailed in December 2011 for 11 years following their conviction for "supporting a terrorist organisation and illegally entering
Ethiopia". The two journalists, who were reportedly pardoned in July by former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who died in August, were freed
yesterday and are expected to fly home soon, according to media reports.

“We welcome the news of their release which will come as huge relief for their families and colleagues,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “They
have spent more than a year in prison on flimsy charges but it is now time to put their ordeal behind them and get on with their lives.”

Persson and Schibbye entered Ethiopia via Somaliland to investigate the oil project in the region, focusing on Lundin Oil, a company in which the
Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt was on the board and a shareholder, before becoming a government’s minister.

They were arrested after smirches between the Ethiopian military and the rebel movement fighting in the Ogaden region, on the border with Somalia,
where they were captured by the Ethiopian army in July 2011.

Last December, they were sentenced to 11 years in jail after an Ethiopian court convicted them of entering the country illegally and supporting
terrorism. Both journalists admit they entered Ethiopia without permission but strenuously denied any accusations of supporting terrorism.

They did not appeal their conviction, preferring to appeal for clemency based on the Ethiopian tradition of ‘pardoning’ prisoners on the country’s
New Year Day.

“There was never an admission of guilt to terrorism nor any credible evidence to justify their conviction. They were just two journalists
trying to tell a story on a conflict stricken area that needs to be told,” added Arne König, EFJ President . “But they saw little to gain from a
protracted appeal process and we are delighted that they are now free.”

***04.09.2012. Time is Running out for Eritrean Journalists held in Communicado for over Decade, Says IFJ

Fear is mounting over the fate of a group of Eritrean journalists who have been held without charges since 2001, following the regime’s clampdown on
independent media. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which has from the beginning campaigned for their release, today called on
the Eritrean government to disclose information about their situation amid reports that some have died.

“These journalists have been denied justice by the regime’s unconscionable disregard for their fundamental rights,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President.
“Now their very lives are at risk and time is running out to save them. The authorities must disclose their whereabouts and state of health.”

The IFJ says the Eritrean authorities have resisted previous calls for the journalists’ release, denying even requests to provide information about
their conditions of detention and to allow family visits. In 2007, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights found Eritrea in breach of
the journalists’ rights and ordered their release or a speedy trial and fair trial but the government failed to comply with the ruling.

The Federation estimates that at least 18 journalists have been detained without charges since the Eritrean government imposed a ban on independent
media in September 2001. They include Zemenfes Haile, founder and manager of independent weekly Tsigenay, his editor-in-chief Yosef Mohamed Ali and
reporter Ghebrehiwet Keleta, Selamyinghes Beyene, reporter for MeQaleh, Binyam Haile of Haddas Eritre, Seyoum Tsehaye, freelance and former
Director of Eritrean State Television (ETV), Temesgen Gebreyesus of Keste Debena, Mattewos Habteab (MeQaleh), Dawit Habtemicheal (MeQaleh), Medhanie
Haile, editor-in-chief (Keste Debena), Fessahye Yohannes, editor-in-chief of Setit, Said Abdulkadir, chief editor of Admas, Amanuel Asrat, chief
editor of Zemen, Amanuel Asrat (Zemen) and Dawit Isaac, a dual Eritrean and Swedish national. He had returned to his native Eritrea after
independence and helped launch the country's first independent newspaper, Setit. Dawit was briefly released in 2005 but re-arrested and there has
been no official information on the journalists’ situation.

This week in Swedish, an online campaign ‘4000 days’ is being organised on social media, Facebook and on Twitter ‘#fourthousand’, to mark the 4000
days he and his colleagues have spent in detention.

Recent reports have claimed that some of the detainees have died after the Eritrean officials acknowledged earlier in the year that some of the
journalists had died in detention but refused to give names.

“These reports will understandably add to the anguish and distress of the journalists’ families and colleagues,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General
Secretary. “This may be the last chance to save Isaac and his colleagues and we must pile on the pressure on Eritrea to release them.”

***02.09.2012. SYRIA. Nine journalists and media activists have been killed in Syria during August - The biggest number since the beginning of the revolution (Syrian Journalists Association)

This month has been the most violent month since the Syrian revolution began in March 2011, with nine journalists and media activists being killed in August 2012, according to the Media Freedoms Committee in the Syrian Journalists Association, which is monitoring violations against journalists and media activists in Syria.

The number of journalists and media activists who have been killed in Syria has risen to 65 since March 2011.

Below are the names of journalists and media activists who were killed in August 2012:

 1 - Zuhair Mohammed al-Shaher, a citizen photographer: killed in Deir al-Zour on 02/08/2012.

2 - Haitham Hamsho, a media activist: killed in Salah al-Din neighborhood in Aleppo on 09/08/2012.

3 - Baraa Yusuf al-Boushi, a journalist: killed in al-Tall, Damascus suburbs, on 11/08/2012.

4 - Ahmed Fouad al-Mohammad, a media activist: killed while filming in Daraa on 14/08/2012.

5 - Ghias Abdullah, a media activist: killed by a sniper in Saif al-Dawla neighborhood in Aleppo on 18/08/2012.

6 - Mika Yamamoto, a Japanese journalist: killed by heavy shelling by the Syrian army in Suleiman al-Halabi neighborhood in Aleppo on 20/08/2012.

7 - Mosaab Mohamed Said al-Odaallah, a journalist: killed by the Syrian regime’s forces after a raid on his home in Nahir Eisha in Damascus on 22/08/2012.

8 - Omar al-Hamed Al-Zamil, a media activist: died of his wounds as a result of shelling in the city of al-Hirak in Daraa province on 22/08/2012.

9 - Mahmoud Zakaria Al-Basha, a citizen journalist and photographer: killed in the  shelling of al-Bab city in Aleppo province on 31/08/2012.

Media Freedoms Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association
Damascus 01/09/2012

***16.08.2012. SOMALIA. NUSOJ launches campaign to end Impunity of Killing Journalists and Media Workers in Somalia

Mogadishu, August 16, 2012

Somali media representatives, civil society organizations, human rights advocacy groups, journalist and union officials gathered at
Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu on August 16, 2012 to discuss the raising concerns of the terrifying surge of journalists killings, the safety
of the working journalists, media impunity, lack of justice and way to assist families of fallen colleagues, as part campaign to combat the
impunity and injustice launched by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).

It has been a matter of concern that 10 journalists and media workers were killed in Somalia since December last year, most surprisingly all
the attacks are happening in the government controlled areas and no one has been held accountable for this heinous crimes against the
media practitioners, the conference noted raising concerns of who are the actual killers? Are all related to the Shabab or there are other
elements who are targeted the messengers?

On his opening remarks, Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim, the Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) highlighted the
dangers the media practitioners and human rights defenders are facing at a time the country is in transition which is due to end this month,
the continued targeted attacks and the government’s inability to conduct investigations and bring the killers to court, is becoming a
real threat to the lives of other living journalists.

“Enough is enough, we can not wait until we are all killed,” Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, “It is time we seek justice for
our fallen fellow journalists and the criminals are accounted and bring them to court.”

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) believes that if the government opens independent investigations into the killings and
bring them to court of law could lessen the targeted assassinations against the journalists and media workers, which is meant to sabotage
the free flow of information.

"We will not be intimidated by these heartless assassins and urge the government and the African Union mission in Somalia to carry out
investigations into the killings of journalists and do not let the killers to walk freely. NUSOJ and Somali Media fraternity will not
rest until the killers are accounted for their crimes." Mr. Ibrahim said, "I take this opportunity to thank Doha Center for Media freedom
for their vivid cooperation and generous support to the Somali journalists in need for help, thanking the support they have provided
the wounded journalists in Somalia."

The conference acknowledged the fact that the outnumbering targeted killings, death threats, intimidations and the lack of investigations
into the murder cases followed by fear for safety have profound affect to the lives of the media practitioners. It was also noted that there
are other elements besides Shabab that are targeting the journalists.

“Dear friends, there are other criminals who are targeting us in the government controlled areas besides the Shabab, which we will have to
be very careful about it.” Abdullahi Ali Farah, Director of SIMBA radio said.

The conference underlined that, condemnation was not helpful when one of our journalists is killed but more solidarity among the community
is needed. “We need to focus the reality and speak with the government, put them pressure to investigate these crimes.”

Osman Abdullahi Guure, Director of Radio Kulmiye urged conference participants to take measure in ensuring the safety of their staff,
“Every media station has to provide security, especially those working late at nights.”

The conference raised that the importance to assist families of fallen colleagues and seek way to support them. “As you know the widows and
orphans of killed journalists and media workers are in need of support and we must find ways to help them.” Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, NUSOJ
Treasurer said. It was agreed that this issue be discussed to another upcoming meeting.

Somalia is becoming one of the most dangerous places to be a journalist and each month a journalist is killed. The conference
participants praised the NUSOJ’s role in defending the rights of the journalists and promoting the freedom of expression and the freedom of
the press. The conference also thanked Doha Center for Media (DCMF) for their continued support to the Somali journalists in distress.

The Conference agreed NUSOJ take the lead in:
1. Engaging the relevant government institutions and discuss the best possible ways to conduct urgent investigations into the killings of
the journalists.
2. To engage the African Union in Somalia (AMISOM) and how they can be of help in carrying out such investigations.
3. To lobby among the local and the relevant international partners to pressure the government in conducting these investigations
4. Urged NUSOJ to continue the lobbies until the criminals are brought to justice.
5. Urged NUSOJ to conduct safety trainings in a bid to empower the journalists ability to manage the risks.
6. Noted the importance to conduct Election reporting workshops a time dozens of candidates are running for the presidential election by the
end of August.

By conducting these investigations could mean survival for the living journalists. The launch of this campaign comes a crucial time the
Somali journalists and media workers worry their safety.

Similar conference took place in Nairobi, Kenya organized by the union members led by Somali Exiled Journalists (SEJASS)

Click this link to see the photos:
nusoj.org.so/alerts/2012/August2012/NUSOJ_launches_campaign_to_end_impunity_of_killing_Journalists_and_Media_Workers_in_Somalia.htm
--
For further information, please contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Second Floor, Press House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / nusojsomali@gmail.com or nusoj@ymail.com
E-Newsletter: newsletter@nusoj.org.so

***13.08.2012. Somalia: NUSOJ Condemns the murder of two journalists in Mogadishu in a single day

Mogadishu, August 12, 2012

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) strongly condemns the murder of two Somali journalists in separate incidents in Mogadishu on
Sunday, August 12, 2012, the latest in a string of attacks against the media workers and journalists in Somalia and numbered the total
journalists and media workers killed in Somalia in 2012 to nine (9).

Three unknown gunmen dressed like school children shot to death Yusuf Ali Osman, a veteran Somali Journalist and former director at the
Somalia’s Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunication, several times on the head on Sunday morning around 7:00am local time.
Osman was killed in Mogadishu Dharkenley district near a garage where he used to park his car to go for work, according to witnesses. the
attackers immediately fled the area.

Witnesses reported that the gunmen called the journalists name to ensure it was him before he was shot. His funeral took place at
Baghdad area, 10km South of the capital Mogadishu. The tragic incident was notified to Mohamed Ibrahim, the Secretary General of the
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) upon his arrival at the Mogadishu airport after finishing International Investigative
Reporting at the ABC News as a Galloway Family Foundation Fellow in the United States attended the funeral, calling the murder, “Cowardly
and barbaric.”.

“This is another tragic loss for the Somali media community and we should not be intimidated by these cowardly acts of assassinations
meant to silence the voice of the voiceless.” Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, “on behalf of the Somali journalists, we
condemn in the strongest possible to these heinous and targeted crimes and call for an immediate end of the senseless murders of the
journalists.”

“The criminals must not be let free and must be accounted for.” Mr. Ibrahim added sending condolence to the family and friends who might
miss him. “Our sympathies and prayers goes to him and his families.”

Some senior government officials also attended the funeral among them was the Director General of the Ministry of Information, Posts and
Telecommunication, Mr. Abdirisaq Bahlawi who condemned the murder.

Late Yusuf Ali Osman in his sixties served from as a journalist for more than 30 years from the Somali National Radio and Television,
Eastern Africa Radio Director in Mogadishu. He served as a media trainer and He was the former head of the National Media Council that
drafted the current Media Law in 2007.

“We are particularly saddened by the loss of a great colleague, Mr. Yusuf Ali Osman, who has been a remarkable manager and hardworking
staff in the Ministry of Information.” The Minister of Information, Posts and Telecommunications, H.E. Abdulkadir Hussein Mohamed said
today in a statement.

The United Nations Political Office for Somalia condemned the assassination of late Yusuf Ali Osman in a statement.

“It was only 12 days ago that the comedian and media worker “Marshale” was killed. Today we mourn another prominent member of the Somali
media community, Yusuf-Farey.” The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga said. “I send
my deepest condolences to his family and to all Somali media professionals, who for too long have seen their colleagues targeted,
injured and assassinated without a single perpetrator being brought to justice”,

In a separate incident, a broadcast journalist, Mohamoud Ali Yare better known as Buneyste, who is the Nairobi correspondent of the
Mogadishu based Radio Hamar – Voice of Democracy – (VoD) - was killed by straying bullet that hit him on the head, while he was watching a
football game at a playground at Towfiiq neighborhood of Yaqshid District in Mogadishu on late Sunday afternoon, around 5:30pm,
according to the Director of Radio Hamar, Voice of Democracy, Abdirahman Yasin who spoke with NUSOJ. Radio Hamar is a privately
owned Radio station.

Late Mohamoud Ali, in his 20, came to Mogadishu recently to visit his sick mom in Mogadishu and planning to return to Nairobi to continue
his reporting.

“He was hit by a straying bullet on the head as he was watching soccer game at a playground in Towfiiq neighborhood.” Mr. Abdirahman Yasin,
Director of Radio Hamar, Voice of Democracy said, “There was a firefight in the area among the Somali government forces.”

“He was our Nairobi reporter and recently came to Mogadishu to visit his sick.” Mr. Yasin added. <END>

The photos of the Funeral are posted on Union website:
http://www.nusoj.org.so/alerts/2012/August2012/NUSOJ_strongly_condemns_the_murder_of_two_Somali_Journalists_in_MOgadishu.htm

--
Gunmen Kill Somali Media Worker in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, July 31, 2012,

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) Denounces in the strongest terms possible to the killing of the Somali comedian and a
media worker in Mogadishu on July 31, 2012, making it the seventh to be killed in Somalia in 2012 alone.

Two unknown assailants shot to death a renowned Somali comedian and a media worker, Abdi Malaq Jeylani better known as Marshale, in front of
his home in Waberi district in Mogadishu at late Tuesday afternoon on July 31, 2012 around 5:30pm local time.

The attackers fled the scene immediately. No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns this heinous attack in the strongest terms possible. The Union’s sincere and
heartfelt condolences go out to the families and Friends of Late Jeylani who was assassinated near his home in Waberi district.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of late Jeylani affected this terrible tragedy." Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ
Secretary General said, “We must stand together in challenging the reckless impunity in a widespread and call for the government to
investigate these horrible crimes against the journalists and the media workers"

“We call upon the Somali government to protect the journalists at this critical stage in which the country is in transition as the
criminals are killing a journalist each month and walk freely without facing justice.” Mr. Ibrahim added.

Late Jeylani, 43, has worked several radio and Television stations and took part dramas that were critical to the Shabab. He has
previously reported to the union that he has received several threatening phone calls from the Shabab ordering him to abandon the
media.

He survived two wives and six (6) children. One of the wives is pregnant. He is the seventh to be killed in 2012 and several other
journalists survived from assassination attempts.

On July 8, 2012, A Somali Journalist, Abdulkadir Omar Abdulle survived from an assassination attempt near his home at Madina District in
Mogadishu when two unidentified gunmen approached him and shot him four times, he is recovering at the Nairobi Hospital and he is now in
good health. Similarly, Two armed men shot and seriously wounded Mohamed Shariif of Bar-Kulan Radio, a UN Funded radio, at hamarjajab
district minutes after he left the office Horn Cable television and was heading home on June 8, 2012.

***31.07.2012. SYRIA - INSI SAFETY ADVICE

Syria has become one of the biggest challenges facing news organisations the world over. Since the start of this year, at least 19 journalists and
members of the Syrian and international news media have died there covering the news and many more have been detained, assaulted and
threatened.
One of the key and recurring issues affecting the security and safety of both local and international journalists has been the paucity and
sensitivity of reliable information.
The International News Safety Institute has been working with its members, who include some of the world’s leading media organisations, since the
violence began in Syria last year, to share information that might impact on the safety of journalists and news crews covering the events there.
But because of the sensitivity of a lot of the information we have often had to do this by liaising directly with news organisations and individual
journalists rather than publicly discussing issues that might compromise their safety. For this reason, we have not been issuing as frequent safety
advisories as we did during the conflict in Libya.
However, as the focus of the fighting has moved to Syria’s second city, Aleppo, where the Syrian Army’s offensive has entered a fourth day, the
concerns around the safety of news crews have exacerbated and we are issuing this guide for journalists about Syria.

SYRIA SAFETY UPDATE
On Monday, an Al Jazeera correspondent was hit by shrapnel covering the clashes in Aleppo. Omar Khashram was evacuated across the border and is
now receiving medical treatment.
The BBC’s Ian Pannell, who has been inside Aleppo with his team described a “very confused” situation. Snipers are operating in many areas of the
city, and the government troops appear to be shelling indiscriminately.
News crews should be aware of this high level of uncertainty and volatility and have a solid evacuation plan.
News teams should also be aware that some of the fighters in Aleppo have been identifying themselves as belonging to Al Qaeda.
Meanwhile, thousands of Syrian people are fleeing the fighting in Aleppo and across Syria, heading for the borders with neighbouring countries
Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey.

BORDERS
Turkey - There are signs that the number of news media travelling to the Turkish border with Syria is increasing.
Most foreign journalists are heading towards the Turkish border town of Antakya, where there are reports that prices for accommodation and other
facilities are being inflated substantially.
INSI is concerned that some journalists travelling to the border have not built up contacts in Syria, and do not have a ‘point person’ in Turkey.
All journalists should have good, reliable and trustworthy contacts in place before they attempt to cross into Syria. INSI is concerned that
without this preparation, the increasing number of journalists heading to the border could be risking their safety, or putting themselves in a
situation where they are charged exorbitant rates by smugglers to get across the border and then left to their own devices.
All journalists should ensure they have a reliable and trustworthy translator if they are not Arabic speakers.
The FSA command structure now appears to be very fractured. FSA commanders do not trust each other and some journalists have reported being handed
from one commander to another only to be told not to trust the second one.
However as the insecurity increases, journalists must ensure they know who the local FSA commanders are as they may be reliant on them in an
emergency.
In the past, journalists were able to rely to an extent on the activist network, but this now appears to be almost non-existent, although there is
still some activist presence from the Turkish side.
There has been evidence of Al Qaeda, and other Islamic extremist groups working in the border regions. A British and Dutch photographer were
released several days ago after being held by such a group for over a week.
Journalists should not assume that there is necessarily safety in numbers inside Turkey. There have been reports of PKK presence in the area of the
camps, and Turkey has expressed concern about the influence of the PKK supported by the Syrians, though reports suggest that the PKK is unlikely
to target Turkey from Syria.
Lebanon – The Lebanese border is extremely and increasingly challenging, with arrests reported of journalists and frequent shelling, and it is now
becoming very difficult for news teams to operate on the Lebanese side. A number of crews have attempted to enter Syria this way, but have faced
lengthy delays and some have turned back.
If crews are going from the Lebanese side, they should expect that the experience will be similar to an embed. Those trying to cross the border
are very much reliant on smugglers, and there is the possibility that someone else may offer a greater price than the news teams and they might
be ‘sold out’.

COMMUNICATIONS
Communications remain a major issue, as they have been throughout the conflict. The Syrian authorities have a very powerful technological
capability to jam, monitor and possibly track GSM and satellite communications, though its true reach and ability is not known for sure.
News crews are advised to act extremely cautiously to protect their technological equipment and all phones and laptops should be sanitised and
journalists should be incredibly vigilant about sharing information on social media sites and of those with whom they make contact doing the
same.
It has been very challenging for news teams to get lines of communication out of Syria and though some organisations say their Bgans and satellite
phones are not working, others are able to get brief lines out.
Likewise, some teams have been able to file by internet and others have been able to text locally.
Aleppo is currently causing a number of issues with communications with some news crews unable to file at all.

INSI is coordinating a secure email forum for its members to share confidential and time sensitive information about issues affecting the
safety of news crews and journalists covering events in Syria. For more
information, please contact Hannah Storm, Hannah.storm@newssafety.org or
+447766 814274

***27.06.2012. INSI appeals to Syrian combatants to respect safety of journalists

London, 27 June - The International News Safety Institute appealed to all sides in the Syrian conflict to respect the safety of journalists - and
reminded that deliberate targeting of the news media is a war crime.
Gunmen raided the headquarters of the pro-government Syrian TV station Al-Ikhbariya early Wednesday, killing seven employees, kidnapping others
and demolishing buildings, according to reports. The Syrian government accused rebel forces of a "massacre against the
freedom of the press".
According to INSI data, Syria is the bloodiest country in the world this year for journalists with 17 deaths out of a global total of 73. Several
citizen journalists also have been killed.
Syrian forces stand accused of being responsible for the great majority of the killings, but pro-government journalists also have been attacked on
several occasions during the 15-month uprising.
"Journalists are not combatants - they are innocent bystanders simply doing their jobs, either as independent reporters or as employees of news
organisations - and their safety must be respected," said INSI Director Rodney Pinder.
"Every attack on the news media is an assault on the freedom and human rights of all Syrians - the cause both sides claim to be fighting for."
Pinder drew attention to the Geneva Conventions which clearly state that to intentionally attack civilians not taking direct part in hostilities is
a war crime. Journalists are regarded as civilians, protected under international law.
"Journalists and other news media staff are not fair game for murder in any cause or conflict and those responsible should eventually be held to
account by the international community," he said.

***22.06.2012. IFJ Urges UN Human Rights Council to Act on Journalists' Summary Killings Report

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has said that recommendations by the Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings and summary executions to the 20th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council are a step in the right direction but urged the Council to hold states to their international obligations.

This followed the report of Christof Heyns, the UN Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings and summary executions, to the Human Rights Council on Tuesday in Geneva. In his report, Mr. Heyns focused on the killings of journalists whom he warned "are killed at an alarming rate by States and non-States actors while others are intimidated into self-censorship."

His report identifies impunity as one of the main reasons for journalists' killings, most of whom are local reporters covering corruption, crime and human rights issues. He notes that "The problem does not lie with gaps in the international legal framework. The challenge is rather to ensure that the established international framework is fully used and that its norms are reflected in domestic laws and practices." He recommends raising the awareness about the issue of journalists' killings "from the local to national and international levels."

The IFJ welcomed the report's findings and recommendations, saying that they represent an indictment of governments' failure to protect journalists.

"The fact that far too many journalists continue to lose their lives, in times of peace and for reasons related to their professional activities, is an indictment of many governments' failure to fulfill their obligations to protect our colleagues' most fundamental right --- the right to life," said IFJ Human Rights and Communications Officer, Ernest Sagaga in a statement to the Council.

The Federation also called on the United Nations and its specialized agencies, especially the Human Rights Council, to play a more engaging role.

"This involves taking a clear stand against states which systematically violate their own laws and international treaties they are a Party to, in denial of - or indifference to - what has become a regular pattern of targeted killings of journalists," added Sagaga.

***20.06.2012. UN HRC: Two Special Rapporteurs both call for those who violate journalists’ rights to be held accountable (article 19)

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the unusual event of two reports concentrating on the same issue being presented at the twentieth session of the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday 19 June 2012.

The reports, by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression and the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, both focus on the issue of impunity for violations of journalists’ human rights.

Both reports urge relevant state and non-state actors to secure journalists’ rights by implementing international human rights law and monitoring this implementation. ARTICLE 19 strongly endorses the Special Rapporteurs’ recommendations and hopes they signal the start of more concerted global efforts to protect journalists.

It is unusual for two Special Rapporteurs to focus on one particular issue. Each has done so from the perspective of their particular mandate: The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions (SRESA), Christoph Heyns, has investigated the mechanisms in place to provide greater protection to the right to life of journalistsThe Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression (SRFOE), Frank la Rue, has focused on the protection of journalists and media freedom, particularly in situations which do not involve armed conflict.

The overlap of the reports’ content suggests that they are intended to be mutually supportive. This impression is reinforced by the fact that both documents are being presented on the same day of the current session of the Human Rights Council. It also shows how urgently the protection of journalists worldwide needs to be addressed.

The two reports should spur the international community to:take a more comprehensive look at the current shortfalls in the protection of journalists’ rightstake positive steps to implement the Special Rapporteurs’ recommendations for addressing these problems.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes both reports and hopes they will lead to states improving how they respond to violations of journalists’ rights: to date, these have been grossly inadequate.

more on: www.article19.org

***31.05.2012. SYRIA. Four journalists killed in two days (DCMF)

Four journalists were killed just one day apart in the Syrian cities of Homs and Damascus, increasing the death toll of journalists to 35 since the beginning of the anti-regime protests last year.

In a statement published on Facebook, Al-Sham Information Network confirmed the death of its director Amar Mohamed Souheil Zada, and of citizen journalists Ahmed Adnan Al Ashlaq and Fahmi Al Naiimi ambushed by the Syrian army on May 27.

Next day, Bassel Al Shahade, a Fulbright scholar and a student filmmaker, was killed in Homs by a shell explosion launched by the Syrian army.

Bassel Al Homsi, a Syrian activist, told Doha Centre for Media Freedom that Al Ashlaq, aged 20, was targeted by the army as he was filming the army attacking Al Khalidiyah, a city near Homs.

In a letter addressed to DCMF, Al Sham confirmed the loss of their young journalist, adding that the website would not give any additional details for security measures.

Al Ashlaq was studying engineering at Al Baat university in Damascus and was reporting for news website Al Sham. He was also helping managing the website from Homs.

Al Homsi also confirmed the death of Al Shahade on May 28 and highlighted that violence was intensified on all Homs and Alhamidiya areas on the day of the filmmaker's death.

Al Shahade, a student at Syracuse University in U.S, was in Homs despite the violence to conduct workshops on photography and filmmaking for activists.

He was arrested by the Syrian authority after Al Maydan demonstration last July and was freed shortly after.

Al Shahade was born in Damascus and was graduated from the Information Sciences University and also studied filmmaking in the United States during one year.

***30.05.2012. SYRIA. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) joined a statement about Mazen Darwish and the court cases against SCM activists

Yesterday, on May 29, 2012, seven employees of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) and one SCM visitor were summoned to stand on trial at a military court in Damascus. They have been charged with “possessing prohibited materials with the intent to disseminate them”. However, at the start of the court hearings, the judge decided to postpone the trial until June 25, because the Air Force Intelligence Service had failed to notify whether SCM Director Mazen Darwish would appear as a witness. This trial fits in a pattern of censorship and repression against journalists, media workers, bloggers and activists who defend freedom of expression in Syria. Our organisations consider that the charges against them are politically motivated.

We, the undersigned human rights organizations express our concerns about the personal safety of SCM Director Mazen Darwish. Therefore, we have kindly requested His Excellency Mr Kofi Annan and his team to visit Mazen Darwish during this visit to Syria, and get first hand information about his health situation.

We call for the immediate release of Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer, Abdelrahman Hamada, Mansour Al-Omari and Hani Zetani – the five people who remain in incommunicado detention in the Air Force Intelligence (AFI) detention centre without any charges, as well as the release of Bassam Al-Ahmad, Joan Farso, Ayham Ghazzoul, Yara Bader, Razan Ghazzawi, Mayadah Al-Khaleel, Sana Zetani and Hanadi Zahlout, who will stand on trial on June 25, 2012.

We express our our solidarity with these media activists and urge the judge to observe rigorously all the guarantees of a fair trial in accordance with international standards.

Trial against SCM

On February 16, 2012, the Air Force Intelligence (AFI) conducted a raid at the premises of SCM in Damascus during which they arrested 16 persons, including its Director Mazen Darwish. Seven of them were conditionally released on March 18, 2012, and had to report to the AFI detention centre every day for further interrogation. The others were kept in detention, some of them incommunicado.

On April 22, 2012, the Military Prosecutor in Damascus informed eight of the 16 initially arrested that they would be prosecuted by a military court for “possessing prohibited materials with the intent to disseminate them”, a criminal offense that is punishable by six months of imprisonment under Article 148 of the Criminal Code. These eight people would stand on trial yesterday, May 29. They are Bassam Al-Ahmad, Joan Farso and Ayham Ghazzoul (who were still detained on April 22) and Yara Bader, Razan Ghazzawi, Mayadah Al-Khaleel, Sana Zetani and Hanadi Zahlout (who were released on bail on March 18 and again detained on April 22). Mrs Zahlout is not a SCM staff member, but was a visitor to the centre on February 16.

Meanwhile, five other activists are still in held incommunicado in the AFI detention centre in Al-Mazzeh, Damascus. These are Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer, Abdelrahman Hamada, Mansour Al-Omari and Hani Zetani. They have not been charged so far, but since their arrest on February 16 they have been denied access to their lawyers. Mazen Darwish and Hussein Ghareer are in solitary detention. Mazen Darwish has been subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

The undersigned international NGOs had organized an observation mission, composed of lawyers from the region. We have decided to cancel this observation mission, because we could not sufficiently guarantee the personal safety of these observers under the current high tension circumstances in Damascus.

Suppression of freedom of expression

This trial fits in a pattern of censorship and repression against professional journalists, media workers, citizen journalists (bloggers) and media activists who defend freedom of expression in Syria. Syria is one of the most unsafe countries for them, with the highest number of killings. Since the beginning of the uprising in March 2011 several journalists and media activists have been killed. They have been executed, killed by car bombs or tortured to death. A horrible example is Khaled Mahmoud Kabbisho, who was arrested on April 17 and whose head was crushed by a tank of governmental troops. Three days earlier, the body of citizen journalist Alaa Al-Din Hassan Al-Douri was delivered at his family’s home. There was evidence that he had been tortured to death. Citizen journalist Mohammed Abdelmawla Al-Hariri is now handicapped as a result of torture. At least 31 professional journalists, citizen journalists and media activists are currently detained by the Syrian authorities. This includes the staff of SCM who are still detained.

Signatories

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network
Front Line Defenders
Hivos
International Media Support
Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT))
Reporters Without Borders
Samir Kassir Foundation (SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom)

***24.05.2012. SOMALIA. NUSOJ is grieved by the Senseless Murder of Radio Journalist in Mogadishu.

National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is outraged and grieved by the increasing attacks against the journalists in Somalia,
following the brutal murder of Radio journalist in Mogadishu on Wednesday 24, may 2012, around 1:25 PM local time.

Four unknown assailants armed with pistols shot to death Ahmed Addow Anshur, a producer and reporter for the Mogadishu based Radio
Shabelle. The journalist died instantly with bullets hit on the head and the chest and the killers immediately escaped from the scene
according to the witnesses at market.

The incident took place near the home of the journalist at Suuq (Market) Bo’le in Dharkenley District of Mogadishu, an area controlled
by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

It is not yet known the motive behind the killing. The body of the victim has now taken to the family’ house and laid there until his
burial is arranged.

This is the latest of string of attacks against journalists and media workers meant to undermine the media freedom and the freedom of
expression, says NUSOJ.

“The death of Ahmed Addow Anshur is a great loss, a savage and inhuman act. We strongly condemn this barbaric attack,” says, Burhan Ahmed
Dahir, the President of the Supreme Council of NUSOJ. “On behalf of NUSOJ, I send my sincere condolences to the bereaved families and
friends of Mr. Anshur and ask Allah to rest his soul in paradise”.

“The mounting attacks against the media professionals in Somalia are a source of dire concern. Journalists play a vital role for informing,
educating and preparing the community to enable the society to take informed decisions. There can be no political or religious reason for attaking these media people,” added Mr Dahir.

The National Union of Somali journalists (NUSOJ) calls on the authority of Transitional Federal Government of Somalia to take prompt
and public to safeguard the journalists and thoroughly investigate the crime to bring justice those responsible for these murders to prevent
further killings.

Late Ahmed Addow Anshur is the sixth journalist and media workers murdered in Somalia in 2012 alone in the hands of the criminals in
Somalia. He survived a wife.

It is being planned to bury the body in this Wednesday afternoon at Jazeera cemeteries in Southern suburbs of Mogadishu according to the
victim’s family members.

In Somalia, where the violent attacks were raging over the past two decades, journalists and the media houses were under insistent
attacks. A significant number of journalists where killed, injures, arrested, as media houses were censored, suspended, or physically
raided as well.

***24.05.2012. DOHA FORUM - Journalists’ Safety Is Back on Top of World Community’s Agenda, Says IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) made a crucial contribution to a debate on safety of journalists at the 12th Doha Forum
which closed yesterday.

Bringing together over 600 international participants, including a Representative of the PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) (Red), political leaders, decisions makers, academics, media figures as well as representatives of civil society and regional and international organisations, the Forum held a two-day debate focussing on the Arab Spring and the global financial and economic risis.

One of its major sessions led by IFJ president Jim Boumelha and the General Secretary of the National Union of the Philippines, Nestor Burgos
Jr, built on the momentum created last January by an international conference for the protection of journalists in dangerous situation also
held in Doha.

“The Forum presented the IFJ with an important opportunity to highlight before an audience of world agencies and governments the vital issues
concerning safety of journalists and the urgency for strengthening national laws to end impunity,” said Boumelha.

Chaired by Dr Ali Bin Smaikh Al-Marry, Chair of the Qatar National Human Rights Committee, the participants reviewed the recommendations made by
the last international conference and plans to put safety on the agenda of the UN General Assembly and highlight the obligation of states to provide
more coherent and practical measures to combat targeted violence and to eradicate impunity.

Nestor Burgos Jr gave a moving account of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre where 33 journalists were murdered and its impact on journalists in the
Philippines. He also provided an update on the trials of the suspects in the massacre and on the campaign waged by the families of killed
journalists.

“The Doha Forum’s workshop on the recommendations of the International Conference on the Protection of Journalists is a welcome and significant
step in further calling international attention to and action on the unabated murders of media workers in many parts of the world including in
the Philippines,” he said.

The recommendations issued by the last Doha conference, organised by the Qatari National Committee for Human Rights, have become a key part of the global campaign to press governments on their responsibility to protect journalists. They emphasise the need to vigorously enforce the existing
legal instruments, binding national authorities to prevent and punish violence against journalists and request the UN to develop new strategies
to promote states' compliance with their obligations as well as the creation of a special unit in the Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights to follow up media cases. They call for the right of their families to receive compensation as well as the need for donors to link
aid assistance to countries' record on media protection. They further request news organisations to provide adequate safety training and all
appropriate support, including protection equipment and trauma counsel to their staff.

“These renewed activities have put media protection back on the top agenda of world institutions and the IFJ is now a key player in the global
campaign aimed at the UN and its agencies," added Boumelha.

***DOHA FORUM 2012. Journalist protection should be a priority (DCMF)
 
At the Doha Forum 2012, media experts urged news networks to train journalists in dangerous situations & recognise the importance of new media.
By Zainab Sultan (DCMF)

Journalists should undergo hostile environment training, try and record any attacks on them and be ready to handle interrogations if captured. These were some of the recommendations made by media experts at the recently concluded Doha Forum 2012.

Among the topics discussed during the three day event were the role of media post Arab revolutions and the impact of social and electronic media on Arab politics. A workshop was also conducted for journalists to train them on how to protect themselves in hostile situations.

“In 2011, 106 journalists died from 35 countries with Iraq, Pakistan and Mexico topping the list,” said Jim Boumelha, president of the International Federation of Journalists. “This year many journalists have died in Nigeria and Syria.”

According to IFJ, one out of four journalists working in a war or conflict zone is likely to die but two-third of the killers face no trial or punishment.

“In 15 years the global rate of impunity has remained constant and I think impunity is the best tool to assess press freedom,” said Boumelha.

Qatar National Committee for Human Rights organised the International Conference to Protect Journalists  in January 2012 and drafted out several recommendations for the UN, local and international governments, news organisations and journalists.

Some of them included recalling the declarations of the UN and Geneva Conventions, creating awareness among journalists about their rights and involving all NGOs to collaborate and evaluate the current status of media in conflict areas and discussing the draft convention to protect journalists in dangerous situations.

Hassan Rachidi, Doha Centre of Media Freedom consultant, called for all organisations to collaborate because “implementation of laws can be achieved based on cooperation not competition.”

Rachidi stressed that “we have to mobilise the management to believe that the protection of journalists is the responsibility of the employer and journalists should have the right to refuse to go to conflict zones.”

Role of new media and its future in the Arab world

At the session on social and electronic media, media gurus explored the impact and future of social media in the Arab world and the role of citizen journalists during the Arab revolutions.

Ben Bradshaw, former Secretary of State, Department of Culture, Media and Sport in UK said that it would be unfair to label the Arab Spring as Facebook or Twitter revolution because “other countries like Yemen and Libya who do not have many internet users were able to carry out a revolution successfully.”

However, Mustafa Sawaq, Director of Al Jazeera News in Doha did not want to undermine the impact of social media as “it gave us a better way to cover the revolution because we were prohibited to enter many countries for coverage.”

But all of this information flow comes with challenges. Sawaq explains that “Al Jazeera receives more than 1,000 videos each day and we need an army of staff to view this material and verify it for us.”

The panellists advised against ignoring the presence of new media and its usage because Arab countries’ media is evolving and the lines between traditional and other forms of journalism are  becoming blurred as news networks   increasingly rely on citizen journalists.

“Absence of freedom and censorship in totalitarian governments has led to the birth of citizen journalists and we need to note that this is a gift for us,” said Rachidi.

 The forum is in its 12th year and the theme this year was democracy, development and free trade in the Middle East and the Arab world. It was attended by 610 delegates from 84 countries. 

***17.05.2012. HONDURAS. Alerta del Secretariado Permanente de la Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia (Redlad):
Secuestro y asesinato de periodista en Honduras (English below)

El Secretariado Permanente de la Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia (Redlad) lamenta el secuestro y asesinato del periodista
hondureño Alfredo Villatoro, conductor del noticiario radial El Matutino en la emisora HRN, por mano criminal.

Villatoro, gran aliado de las Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil hondureña y director de noticias de la emisora más importante del país,
fue secuestrado por criminales el pasado miércoles 9 de mayo. El periodista fue encontrado muerto la noche del martes 15 de mayo, según lo
confirmó el Ministro de Seguridad, Pompeyo Bonilla.

Según la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, se contabilizan más de 21 asesinatos de periodistas en menos de 3 años, todos los casos
permanecen impunes. Honduras, el país más violento del mundo con más de 87 homicidios por cada 100 mil habitantes y en donde cada hora y media se contabiliza una nueva muerte violenta.

El Colegio de Periodistas de Honduras (CPH) condenó el secuestro de Villatoro y alertó sobre la pésima situación que vive la libertad de
prensa y expresión en el país centroamericano. Igualmente, el Cardenal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez, repudió el hecho delictivo. A su vez, la
Asociación de Medios de Comunicación de Honduras (AMCH) exigió al Gobierno del Presidente Porfirio Lobo que "investigue, identifique y castigue" al
crimen organizado que ha secuestrado, violentado y asesinado a tantos periodistas en Honduras.

Por ello, el Secretariado Permanente de la Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia, plataforma de impulso a la democracia y el
respeto de los derechos humanos, integrada por más de 300 organizaciones de la región. Miembro Oficial del Foro de Sociedad Civil de la
Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA) y Capítulo Regional del Movimiento Mundial por la Democracia (WMD):

· Alerta al gobierno del presidente Porfirio Lobo para que tome cartas en el asunto y no escatime gastos en asegurar el pleno respeto de
la libertad de prensa. La violencia en Honduras es una situación alarmante que requiere soluciones concretas y rápidas.
· Insta a la comunidad internacional y gobiernos democráticos del mundo a solicitar públicamente el respeto a la libertad de expresión y
prensa en Honduras y aumentar los vínculos de cooperación para la ejecución de proyectos encaminados a enfrentar el dilema de violencia
generalizada que azota al país.
· Urge a los medios de comunicación internacionales, organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil e instituciones defensoras de la
libertad de prensa y expresión a manifestarse sobre el hecho y respaldar acciones para una prensa libre en Honduras y el mundo entero.
· Se une los gremios de periodistas hondureños, organizaciones sociales y personalidades que reprocharon el secuestro del periodista y
han defendido la libertad de prensa.
· Se solidariza con los allegados, familiares y compañeros de lo que es otra víctima más de la intolerancia, la violencia y la violación de
derechos humanos llevada a cabo por parte el crimen organizado

La libertad de prensa debe ser obligatoriamente respetada y protegida. El tema de la violencia en Honduras es una cuestión que requiere de urgente
atención por parte del gobierno hondureño, gobiernos hemisféricos, agencias de cooperación y Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil del mundo
entero. ¿Cuántos periodistas más deben morir?

Alert of Permanent Secretariat of Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (Redlad):  Murder of journalist in Honduras.
May, 2012.

The Permanent Secretariat of Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (Redlad) deplores the murder of journalist Alfredo Villatoro,
host of The Morning radio news on the radio station HRN, by criminal hand in Honduras, .

Villatoro, a great ally of the Civil Society Organizations in Honduras and news director of the country's largest radio station, was kidnapped on
Wednesday May 9 by criminal hands. The journalist was found dead on Tuesday night May 15, as confirmed by the Minister of Security, Pompey
Bonilla.

According to the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras, are accounted for more than 21 murders of journalists in less than 3 years, all cases
have gone unpunished. Honduras is the most violent country in the world with more than 87 homicides per 100 000 inhabitants, in Honduras every
hour and a half happens one new violent death.

The Journalists Association of Honduras (CPH) condemned the kidnapping of Villatoro and warned about the terrible situation that live freedom of
speech and press in the Central American country. Similarly, Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez, condemned the crime. In turn, the Asociación de
Medios de Comunicación de Honduras (AMCH) demanded the government of President Porfirio Lobo to "investigate, identify and punish" the
organized crime that has kidnapped, raped and murdered so many journalists in Honduras.

Therefore, the Permanent Secretariat of Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy, a platform for advancing democracy and respect for
human rights, integrated over 300 organizations in the region. Official Member of the Civil Society Forum of the Organization of American States
(OAS) and Regional Chapter of the World Movement for Democracy (WMD):

· Warning the government of President Porfirio Lobo to take action on the matter and spare no expense in ensuring full respect for press
freedom. Violence in Honduras is an alarming situation that requires specific solutions and fast.
· Urges the international community and democratic governments of the world to apply for respect of freedom of speech and press in Honduras
and increase cooperation to implement projects to address the dilemma of widespread violence plaguing the country.
· Urges the international media, civil society organizations and institutions that defend press freedom and expression that will manifest
publicly about the problem and will support actions to get free press in Honduras and the world.
· Joining to the Honduran journalists unions, social organizations and personalities who criticized the kidnapping of journalist and have
defended freedom of the press.
· Give solidarity with the relatives, family and colleagues of who is yet another victim of intolerance, violence and violation of human
rights carried out by organized crime.

Press freedom must necessarily be respected and protected. The issue of violence in Honduras is a matter that requires urgent attention by the
Honduran government, hemispheric governments, aid agencies and civil society organizations worldwide. How many journalists have to die?

Secretariado Permanente
Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia
San José, Costa Rica
http://www.redlad.org/

***14.05.2012. SYRIA. Eight journalists and bloggers freed, 31 still held (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders welcomes the provisional release of eight journalists and bloggers who were arrested by intelligence officials
during a raid on the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) in Damascus on 16 February.
“The release of these eight news and information activists at the end of last week is a positive sign, but it should not divert attention from the
fact they are still facing a court martial and that dozens of other journalists and netizens are still languishing in Syrian jails,” Reporters
Without Borders said, reiterating its call for their immediate release.
Seven of the eight released – Yara Badr, Razan Ghazzawi, Mayada Khalil, Sana Zetani, Joan Farsso, Bassam Al-Ahmed and Ayham Ghazzoul – are SCM
members. The eighth, Hanadi Zahlout, was visiting the centre at the time of the raid.
They are all due to appear before a military court on 29 May on a charge of “possessing prohibited documents with a view to distributing them,”
which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence.
Five of the eight who are women – Badr, Ghazzawi, Khalil, Zetani and Zahlout – were released three days after the raid but were rearrested when
they first appeared before the military court in Damascus on 22 April. The other three – Farsso, Ahmed and Ghazzoul – had remained in detention but
were brought before the military court at the same time as the five women on 22 April. They spent at least part of their time in detention in
solitary confinement.
Five other SCM members who were also arrested during the 16 February raid – Hussein Gharir, Hani Zetani, Mansour Al-Omari, Abdel Rahman Hamada and SCM president Mazen Darwish – have been held apart from the others and have not as yet been brought before any court.
Human rights lawyer Anwar Al-Bonni told Agence France-Presse during the weekend that he had received word that they might in poor health. The
judge handling the case of the other eight has ordered that that Darwish appear as a witness at the 29 May hearing.
According to a Reporters Without Borders tally, at least 31 professional journalists, citizen journalists and cyber-activists are currently
detained by the Syrian authorities.

12.05.2012 - Two Turkish journalists released but more than 37 Syrian journalists still held
Reporters Without Borders is relieved to learn that two Turkish journalists who were captured while making a documentary in northwestern
Syria two months ago were released today. Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the Iranian government acted as mediator in their release.
Adem Özköse, a reporter for the magazine Gerçek Hayat and the daily Milat, and cameraman Hamit Coşkun were abducted by a pro-government militia near the northwestern city of Idleb on 10 March and were handed over to a government intelligence agency.
IHH, a Turkish Islamist humanitarian NGO, announced on 5 May that it had managed to visit the two detained journalists in Damascus. Turgut Alp
Boyraz, the head of foreign news at Milat, said they were able to telephone their families on 5 May for the first time since their capture.
Announcing their release, the Turkish foreign minister said: “We expect that they will arrive in Tehran shortly. At our prime minister’s request,
we have sent a plane to Iran to bring back journalists.” They are expected to arrive in Turkey this evening or tomorrow, the Turkish news agency
Anatolia reported.
Reporters Without Borders said: “Their release is a big relief but more than 37 journalists and citizen journalists are still detained in Syria.
We must not forget them.”

***14.05.2012. MEXICO. Mexico: international and regional experts urge swift action to protect human rights defenders and journalists

GENEVA / WASHINGTON D.C. (14 May 2012) – “The killings and threats repeatedly suffered by rights defenders and journalists in Mexico must
stop immediately,” urged a group of four experts from the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, calling on the
Government to move ahead with the swift promulgation and effective implementation of the ‘Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
and Journalists’.

Highlighting the immediacy of the threats facing defenders and journalists, the experts also urged the Government to implement existing
protection mechanisms as a matter of urgency, in order to avoid further attacks and loss of life and to complement the new provisions when they
come into effect.

The Bill, which has been approved by both chambers of the Federal Congress, seeks to guarantee and safeguard the life, integrity and
security of human rights defenders and journalists by creating a mechanism with the authority to implement measures to protect those at risk, as well
as at preventing such risks from arising in the future.

“Human rights defenders in Mexico desperately need the State’s effective protection now,” said Margaret Sekaggya, the United Nations Special
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. “They continue to suffer killings, attacks, harassment, threats, stigmatization and other
serious human rights violations.”

“The State has to implement, as a matter of priority, a global protection policy for human rights defenders. The lack of appropriate and effective
systems for implementing specialized protection measures are related to the situation of defenselessness in which many human rights defenders find
themselves, which has caused the death of many of them in recent years,” stressed Santiago A. Canton, the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of the Rapporteurship of Human Rights
Defenders*.

“We have to break the cycle of impunity in Mexico, which is becoming an increasingly violent place for journalists,” said Frank La Rue, United
Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. “The recent killing of four press
workers in Veracruz underscores the dire need for concrete steps to be taken to guarantee the safety of journalists and put an end to impunity.”

Catalina Botero, Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, stressed that “safeguarding
journalists and human rights defenders is not only compatible with the fight against crime, it is an essential element of this struggle. The
Mexican authorities should take immediate measures to protect those journalists and human rights defenders that are being threatened, as well
as to make definitive advances in the struggle against impunity for the crimes that have been committed against them.”

The four experts commended the Federal Congress for approving the Bill, pointing out that it would provide added impetus and sustainability to
existing protection frameworks, while also strengthening these frameworks.

The Bill was drafted in consultation with civil society organizations, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico provided
technical advice throughout the drafting process.

The human rights experts praised the consultative process which allowed multiple stakeholders to play an important role in the drafting of the
Bill, and called for the same participatory approach throughout the implementation process. However, they emphasized the urgency of providing
effective protection to those at risk and ensuring that human rights violations against journalists and human rights defenders do not go
unpunished.

(*) In keeping with Article 17(2)(a) of the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, Commissioner José de Jesús Orozco Henríquez, of Mexican
nationality, does not participate in matters concerning said country.
ENDS

***30.04.2012. Clombia - Todavía se desconoce paradero de corresponsal francés Roméo Langlois (FLIP)

La Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa – FLIP, manifiesta su preocupación por  la situación del periodista francés Roméo Langlois, quien está desaparecido luego de encontrarse atrapado en medio de combates entre el Ejército colombiano y la guerrilla de las Farc, en las selvas del departamento de Caquetá, al sur oriente del  país.
 
La FLIP hace un llamado para que se maneje con mayor prudencia la información sobre lo sucedido. Cualquier especulación e información no confirmada sobre los hechos y el paradero actual del reportero, pueden ponerlo aún más en riesgo. La FLIP espera que pronto se puedan tener noticias favorables sobre las condiciones de Roméo Langlois.
 
Lo sucedido
 
El sábado 28 de abril, el periodista Langlois, corresponsal de la cadena de televisión France 24 y el diario Le Figaro, acompañó una operación de militares y policías contra laboratorios de coca custodiados por las Farc en las selvas de Caquetá, como parte de la realización de un documental sobre el narcotráfico en Colombia.
 
Durante el operativo, el grupo cayó en una emboscada del Frente 15 de las Farc, lo cual inició los enfrentamientos militares. El periodista quedó entre el fuego cruzado.

El domingo el Ministro de Defensa, Juan Carlos Pinzón, señaló que, de acuerdo a información dada por los soldados, durante el combate el periodista, que portaba chaleco antibalas y casco blindado, quedó herido en un brazo. “En medio de la tensión seguramente tomó la decisión de quitarse el chaleco y el casco militar, y manifestar que era de la población civil para desplazarse al área desde donde disparaban los guerrilleros”, explicó.

Por su parte, el Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Francia, Alain Juppé, anunció ayer que el reportero había sido secuestrado por el grupo guerrillero. Sin embargo, en las últimas horas precisó que “no hay certeza absoluta” de que Langlois haya sido plagiado.

El gobierno colombiano dice no saber dónde se encuentra el periodista y hasta el momento las Farc no se han pronunciado sobre el tema.
  
Simone Bruno, periodista que trabaja en el documental junto con Langlois, pero que no fue al operativo, viajó a Caquetá junto con otros periodistas internacionales para tener mayor claridad sobre lo sucedido. "Hay muchos comentarios y rumores sobre su situación pero son simples rumores”, dijo Bruno.

Hasta el momento lo único cierto es que Langlois se encuentra desaparecido y se desconoce su estado de salud.

Roméo Langlois es un corresponsal con amplia experiencia en el cubrimiento del conflicto en Colombia y ha hecho varios reportajes sobre el tema.

Periodismo y conflicto

El Caquetá ha sido históricamente uno de los departamento más afectados por el conflicto armado colombiano. Para las Farc es un territorio estratégico para el cultivo y producción de coca, así como para la confrontación contra el Estado. En ese departamento el Ejército cuenta con la Brigada XII y dos birgadas móviles más.

El trabajo periodístico es fundamental para infomrar y comprender el conflicto en Colombia. La situación de Roméo Langlois, demuestra, una vez más, las difíciles condiciones y el peligro que representa para el periodismo cubrir temas relacionados con el conflicto armado.

***27.04.2012. Brazil. UN alarmed by another journalist killed in Brazil - statement by Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville 

We are alarmed that yet another journalist has been killed in Brazil, bringing to at least four the number of journalists murdered in the
country so far this year. Décio Sá, an investigative journalist reporting on local politics, corruption and organized crime, was gunned down in a
bar on Monday, 23 April. We condemn his murder and are concerned at what appears to be a disturbing trend of killing journalists that is damaging
the exercise of freedom of expression in Brazil. We have long been concerned about the need for Brazilian human rights defenders, including
journalists, to be able to conduct their work without fear of intimidation or worse.

We welcome the fact that state authorities have committed to conducting a thorough investigation and call for this and other similar cases to be
treated as a major priority so that perpetrators are not emboldened by the prevailing lack of accountability for such crimes. At the same time, we
urge the Government to immediately implement protection measures to prevent any more such incidents.

A bill introduced into Congress in 2011, ordering police investigations into crimes against journalists to be conducted at a Federal level, would
be a step in the right direction. We hope this and other measures to protect journalists will be adopted as a matter of some urgency.

***24.04.2012. UN approves common strategy on safety of journalists

The UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, led by UNESCO, was endorsed on 13 April 2012 by the UN Chief Executives Board, the highest level coordination mechanism of the UN system. The Plan of Action aims toward the creation of a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers in both conflict and non-conflict situations, with a view to strengthening peace, democracy and development worldwide. The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, told fellow board members that “the safety of journalists is essential to upholding Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that guarantees the right to freedom of expression.”
Over the last decade, more than 500 journalists and media workers have been killed worldwide, with many more wounded or threatened while carrying out their professional responsibilities. In 2011 alone, 62 journalists were killed, according to the latest biennial UNESCO Director-General Report on The Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity, presented in March. In most cases, noted this report, these journalists were not reporting on armed conflict but on local stories, particularly related to corruption and other illegal activities such as organized crime and drugs.
In light of these dramatic statistics, there has been a pressing need for the various UN agencies, funds and programmes to develop a single, strategic and harmonized approach in order to have greater impact on combating the issue.
The measures in the Plan include the establishment of a coordinated inter-agency mechanism to handle issues related to the safety of journalists, and the involvement of other intergovernmental organizations at international and regional levels to encourage the incorporation of media development programmes focusing on journalists’ safety within their respective strategies. The plan also foresees the extension of work already conducted by UNESCO to prevent crimes against media workers. This includes assisting countries to develop legislation and mechanisms favourable to freedom of expression and information, and by supporting their efforts to implement existing international rules and principles.
To further reinforce prevention, the Plan recommends working in cooperation with governments, media houses, professional associations and NGOs to conduct awareness-raising campaigns on a wide range of issues such as existing international instruments and conventions, the growing dangers posed by emerging threats to media professionals, including non-state actors, as well as various existing practical guides on the safety of journalists. Emphasis is also given to the importance of disseminating good practices on the safety of journalists and how to counteract impunity. Journalism education institutions will also be encouraged to include in their curricula, materials relevant to the safety of journalists and impunity.
The UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity is the result of a process that began in 2010 upon request of the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).

***23.04.2012. BAHRAIN. IFJ Condemns Media Restrictions in Bahrain ahead of Controversial Grand Prix

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused the authorities in Bahrain of deliberately obstructing the work of foreign reporters who sought to cover the anti-government protests ahead of the Formula One race which took place in the country yesterday. Bahrain denied visas to non-sport journalists and arrested those who were working in the country without journalists’ visas.

“This selective approach to media accreditation is arbitrary and totally unacceptable,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “The authorities were only too happy to tout the return of the Grand Prix to Bahrain as a sign that the situation is normal. Yet, they deliberately set out to deny independent media to verify this claim on the ground.”

Reports say that a number of journalists were denied visas to enter the kingdom as the decision by Formula One to stage the race there sparked new anti-governments protests. Last year’s pro-democracy demonstrations marked by violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces led to the cancellation of the motor sport event.

Among journalists who were prevented from entering Bahrain were Financial Times’ Simeon Kerr, Sky News' chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, Times' journalist Karen Lee, CNN correspondent Amber Lyon, two AP reporters and all Reuters' non-sport correspondents.

The authorities also detained on Sunday Jonathan Miller, reporter of Britain’s Channel 4 News, along with his team for working without accreditation, according to reports. They were released this morning and deported from the country. The news channel said that the team’s local driver was assaulted and separated from the foreign reporters and his whereabouts were unknown.

The IFJ voices concerns over the authorities’ commitment to implementing meaningful changes, including respect for press freedom. The Federation points to the failure of the government to implement in full the recommendations of the Bassiouni report, in particular to review court cases involving journalists as well as reinstating all sacked journalists. The case of France 24’s reporter Nazeeha Saeed has been referred back to the public prosecutor by the High Criminal Court while journalist Reem Khalifa was recently fined BD 600 (around US$ 1600).

“The government’s ongoing resistance to legitimate scrutiny by independent media renders its claim to genuine change less credible,”’ added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “Unless they match their words with verifiable action and stop interfering in media affairs, their already poor record on democratic rule will soon be beyond repair.”

***19.04.2012. SYRIA. Four citizen journalists killed despite ceasefire (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders has learned of the deaths of four citizen journalists in Syria: Ahmed Abdallah Fakhriyeh shot dead in Dmeir and Samir Shalab Al-Sham Abu Mohamed killed by a shell in Homs, both on 14 April, and Alaa Al-Din Hassan Al-Douri, whose dead body was recovered in Hama province yesterday, and Khaled Mahmoud Kabbisho, summarily executed yesterday in Idlib.

The information we have received about the identities of these four activists and the circumstances of the deaths is difficult to confirm, however.

“Every day the violence in Syria causes dozens of deaths and takes a heavy toll among journalists and citizen journalists,” the press freedom organization said.

“The government disregards its international commitments and shows little sign of ending its brutal crackdown. Information from Syria has become extremely difficult to obtain, to the point where we are unable to confirm with certainty our information about the deaths of the four citizen journalists.”

“We hope that the arrival of international observers will allow the government to end the media isolation it has adopted so that it can pursue its bloody crackdown, and we draw the observers’ attention to this issue.”

Fakhriyeh, 35, was shot dead while he was driving to film the arrival of Syrian army troops in the village of Dmeir, about 40 km northeast of Damascus. He was a member of the local coordinating committee and had been filming events in Syria for the past year.

Al-Sham, 26, was wounded when a mortar round hit the building from which he was recording the shelling of two Homs neighbourhoods by Syrian forces. Residents were unable to go to his aid and he died shortly afterwards. Known by the nickname Abu Layla, he had been covering the Syrian uprising in Syrian for the Syria News Network for more than a year.

Al-Douri, 44, was wounded by a bullet at a roadblock near the ancient ruins of Apamea, about 40 km northwest of Hama. He was held in custody by security forces and his dead body, showing signs of torture, was handed over to his family three days later. A leading rights activist, he had given up his job more than a year ago to devote his time to the revolutionary movement. He was married with two children.

Kabbisho was held for questioning then summarily executed in the town of Idlib in the northwest of the country. His head was reported to have been crushed by a Syrian army tank. The activist, who regularly posted videos of demonstrations in Idlib onhis YouTube channel, was married with three children. His wife is pregnant with their fourth child.

Reporters Without Borders has also learned, again without confirmation, the arrest of Mohamed Al-Hariri two days ago in Deraa. If this turns out to be the case, the worst is feared for this citizen journalist, who appeared on the TV channel Al-Jazeera describing the operations of the Syrian army in the town.

***05.04.2012. SYRIA. SAFETY ADVICE FOR JOURNALISTS (INSI)

LONDON (April 4/INSI) Syria was the most dangerous country for journalists in the first three months of this year, with 10 members of the news media killed there since the start of 2012.
As next week's deadline approaches for an internationally brokered ceasefire, the International News Safety Institute urges all journalists to take adequate precautions in what continues to be an extremely dangerous and unpredictable environment for those working in the news media.
 
The following advice has been collated by INSI for those working in Syria:
Share your travel plans with a trustworthy person who would be able to contact the authorities/international pressure groups in the case of an emergency;
Consider sharing passwords for your emails in case you are arrested and your accounts are hacked
Make sure you are discreet about moving into a building - when you move around during the day don't give away your night-time positions
Try to move locations during the night and change locations each day/night
Ensure you are not next to an anti Government forces position or any sort of political base
Where possible seek out a cellar with reinforced concrete, so you can take cover if they start shelling
If no cellar, then try to find a stairwell or an escalator shaft; they are normally made of reinforced concrete
Wear your flak jackets and helmets day and night - sleep in them if you feel the need
Make sure editors are sending in people with advanced trauma kits, who know how to use them and have the training in advanced life support
Think about taking a safety advisor as they can advise on military tactics, weapons systems and ranges of weapons and when to think about moving locations
Carry your first aid kit with you at all times, as well as communication equipment (satphone) grab bag, GPS and all emergency kit
Think about where, how and when you transmit and receive. Is it absolutely necessary to film or can you send a mobile message back - this is a lot safer (why? because transmissions can be tracked?)
Make sure you have an exit plan as well as an emergency escape plan
Make sure you are covered by life assurance for this area
Make sure the management is clear at what stage they need to pull people out - ask yourself whether the story still worth it?
Do not transmit from where you are staying
Find a location inside as far away as possible from your living location to transmit - do this with the least amount of people, so if there is a probability that fewer people get hurt
Transit in 2 minute bursts and then get off the phone and move location. The Government Forces will find it more difficult to get a location fix
Your management should not have a "I have to transmit" policy. If you cannot do the above then you don't file
Think about filming at night, they often have less people awake at night and it is more difficult to locate due to the darkness and lack of vision. Still file in 2 minute bursts and move location, but maybe just a few hundreds metres under cover of darkness.
Don't hang around in huddles of journalists and consider avoiding news hubs as they attract enemy fire

***31.03.2012. 23 journalists killed in Syria - Doha Center for Media Freedom (DCMF) documents the killing of 23 journalists in Syria as part of government crackdown on anti-regime protests.

Death toll of journalists and citizen journalists killed in Syria since the beginning of the regime campaign to flush out anti-government protests has jumped to 23, according to Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF).

The DCMF has documented the killings based on its sources in Syria, Local Co-ordination Committees, the Homs Revolutionary Council and the Syrian Journalists Association.

Some of the journalists were killed during Syrian army random shelling of some neighbourhoods, while others were killed by snipers or due to torture following their capture.

While the DCMF conveys condolences to the families of all journalists killed in Syria, it expresses shock and sadness at the deaths and pays tribute to the immense courage of all local and foreign reporters covering the events in Syria.

The Centre also condemns in the strongest possible manner the brutal killings of those journalists-- in bold violation of international human rights norms and freedom of expression --- and urges the Syrian authorities to end targeting local and foreign journalists and to guarantee their right to move freely to cover events currently taking place in Syria.

The following is the list of journalists killed in Syria as documented by the DCMF:

Ahmed Daheek, photographer, killed by tank gunship near Homs on 29-5-2011.

Farzat Yahya Jerban, broadcast technician and photographer. He was arrested by the Syrian intelligence service in the small city of Al-Qusayr, near Homs on 19-11-2011. His body was found dumped in the street the following day with clear signs of torture on his body.

Nizar Adnan Humsa, a photographer. He was detained by Syrian intelligence for one month and a half in Al Bayada neighbourhood in Homs. His dead body was handed over to his family on 26/11/2011.

Firas Barshan, a photographer shot and killed by Syrian security in the city of Hama on 07/12/2011.

Hamza Khalid Amer, a photographer. He was killed by an ARPJ rocket while filming the army’s incursion of Shamseen, near Homos on 15-12-2011

Bilal Jibss, a photographer killed by a sniper in Kafr Tkharam, Idlib on 16/12/2011.

Basil Al Sayed, photographer, killed in a random shooting. He filmed the shooting which cost his life in 22-12-2011

Muawiya Ibrahim Ayoub, photographer, killed by security forces while filming their incursion of Rasten neighbourhood near Homs on 28-12-2011

Muatassim al Saleh, broadcast technician, was killed near Hamah in 27-12-2011

Shukri Ahmed Ratib Abu Burghul, Radio presenter, received gunshot wound to the head on 30 December on arriving at his home in the Damascus suburb of Darya after hosting his weekly programme on Radio Damascus. He died of his wound in a Damascus hospital on 2-1-2012.

Usama Burhan Idriss, photographer, killed in a shelling of Inshaatt neighbourhood in Homs on 27-1-2012

Gilles Jacquier, French photographer killed by a rocket or a mortar shell in Homos 0n 11-1-2012

Madhar Amr Tayara, photographer, killed near Homs in 4-2-2012.

Saleh Samih Murjan, photographer, was killed by sniper fire in Karm Zeitun near Homs on 5-2-2012.

Rami al-Sayed, photographer, killed in an arbitrary bombardment of Baba Amr neighbourhood in Homs on 21-2-2012.

Anas Tarshah, photographer, killed in a random shelling in Homos on 24-2-2012

Abdullah Khaled Awad, photographer, killed in a random shelling of Al-Kusair city near Homs on 24-2-2012.

Amr Kaaka, photographer, killed by the security forces in Doma near Damascus on 9-3-2012

Marie Catherine Colvin American journalist, killed in a shelling of Baba Amr neighbourhood on 22-2-2012.

Rémi Ochlik French photographer, killed in a shelling of Baba Amr neighbourhood on 22-2-2012.

Jawan Mohammed Qatna, Kurdish photographer, was abducted by four men from his home in the town of Derbassiyeh, north of the eastern city of Al-Hassakeh on 25-3-2012. His body, which showed signs of torture, was found three hours later in a nearby village.

Nasim Entriri, Algerian journalist holding British passport, was shot dead by the Syrian army near Azmareen village on Turkish border on 26-3-2012.

Walid Blidi Algerian journalist holding British passport, was shot dead by the Syrian army near Azmareen village on Turkish border on 26-3-2012.

***25.03.2012. SOMALIA. JOURNALIST WOUNDED (NUSOJ)

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is outraged over the incident in which two men armed with pistols shot and wounded a radio
journalist at the Madina neighborhood of the bigger Wadajir district on Sunday evening around 06:00pm, the latest in a series of attacks
against journalists and media workers in recent months.

Two men armed with pistols shot and wounded Mohyadin Hasan Mohamed, "Mohyadin Husni" , who is the head of the News for the Shabelle Media
Network,, after returning from his work place on Sunday evening around 06:00pm, 25 March, 2012, according to Mohyadin Hasan Mohamed,
"Mohyadin Husni" who spoke with NUSOJ.

"I was passing nearby Mogadishu Cinema in Madina neighborhood of Wadajir district, when two men armed with pistols started shooting at
me." Mohyadin Husni told NUSOJ, "Luckily, the first shot slightly penetrated the muscle over the left part of my chest, just close to my
heart. But I am feeling good now."

"I escaped with my foot. I am lucky I am alive." Mr. Husni added.

It is not clear the reason behind the attack and no group has yet claimed.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) strongly condemns the shooting incident which was an apparent assassination attempt and
calls for the concerned authorities to investigate the incident immediately without delay.

"Journalists are working in a very difficult circumstances, despite their bravery to continue reporting the news to the Public and risking
their lives and it is unfortunate that they are targeted and killed." Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, "We call for immediate
and urgent investigation into the shooting incident and bring the assailants to a court of Justice."

"We Pray our colleague for his immediate and speedy recovery." Mr. Ibrahim added.

On March 4, 2012 Unidentified assailants shot and killed the journalist, Ali Ahmed Abdi, a young journalist in his 24, near Hotel
Guhaad, on his way home after returning from his work place on Sunday night around 10:00pm local time in the town of Galkacyo, controlled by
the Puntland authorities.

***24.03.2012. SRI LANKA. Alarming Increase in Hostile Rhetoric, Threats of Reprisals Against Journalists in Sri Lanka

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly deplores the alarming escalation in hostile rhetoric and the barely concealed threats
of reprisals that have been made against some of the country’s leading journalists and human rights defenders by representatives of the Sri
Lankan government and by state-owned media outlets.

This follows the adoption of a resolution by the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on March 22, in which the Sri Lankan government was censured for
rampant human rights violations during the last phases of the country’s long civil war and urged to initiate urgent measures of reconciliation to
ensure a durable peace between the country’s main ethnic groups.

“We observe that state-owned media has in the days since the U.S. made known its intention to table a censure resolution against the Sri Lankan
government, been rapidly ramping up the tone of its attacks on the country’s journalists and media freedom defenders,” said the IFJ
Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park

On January 26, Dinamina, the Sinhala-language daily from the state-owned Associated Newspapers (or Lake House) group, carried a story quoting
senior minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, to the effect that exiled journalists who had taken up the campaign for human rights and
reconciliation were “traitors” who were bringing the country into “disrepute.”

Later, the English-language daily from the Lake House group, the Daily News, reported that human rights defenders, including journalist and press
freedom campaigner Sunanda Deshapriya, were betraying Sri Lanka and continuing to work with the terrorist rump of the defeated Tamil insurgent
group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

In an editorial on March 16, Dinamina described human rights defenders as “degenerates” and denounced Deshapriya as a “mouthpiece of the LTTE”. It
warned that in a country like Iran, “ these kinds of bastards would be stoned to death”.

Dharmasiri Lankapeli, one of the veteran leaders of the Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions (FMETU) has also been targeted by the
state-owned media. The attacks have become particularly harsh since the country’s main professional media associations and journalists’ unions
joined hands for a “black January” observance this year, to protest against the continuing climate of impunity for attacks on the right to
free speech.

The attacks have also extended to social scientists and political commentators such as P. Saravanamuttu, Nimalka Fernando and Sunila
Abeysekara, and prominent figures of the church who have argued the cause of national reconciliation and accountability for human rights abuses
since the end of the civil war.

The government-controlled ITN TV channel has been a platform for severe verbal assaults against journalists and human rights defenders. Between
January 9 and 24, the channel carried no fewer than five programmes in its daily slot titled “Vimasuma” attacking journalists who had been present
during the nineteenth regular session of the UNHRC, for having allegedly “betrayed” the country.

The IFJ learns that vivid and graphic photo-montages have been circulated by various political actors, which represent journalists and other
prominent human rights defenders as terrorists and traitors, working at the behest of alien forces.

On March 23, Sri Lanka’s Minister for Public Relations, Mervyn Silva addressed a public demonstration against the UNHRC resolution, threatening
to “break the limbs” of any of the exiled journalists if they dared set foot in the country again. Among the journalists mentioned was Poddala
Jayantha, who suffered a brutal assault in Colombo city in June 2009 that left him with permanent disabilities, and has lived in exile since January
2010.

Silva has been known for several bruising encounters with the media in recent years and was in July 2009, credibly reported as publicly claiming
credit for the murder of newspaper editor Lasantha Wickramatunge in January and the assault on Jayantha in June.

Though he later disavowed the statement attributed to him, Silva’s record as a baiter of journalists committed to human rights and free speech, has
continued to cause deep unease.

“We fear that the hostile climate created by the stream of rhetoric from government spokespersons and state-owned media, could engender serious
hazards to those who dare to speak up in Sri Lanka for peace and national reconciliation,” said Ms Park.

The dangers are clear and imminent and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has issued a public warning against reprisals
that target Sri Lanka’s journalists and human rights defenders.

“We call on the top political leadership in Sri Lanka to promptly distance itself from the manner of hostile rhetoric that has been seen and heard
over the last three months,, said Ms Park.

“We urge that serious consideration be given to the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission which recently submitted a
comprehensive report pointing the way forward for post-conflict Sri Lanka, after being invested with a wide-ranging mandate by the President of the
country.”

***13.03.2012. INSI. INSI book sparks lively debate on women journalists in danger zones

The challenges faced by women journalists working in conflict and danger zones around the world were highlighted at the launch of INSI's ground-breaking book 'No Woman's Land: On the Frontlines with Female Reporters'.

A panel of prominent journalists moderated by BBC special correspondent Lyse Doucet, ranged over critical issues raised by some of the 40 female journalists who had written for the book. The platform, at the Thomson Reuters building in London last Thursday also included freelance photographer Kate Brooks, Sky News Head of International News Sarah Whitehead, CNN Presenter Nima Elbagir, Reuters reporter Maria Golovnina and Head of News for BBC World News Andrew Roy.

Introduced by INSI President Chris Cramer, the event began with a silent tribute to 75 female journalists who have died covering the news since 2003, the year the International News Safety Institute was founded. The recent death of Marie Colvin in Syria was a tragic reminder of the dangers of frontline reporting.

CBS correspondent Lara Logan, whose shocking assault in Cairo's Tahrir Square last year inspired the book, wrote the foreword to 'No Woman's Land', a collection of compelling stories describing the risks, the challenges and the emotional and physical impact of danger on newswomen around the globe.

The book also contains safety advice and guidance for all journalists (more on: www.newssafety.org)

***12.03.2012. In honour of World Day against Cyber-Censorship, RSF releases new list of internet enemies (RSF)

(RSF/IFEX) - 12 March 2012 - To mark World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, Reporters Without Borders is today releasing its new list of "Enemies of
the Internet" and "countries under surveillance." This report updates the list released in 2011.

Two countries, Bahrain and Belarus, have passed from the "countries under surveillance" to the "Enemies of the Internet" category. Venezuela and Libya have been dropped from the "under surveillance" category while India and Kazakhstan have been added to it.

"The changes in this list reflect recent developments in online freedom of information," Reporters Without Borders said. "Netizens have been at the
heart of political changes in the Arab world in 2011. Like journalists, they have tried to resist censorship but have paid a high price.

"Last year will be remembered as one of unprecedented violence against netizens. Five were killed while engaged in reporting activity. Nearly 200
arrests of bloggers and netizens were reported in 2011, a 30 per cent increase on 2010. These unprecedented figures risk being exceeded in 2012
as a result of the indiscriminate violence being used by the Syrian authorities in particular. More than 120 netizens are currently detained.

"On World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, we pay tribute to the ordinary citizens who often risk their lives or their freedom to keep us informed
and to ensure that often brutal crackdowns do not take place without the outside world knowing."

Reporters Without Borders added: "As online censorship and content filtering continue to accentuate the Internet's division and digital
segregation, solidarity among those who defend a free Internet accessible to all is more essential than ever in order to maintain channels of
communication between netizens and to ensure that information continues to
circulate."

Social networks and netizens versus filtering and surveillance

The last report, released in March 2011, highlighted the fact that the Internet and online social networks had been conclusively established as
tools for organizing protests and circulating information in the course of the Arab world's mass uprisings. In the months that followed, repressive
regimes responded with tougher measures to what they regarded as unacceptable attempts to destabilize their authority.

At the same time, supposedly democratic countries continue to set a bad example by yielding to the temptation to put security above other concerns
and by adopting disproportionate measures to protect copyright. Technical service providers are under increasing pressure to act as Internet cops.
Companies specializing in online surveillance are becoming the new mercenaries in an online arms race. Hactivists are providing technical
expertise to netizens trapped by repressive regimes. Diplomats are getting involved. More than ever before, online freedom of expression is now a
major foreign and domestic policy issue.

Two new Enemies of the Internet - Bahrain and Belarus

Bahrain and Belarus have joined Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam in the "Enemies
of the Internet" category. These countries combine often drastic content filtering with access restrictions, tracking of cyber-dissidents and
online propaganda.

Bahrain offers an example of an effective news blackout based a remarkable array of repressive measures: keeping the international media away,
harassing human rights activists, arresting bloggers and netizens (one of whom died in detention), smearing and prosecuting free speech activists,
and disrupting communications, especially during major demonstrations.

As Belarus sinks further into political isolation and economic stagnation, President Lukashenko's regime has lashed out at the Internet in response
to an attempted "revolution via the social media." The Internet was blocked during a series of "silent protests," the list of inaccessible
websites grew longer and some sites were the victims of cyber-attacks. Internet users and bloggers were arrested or invited to "preventive
conversations" with the police in a bid to get them to stop demonstrating or covering demonstrations. And Law No. 317-3, which took effect on 6
January 2012, gave the regime additional Internet surveillance and control powers.

(. . .)
Click here to read more

http://12mars.rsf.org

***07.03.2012. RUSSIA. IFJ Condemns Media Crackdown in Russia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its European group the Federation of European Journalists (EFJ) today joined the Russian
affiliate, the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), in condemning serious violations of press freedom during the presidential poll held in Russia
last week. Media reports say that police in Moscow attacked journalists who were covering the presidential poll and arrested some of them.

“Evidence is emerging of numerous incidents across the country in which police deliberately attacked journalists who were duly accredited to cover
the elections, some of whom have also been arrested, ” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “ We condemn this thuggish behavior and we support the call from our members in Russia for an investigation into these acts.”

In a statement, the Russian Union of Journalists said that police in Moscow arrested journalists who were covering protests held on Monday to
denounce electoral irregularities during last Sunday presidential poll which was won by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The Union also accused
police of attacking some journalists, including Pavel Nikulin, correspondent of the Moscow News, Andrey Stenin of RIA Novosti, Alexandre
Borzenko of Echo of Moscow, Vladimir Romansky, correspondent of TV Dozhd TV and Ilya Barabanov of The New Times.

According to RUJ, police detained journalists despite the fact that they had been shown accreditation documents. The union has also written to the
Head of the Investigative Committee in the Office of the Russian General Prosecutor, demanding an investigation in the attacks on media, the
statement says.

The IFJ also learned that Igor Taro, the special envoy of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Service (Eesti Rahvusringhääling -ERR) to cover
elections in Russia was arrested on 1 March in the Pskov region. He was accused of filming without permission even though he was duly accredited
to cover the elections in the country. Police detained and interrogated him for several hours. The reporter later recovered his equipment but had
to return to Estonia on 2 March. The Estonian Journalists’ Union, an EFJ/IFJ affiliate, condemned the action of Russian police as” a rude
breach of journalistic freedoms “.

The EFJ also backed the RUJ’s call for investigation, saying that the recent attacks signal an aggressive approach the authorities have taken to
confront the opposition to President-elect Vladimir Putin.

“We are concerned that the crackdown on journalists we have seen over the last days is a sign of worse things to come,” added EFJ President Arne
König. “The authorities give every indication that they plan to suppress independent reporting on the political protests against the new leadership
in Russia.”

***05.03.2012. JOURNALISTS REPORTING ON HUMAN RIGHTS NEED GREATER PROTECTION, SAYS UN EXPERT

Recent global events have highlighted the fact that journalists and media workers reporting on human rights issues are particularly vulnerable to
threats and attacks, an independent United Nations expert <"
http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11905&LangID=E
">said today, calling for greater protection for those who carry out such vital work.

“Because of the potential impact on society that journalists and media workers can have by disseminating information about human rights through a
wide array of media, those individuals are often threatened, wounded and killed in an attempt to silence their voices,” stated Margaret Sekaggya,
the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

“Their work is of extreme importance in holding Governments accountable. However, those same Governments often crack down on them, including
through threats, harassment, arrests, detentions, and in the worst of cases killings,” she added in a <"
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/HRC/19/55">report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, which is currently meeting in Geneva.

Restrictions on media and press freedom, and impunity around violations against journalists and media workers defending human rights can foster a
climate of intimidation, stigmatization, violence and self-censorship that can have a chilling effect on their work, according to the expert.

“States should publically recognize the role of these defenders and ensure prompt and impartial investigations and the prosecution of those
responsible for violations against them,” she wrote.

Presenting her report to the 47-member Council earlier today, Ms. Sekaggya said the ‘Arab Spring’ helped focus global attention on the extraordinary
risks rights defenders face while promoting and protecting human rights in all regions of the world.

She also expressed deep concern that State actors, including Government officials, State security forces and the judiciary, are reportedly the
perpetrators of many of the violations committed against these defenders.

“Journalists, environmental, student and youth rights defenders and those working on land issues are in significant need of protection,” she told
the Council. “Most of these risks directly affect their physical integrity and that of their family members, but also involve the abusive use of
legal frameworks against them and the criminalization of their work.”

The popular protests in countries across the Middle East and North Africa have also shed light on the situation of defenders of youth and student
rights. “History shows us that youth and students have played a key role in the promotion of human rights and in placing new ideas on the human
rights agenda.

“However, members of youth and student movements are in many cases seen as troublemakers rather than serious actors who can fruitfully contribute to public debate,” she said. “Their voices deserve to be heard, and they should not be threatened as a result of their engagement.”

The expert also highlighted the plight of defenders working on land and environmental issues, such as the impact of extractive industries. In her
report, she noted that both State and non-State actors are involved in violations against this group of defenders, and underlines the disturbing
number of killings and physical attacks reported to her.

“Human rights defenders have the right to protection, and it is the State’s responsibility to ensure this protection, so that defenders can
carry out their important and legitimate work in an enabling environment,” she underscored.

***01.03.2012. SYRIA. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) - UN Human Rights Council resolution calls for end to impunity for Syrian regime

http://www.fidh.org/UN-Human-Rights-Council-resolution,11388

1 March 2012 - While the human rights and humanitarian situation in Syria is still deteriorating rapidly, the UN Human Rights Council (the Council)  this morning concluded an urgent debate on the crisis in the country. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) commends the decision to convene this debate as both a significant and necessary display of responsibility by the Council.

Following the debate, the body adopted a resolution by an overwhelming margin of thirty-seven votes to three with three abstentions (1). Russia, China and Cuba were the only states to reject the text, and the near-consensus by the rest of the Council in support of the resolution unequivocally shows that the position of these three states is firmly out of step with the international community at large. While the last resolution on Syria adopted by the Council (in December 2011) enjoyed the support of 37 states, this already broad majority was widened still further today, with an unprecedented number of 39 member states standing in favour of the resolution (2). This week's debate marked the fourth major initiative undertaken by the Human Rights Council on Syria in the past nine months, following the three Special Sessions that took place last year, of which the first inaugurated a Commission of Inquiry.

As well as insisting on the importance of ending impunity for those violating human rights in Syria, the Council resolution also “deplores the brutal actions of the Syrian regime over the past 11 months” and calls for it to put an end to human rights violations and attacks against civilians. Furthermore, the resolution also calls for “free and unimpeded access by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies,” which is all the more crucial in light of a reported ground assault on the Bab Amr district of Homs today, as well as yesterday's refusal by the Syrian authorities to allow UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos access to the country (3).

Reacting to the adoption of the resolution, FIDH President Souhayr Belhassen commented that “the text is particularly significant due to its emphasis on accountability, which signals an important evolution in the discourse on Syria at the international level.” Belhassen continued by stating her hope that “the  members of the Security Council seize upon the momentum gained in Geneva by referring the Syrian crisis to the International Criminal Court (ICC).” As pointed out by FIDH during its oral intervention, “only when international law is applied consistently and universally does it allow for sustainable peace and democracy to emerge.” As Belhassen noted, “discord in the Security Council has created a wall behind which the Assad regime has been able to act with perceived immunity. This perception will only change when agreement is reached at all levels of the UN system.”

As pointed out in FIDH's oral statement to the Human Rights Council on Thursday, the decision to hold a debate within the Council could not be more timely, with hundreds of people killed over the past month alone and Homs remaining besieged by government forces. This position is confirmed by statistics emerging from the UN this week, which put the death toll in Syria in excess of 7,500 since the start of the uprising a year ago (4). At the opening of the debate, UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that conditions have significantly worsened in Syria as of late, and called for an end to the killings (5).

In highlighting the importance of a strong follow-up to the debate, FIDH made a series of recommendations and underlined a series of additional themes to the Council. These included the imposition of an arms embargo, the release of political prisoners and the importance of guaranteeing safe and unhindered access for humanitarian organizations.

Press contact : Karine Appy + 33 1 43 55 14 12 / + 33 1 43 55 25 18

ENDNOTES :

1) Yes: Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Chile, Congo, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Koweit, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Poland, Quatar, Republic Moldova, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States of America, Uruguay No: China, Cuba, Russian Federation Abstention: Ecuador, India, Philippines. Absent from the room: Angola, Burkina Fasso, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda (Kyrgyzstan and Burkina Fasso later declared they would have voted yes and Angola declared they would have abstained)

2) Bangladesh and Cameroon had abstained in December but voted yes today. Ecuador had voted no in December, but abstained this time.

3) The Syrian authorities have continuously refused to allow the Commission of Inquiry mandated by the Council access to the country.

***23.02.2012. PALESTINE. Violations of Media Freedoms in the oPt during 2011 (Mada)

MADA: 206 Violations of Media Freedoms in Palestine in 2011 - With the Murder of Italian Journalist Vittorio Arrigoni in Gaza Representing the Most Serious Violation of the Year  

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) released its annual media freedom violations report for the occupied Palestinian territories in 2011. The report includes documentation of all violations committed against journalists and media freedoms monitored by MADA, in addition to analysis of the most prominent and dangerous types of violations committed in 2011.

MADA identified a total of 206 violations against media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories during 2011, showing little improvement on 2010, which witnessed a total of 218 violations. Although the numbers show a decrease in the violations compared with 2010, with twelve less violations, they cannot be considered a qualitative improvement in media freedoms considering the seriousness and brutality of a number of the violations that occurred in 2011.

MADA general director Mousa Rimawi stated that the status of media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories remain tentative because of continued Israeli occupation forces violations against journalists and media freedoms, and ongoing Palestinian security forces violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  Rimawi stressed that without an end to the occupation and the ratification of the Palestinian political reconciliation it is difficult to talk about real improvements in media freedoms.

Rimawi said that the number of Palestinian violations exceeded Israeli occupation violations - by a small margin - for the first time. Palestinian security services committed 106 violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2011, marking a significant increase on 2010 which witnessed a total of 79 Palestinian violations, and marked decrease in IOF and settler violations in 2011 with a total count of 100 violations compared with 2010, which saw a total of 139 Israeli occupation violations.

Rimawi, however, stated two important factors in this regard.  Firstly, that although the total number of Israeli violations decreased, the violations committed constituted a greater threat to the health and wellbeing of the journalists, who were targeted with, for example, the excessive and inappropriate use of crowd control weaponry such as rubber coated steel bullets, tear gas, concussion grenades and the recently introduced Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), coined “The Scream”. Secondly, that in cases of non-violent abuses, such as restriction of movement, prohibition from travel or prevention from covering an event, many journalists do not report the incident. In addition, it is also important to note the different Palestinian security service trends seen in the two divided Palestinian territories, with 2011 seeing 62 violation in the Gaza Strip and 44 in the West Bank.

MADA also believes that this marked increase in Palestinian security service violations is spurred on by the continuing Palestinian political divisions. Despite the signing of a reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas in 2011, no real steps towards appeasement have been made and there remains a lack in accountability for perpetrators.

 The most serious and heinous violation seen in 2011 was the criminal murder of Italian journalist Vittorio Arrigoni by an armed group in Gaza. As a well known long-term solidarity activist and advocate of the Palestinian people, Arrigoni’s murder sent shockwaves through Palestinian society. Before his death, Arrigoni had spent three years living in and reporting from the Gaza Strip, writing articles and raising awareness of the terrible conditions suffered by the people of Gaza as a result of the Israeli blockade and siege.  Arrigoni was known throughout the Palestinian territories as a kind man who loved helping anyone anywhere he could, a dedication for which he received Palestinian citizenship in honor of all his efforts.

2011 also witnessed the severe injury of journalist Mohamed Othman who was shot in the chest and hand by Israeli occupation forces on 15 May 2011, while covering a march commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the Nakba. The severity of Othman’s injury, which included paralysis from the waist down, necessitated his transfer to a hospital in Turkey—where he remains today—for specialist treatment. After approximately 10 months of treatment his condition has improved.  Othman is now able to walk with the aid of a special device, however, his doctors estimate that it will take a further 2 years for him to be able to walk unassisted.  

MADA stressed in its report that Israel’s continued violation of international conventions, particularly article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and their continued assault on freedom of expression in the occupied Palestinian territories has made journalism one of the hardest and most dangerous professions practiced by Palestinians. MADA also denounced the widespread official international silence towards Israeli violations and the lack of any tangible steps taken to reduce the danger faced by journalists in the line of duty.

MADA additionally called upon the concerned Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to respect the right of freedom of expression and abide by Palestinian Basic Law, particularly article 19, which sanctions this right. MADA also called for an end to the division’s effect on the media, the allowance for all media outlets to work freely and without hindrance, and demanded that all those responsible for attacks on journalists be held accountable.

To read the complete report, please click on the following link:

www.madacenter.org/images/text_editor/annualR2011.doc
 

***21.02.2012. SYRIA. UN experts raise alarm over arbitrary detentions and likely use of torture

GENEVA (21 February 2012) – United Nations independent experts condemned the arrest of at least 16 persons, including prominent Syrian human rights figures, and voiced their concern that the individuals may be subjected to torture and ill treatment. It appears their arrests and detention are
directly linked to the activities of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression’s (SCM) in the defence of human rights.

“The Syrian authorities should end all acts of harassment against human rights defenders and release all those arbitrarily arrested and detained,”
said the UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya; freedom of expression, Frank La Rue; torture, Juan Méndez; and
the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, El Hadji Malick Sow.

On the afternoon of Thursday, 16 February, security forces raided the offices of the SCM, a prominent human rights organization, which enjoys UN
consultative status. All persons present in the centre, including its director, Mazen Darwich, blogger Razan Ghazawi, and at least 14 other
persons, were reportedly arrested, blindfolded and taken to Al Jawiya in Mezza airport.

“The arrest of these persons, including prominent human rights defenders, is emblematic of an alarming and recurrent pattern of arbitrary detention
in Syria since March 2011. Detention without legal basis should never be used as a method of repression,” independent expert Sow said.

Special Rapporteur Sekaggya underscored that States must ensure that no harm comes either physically or mentally to human rights defenders. “The
current situation in Syria does not provide a pretext for Governments to harass and arbitrarily detain human rights defenders,” she said. “On the
contrary, they play a crucial role in the protection of human rights in high-risk situations. The Government should work with them, not against
them.”

Similar concern was expressed by Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue about the arrests of several people, including human rights activists, bloggers and
journalists. “Their role is essential in protecting and promoting human rights in the country,” he stressed. “I am concerned that these arrests
and detention are related to the SCM’s work on human rights. If so, these persons should be released immediately and unconditionally.”

“I fear that Mr. Mazen Darwich and other persons arrested may be at serious risk of torture or ill treatment,” said Special Rapporteur Méndez.
“I am deeply concerned about their physical and mental well-being particularly in the current context of the ongoing violence in Syria.”

The four UN independent human rights experts called on the Syrian authorities to release the individuals immediately. Their arrest came on
the same day as the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the violent Government crackdown in Syria.

***29.01.2012. SOMALIA. NUSOJ and Somali Media Fraternity Grieve As They Take Part The Burial Ceremony On Sunday

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) organized the member journalists and Somali media fraternity to gather at Madina hospital
on Sunday morning to attend the funeral and show solidarity to our slain colleague who was killed in Mogadishu on Saturday evening,
meanwhile the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) welcomes the government’s probe into the killing of the Radio Director.

Late Hasan Osman Abdi (Fantastic), the director of Shabelle Radio, was killed by two unknown assailants armed with pistols, near his
home near his home in Nasteeho neighborhood of Wadajir district in Mogadishu on Saturday evening January 28, 2012, according to
witnesses.

The gunmen immediately fled from the area, according to Shabelle radio. It is not yet clear the reason behind his killing.He was rushed
to Madina Hospital, where he was declared dead, where his body has been kept in the overnight. It is not yet clear the reason behind his
killing and no group claimed the responsibility of the attack. NUSOJ officials and Somali media fraternity, some of the Shabelle
Radio staff, where Hassan has worked, and family members took the body to a cemetery at Baqdaad village, in the outskirts of Mogadishu,
almost 10km Southwest of Mogadishu, where late Hassan Osman Abdi’s burial took place. The burial took place at around 10:00am Sunday
morning.

NUSOJ Treasurer, who is also the union’s press freedom coordinator, Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, spoke to the local and international media 
soon after the burial ended and extended condolences to the families, friends and colleague of late Hassan. Mr. Abikar also called the
journalists and media workers to be vigilant and take safety measures following this murder.

“We pray Almight Allah to remain his soul in Paradise.” Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, NUSOJ Treasurer and Press Freedom Coordinator said
urging that the journalists should take urgent safety measures to ensure their safety in the wake of this horrendous murder.

Mr. Abikar also stressed such killings could only mean to silence the voice of the voiceless and called the journalists to continue their
normal work they serve to the public, while he thanked to the journalists in general for their bravery in continuing providing
accurate and balanced information to the public in line with the rules and regulations of journalism, which going against such rules could be
disastrous and unprofessional, which has nothing to do with journalism.

On Sunday, Somalia government condemned the brutal murder of the radio director pledged urgent investigations into the killing, according to
a statement.

Late Hassan Fantastic, 30yrs, is survived by a wife and three children - two girls and a boy and was the third Shabelle director killed since
2007. Three journalists have been killed in Mogadishu last alone Journalists in Somalia who are working in one of the most dangerous
environments in the world to be journalists lack the appropriate safety trainings and as well as need their level of professionalism to
be upgraded.

SEE HERE FUNERAL PHOTOS:
http://www.nusoj.org.so/alerts/2012/Jan2012/NUSOJ_and_Media_Fraternity_grieve_as_they_take_part_the_burial_ceremony_on_Sunday.html
 
***27.01.2012. INSI attends Doha conference on journalist safety

LONDON - The International News Safety Institute welcomes the recommendations of this week's international conference in Doha for the
Protection of Journalists in Dangerous Situations as an important contribution to the debate on safety standards. INSI hopes the
recommendations will help supplement international frameworks to protect journalists and media staff, and highlight the urgency of improved access
to safety training for all journalists around the world.
"This international conference is an important part of the safety jigsaw. We are pleased that safety is now forming part of the conversation in the
Middle East, which has provided the focus of so many of the major challenges to news crews in the past year. It's vital that the organisers
of this conference continue to build on the momentum created here and help make safety a part of the culture in every newsroom throughout the region and beyond," said INSI Deputy Director Hannah Storm, who attended the conference.
The conference called on the United Nations and its agencies to work with non-governmental organisations in promoting the issues of journalism
safety for all those working in dangerous situations, be they conflict or non-conflict. It urged governments to respect pre-existing conventions and
discussions focussed on journalism safety and recommended a strengthening of national laws to end impunity, which means that the majority of those
who target journalists never get prosecuted.
"By supporting international attempts to raise the awareness of safety issues, we hope this conference can put pressure on those governments
which are not yet doing enough to identify and prosecute the killers and attackers of journalists. We hope this will also help persuade news
organisations that they have a duty of care to all their news media employees and freelancers - be they reporters, fixers or drivers - and
they should provide them with adequate training, equipment and support wherever they are working - be that in areas of conflict, civil unrest,
organised crime or disaster zones."
The meeting was part of a jigsaw of international conferences aimed at addressing journalist safety issues. UNESCO last September organised a
meeting of relevant UN agencies, funds and programmes to design a joint UN strategy on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. INSI and
other journalist support groups spoke up at the conference, highlighting the issues before an audience of UN and other world agencies and
governments. Conclusions drawn from the meeting will be contained in an inter-agency plan of action, due by March, which will formulate a
"comprehensive, coherent and action-orientated UN-wide approach".
In November, News Xchange 2011, a global convention of broadcasters from around the world, passed a landmark resolution proposed by INSI and the
European Broadcasting Union demanding action by world bodies and governments to stop the killing and end impunity. More than 99 per cent of
the 440 delegates from 168 media organisations in 56 countries also pledged to research suspicious deaths, creating maximum exposure for each,
and report back to News Xchange 2012.
Later the same month the Austrian government, working with the International Press Institute, staged a conference of experts from UN
agencies, journalist support groups and governments to address means of establishing a more effective international framework for journalist
safety. INSI presented the News Xchange resolution to the conference, which concluded with a pledge by Austria to carry the issue forward during
its term on the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, to which it was elected earlier this year.
Sadly there were far fewer active journalists at the Doha event than there might have been. However, as the sole organisation run by journalists
focussing on journalist safety, INSI was able to share its expertise at the conference, and INSI's Hannah Storm was rapporteur for a workshop on
safety standards, the conclusions of which will feature separately on the INSI website. It will be a part of a delegation that represents the future
activities of the conference.
The conference, which was organised by the National Committee for Human Rights in Qatar, was attended by more than 100 delegates from countries as far afield as the Philippines and Pakistan, Mauritania and Mexico, representing media support groups, unions and human rights bodies.

***26.01.2012. PALESTINE. MADA and DCAF hold workshop on access to information in Bethlehem

Ramallah – 26 January 2012: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) and the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) held a workshop for journalists on the right of access to information at Maan News Agency headquarters in Bethlehem, on Thursday 24 January 2012.

The workshop – which was conducted over four hours – covered important topics such as the concept of the right of access to information, local
legislation ensuring this right - particularly Palestinian draft law - as well as international standards and best practices regarding the right of
access to information, relevant international initiatives in this field, and compared them with the Palestinian legal status.

The journalists, who came from various media outlets in Bethlehem, spoke about the most prevalent obstacles facing them in their quest for
information and discussed methods for overcoming these obstacles.

MADA and DCAF will hold a series of workshops in the different cities across the West Bank and Gaza Strip to promote journalists’ knowledge about
access to information draft law, and to collect their notes and recommendations on this draft law to develop it.

Please visit www.marsad.info

***19.01.2012. SOMALIA - NUSOJ annual report says 2011 even worse for journalists

The annual report of the National Union of Somali Journalists paints a worrying picture of abuses suffered by the media in 2011 and condemns the silence and impunity that surround crimes against journalists.

The report on the state of press freedom, published yesterday, said 2011 was worse than 2010 and lists four journalists killed, seven wounded and 19 arbitrarily arrested, as well as seven attacks on media organizations and at least five prosecutions for criminal defamation.

The organization deplores the fact that journalists were targeted by the authorities and the security forces, and also by militias and individuals. It says attacks were not only politically motivated and systematic but also institutionalized, depriving journalists of the ability to carry out their work without fear.

The report, entitled “Lives and Rights of Journalists Under Threat”, notes an increase in prosecutions of journalists in the semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Puntland and the self-proclaimed state of Somaliland in the north, as a new means of clamping down on the media and restricting the flow of information.

The Mogadishu region, which is in the hands of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was the most dangerous part of the country for freedom of information, it said. It was followed by Somaliland, where the number of prosecutions for criminal defamation, slander and false news has escalated.

In third place was Puntland, where there were closures of media organizations, criminal prosecutions and other mistreatment of journalists. 

The report says the NUSOJ considers impunity “the foremost, albeit silent, enemy of journalists and press freedom”.

It appeals to the TFG, Somaliland and Puntland authorities:

- To adopt and implement a consistent policy of zero-tolerance for crimes against journalists and media organizations as the only way to ensure reliable practice to respect, protect, defend and promote press freedom.

- To bring police and other security forces under control by immediately stopping the harassment, brutality, arbitrary arrests, and even killing, regularly perpetrated against journalists and media organisations and to ensure full accountability for previous violations.

- To promptly cease violations of journalists’ right to freedom of association and to stop threats of criminal prosecution against journalists, including their organisations and leaders.  

The NUSOJ calls on the international community to make their support of, and cooperation with, Somali authorities conditional on respect and protection of the fundamental rights of journalists, and of the people of Somalia in general.

NUSOJ annual report : http://en.rsf.org/somalia-nusoj-annual-report-says-2011-even-19-01-2012,41703.html

***18.01.2012. TURKEY. Hrant Dink Killing Verdict "Contradictory and Shocking" Says the EFJ

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), today expressed its surprise at the contradictions in the verdict concerning the murder of Turkish author and journalist Hrant Dink as his colleagues commemorate the fifth anniversary of the killing.

"The Court announced that the premeditated killing of a journalist was not an "organised" crime, while nearly a hundred Turkish journalists are currently in jail charged with organised terroristic activities. We are shocked by such a contradictory verdict" said the President of the EFJ Arne König.

Yesterday the "specially authorised" 14th High Criminal (Penal) Court in Istanbul found Yasin Hayal guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Erhan Tuncel, accused of planning Dink's murder, was not found guilty but was instead sentenced to 10 years and 6 months for his involvement in the bombing of a McDonalds restaurant before Dink's death. The actual gunman, Ogün Samast, was first sentenced to life imprisonment which was then reduced to 22 years and 10 months because he was a minor when he committed the crime.

Astonishingly, the court also ruled that Dink's killing was not an "organised crime": meaning the criminals did not act as an "organised group" but were assumed to have acted in a private capacity. For this reason, Erhan Tuncel is free today, following the normal criminal law procedure, because he had already spent five years in jail prior to the trial.

Tomorrow, the EFJ and some of its affiliates in Europe will commemorate the 5th anniversary of the killing of Hrant Dink, with celebrations or messages to their government in defence of press freedom in Turkey.

Currently 97 journalists are in jail in Turkey and many of them accused of being members of "terrorist organisations".  In November 2011 the EFJ led an international mission, in co-operation with other international press freedom groups, with the aim of showing support for the immediate release of all Turkish journalists who appear to have been jailed because of their work. The EFJ President was in Istanbul twice in the past weeks to witness the continuation of the trials.

***16.01.2012. SOMALILAND. IFJ Condemns Crackdown on Media in Somaliland

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the arrest of twenty five journalists in Somaliland recently, accusing the
authorities of waging a campaign of intimidation to silence independent reporting.

Reports say that 21 journalists were detained over the weekend by security forces and held in Hargeisa, Borame and Las Anod police stations. They
were released today, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), an IFJ affiliate, but four who had been arrested earlier remain
in custody.

"We welcome the release of the journalists but remain concerned by the crackdown on media in Somaliland," said Jim Boumelha, President of the
IFJ. "These are wanton acts of intimidation against the journalists and the media in Somaliland. We support the right of journalists to report
independently and call for the release of the four colleagues still in detention."

On Saturday, 14 January, police in Somaliland stormed the main headquarters of HornCable TV in the capital town Hargeisa, threw out the
staff and sealed off the offices. Two production studios of the television network in Haregisa, which were not in the same building of the
headquarters, were also closed down.

According to NUSO, the authorities in Somaliland were angered by the channel's report on a tribal meeting in Taleeh district of Sool region, in
which tribal politicians and elders announced the establishment of an autonomous administration". The TV station also reportedly aired views of
people criticising Somaliland administration for not preventing this meeting from taking place, reports said.

On Sunday, 15 January, journalists organised a peaceful protest demonstration in front of Somaliland State House. The Presidential guard
attacked protesters, beating up journalists and arresting 18 journalists working for HornCable TV. Police also hunted down other journalists who
took part in the protest and arrested journalists and media practitioners.


According to NUSOJ, a total of 21 journalists, including 6 female, were arrested over the weekend and detained. They were Mohamud Abdi Jama,
editor-in-chief (Waaheen ), Mohamed Omar Abdi, editor-in-chief (Jamhuuriya ), Ahmed Aden Dhere, reporter (Haatuf ), Mohamed Said Harago,
head of news (Berberanews), Najah Adan Unaye, director (Hadhwanaagnews), Suhur Barre, reporter (HornCable TV), Abdiqani Abdullahi Ahmed, reporter (Hadhwanaagnews), Mohamed Ahmed Muse, reporter (HornCable TV), Mohamed Fayr , reporter, (Geeska Africa ), Saleban Abdi Ali Kalshaale, reporter (Waaheen), Khalid Hamdi Ahmed, reporter (Waaheen), Nimo Omar Mohmed Sabriye, presenter (HornCable TV), Hamsa Ali Bulbul, reporter (HornCable TV), Mohamed Ahmed Muse Kurase, reporter (HornCable TV), Abdirahman Sheik Yunes, newscaster (HornCable TV), Ayan Diriye, reporter (HornCable TV), Nimo' Diriye, reporter (HornCable TV), Hodan Ali Ajabi, reporter (HornCable TV), Safiya Nuh Sheikh, presenter (HornCable TV), Ahmed
Abdirahman Hersi, news editor (HornCable TV), Jama Omar Abdullahi, reporter (Waaheen).

Farhan Haji Ali Ahmed, owner of HornCable TV, was also summoned to report today at the Somali Presidency for questioning but the 21 journalists were released today.

NUSOJ also condemned the arrests and called for the release of the four journalists who are still held.

"The release of these journalists is good news but we also demand the immediate release of four colleagues who have no case to answer," said
Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary General of NUSOJ who called for their immediate and unconditional release. "This systematic harassment and
intimidation of journalists and media workers by the police and Somaliland security forces must end."

***06.01.2012. PHILIPPINES - THE PERSISTENCE OF IMPUNITY A BAD START FOR THE NEW YEAR
Statement of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ) on the killing of Christopher “Cris” Guarin
                                                                                                        
THE KILLING of General Santos newspaper publisher and RMN blocktimer Christopher Guarin hardly a week since the new year began is one more indication of the persistence of the culture of impunity that encourages the killing of journalists and media workers in the Philippines.

Unless the necessary steps are taken to speed up the ongoing trials of the accused in the killing of journalists as well as the masterminds , and to investigate, arrest, and try those involved in the killing of Guarin, as well as that of six other journalists in 2011, the killings are likely to continue in 2012 and the coming years.

Among the steps journalists and media advocacy groups including the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ) proposed to the Aquino administration  as early as August 2010 are strengthening the Witness Protection Program; rehabilitating the criminal investigation units of law enforcement agencies; organizing multi-sectoral Quick Response Teams; and reviewing the Rules of Court to speed up court trials. None of these proposals have so far been acted upon except that on the Witness Protection Program, the budget of which the government has increased.

The killing of Guarin demonstrates the urgency of the government’s acting on these proposals. FFFJ urges all media advocacy and journalists’ groups to intensify the campaign for government to do so, and calls upon civil society to add its voice to the imperative of punishing the guilty so as to end the culture of impunity that has claimed the lives of 124 journalists and media workers since 1986 to the detriment of the right of the people to information in a democratic regime. 

***30.12.2011. IFJ Presses UN for Action on Media Killings after Violence Claims 106 Lives of Journalists and Media Staff in 2011 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to take drastic action against governments of the most dangerous countries for media after it published its annual list of 106 journalists and media personnel killed in 2011. The Federation says 2011 has been another bloody year for media and blames governments’ failure to uphold their international obligations for the ongoing violence targeting media. In a letter to the UN Secretary General, the IFJ calls for effective implementation of international legal instruments to combat the prevailing culture of impunity for crimes against journalists.

“It is abundantly clear that deadly violence against journalists is not just a blip due to conflicts around the world but has become a regular cycle in many countries where journalists are hunted down, targeted and murdered by the enemies of press freedom,” said the letter signed by IFJ President, Jim Boumelha. “In a situation where governments are in denial or indifferent to what has become a regular pattern of targeted killings of journalists, it is incumbent upon yourself and the United Nations to remind them of their responsibility to protect journalists.”This year’s list confirms that journalists are among the primary victims of violence in armed conflict, ethnic and religious tensions as well as political upheavals which erupted in many countries during the past twelve months. Media professionals are exposed to serious risks, often with tragic consequences, as they report from the frontline of conflicts such as in Pakistan and the Arab world or crime prevention in the lawless parts of Mexico where they are considered unwelcome witnesses.

The IFJ list of work related media killings is coordinated with the International News Safety Institute (INSI) and contains 106 journalists and media personnel who died during 2011, up from 94 killings recorded in 2010. An additional 20 journalists and collaborators also died in accidents and natural disasters incidents.

The IFJ says that violence targets not just journalists but also colleagues from all sectors of the industry, including cameramen, drivers and fixers and other support staff which are all recorded to underscore their crucial role in news gathering and reporting.

The systematic failure of governments to protect journalists and punish those who are responsible for violence against them has entrenched the culture of impunity in most parts of the world and contributed to ever rising numbers of journalists’ killings. This prompted the IFJ and the press freedom community to hold for the first time the International Day against Impunity for Crimes against journalists on 23 November 2011.

"This year’s numbers just prove that violence targeting media workers continues unabated,” added Stephen Pearse, IFJ Deputy General Secretary. “We need to send out a strong message that action is needed to stop the violence and the bloodshed.”

As of 31 December, the IFJ recorded the following information on killings of journalists and media staff in 2011:

Targeted killings and homicides incidents        : 106
Accidental deaths                                             : 20
Total Deaths                                                     : 126

The deadliest region in 2011 was the Middle East and Arab World with 32 journalists and media personnel killed. Iraq had the region's highest death toll with 11 dead.

Among countries with high numbers of media fatalities are:

Iraq                  11
Pakistan           11
Mexico              11
The Philippines    6
Libya                    6
Yemen                 6
Honduras            5
India                   5                                                                                                                 

The list of journalists and media personnel killed in 2011 is available on this link: http://www.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-presses-un-for-action-on-media-killings-after-violence-claims-106-lives-of-journalists-and-media-staff-in-2011
                                                                                                 

***23.12.2011. SOMALIA. Somali Journalists Walk to mourn for their murdered colleague for Justice in Hamarjajab neighborhood

Mogadishu, 23, Dec. 2011 - A walk event, co-organized by the campaigning team of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the commissioner of Hamarjajab district, started from the scene where the late Abdisalan Hiis was shot at Hamarjajab district in Mogadishu and ended at the Horn Cable Television station where the journalist had worked on Thursday, December 22, 2011

At least 100 journalists attended the walk event which was part of the NUSOJ campaigns to combat impunity and ask for justice to the killers
of our slain colleague late Abdisalan Sheik Hassan (Hiis).

All journalists and media officials and members of the Hamarjajab community wore red and white clothes on their heads, which they vowed
they will not put off until the killer is brought to court, portraits written on "The killing of Abdisalan Hiis is brutal, journalists are
non-combat civilians.". Women from Hamarjajab neighborhood also joined the walk wearing red, yellow and white dresses dressed in white scarf,
the same as the female journalists expressing sadness and solidarity for the death of the journalist held portraits written, "Don't kill
your Muslim brother, Respect the journalists, respect the non-combat civilians."

Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, NUSOJ treasurer who addressed the mourners said that Somali journalists are waiting from their government to
immediately bring to fair court the killer of our colleague/friend late Abdisalan Sheik Hassan, who was killed on 18 December, 2011 at
this neighborhood where the event is taking place.

"We want action!" Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, NUSOJ official who was delegated to speak on behalf of the union in his opening remarks said,
"We want from our government that they immediately bring the killer to court."

Mr. Abikar later thanked to the journalists for the solidarity, courage and bravery they have shown in search for the justice.
The union campaigners also spoke at the event reiterated that the government must take action.

Mohamed Ali Ahmed, Hamarjajab district commissioner, where the crime has taken place, condemned the shooting incident, while he pointed out
the necessity to work closely with the security services, which will ease the capture of the killer and promised that he will give all
necessary help in this case.

The chief of the Somali Military court, Hassan Mohamed Hussein (Muun Gaab) who attended the walk event said that he was surprised by the
unity among the journalists who have been protesting since the journalist was murdered and vowed that the military court will take
action as soon as the murderer is brought to court.

"The targeted assassinations are the worst crimes among the society." Mohamed Hussein (Muun Gaab), The chief of the Somali Military court
said, "On behalf of the Somali military court, I promise that the killer will be brought to court and will be charged according to the
law."

Somali journalists with the help of the Somali media community has been launching campaigns for justice for the murdered journalist and
campaigns to support the family of the slain journalist late Abdisalan Sheik Hassan.

Somali Journalists vowed that they will not throw away the red and white signs and will not stop campaigning for call to justice until
the murderer is found and brought to court.

FOR THE STORY READ THIS LINK AND FOLLOW UP MORE UPDATES ABOUT OUR
CAMPAIGNS FOR JUSTICE TO COME SOON:
http://www.nusoj.org.so/alerts/Dec2011/Somali_journalists_walk_to_mourn_for_their_murdered_colleague_for_justice_in_Hamarjajab_neighborhood.htm

***22.12.2011. Journalists Dismiss as ‘Travesty of Justice’ Conviction of Swedish Reporters on Terror Charges in Ethiopia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called for the reversal of the ruling by a court in Ethiopia which found Swedish reporters, Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye, guilty of “supporting a terrorist organisation and illegally entering Ethiopia”. The pair, who was arrested in July while reporting on a project to exploit oil and its impact on the regional environment, faces up to 15 years in prison.
“We are outraged by this ruling which amounts to a travesty of justice,” said IFJ President, Jim Boumelha. “Journalists’ contacts with organisations do not in any way represent support for whatever causes they defend. This verdict will not only severely undermine press freedom in Ethiopia but also adversely impact on the country’s good standing and we
look to the higher court to set it aside and order the journalists’ release.”
Media reports say that the judge in the case of the two reporters accepted that they were “esteemed journalists” but held that “They have not been able to prove that they did not support terrorism.”
The IFJ voiced its grave concern over this finding which shifts the burden of proof from prosecution to the accused, noting that the standards of due process have been affected by a clear bias against the two reporters.
Today’s verdict has been widely criticised by journalists’ organisations in Africa and beyond. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) accused the Ethiopian authorities of engaging in a campaign of intimidation to suppress independent reporting on the country’s affairs.
“This is a political verdict intended to deter journalists from covering events in a major conflict zone,” EFJ President Arne König said. “We call on the Ethiopian authorities to respect the freedom of the press and release these two journalists who were clearly in the country for genuine journalistic reasons. We also call on the government to act to ensure that
all journalists in Ethiopia are free to do their job and not be suppressed through legal actions designed to silence critical voices.”
The Eastern Africa Journalists’ Association (EAJA) has also condemned the ruling, calling on the Ethiopian Government to release the two reporters and to respect the right of journalists, including foreign reporters, to report independently on Ethiopian matters.
“Our Swedish colleagues, Schibbye and Persson, cannot conceivably be considered terrorists or supporters of a terrorist group,” said EAJA General Secretary, Omar Faruk Osman. “They have suffered enough in detention and we call for their immediate release.”

***21.12.2011. 'Journalists are not Terrorists' Says EFJ ahead of Verdict for Swedish Journalists Arrested in Ethiopia

Today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) renewed its call for the release of two Swedish photojournalists Johan Persson and reporter Martin Schibbye in Ethiopia. They were arrested on 27 June 2011 while reporting on the rebel movement, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), which is fighting the Ethiopian government in the region. The two journalists were also injured after coming under fire from the Ethiopian military.

"These colleagues are clearly not terrorists, and should be released immediately", says EFJ President Arne König. "This is what the EFJ has claimed since the first day, and we see that Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson have been able to show that without a shadow of a doubt in the court".

They will be in court again on Wednesday 21 December for what is expected to be the final day of the trial and also the day on which the court will present a verdict on their case. The journalists are said to be risking up to 15 years imprisonment, in a worst case scenario. They were originally accused of also working with ONLF guerillas in the Ogaden area. These charges were dropped, but the two journalists are still being accused of supporting the guerilla movement.

The Swedish Union of Journalists has had two representatives in Ethiopia since Monday this week. They will talk to the families of their colleagues and be in the Court to offer support on the 21 December.

According to Swedish media reports, the two colleagues were successful in the last parts of the Court hearings, as they were able to tell the court of the working methods of the media with help of American and British war correspondents. Two Swedish editors also acted as witnesses to support the statements of Schibbye and Persson that they were in Ethiopia only for a journalistic purpose. Both men deny any terrorist accusations but admit they entered Ethiopia without permission.

The aim of the two journalists was to investigate how the oil industry exploiting resources in Ethiopia is behaving in connection with human rights. They were specifically interested in Lundin Oil, a company in which the Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt was on the board, and had investments, before becoming a minister.

"We expect our colleagues to be able to enjoy Christmas at home with their families", said König.

Since June this year, eleven journalists have been accused of terrorist activities in Ethiopia, most of them locals. In November alone, six journalists were charged with terrorism.

***20.12.2011. UN CALLS ON RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES TO PROBE KILLING OF DAGESTAN JOURNALIST

New York, Dec 20 2011 10:10AM
Two United Nations agencies today called on Russian authorities to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the recent murder of journalist Khadzhimurad Kamalov in Dagestan and to bring the perpetrators
to justice.

Mr. Kamalov, the founder and editor of the independent weekly newspaper Chernovik, was shot dead on 15 December as he was leaving his office. He was also the executive director of the Svoboda Slova (freedom of
expression) organization.

His killing is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and lawyers in Russia, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Mr. Kamalov had reported extensively on alleged abuses by the police and other human rights violations in Dagestan, OHCHR spokesperson Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva.

“His murder sends a chilling message to journalists seeking to cover such issues,” he added.

Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), condemned the killing and urged the authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to trial.

“Fear must not be allowed to muzzle media professionals, deny reporters the basic human right of freedom of expression and bar citizens from accessing information,” she stated in a news release.

Mr. Kamalov is reportedly the fourth journalist killed in Russia this year, according to sources quoted by the International Press Institute.
Dec 20 2011 10:10AM

***19.12.2011. SOMALIA. IFJ Condemns ‘Cold Blood’ Murder of Prominent Journalist 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged the Somali Transitional Federal Government to launch an immediate investigation to identify the killer - and whoever ordered the murder - of Abdisalan Sheik Hassan, a prominent Somali journalist who was gunned down in Mogadishu on Sunday. The IFJ says that this incident will serve as a test case for the Government’s commitment to combating the impunity for crimes targeting media in Somalia.
“We are appalled by this cold blood murder of a journalist which has shocked the journalists’ community in Somalia,” said IFJ General Secretary, Beth Costa. “The authorities must do their utmost, including seeking outside help, to ensure this crime does not go unpunished. Their claim to respecting press freedom and restoration of rule of law will not
survive failure to bring to justice our colleague’s killers.”
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), an IFJ affiliate, said in a statement that the journalist, who was shot after getting out of his car at the gate of HornCable TV offices, was rushed to Madina hospital where he was declared dead.
According to NUSOJ, the slain journalist feared for his life after receiving a string of death threats in recent weeks due to his reports.
Hassan recently filmed a meeting at the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament where a group of members sought to remove the Speaker. The footage of the proceedings was aired on HornCable TV which attracted unwelcome interest from some political forces within the Transitional Federal Institutions, his colleagues say.
“We strongly condemn this atrocious killing of Abdisalan Sheik Hassan. This murder is a massive loss for journalists and media in Mogadishu, the most dangerous place for Somali journalists in their country,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.
The IFJ has learnt that journalists working in the private media are facing campaign of intimidation in Somalia and is concerned that such an environment can expose them to mob violence and acts of retaliation as a
result of their work.
“Somalia is already one of the toughest countries for journalists and any attempts to introduce political rivalries in the country’s media are bound to make the situation even more explosive,” added Costa. “We urge all
political forces to refrain from any undue interference in journalists’ affairs.”
Hassan becomes the fourth journalist to be killed in Somalia this year, making the war ravaged country a permanent feature on the list of the most dangerous countries for journalists in Africa since 2006.

***19.12.2011. Conference organized by The Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ) in Amman

The Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ organized a conference earlier this month during which key media
participants squarely ejected charges they were contributing to the ongoing revolts with their coverage http://www.huffingtonpost.com/magda-abufadil/www.cdfj.org> 

"Media did not foment Arab revolutions," headlined the English-language *Jordan Times * <http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=44036>  quoting former Al Jazeera director general Wadah Khanfar at the CDFJ's Media Freedom Defenders in the
Arab World Forum (#MFD2011), who added that "creating the revolutions would be an honor."

Participants agreed that freedom of expression isn't a luxury, it's a right, with CDFJ head Nidal Mansour insisting that "the era of oppression is over."

A major challenge facing the forum was the inability of Syrian blogger Razan Ghazzawi <http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/05/syria-arrested-blogger-razan-ghazzawi> 
to attend because she was stopped at the Syrian-Jordanian border and arrested for her opposition to the regime of President Bashar Al Assad. Mansour drew heated applause when he saluted those who were absent and
barred from attending.
A Syrian activist who made it to the conference told me that if a blogger or journalist traveling with a colleague is nabbed by security forces or border police crossing into a neighboring country like Jordan, the other person pretends not to know the detainee so that at least one of them can report the incident to the outside world and bear witness.
So are online activists and citizen journalists setting the media agenda? Said Emna Bin Joum'a from Tunisia, where the first spark of the so-called "Arab Spring" began: "I've become a blogger to whom journalists listen, although I'm a journalist."
Meanwhile, veteran Egyptian journalist-turned-activist Hedayat Abdel Nabi promoted the need for better protective measures for journalists in conflict zones.

She has been very involved with the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), an NGO with U.N. consultative status dedicated to combatting impunity, bringing perpetrators of crimes against journalists to trial and providing better protection. 

The campaign began following the U.S. invasion of Iraq when Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana was killed by American troops while on assignment there, she said.
Abdel Nabi called for an end to targeting journalists, the investigation of recent anti-media crimes, and asked that the CDFJ monitor violations. "International laws don't protect journalists," she said. "We need an international convention to protect them and must join forces with other organizations to do so."
The three-day event (two in Amman and one at the Dead Sea) ended with a workshop that drafted recommendations including creating an Arab network to monitor press freedom violations, an annual report, a training manual on
journalists' rights, establishing a legal team to pursue media freedom violators, and a unified model for documenting violations.

***09.12.2011. OSCE media representative urges Russian authorities not to harass journalists covering protests

VIENNA, 9 December 2011 -- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, urged today Russian authorities to protect journalists reporting from the scene of protests from detention and police harassment.

On 5, 6 and 7 December police apprehended about two dozens reporters covering post-election demonstrations in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

“Journalists must be free to report on public events including protests and demonstrations. The duty of the police is to protect journalists, not harass and detain them. The Russian authorities should investigate all these incidents and ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly prosecuted, ” Mijatović said.  

At least two journalists, Forbes.ru editor Aleksei Kamensky and FORUM.msk editor Anatoly Baranov, were charged with refusing to comply with the lawful demands of police officers. Kommersant newspaper correspondent Aleksandr Chernykh said he was beaten by a law enforcement officer during his detention.

Other detained journalists included Bozhena Rynska, a columnist with the Gazeta.ru online newspaper; Timur Zaynullin of the Interfax news agency; Ilya Barabanov, the deputy chief editor of the New Times/Novoye Vremya magazine; Ilya Vasyunin, a reporter with the Dozhd television station; Yana Makarova of the RIA Novosti news agency; and Aleksandr Komelkov of the Arsenevskie Vesti newspaper. Most of them were released after a few hours.

“My Office will continue to follow the situation and the response by the authorities,” said Mijatović. She expressed hope that Russian authorities would recognize the important role journalists play in reporting on matters of public interest. “Safety of journalists throughout the OSCE region remains a major concern and a priority of my work. We are ready to support and assist Russian authorities in ensuring full implementation of their OSCE media-freedom commitments.”

***08.12.2011. CPJ report - 179 journalists behind bars

The number of journalists imprisoned worldwide shot up more than 20 percent to its highest level since the mid-1990s, an increase driven largely by widespread jailings across the Middle East and North Africa, the Committee to Protect Journalists has found. In its annual census of imprisoned journalists, CPJ identified 179 writers, editors, and photojournalists behind bars on December 1, an increase of 34 over its 2010 tally.

Iran was the world’s worst jailer, with 42 journalists behind bars, as authorities kept up a campaign of anti-press intimidation that began after the country’s disputed presidential election more than two years ago. Eritrea, China, Burma, Vietnam, Syria, and Turkey also ranked among the world’s worst. (Read detailed accounts of each imprisoned journalist.)

More on: www.cpj.org

***25.11.2011. EGYPT. As the world watches Egypt, the threat to journalist safety grows (INSI)

The eyes of the world are once again on Egypt - nine months after violent protests brought down the government of Hosni Mubarak. In the run-up to parliamentary elections next week, violence between protesters and security forces has spiralled, particularly in Cairo. And now, as in February, journalists are faced with a changing and challenging
safety situation.
The International News Safety Institute is particularly concerned at the apparent extent of the targeting of journalists, with reports of dozens injured, beaten, sexually assaulted and arrested. INSI is also worried that news teams are not able to protect themselves adequately as the Egyptian authorities are impounding equipment such as flak jackets and
helmets.
INSI has made a formal request on behalf of its members to the Egyptian authorities, asking that news teams are allowed to bring flak jackets and helmets with them to protect themselves, as the situation constantly changes.
As in February, Cairo's Tahrir Square has seen some of the most intense violence, with the capital's Mohammad Mahmoud Street the site of vicious protests too.
Ahram Online, Egypt's largest news organisation, has reported that security forces are ignoring journalists' credentials and are attacking them with what it calls excessive force.
There are individual tales of serious injury too. Ahmed Fiqqy, a journalist from independent media organisation Hoqook.com, was shot in the eye with a live bullet on Monday night and is in urgent need of medical attention.
And on Thursday, US-based Egyptian journalist Mona Eltahawy tweeted that she was sexually and physically assaulted while being detained for 12 hours in the interior ministry in Cairo.
There have been many more reports of journalists being shot with rubber bullets, beaten, arrested, detained and having their equipment seized or destroyed by security forces.
Several journalists have lost their eyes, while others have been shot with live ammunition. A journalist in Alexandria was stripped naked and tortured for five hours by police officers.
Almost thirty media workers have reportedly been attacked or harassed in the past week.
Many more have suffered the effects of tear gas - severely burning eyes and skin, temporary blindness, choking, dizziness, nausea and disorientation. INSI has specific advice regarding working in such conditions at the link below. In addition to this journalists should never touch discarded tear gas canisters, as this can be extremely painful.

SAFETY ADVICE: INSI urges any journalists attempting to cover the clashes to follow its safety advice on civil unrest, here
http://www.newssafety.org/page.php?page=5925&Itemid=100505
Because of the levels of uncertainty and confusion, we are advising journalists to establish a ‘buddy' system with colleagues. INSI wants to hear from operational journalists and news teams on the ground in Egypt or news desks and security managers with more information about the changing threats there.

***23.11.2011. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN JOINS INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST IMPUNITY. End of Impunity Is Only Deterrence against Violence Targeting Journalists, Says IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said that the International Day against Impunity which is celebrated for the first time today is a wake- up call for governments around the world to prevent and
punish violence against journalists, thus help making journalism safer.
The IFJ and its affiliates are taking part in the global event which is celebrated today to mark the second anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre in the Philippines of 23 November 2009 which claimed 32 lives of journalists and many other civilians.
“From Somalia to Sri Lanka, Mexico to The Philippines and Pakistan through Iraq and Eritrea, journalists continue to be put to sword in total impunity,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “The overwhelming majority of victims are local and national journalists who are denied both the protection and justice by their own governments. Today, we are honouring
their memory but also making a determined statement of intent to make the end of impunity the lasting legacy of their sacrifice.”
The IFJ said in a letter to embassies of the most dangerous countries for journalists, including Iraq, Mexico, the Philippines, Pakistan and Somalia that the culture of impunity is the single biggest factor at the root of violence targeting media.
“Such crimes carry no risk of serious investigations and prosecutions, exposing in many cases the absence of the rule of law, whether due to police corruption, judicial incompetence or political indifference,” said the IFJ letter.
The Federation’s affiliates around the world echoed the message and have urged governments in their countries and regions to take urgent remedial action, pointing to cases of journalists’ murders which remain unresolved
in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Arab world and Latin America.
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) highlighted the way the civil war has wrecked Somalia and continues to cost journalists’ lives while their colleagues in countries such as Gambia and Eritrea fare no better.
The affiliates in Asia Pacific focused on the need to achieve justice for killed journalists such as the victims and the Maguindanao massacre and Lasantha Wickeramatunga in Sri Lanka. In the Middle East and Arab world, where at least 30 journalists have died in 2011 most of them while covering the events of the Arab Spring, IFJ affiliates are calling for
killings of journalists in Iraq, Palestine, Yemen, Egypt and Lebanon to stop and their perpetrators to face justice. The IFJ regional organisation in Latin America, FEPALC, is also demanding justice for killed journalists, focusing on Mexico and Honduras. The Colombian affiliate, FECOLPER, has arranged for a minute of silence in memory of killed journalists to be observed on Colombian broadcast media throughout the day.
Their European colleagues are also taking part in the activities to end impunity and to show solidarity with killed journalists and those forced into exile to save their lives. The main European event is taking place in
London, co-sponsored by the IFJ, the National Union of Journalists of Great Britain and Ireland (NUJ) and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. The focus of the event will be on the horror of the Maguindanao massacre in particular, and on the prevailing culture of impunity in the country, in general.
In the meantime, the Norwegian Union of Journalists is organising a debate in Oslo with exiled journalists to share experiences of their forced exile and their ongoing struggle to speak out for their less fortunate
colleagues who were silenced for good.
On their part, IFJ affiliates in Russia and CSI countries are calling for successful prosecutions of killers of their colleagues, including Anna Politkovskaya in Russia, Georgy Gongadze in Ukraine and Elmar Huseynov in Azerbaijan.
“It is time to lift the shadow of impunity which has prevented these journalists’ families and colleagues to get justice for their loved ones,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “Today’s message is that the
status quo is not an option in the face of the tragedy which continues to befall our colleagues.”

PHILIPPINES. A TURNING POINT AND A TEST. Statement of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility on the second anniversary of the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan Massacre

The international press freedom and media advocacy groups may have designated November 23rd as the International Day to End Impunity. But there in the Philippines, on this, the second anniversary of the foul deed now known as the Ampatuan Massacre, the glacial progress of the trial of those accused of planning and carrying it out has become so much a cause for distress because the possibility that it may drag on for years bodes ill for press freedom, human rights and the quest for justice in Philippine society.

A year ago the pace of the judicial proceedings had already set off alarm bells among journalists’ and media advocacy groups, the kin of those killed, and anyone else who still cared about the future of the free press and democracy in this country.

The Massacre was after all a brutal attack on the free press as an institution necessary in any country with any pretense at democracy, and on the people’s right to choose their leaders. By murdering 58 men and women, among whom were the lawyers, relatives and allies of a candidate for provincial governor, and 32 journalists and media workers, the killers set
back press freedom and free elections by so many years, and earned for the country the dubious distinction of being the site, not only of the worst attack on the press in history, but also of a fraudulent democracy.

Both political and media killings have a long and brutal history in this country. Politicians, their allies and their campaign workers are killed so routinely in the Philippines that every election is always declared peaceful, no matter the casualties. On the other hand, the Massacre was a crime waiting to happen. The persistence of warlordism, the antipathy of
local tyrants towards the press, and the many weaknesses of the justice system made it inevitable.

The Massacre, however, was also a turning point, and a test of the will and capacity of the Philippine State not only to assure the safety of its citizens, but also of its ability to provide them justice.

The journalists and media advocacy groups knew a year ago, and know it even more now, that unless the Massacre trial is credibly concluded, with the killers and masterminds convicted and sentenced to the prison terms they so
richly deserve, not only will the killing of journalists and those of human rights workers, political activists, environmental advocates, judges, lawyers, students, farmers and workers continue; the killings will even escalate.

That distinct possibility makes the Massacre trial so crucial to the life and future of this country. And yet, judging by its laid-back response to, among others, the suggestions for reforms in the rules of court media groups and the Free Legal Assistance Group of lawyers have proposed, the Philippine government does not seem to be in any hurry to address the
urgent concerns—for press freedom, democracy, and the country as a whole—the Massacre has triggered.

This simply won’t do. The Aquino government must not only take the steps necessary to speed up this trial; it must also demonstrate, when journalists are killed, that it has put in place the means to punish the killers and masterminds. To do nothing or little can only lead to more deaths, adding to the six already killed in the line of duty since Mr.
Benigno Aquino III took office.

FEPALC DEMANDA ACCIÓN DE LOS ESTADOS TRAS DENUNCIAR 32 ASESINATOS DE PERIODISTAS EN LATINOAMÉRICA

FEPALC demanda acción de los Estados tras denunciar 32 asesinatos de periodistas en Latinoamérica

Un enérgico reclamo de justicia en los casos de los 32 periodistas y trabajadores de los medios asesinados en la región demandó la Federación de Periodistas de América Latina y el Caribe (FEPALC). Dicho listado lo hizo público en ocasión del 23 de noviembre, Día Mundial contra la Impunidad, en recuerdo a los 34 periodistas masacrados en
Filipinas, en el 2009, en lo que se recuerda como la mayor masacre contra periodistas sucedido en la historia reciente.

La FEPALC exigió, de manera particular a los Estados de México (11), Brasil (6) y Honduras (5) garantizar justicia a las familias de los colegas. Ello porque son estos tres países los que concentran casi el 70 por ciento de los crímenes.

LA FEPALC recordó que América Latina es la región más peligrosa para el ejercicio periodístico. A la fulminante violencia contra quienes ejercen la labor de informar, le sigue la inacción de las autoridades de los Estados que intentan, prioritariamente, deslegitimar la causa de los asesinatos argumentando con frecuencia que responden a la delincuencia
común o razones de "índole pasional", descartando cualquier conexión con el trabajo periodístico.

Para la FEPALC la impunidad en la que se mantienen los crímenes está institucionalizando una cultura de la autocensura y el silencio, propia de aquellas sociedades en las que no hay garantías a la vida, integridad física ni condiciones de trabajo dignas para las y los trabajadores del sector.

Por ello, la FEPALC recordó a la opinión pública mundial, en fechas como esta, que los periodistas no nos hemos olvidado de nuestros colegas. La deuda que la justicia tiene en el continente con las familias de los 32 periodistas asesinados tiene que saldarse. En esta tarea la FEPALC respalda y acompaña la acción de sus 14 sindicatos de periodistas afiliados en el continente que no cesan en su búsqueda incesante de justicia.

23 de noviembre 2011
Celso Schroder
Presidente FEPALC
Zuliana Lainez
Secretaria Derechos Humanos FEPALC

Periodistas asesinados en Latinoamérica-Caribe 2011 (32)

México (11)
Brasil (6)
Honduras (5)
Perú (3)
Colombia (1)
El Salvador (1)
Guatemala (1)
Haití (1)
Panamá (1)
Paraguay (1)
República Dominicana (1)

MEXICO (11)
Rodolfo Ochoa - (Técnico de TV Canal 9) - 9 de febrero Luis Emanuel Ruiz Carrillo (La Prensa) - 24 de marzo
José Luis Cerda Meléndez (Televisa) - 30 de marzo Noel Lopez Olguín, (Noticias de Acayucan/DiarioLa Verdad) - 31 de mayo Pablo Ruelas Barraza, (El Diario del Yaqui-El Regional de Sonora) - 13 de junio
Miguel Angel López Velasco, (Notiver) - 20 de junio Yolanda Ordaz de la Cruz (Notiver) - 26 de julio
Humberto Millán Salazar (Radio Fórmula Diario digital A-Discusión) - 24 de agosto Marcela Yarce Víveros (Revista Contralínea) - 1 de setiembre Rocío González Trápaga (Ex reportera Televisa) - 1 de setiembre
María Elizabeth Macías Castro (Primera Hora y Nuevo Laredo en vivo) - 24 de setiembre

BRASIL (6)
Luciano Leitao Pedrosa (TV Vitoria-Radio Metropolitana) - 9 de abril Valério Nascimento (Panorama Geral) - 3 de mayo
Edinaldo Filgueira (Jornal da Serra) - 15 de junio Auro Ida (Olhar Direto) - 22 de julio Valderlei Canuto Leandro (Programa Señal Verde - Radio Frontera) - 1 de setiembre Gelson Domingos (TV Bandeirantes) - 6 de noviembre

HONDURAS (5)
Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco (TV Omega Visión) - 10 de mayo Luis Ernesto Mendoza Cerrato (Canal 24) - 19 de mayo
Adán Benitez (Canal 45) - 4 de julio Nery Jeremías Orellana (Radio Comunitaria Jocondera) - 14 de julio
Medardo Flores (Radio Uno) - 8 de setiembre PERÚ (3) Julio César Castillo Narváez (Radio Ollantay) - 3 de mayo
Pedro Alfonso Flores Silva (Canal 6) - 8 de setiembre José Oquendo Reyes (BTV Canal 45) - 14 de setiembre

COLOMBIA (1)
Luis Eduardo Gómez (El Heraldo de Urabá) - 30 de junio

EL SALVADOR (1)
Alfredo Hurtado (TV Canal 33) - 25 de abril

GUATEMALA (1)
Yansi Roberto Ordoñez Galdámez (Canal 14 - TV Municipal) - 19 de mayo

HAITÍ (1)
Louis-Charles Jean-Richard (Radio Kiskeya) - 9 de febrero

PANAMÁ (1)
Darío Fernández (Radio Mi Favorita) - 6 de noviembre

PARAGUAY (1)
Merardo Alejandro Romero Chávez (Radio La Voz de Itakyry) - 3 de marzo

REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA (1)
José Agustín Silvestre de los Santos (Revista y programa TV La Voz de la
Verdad) - 2 de agosto

***15.11.2011. SYRIA. RSF urges foreign media to protect their Syrian sources

Reporters Without Borders calls on the foreign media to take greater care to protect the Syrian journalists who work for them and to protect their other sources in Syria. Fixers, interpreters, drivers, interviewees and all others in Syria who provide them with information take great risks to do so. This should be kept in mind.
"We know of dozens of Syrians who have been arrested and tortured after giving interviews to foreign media about the repression in their country," Reporters Without Borders said. "Others have been arrested for working for foreign journalists in Syria or abroad. The Syrian security agencies are making unprecedented efforts to identify those who help foreign reporters or talk to them. International media must use the utmost prudence in their contacts with Syrians. Whenever Syrians give an interview about the situation in their country, they and their families are exposed to serious
reprisals.
"While the media must continue to provide coverage of the situation in Syria that is as detailed and complete as possible, it is also crucial to carefully evaluate the risks taken by those who supply this information. The duty to provide coverage should not be satisfied at the expense of the sources' safety."
A Syrian fixer recently complained to Reporters Without Borders about reckless foreign reporters who "seek their 15 minutes of fame by getting themselves arrested" without weighing the consequences for the people who
have helped them or accompanied them.
If a foreign reporter is arrested in Syria, he faces a few days in detention and then deportation. But Syrians pay a much higher price for their involvement. Reporters Without Borders is aware of dozens of cases of people whose current whereabouts is unknown after they worked for a foreign journalist or just answered a foreign media's questions.
Representatives of the exile Syrian National Council and local journalists asked Reporters Without Borders to make it clear to foreign journalists that they should stop visiting Syria until the situation has evolved.
"They should leave the country ASAP and stay out," one local journalist said.
"This is not our message," Reporters Without Borders added. "But we do urge all journalists to take the utmost care, especially as many of them do not know the country and are unaware of the methods used by the
mukhabarat (intelligence services) to identify those who cooperate with foreign media."

***09.11.2011. BRAZIL. IFJ Urges Greater Protection for Media on Perilous Assignments in Brazil after Cameraman Dies in Crossfire

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the shooting in which cameraman Gelson Domingos da Silva was killed on Sunday 6 November 2011. Gelson, who worked for several TV stations, including Andeirantes TV, was shot in the chest while covering the police operation against drug dealers in Antares, a slum area of the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
“We mourn the tragic death of Gelson, a consummate professional, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the job he loved and convey our sympathy to his family and colleagues,” said Beth, Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “But we
also urge media owners in Brazil to review all measures taken to provide the safety and security of journalists who are sent to dangerous assignments in order to prevent the repeat of such tragedy.”
Media reports say that the fatal shooting came when elements of the Special Operations Battalion of the federal police in City of Rio were pursuing armed groups involved in drug dealings deep inside the slum of Antares. A fire fight broke up and Gelson was hit in the chest by a bullet which pierced his flak jacket as he stood filming behind the police.
The Death of Gelson, an award winning cameraman, has sparked a debate in Brazil about the working conditions of journalists, including their safety following reports that many media had voiced concerns over the risks of
embedding journalists with police to report on their operations.
In a statement, the Federaçao Nacional do Jornalistas (FENAJ), an IFJ affiliate, paid tribute to Gelson who last year with his team won the Vladimir Herzog and Human Rights Prize for their report on killings in northeastern region of Brazil. The Federation called on the government to hunt down Gelson’s killers and bring them to justice while ensuring that
journalists are provided with adequate protection.
FENAJ says that Gelson’s killing should serve as a wake-up call for all media companies to review their existing protocol for the safety of journalists and work with the Federation to agree on the credible measures to provide media with a safer environment and better working conditions.
The IFJ supports FENAJ which has also asked the authorities to investigate the circumstances of the cameraman’s death after TV companies in Brazil were accused of resorting to pooling in news gathering and sharing of material on dangerous activities which allows them to deploy fewer journalists and pay them less. It was reported that Gelson was also
driving his TV van, something FENAJ considers to be a breach of safety standards in high risks situations while a colleague is quoted as saying that the flak jackets available to Brazilian journalists are of inferior quality.
“The loss of Gelson is made much worse by claims of lack of adequate preparation for dangerous reporting,” added Costa. “We support FENAJ’s call for a thorough examination of all the facts of this tragic death in full transparency to provide answers which should serve as a lesson for the future.”

***04.11.2011. News organisations demand global action to stop killing of journalists

Cascais, Portugal, 4 November - More than 400 representatives of global news organisations today issued a call for global action to halt the killing of journalists.
Gathered at the News Xchange 2011 convention in the Portuguese resort, they backed a resolution demanding the killers of journalists be brought to justice and committed themselves to "create maximum exposure" for each
and every death.
The motion, proposed by the International News Safety Institute and supported by the European Broadcasting Union which runs News Xchange, noted that more than 1,100 news media staff have been killed in the past
10 years. Over 100 have died this year alone, with Libya being the worst killing ground.
Nine out of 10 killers of journalists are never held to account, "fueling a culture of impunity that helps encourage more deaths," the resolution said.
Backed by more than 90 percent of the 440 news executives from major world news organisations at the conference, it stated: "We, the News Xchange community, call on the authorities and governments whose jurisdictions are
involved in any unresolved cases to bring the killers of journalists to justice.
"We are also committed to reaearching these suspicious deaths through journalistic endeavour, wherever possible, and creating the maximum exposure for each death. Any developments will be reported back to News
Xchange 2012."
INSI said it will put the resolution before the United Nations and other concerned governments and world bodies.

Resolution:
"In the past 10 years more than 1,100 news media workers have been killed. Most were murdered or died in suspicious circumstances.
"Nine out of 10 killers of journalists around the world escape justice, creating a culture of impunity that helps encourage more deaths.
"We the News Xchange community call on the authorities and governments whose jurisdictions are involved in any unresolved cases to bring the killers of journalists to justice.
"We are also committed to researching these suspicious deaths through journalistic endeavour, wherever possible, and creating the maximum exposure for each death.
"Any developments will be reported back to News Xchange 2012."

***31.10.2011. LIBYA. Reporting conflict: competition, pressure and risks (Frontline Club)

By Helena Williams

In a year where 100 journalists have been killed so far while trying to tell the story, and as the media’s coverage of events rocking the Middle East have been brought into sharp relief, it seems high time to examine the delicate relationship between ensuring the safety of journalists and being able to break the story first.

“Libya has been a very traumatic year for journalists, especially for freelance journalists. We lost three good friends,” muses Inigo Gilmore, an award-winning freelance journalist who has worked in conflict zones across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

“No one even imagined Libya would turn to this. How could we [journalists] predict what would happen on the frontline?”

Last night’s talk at The Frontline Club, ‘Reporting Conflict: Competition, pressure and risks’ highlighted the risks that journalists out in the field and news editors back in London face while attempting to break news to an increasingly demanding audience.

Chaired by former BBC executive Vin Ray, and with international editor for ITV news Bill Neely, head of international news at Sky News Sarah Whitehead, and BBC’s world news editor Jon Williams sitting on the panel alongside Gilmore, the debate was able to focus on the difficulties of conflict reporting from opposing sides of the industry – both those commissioning journalists to go to the frontline, and the journalists themselves.

Neely, who previously worked as a journalist in conflict zones, was adamant that the first and constant pressure of covering war did not come from newsrooms in London, but rather from the competitive nature of journalists who want to go and get the story.

As international editor for ITV, Neely said that old pressures from the newsroom no longer exist, and journalists must travel to hotspots on a voluntary basis.

But he says that although journalists have to be savvy while out in the field (“don’t stay anywhere for longer than 20 minutes in a warzone”), it is also up to the editors to monitor the situation.

“Over the past 10 years editors in London understand that it’s people on the ground who have to make the decision not to go those 100 metres up the road.”

Whitehead, whose Sky news teams were hailed for their incredible coverage of Green Square in Libya earlier this year, agreed.

“You’re not there and you have to make sure they [the journalists] can make the decision. This year has been one of the most extreme and dangerous that I’ve known.

“This year I have taken people off air who have been in the middle [of reporting]. One afternoon, when a team was watching a fire fight in Tripoli, snipers opened up behind them and I pulled them off air and asked what their exit route was.

“You have to be there to be the stops if they are taken over by the story.”

While some news agencies were criticised for their less dramatic coverage of the events unfolding in Libya, Whitehead was adamant that a lot of her team’s reporting was down to luck.

“They [Sky News] were at the right place at the right time, and in the right frame of mind. They didn’t know where they were going to end up. A lot of people made other decisions and it was the right decisions for them.”

Williams, who has also had his fair share of managing journalists in hostile environments, said “risk must outweigh return, but it is a very fine balance. It’s a difficult call to go forward, and it’s just as difficult to go back. If you have the balls to go back because you don’t think it’s safe I take my hat off to you.”

“It’s risk and reward. You have to ask yourself, ‘is it really worth that extra shot?’” added Neely.

“War reporting is a mixture of judgement and luck – but you can be unlucky. For those 100 journalists this year, for one reason or another, their luck ran out.” 

***07.10.2011. RUSSIA: FIVE YEARS AFTER POLITKOVSKAYA'S ASSASSINATION, IMPUNITY STILL REIGNS

With the five-year anniversary of the murder of investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya on 7 October, the recent arrest of the alleged gunmen and conspirator bring little hope to numerous IFEX members, including Russian members the Glasnost Defence Foundation (GDF) and the Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations (CJES).

"We again hear that the case has almost entirely been solved," GDF said. "We hear that new conspirators gave testimony and will be charged, but these 'new' conspirators were mentioned in the previous trial."

Indeed, alleged gunman Gustam Makhmudov's two brothers were acquitted of murder charges after the last flawed trial in 2009. The other conspirator facing trial, Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, Moscow's former police head of surveillance, was called as a witness in the previous trial.

Makhmudov fled the country with the help of high-up accomplices and was a fugitive for many years before his arrest in May of this year, reports RSF, while Pavlyuchenkov was arrested this August.

IFEX members report that Payvlyuchenkov is alleged to have ordered members of his staff to track Politkovskaya's movements. He's said to have named other individuals involved, and called Lom Ali Gaitukayev, the ringleader of an organised crime group that performed the contract killing.

The individuals who ordered the crime still remain free, however, covered by a "veil of secrecy," as CJES puts it. CJES says it is unconvinced by the theory of the prosecutor - that the killing was perpetrated by exiled oligarch and Putin enemy, Boris Berezovsky, in an attempt to discredit the then-President and now Prime Minister of Russia.

Five years ago, Politkovskaya was gunned down in broad daylight in the stairwell of her apartment building by an individual wearing a baseball cap, who was captured on security cameras.

Politkovskaya authored three books and wrote for the newspaper "Novaya Gazeta". Her in-depth investigations into Russian violence in the North Caucasus, including Chechnya, exposed the human rights violations there for the world to know, says the International Press Institute (IPI). She was critical of both Putin and current president of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov.

In the past decade, 17 journalists have been murdered with impunity in Russia, reports CPJ. On 23 November, IFEX members will be commemorating the inaugural International Day to End Impunity to raise public awareness of how prevalent impunity is in the free expression field, as well as to showcase the important work IFEX members have been doing to fight against it. Find out more at: http://www.daytoendimpunity.org

Related stories on ifex.org:
- Five years on, writers continue to call for justice for Anna Politkovskaya:
http://www.ifex.org/russia/2011/10/11/appeal_for_justice/

More on the web:
- Dangerous Profession Weekly (CJES):
http://www.cjes.ru/bulletins/?bid=4455&lang=eng

- Call for more effort, more vigilance five years after Politkovskaya murder (RSF):
http://en.rsf.org/russie-call-for-more-effort-more-06-10-2011,41143.html

- A former police officer detained for murdering Anna Politkovskaya (Index on Censorship):
http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2011/08/a-former-police-officer-detained-for-murder-of-journalist-anna-politkovskaya/

***07.10.2011. YEMEN. IFJ Welcomes Nobel Peace Prize Award to Yemeni Journalist

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomes the news of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize which was awarded to Yemeni journalist Tawakkul Karman. She shares the prize with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and her fellow Liberian Leymah Gbowee “for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work.” 

“This is excellent news and we warmly congratulate Karman whose tenacity, courage and humanity have been deservedly rewarded,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “This is also the recognition of her remarkable campaign for press freedom in Yemen which the IFJ and our Yemeni affiliate, the Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate of which she is a member, have always supported.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Karman, noting that “In the most trying circumstances, both before and during the “Arab spring”, Tawakkul Karman has played a leading part in the struggle for women’s rights and for democracy and peace in Yemen."

Karman leads the Yemeni organisation of Women Journalists without Chains which campaigns for press freedom and she supports anti-government protests for democratic change in the country. She was arrested and detained on many occasions as a result of the outspoken criticism of the President Saleh’s rule.

The IFJ says her award shows that the Yemeni journalists don’t stand alone and that their call for a tolerant and open society in Yemen has strong international support.

“This is an outstanding personal achievement for Kamar as the first Arab woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “But her goal to secure peace and fundamental rights to her fellow citizens is an inspiration to journalists and peace loving people across the world.”

***05.10.2011. RUSSIA. Crimes against journalists must not go unpunished, says OSCE media
freedom representative on fifth anniversary of Politkovskaya murder 

STRASBOURG, France, 5 October 2011 – Commemorating the fifth anniversary of the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today presented her latest assessment of threats and responses to attacks against journalists in the OSCE region.

“The right of journalists to carry out their work in safety, without fear of being harassed, attacked, beaten or killed is fundamental to the protection of all other human rights,” said Mijatović at an event organized by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, on protection of journalists from violence. “As long as
journalists are afraid for their lives and the lives of their families while doing their job, we do not live in a free society.”

She highlighted the fact that in the last five years only three out of almost 30 murders of journalists in the OSCE region have been sucessfully prosecuted. "This casts serious doubts on the effectiveness of law-enforcement bodies and the judiciary in dealing with such crimes."

“Governments and political leaders can help by publicly defending journalists’ rights and resisting any attempts to silence journalists. They can also demand that there is no impunity for the perpetrators and instigators of these murders,” said Mijatović.

The Representative’s report, in English and Russian, can be accessed at www.osce.org/fom/83569

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/fom/83564

***30.09.2011. MEXICO. UN deeply concerned about the recent killings of, and other brutal attacks against, journalists in Mexico - Statement by Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville

"We are deeply concerned about the recent killings of, and other brutal attacks against, journalists in Mexico, illustrating increasing insecurity in general and the exceptionally vulnerable situation of journalists in particular, as well as the deteriorating situation of freedom of expression in the country.
The most recent journalist to be killed was María Elizabeth MACÍAS, an employee of the Nuevo Laredo newspaper Primera Hora, whose decapitated and mutilated body was found last Saturday (24 Sept). Her postings on internet-based social networks were often critical of violent groups. Alongside her body was a handwritten message allegedly signed by the Zetas drug cartel saying that she had been killed in retaliation for her postings. Eleven days earlier (13 Sept), a man and a woman were found dead, hanging from an overpass in Nuevo Laredo with a handwritten message saying "this is what will happen to internet users.” It is clear that such killings are designed to send a chilling message to silence reports on
drug gang violence and to challenge campaigns led by the authorities to promote anonymous reporting of criminal activities.
In September alone, in addition to the above, the UN human rights office in Mexico has publicly condemned three other murders of journalists. Other gruesome killings have also continued to take place in Mexico. On 27 September, five severed heads were found inside a bag alongside boards with messages on them in Acapulco, Guerrero. On 20 September, two trucks containing the bodies of 23 men and 12 women, who had been tortured and murdered, were abandoned in a busy street in Veracruz City. The UN human rights office in Mexico is monitoring this case and checking into reports that journalists were threatened at gunpoint at the Veracruz morgue.
We understand the challenge the Mexican Government is facing in its fight against rising violence. However, we are also extremely concerned at the prevalent impunity regarding these killings, and the many other similar crimes committed in recent years. We are particularly concerned that some of these crimes appear to have been committed with the cooperation or acquiescence of state agents.
We urge the Mexican authorities to launch immediate full and impartial investigations into these events. We also remind them of their obligation to protect all people in Mexico from the threats to the enjoyment of their fundamental rights, particularly their right to life, to security and integrity of the person, and to freedom of expression."

***29.09.2011. RUSSIA. Safety of journalists remains top priority, OSCE media freedom representative tells Russian journalists 

SOCHI, Russia, 29 September 2011 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, said today that urging governments to ensure the safety of journalists, which is threatened by a climate of impunity,
will continue to be her top priority. Mijatović spoke on a panel discussion on journalists’ safety and impunity
in the OSCE region at the 15th annual convention of the Russian Union of Journalists "All Russia" in Sochi.
The panel included, among others, Russian Presidential Adviser Mikail Fedotov, Glasnost defence foundation president Alexei Simonov and Gazeta Wyborcza editor-in-chief Adam Michnik.
“This impunity from prosecution is caused by a system where government and legal authorities are unwilling or unable to condemn, let alone successfully investigate, these criminal acts,” she said. “This, of course, causes further violence.”
“The wave of violence ripples across many OSCE countries,” she said.
Mijatović estimated that in the OSCE region alone more than 30 journalists had been killed in the past five years, with many more beaten or threatened with their lives.
Citing recent progress in the Anna Politkovskaya and other murder cases achieved by Russia’s Investigative Committee, led by Alexander Bastrykin, Mijatović noted that the situation is improving in Russia, but much more needs to be done.
“Here, in Russia, where many problems have festered over the past 20 years, it is especially encouraging to see that authorities at the top of government are beginning to take a proactive role in solving murder cases against journalists, but much more needs to be done, ” she said.
While attending the conference, Mijatović discussed possible areas of further co-operation with Fedotov, who is the chair of Russia’s Presidential Council for the Advancement of Civil Society and Human Rights.

***27.09.2011. YEMEN – Third journalist killed since start of protests (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders has learned that that Al-Hurra TV cameraman Hassan Al-Wadhaf died a few days after being hospitalized in a critical condition on 18 September as a result of a serious injury to the left eye.

He received the injury while covering attacks by security forces and baltajiyas (militiamen) on demonstrators in Sanaa, in which 26 people were killed. Journalists who were with Wadhaf on 18 September said men in civilian dress deliberately fired rocket-propelled grenades at the crowd.

Wadhaf is the third journalist to be killed since the start of the protests in Yemen. The first two were Jamal Al-Sharabi of Al-Masdar and Mohamed Yahia Al-Malayia of Al-Salam, who were killed on 18 March.

Reporters Without Borders, which offers its sincere condolences to Wadhaf’s family, friend colleagues, urges the United Nations Human Rights Council to appoint a special rapporteur to investigate all the violations against the civilian population, including journalists, since the start of the protests.

Reporters Without Borders is very concerned about the surge in violence against journalists in Yemen since President Ali Abdallah Saleh’s return from Saudi Arabia on 23 September. The atrocities against the civilian population are on the increase.

Security forces fired on the Sanaa homes of two journalists on 23 September – Rashida Al-Qiyali, who is also a writer, and Mujib Al-Hamidi, who works for the newspaper Al-Sahwa. As Abdul Salam Mohamed, a journalist with the Saba news agency, left his home on 23 September, he was fired on by a sniper who fortunately missed his target.

The headquarters of the Union of Journalists came under fire on the evening of 23 September as government forces and pro-government militiamen (baltajiyas) tried to take control of Change Square. TV journalist Abdel Majid Al-Samawi was injured by sniper fire on the afternoon of the same day as he was leaving 60th Street, where government opponents had gathered. He was admitted to a hospital where doctors said his injury was not life-threatening.

Access to the independent news website Yemen Nation was blocked on 25 September for the second time since the start of the protests.

***18.09.2011. PARIS FORUM ADOPTS DRAFT UN ACTION PLAN TO IMPROVE SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS

New York, Sep 18 2011  7:10PM
Participants at a United Nations forum that met in Paris have drafted an action plan to improve the safety of journalists and ensure that crimes committed against them do not go unpunished.

More than 500 media professionals have been killed in the course of their duties over the past decade, according to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which hosted last week's forum.

It points out that many more have been assaulted, abducted, sexually violated, intimidated, harassed, arrested or illegally detained.

In addition, the vast majority of these crimes did not concern international war correspondents but journalists working in their home countries, often in times of peace, and covering local stories. The instigators for the most part, remain unpunished.

The draft plan adopted by the forum, which brought together representatives of UN agencies, progra
mmes and funds, envisions the establishment of a coordinated inter-agency mechanism to handle issues connected to the safety of journalists and impunity.

Safety and impunity are also to be incorporated into UN contributions to national strategies, notably development assistance programmes and the possible inclusion of media stakeholders in some of the preparatory processes of the UN's development projects.

The draft also foresees the extension of work already conducted by UNESCO to prevent crimes against media workers, including assisting countries to develop legislation and mechanisms favourable to freedom of expression and information.

Awareness-raising campaigns will also be conducted with Member States, civil society, non - governmental organizations and concerned bodies about issues of freedom of expression, journalists' safety and the danger of impunity to democracy, UNESCO stated.

The draft plan will be presented to UNESCO's International Programme for the Development of C
ommunication (IPDC) at its next session in March 2012 and will then be submitted to the bodies in charge of UN-wide coordination.

Sep 18 2011  7:10PM

***14.09.2011. UN conference on journalist safety hears concerns of news community - action promised (INSI) 

Paris, 14 September - A UN conference on news safety and impunity heard the concerns of major journalist support organisations on Tuesday as the world body sought to draw up a coordinated plan to tackle the issue.

    The inter-agency conference, involving relevant UN agencies and attended by Under-Secretary-General for Communications Kiyotaka Akasaka, was organised by UNESCO following a decision by its International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) in 2010.

    It sought an inter-agency meeting to formulate "a comprehensive, coherent and action-oriented approach to the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity."

    The action emphasises growing concern at the rising number of attacks on journalists around the world. INSI counts more than 1,000 deaths over the past 10 years with many more physical attacks. Fewer than 2 out of 10 killers of journalists around the globe are brought to justice, fuelling a climate of impunity that produces more of the same.

    Leading journalist support groups and other concerned organisations were invited to submit views and proposals.

    INSI and others urged measures to give teeth to UN Security Council Resolution 1738 on the safety of journalists in conflict and on the end to impunity.
  
    Director Rodney Pinder also called for UN media development to provide for safety training and said donor nations should  consider a nation's record on impunity when considering whether to grant development aid.

     INSI also submitted a detailed analysis of worldwide casualties in 2010 contained in its annual Killing The Messenger report. 

    The all-party conference on Tuesday was followed by a UN agency meeting on Wednesday charged with drafting a concrete plan of action.

    Other journalist support groups participating in the conference included the International Press Institute (IPI), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Article 19, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), the Media Foundation of West Africa, the Southeast Asia Press Alliance (SEAPA), the Arabic Network of Human Rights Information (ANHRI), the Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM), the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC).

    International organisations included the UNDP, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and the International Red Cross (ICRC).

    Other speakers included Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and Pansy Tlakula, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression for the African Union.

    More details of the conference and related documents are on the UNESCO website.

***13.09.2011. UN FORUM HEARS CALLS FOR GREATER PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS

New York, Sep 13 2011 2:10PM
Top United Nations officials today urged better protection of journalists and greater efforts to ensure that those who kill or intimidate them are brought to justice, stressing that freedom of the press is a basic
foundation of peace and democracy.

An inter-agency forum on the safety of journalists, hosted by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, heard calls for UN offices and entities to work more closely together to protect
media professionals and fight impunity for their killers.

“Let us do our utmost to ensure that the media can do its indispensable work on behalf of humankind,” said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=5508">message to the forum,
delivered behalf by Kiyo Akasaka, the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information.

He noted that cyber-surveillance, digital harassment and censorship of the Internet had emerged as new barriers to media freedom.

“The press can never be free if journalists and media workers are under attack. Those who murder, kidnap, harass, arrest or intimidate journalists not only stop the free flow of information, they stifle the ability of millions of people to have their stories told.

“Quite apart from the violence and the suffering such crimes bring, I am also dismayed when they are not thoroughly investigated and prosecuted. Only by putting an end to impunity can we break this vicious cycle,” said
the Secretary-General.

Mr. Akasaka, for his part, highlighted the role the UN has played to uphold the freedoms of information, expression and association, which he described as fundamental principles in democratic societies.

The UN Department of Public Information (DPI), he said, uses mass communication tools – such as the Internet, television, photography, radio, print and social media – to uphold the principle of freedom of the
press and to raise awareness on the issue.

The meeting was also addressed by the Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Irina Bokova, the UNESCO Director-General.

Separately, Ms. Bokova issued statements condemning the recent killings of journalists in Peru and Honduras and demanding that the culprits brought to justice.

Peruvian journalist Pedro Alfonso Flores Silva <"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/director_general_condemns_murder_of_peruvian_journalist_pedro_alfonso_flores_silva/
">died last Thursday from injuries sustained when he was shot by masked gunmen in the city of Casma the previous day. As the programme director of the local Canal 6 television, Flores Silva, 36, had been the target of
repeated threats, according to the press freedom advocacy Reporters without Borders.

In Honduras, radio journalist Medardo Flores was <"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/director_general_condemns_assassination_of_honduran_journalist_medardo_flores_and_calls_for_investigation/ ">gunned down near his home overnight on Thursday, bringing to 15 the number of media professionals murdered in that country over the past 18 months.

***11.09.2011. Declaration Adopted by IFJ/EFJ Conference on ‘Journalism in the Shadow of Terror Laws’

The international conference organised by the International Federation (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) on ‘ Journalism in the Shadow of Anti-Terror Laws’ has concluded today in Brussels by calling for a review of anti –terror legislation which undermines journalists’
independence .
The following is the Declaration which was adopted after two days of debates on the impact of anti-terror legislation on journalism following the 9/11 attacks in America:
We, the participants at the IFJ/EFJ Conference “10 years after 9/11, Journalism in the Shadow of Terror Laws”, held in Brussels on 10th-11th September,
Noting that since the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States, the response by governments to the threat of terrorism had been massively disproportionate, resulting in
· fundamental rights being routinely violated and undermined,
· a raft of mass surveillance measures targeting journalists and media organisations being introduced,
· laws and regulations that undermine almost half of the minimum standards set out in the 1948 UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights being enacted by governments, often in the absence of scrutiny and debate, and
· media and independent journalism suffering in a “pervasive atmosphere of paranoia” which is leading to dangerous levels of self-censorship,

Recognising that these laws, when adopted in democratic states, are used by authoritarian regimes to reinforce their oppressive systems, and in most instances have served to restrict dissent inside and outside media and to curtail free speech,
Believing that all forms of indiscriminate violence and terrorism are unacceptable and threaten journalism and press freedom,
Concerned that the majority of counter-terrorism measures adopted by states over the past decade have helped usher in a ‘surveillance society’ with new high-tech forms of ‘dataveillance’ been used to monitor journalists’ activities, with spies and undercover agents been active in
newsrooms, and with phones and computers been tapped and movements recorded,
Rejecting the message that fundamental rights can be sacrificed to fight terrorism and further concerned that ‘national security’ interest continues to enable governments to withhold information or override the constitutional and legal protections that should be afforded to citizens,
journalists and whisteblowers alike,
DECLARE
1. That governments must not sacrifice civil liberties under the pretext of security;
2. That all counter-terrorism and national security laws, among them those hastily enacted immediately after September 11, should be reviewed to ensure compliance with international human rights and freedom of expression norms and prevent the misuse of anti-terror laws against
journalists;
3. That mandatory data retention regimes must be repealed, and that restrictions and controls on the use of surveillance powers and new security technologies, as well as robust new mechanisms to protect personal privacy be established;
4. That journalists and editors must maintain editorial independence and guard against self-censorship, and that media need more than ever to be active in the scrutiny of the actions of government;
5. That independent journalism’s vital role in investigating and exposing the impact of changes in national and global security policy on society at large is crucial to the future of democratic society;
6. That independent organisation of journalists in unions and associations is an essential safeguard for press freedom, self-regulation and editorial independence;
7. That all forms of violence against media and targeting of media workers are completely unacceptable;
8. That all restrictions on journalists’ freedom of movement, pressure on them to reveal sources of information, and manipulation of media by political leaders on security issues are unacceptable,
9. That the IFJ/EFJ should a) strengthen their campaign among journalists’ unions everywhere to
raise awareness of security policies and their impact on the right to report,
b) reiterate IFJ policy on the importance of pluralism, diversity, press freedom and open government at national and international level, and the need for tolerance in journalism, as adopted at the Bilbao international conference in 1997, and reiterated in 2005,
c) build the wider coalition with other trades unions, human rights campaigners, employers, whenever appropriate, other media organisations and relevant civil society groups against further attacks on civil liberties and democratic rights,
d) advocate for the introduction of freedom of information laws that guarantee citizens the right of access to public information and restrict the application of national secrecy provisions and for the
elimination of all laws that criminalise journalism, or restrict the protection of sources,
e) promote debates at national and international level on the need for professional vigilance, ethical conduct and improvement of journalists’ capacity to work and investigate without undue pressure from whatever source, and the need for tolerance in journalism.
Adopted in Brussels on 11 September 2011
For more information, please contact Ernest Sagaga (ernest.sagaga@ifj.org
) on + 32 2 235 2207) or Yuk Lan Wong (yuklan.wong@ifj.org) on + 32 2 235
2226)

***08.09.2011. AFGHANISTAN. IFJ Mourns BBC Journalist Killed by Nato Forces in Afghanistan

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said that the killing of BBC reporter Ahmed Omed Khpulwak, who was shot dead by a member of Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, is a reminder of the risks to journalists who are working in conflict
zones. Isaf has admitted that the journalist was killed in July by a US soldier who mistook him for an insurgent during a firefight at the Afghan Radio Television (RTA).
“We note Isaf’s admission but urge all sides to the conflict to ensure that media facilities are not turned into combat zones,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “This tragic incident must be properly assessed to serve a lesson for future interventions on premises where journalists and media staff work.”
In a statement, Isaf said Omed of the BBC Pashto service was shot by a soldier who feared he was an insurgent about to set off a device. The shooting occurred as soldiers were clearing the RTA building of militants, two of whom had detonated bombs injuring soldiers. According to some
reports, the journalist was attempting to produce his press card when he was killed.
The BBC reacted to the admission, recognising that “Isaf had provided clarification, ending a period of uncertainty, but it would study the details of the findings on receiving the full report.”
The IFJ says that this latest deadly incident shows the urgency in finding ways to provide journalists with adequate protection. The Federation plans to push for concrete measures and governments’ commitment to protecting media during the forthcoming United Nations Inter-Agency Meeting on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity which will take place next
week in Paris.
“The death of Omed in such violent circumstances is one too many and we must resolve to act in the defence of journalists’ safety with more vigour and purpose than ever before,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary.

***04.09.2011. SOMALIA. Malaysian journalist killed, another wounded in Mogadishu Shoot Out

The National Union of Somali Journalists condemns the shooting incident that left a Malaysian cameraman dead and another wounded in Mogadishu's KM4 area on late Friday afternoon.

Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, 41, a cameraman for the Malaysian National News Agency was shot to death and Aji Saregar Mazlan, A TV3 journalist was wounded after shooting incident took place in KM4 area on late Friday afternoon, journalists and witnesses reported.

"This tragedy took place when the convoy of cars carrying the Malaysian aid workers met a convoy from the Ugandan contingent of AMISOM ( The AU peace-keeping force in Somalia ), which then opened fire." The Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunication said
in a statement.

The death of Noramfaizul Mohd Nor was confirmed by Malaysian National News Agency, where he was working for. The Journalists were accompanying Putera 1 Malaysia Club, a 2 month humanitarian mission to Somalia.

Noramfaizul leaves behind a wife Norazrina Jaafar, 37, and two sons, Mohd Irfan, 8, and Mohd Naufal, 3.

"There was a Somali technical vehicle and African Union convoy following behind the car in which the journalists were traveling with." said a journalist who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "

An eyewitnesses interviewed said the African Union Mission in Somalia fired at the journalists.

The African Union mission in Somalia has not commented the shooting incident yet.

"We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of Noramfaizul Mohd and ask Allah to reward him paradise." Mohammed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, "We Condemn the shooting incident while we call for the African Union Mission and the Transitional Federal Government to investigate the shooting incident immediately and bring the killers to justice." said
Mohammed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General

Foreign journalists and Aid workers have been pouring into the Somali capital Mogadishu in recent months in response the severe droughts that hit the country.

Last month, Radio SIMBA staffer, Farah Hassan Sahal, was killed by sniper fires at the radio compound in Mogadishu's Bakara market, apparently from the African Union Mission in Somalia or the Government forces.

For further information, contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Human Rights House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / newsletter@nusoj.org.so
Internet: http://www.nusoj.org.so

***01.09.2011. SYRIA: SENIOR UN OFFICIAL VOICES ALARM AT ONGOING ABUSES AGAINST
JOURNALISTS

New York, Sep 1 2011 10:10AM
The head of the United Nations agency defending press freedom has voiced her alarm at continuing abuses committed against journalists in Syria and called on authorities to respect basic human rights, including the right to freedom of expression.

The concern expressed by Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), comes amid a number of “disturbing” reports, the Paris-based agency said in a <"http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/director_general_voices_alarm_at_continuing_abuse_against_journalists_in_syria/
">news release.

These include news that Syrian caricaturist Ali Ferzat had been beaten by armed men on 25 August, and concern for freelance journalist Hanadi Zahlout, who has been in jail since her arrest on 25 July.

“I am alarmed at continuing reports of detention and physical abuse against journalists,” said Ms. Bokova. “Torture and detention will never convince the people of Syria that might is right.

“It is essential for the future of the country and its people that the authorities respect freedom of expression and listen to what their critics have to say,” she stated.

As many as 2,000 Syrians have been killed in the past five months since the start of the pro-democracy protests, which are part of a broader uprising across North Africa and the Middle East that has led to the toppling of long-standing regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and conflict in Libya.

A recent UN report found that the Syrian Government’s “widespread and systematic” attacks against its own people may amount to crimes against humanity and possibly warrant an investigation by the International Criminal Court.

***26.08.2011. LIBYA. Six Libyan journalists still missing (CPJ)

New York, August 25, 2011--The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of four Italian journalists kidnapped Wednesday, but remains concerned about the safety of at least six Libyan journalists who have been missing since the start of the uprising in February. The whereabouts of the six Libyan journalists who have been missing for the past six months are still unknown. Two of them were detained in late February, but are still unaccounted for.

"The events of the past week show how dangerous Libya remains for all journalists," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "We hope that as the hostilities subside, the whereabouts of the Libyan journalists who are still missing become clear."

Atef al-Atrash, a contributor to local news outlets in Benghazi, disappeared on February 17 after speaking on air on Al-Jazeera. Mohamed al-Sahim, a blogger and critical political writer, Mohamed al-Amin, a cartoonist, and Idris al-Mismar, a writer and the former editor-in-chief of Arajin, a monthly culture magazine, have also been reported missing. Two Tripoli-based journalists--Salma al-Shaab, head of the Libyan Journalists Syndicate, and Suad al-Turabouls, a correspondent for the pro-government Al-Jamahiriya--were detained in late February, but have not been heard from since. All six journalists' whereabouts are still unknown.

Four Italian journalists kidnapped on Wednesday were released after a raid on the apartment in which they were being held captive, the BBC reported. Their driver, however, was killed during their abduction, news reports said. The journalists had been captured by forces loyal to Col. Muammar Qaddafi, Italy's Corriere della Sera reported.

Matthew VanDyke, a U.S. journalist who had been missing in Libya since March 13, was freed from Abu Salim prison in Tripoli with several inmates on Wednesday after the prison was seized by rebel forces. His mother told CPJ that he had been held in solitary confinement for most of his imprisonment.

On August 11, Tracey Shelton, a freelance Australian journalist, was brutally attacked by two armed men in her Benghazi hotel room and escaped by jumping to a nearby balcony. She is recovering in another Benghazi hotel with rebels protecting her. 

On Wednesday, two French journalists were shot and wounded in Tripoli while covering the fighting around Muammar Qaddafi's Bab al-Azizya compound, Agence France-Presse reported. A French cameraman for France 2 network, Bruno Girodon, was hit by a bullet, and Paris Match photographer Alvaro Canovas was shot in the thigh by an assault rifle. They were both taken to a hospital on Wednesday and are recovering from their wounds.

***25.08.2011. LIBYA. INSI Safety Advisory 1700 GMT August 25

Four Italian journalists kidnapped in Libya on Wednesday have been released unharmed, although their driver was killed. The four are reported to have been freed after a raid on a house in Tripoli were they were being held.

The situation for news crews in the country remains extremely precarious. The International News Safety Institute is coordinating an email forum, for the exchange of confidential and sensitive information between journalists on the ground and news desks. Those interested in participating should contact Hannah Storm at hannah.storm@newssafety.org

INSI is issuing this safety advisory for news crews at 1700 GMT on August 25, but advises journalists that because the situation is constantly changing, teams and desks should be constantly assessing the situation and, where possible, have exit plans in place.

Large parts of Tripoli now appear to be under opposition control, however there are still pockets of fighting between the two sides. Across the capital and the remainder of the country, frontlines are extremely fluid and changing rapidly.

News teams have come under fire moving across Tripoli and live positions are also reported to have been fired upon. Snipers and rocket explosions also pose a threat and journalists should be aware of the possible danger of celebratory gunfire.

Earlier on Thursday, there was a firefight in the vicinity of the Corinthia Hotel, where a number of journalists had been based. There are reports that journalists were evacuated from the hotel by rebels. Some journalists are believed to have returned after the fighting stopped. At least one road nearby that was being used by news teams was temporarily inaccessible because of the fighting.

The route from Tunisia via the border at Dehiba remains the entry point for the majority of journalists from the west and those making the transit should be aware of the possibility of the security situation deteriorating without notice, with routes -- previously regarded as safe -- possibly becoming dangerous. News crews have been using the main road between Zawiya and Tripoli, but INSI urges them to exercise extreme caution.
 
Journalists should also be aware of uncomfirmed reports that Gaddafi has called on his supporters to use the opportunity to seize foreigners, including journalists. Armed gangs and small pockets of those still loyal to Gaddafi continue to operate.

Communication and supplies remain precarious, and INSI advises all news teams to take fuel, food and water with them.

Rebel forces have been moving towards Gaddafi's hometown of Sirte, and there are reports that they have been exchanging heavy gunfire with loyalists on the  road into the city. In the town of Bin Jawad, they are also facing stiff resistance from Gaddafi supporters.

***24.08.2011. LIBYA. Libya: ICRC evacuates journalists from Rixos Hotel

Geneva (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helped journalists leave the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli today and led them to safety. The reporters had been unable to leave the hotel for several days.

"We have taken 33 journalists and two other foreign nationals from the Rixos Hotel to a safe place," said Georges Comninos, the head of the ICRC delegation in Libya. "Our recognized role as a neutral intermediary enabled us to carry out this operation. We are glad that everything went
smoothly, but we remain concerned about other civilians and journalists who may find themselves in danger."

At around 4.30 p.m. local time, six ICRC staff arrived at the hotel with four vehicles and helped transfer the journalists and the two other foreign nationals to a safe location in Tripoli. They expressed joy and relief at having left the hotel.

Journalists are protected under international humanitarian law. "Media professionals are entitled to the same protection as civilians. They must be protected and respected," said Mr Comninos.

The ICRC, which operates a hotline for journalists on dangerous assignments, had been contacted by several news organizations concerned about the safety and well-being of their staff. Since the beginning of the year, the organization has received around 50 requests for help from media
organizations and families of journalists.

***17.08.2011 Egypt: Military Intensifies Clampdown on Free Expression
Youth Leader, Protesters Charged With ‘Insulting the Military’ (Human Rights Watch) 

(Cairo, August 17, 2011) – The military prosecutor’s decision to prosecute the youth leader Asamaa Mahfouz for “insulting the military” is a serious escalation of efforts by military leaders to silence critical voices, Human Rights Watch said today.

The prosecutor has this week alone summoned both Mahfouz and Maha Abu Bakr, a lawyer, on charges related to speech protected by the right to freedom of expression. They are among a large number of protesters and other civilians facing trials in Egypt’s military courts. Civilians should not be prosecuted before Egypt’s military courts, which do not meet basic due process standards, Human Rights Watch said.

“The decision to try Asmaa Mahfouz is a major attack on free expression and fair trials, using the same abusive laws the Mubarak government used against its critics,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The military is using her to silence
potential critics, sending the message that criticizing the current military government will land them in jail.”

The Mahfouz case is the latest in a series of moves prosecuting critical expression by the military, which is increasingly setting narrower and narrower limits on what it permits, Human Rights Watch said.

Mahfouz, a former leading member of the April 6 Youth Movement, received a summons at her home on August 13, 2011, to appear before the military prosecutor the next day for questioning. The military prosecutor questioned her for over three hours about her comments on Twitter and
media interviews during protests on July 23 in which she criticized the military for failing to intervene to protect protesters.

He then charged her with “calling for threats to social peace,” “spreading false information,” and “insulting the military,” but allowed her release on 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($US3,400) bail, an extremely high sum for most Egyptians. On August 16 Egypt’s official news agency MENA quoted a
military justice official saying the prosecutor had decided to refer Mahfouz’s case to court on charges of insulting the military, dropping the other charges.

On August 14 the head of the military justice system, Gen. Adel Morsi, in a news release, started by affirming the important role of expression in society and then invited the public to look at Mahfouz’s Facebook profile to see for themselves “whether [her comments were] an opinion or an
inappropriate violation of the law and incitement.” The comment in question, which Mahfouz posted on Twitter and Facebook, was: “If the judiciary doesn’t restore our rights then nobody should be surprised if we then see armed groups and assassinations taking place... if there is no law and no justice system, no one should be surprised.”

“Asmaa Mahfouz’s comments reflect her concerns about the need for justice and are fully protected by freedom of expression,” Stork said. “Yet the military is prosecuting her under a blatantly abusive law. This charge should be dropped immediately.”

Abu Bakr, a lawyer representing victims in the Mubarak trial and a Kifaya activist, received her summons to appear before the military prosecutor on charges of “insulting the military” on August 16. During the questioning, the prosecutor showed her video footage from the July 23 demonstration in Abbasiya, Cairo, of a protester who, the prosecutor told her, was “insulting” the military. The prosecutor dropped the charges against her when he realized the footage was not of her. Lawyer Ahmed Ragheb told Human Rights Watch that this footage was not filmed by the media, which would suggest that the military is filming protesters during demonstrations.

Military courts are currently trying numerous protesters. In an August 15 case, six protesters faced charges of “insulting the military” before a military tribunal for chanting “antagonistic” slogans about Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, the de facto ruler of the country, in addition to
charges of assaulting a police officer. The military court sentenced Hassan Bahgat to six months in prison in another case, 3779/2011, for insulting the military in Tahrir square on August 6.

Military courts are also currently trying groups of protesters arrested in Cairo in late June and early August around Tahrir Square and in Alexandria on July 22. These include a group of 43 protesters arrested during a June 28 and 29 protest outside the Interior Ministry in downtown Cairo. One of
them is the activist Loai Nagaty, whom military police arbitrarily arrested on June 29 on Falaky Street, near the Interior Ministry. They detained him for eight days in the military prison but then released him on health grounds. He faces charges of “assaulting a public officer” and "causing disturbance.” The next session of his trial is scheduled for August 23.

Military courts have sentenced at least 10,000 civilians since January 2011 after unfair proceedings, Human Rights Watch said. All of them should be retried before regular civilian courts.

The Military’s Red Lines The Mubarak government frequently used overly broad provisions in the
penal code to crack down on legitimate criticism of the government’s human rights record or criticism of the political situation, trying editors, opposition leaders, and activists on charges of “insulting the president” or “insulting public institutions.” The military government and courts are
using the same provisions.

On April 11 a military court sentenced a blogger, Maikel Nabil, to three years in prison for “insulting the military establishment,” under article 184 of the penal code, and “spreading false information,” under article 102. The evidence presented against him consisted solely of a CD with details of Nabil's blog postings and commentary on Facebook over the previous months. Nabil’s lawyers have appealed his sentence but the court has not scheduled a date to hear his appeal.

Military prosecutors have summoned at least seven activists and journalists, including Mahfouz, to question them on charges of criminal defamation after they publicly criticized the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), the military leadership, or alleged abuses by the army. The
labor activist and blogger Hossam al-Hamalawy was summoned after he said on television that he held the head of the military police, Gen. Hamdy Badeen, personally responsible for acts of torture by the military police.

A member of the military leadership told Human Rights Watch in June that military prosecutors “offered [Hamalawy and the others] American coffee and discussed the different issues with them. This did not take longer than one hour.” On another occasion, on June 19, the military prosecutor
summoned a journalist, Rasha Azab, and an editor, Adel Hammouda, for questioning about an article Azab had written about alleged human rights abuses by the military.

A Human Rights Watch delegation met with a member of the SCAF on June 6 and voiced concern about the chilling effect that summoning people on criminal charges has on freedom of expression generally. One of the SCAF officers at the meeting responded:

We do not question everyone for criticizing the military, we only ask those who accuse, who defame the military or those who spread inaccurate information in order to spread suspicion about the armed forces to present their evidence. We summoned four journalists only to question them about their information and their sources since [what they said/wrote] involved the behavior of the armed forces and has serious implications for the perception of the armed forces.

In his August 14 news release Morsi said that there were “many who abused freedom of expression in the media in order to promote armed militias' plans for assassinations,” referring to Mahfouz’s tweet, and to “cross the limits of freedom of expression to insult and defame the armed forces and the SCAF.” He added that the SCAF does not limit freedom of expression but only investigates what Egypt’s penal code prohibits and that the military justice system was conducting the investigation based on the jurisdiction granted by the Code of Military Justice.

The broad jurisdictional basis of the Code of Military Justice is incompatible with international human rights standards because it allows for military trials of civilians without any subject-jurisdiction limitations, Human Rights Watch said.

Penal Code Is Incompatible With International Law The United Nations Human Rights Committee, the expert body that provides authoritative interpretations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Egypt is a party, states categorically in its recently-issued General Comment No. 34, on Article 19 on Freedom of Expression, that, “States parties should not prohibit criticism of institutions, such as the army or the administration.” By this standard, article 184 of the Egyptian penal code, which criminalizes “insulting the People’s Assembly, the Shura Council or any State Authority, or the Army or the Courts,” is incompatible with international law and should be amended accordingly, Human Rights Watch said.

Egypt’s penal code includes numerous provisions that violate international law by providing criminal penalties of imprisonment for “insulting” public officials and institutions, including the president (article 179), public officials (article 185), “foreign kings or heads of state” (article 180),
or foreign diplomats (article 182). The Human Rights Committee further elaborated in General Comment 34: “The mere fact that forms of expression are considered to be insulting to a public figure is not sufficient to justify the imposition of penalties, albeit public figures may also
benefit from the provisions of the Covenant. Moreover, all public figures, including those exercising the highest political authority such as heads of state and government, are legitimately subject to criticism and political opposition.”

“Egypt needs to urgently review the legal framework which Mubarak used for years to silence his critics,” Stork said. “It is unacceptable for the military to be using these laws to clamp down on speech, especially as elections near.”

For more Human Rights Watch reporting on Egypt, please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/middle-eastn-africa/egypt

***01.08.2011. LIBYA: NATO LAUNCHES AIRSTRIKES AT MEDIA OUTLET

Three unidentified journalists were killed and 21 others injured in Tripoli after North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) warplanes bombed three transmission towers on 30 July in an effort to take Libyan state television off the air. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have condemned the attack.

According to NATO, "TV was being used as an integral component of the regime apparatus designed to systematically oppress and threaten civilians and to incite attacks against them. [Libyan leader Muammar] Qaddafi's increasing practice of inflammatory broadcasts illustrates his regime's policy to instill hatred amongst Libyans, to mobilise its supporters against civilians, and to trigger bloodshed."

In a letter to NATO, CPJ has asked for a more detailed explanation for the motivation behind the attack, saying "we are concerned any time a media facility is the target of a military attack. Such attacks can only be justified under International Humanitarian Law if the media facility is being used for military purposes or to incite violence against the civilian population."

CPJ is asking for evidence of specific broadcasts intended to incite violence. The letter also asks if more airstrikes are being planned since the initial strike failed to halt state television.

IFJ says the bombing is in contravention of UN Security Council resolution 1738, which condemns attacks against journalists, clearly establishing media equipment and installations as civilian locations that should not be considered a target for military reprisals.

"Our concern is that when one side decides to take out a media organisation because they regard its message as propaganda, then all media are at risk," said IFJ. "In conflict situations, international law is clear that unarmed journalists cannot be treated as combatants, irrespective of their political affiliations."

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has also spoken out against the strike on Al-Jamahiriya and its installations: "The NATO strike is also contrary to the principles of the Geneva Conventions that establish the civilian status of journalists in times of war even when they engage in propaganda."

More on the web:
- Request to NATO for clarification on Libya TV attack (CPJ):
http://cpj.org/blog/2011/08/request-to-nato-for-clarification-on-libya-tv-atta.php

- IFJ condemns NATO bombing at Libyan television (IFJ):
http://www.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-condemns-nato-bombing-at-libyan-television

- Director-General deplores NATO strike on Libyan state television facilities (UNESCO):
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/director_general_deplores_nato_strike_on_libyan_state_television_facilities/back/18256/

- NATO airstrikes target Libyan state TV transmitters (AP):
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/africa-mideast/nato-airstrikes-target-libyan-state-tv-transmitters/article2115328/

***28.07.2011. Freedom of opinion and expression – how far the protections go: the UN Human Rights Committee

GENEVA – Blasphemy laws, “memory” laws, laws on such matters as treason,
counter-terrorism, lese majeste, desacato, defamation of the head of state, the protection of honour of public officials…the UN Human Rights Committee today share with the media its new General Comment on the rights to freedom of opinion and expression which sets out just how far such restrictions on these fundamental human rights can go.

“This constitutes the most authoritative interpretation of one of the most
challenged and sensitive topics in international human rights law,” said committee member Michael O'Flaherty, who guided the General Comment through the Committee.

“It is a comprehensive response to numerous requests from lawmakers,
judges, prosecutors, lawyers, rights defenders and even journalists asking
for clarification on many of the issues covered by the rights to freedom
of expression and opinion.”

Among other issues, the Human Rights Committee states in its General
Comment that freedom of expression protections extend to new media and
information platforms. It also offers the most comprehensive analysis yet
in international human rights law of a right of access to information held
by public bodies.

Download the Committee’s General Comments on freedom of expression:
www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/GC34.pdf or
www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/comments.htm

***25.07.2011. OPT. The Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedom (MADA): 113 attacks on the freedom of the press in the first half of this year in oPt

Ramallah - Attacks on journalists continue to hinder their work and endanger their lives. In the first 6 months of 2011 MADA has monitored 113 violations on press freedom in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), including 68 committed by the security services of the West Bank and Gaza and 45 committed by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continue to defy international standards of human rights law by supressing the work of Palestinian journalists in addition to causing frequent bodily harm. Despite however the brutality of IOF attacks, for the first time in over three years Palestinian Security Service attacks have surpassed their numbers.

Total The Palestinian side Israeli
occupation The
violator Year
122 35 87 2008
87 33 54 2009
98 19 79 2010

Analysis has shown that the increase in Palestinian Security Service violations is proportionate to the increased number of youth rallies, demanding an end to the internal Palestinian political divisions, and their coverage by journalists, which began and have continued since 15 March 2011. 30 violations committed by Palestinian Security Services against journalists were committed in March alone, with the majority occurring in the Gaza Strip.

The Murder of Vittorio Arrigoni - A Crime that Shocked the Palestinian Community

The most serious and heinous violation of the past year came with the brutal murder of freelance Italian journalist and activist Vittorio Arrigoni by an armed militant group in the Gaza Strip.

"The body of Arrigoni was found on the morning of Friday 16/4/2011, in an abandoned house north of the Gaza Strip. The armed group had announced kidnapping him the day before his death, and demanded in a video the release of detainees from the" Salafist jihadi group "of the security services of the Hamas Government in two days, but they had to kill him before the end of the announcement deadline."

Despite the passing of more than three months the circumstances and motive of the crime are still unknown. The Hamas government of Gaza has not released the official report of its investigation following a raid that ended with the suspect Abdel-Rahman Mohammad Breizat throwing grenades at his two accomplices before turning a gun on himself.

Arrigoni - who was granted Palestinian citizenship in honour of his solidarity activities - was one of the most active individuals in the Palestinian solidarity movement. Arrigoni lived in Gaza and aided its people for 3 years before his death and through his writings and participation in numerous international solidarity and advocacy events shed light on the suffering of the Palestinian people as a result of the Israeli siege and blockade. Arrigoni was a loved member of both the
solidarity and Palestinian communities with which he was unwaveringly
involved.

Israeli forces committed serious violations against journalists

Despite the increased number of violations committed by Palestinian Security Services since the beginning of the year, Israeli occupation forces remain a real threat to the lives of journalists. Since January 2011, MADA has monitored a total of 49 incidences of physical attacks against journalists, including 24 IOF perpetrated attacks and 25 committed by the security services of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Below is a summary of the most brutal attacks monitored since the start of the year:


• Pal Media and German television photographer Abdul Ghani Natshe was severely injured after being struck on the hand by a rubber coated bullet then targeted with tear gas projectiles fired by Israeli forces while he was covering the weekly march in Hebron, on 25/02/2011. The injuries sustained by Natshe necessitated immediate evacuation from the scene and emergency medical treatment.
• WAFA news agency correspondent Tha’er Fakousa was beaten by IOF soldiers while covering the weekly Beit Omar march in Hebron city on Saturday 5 March 2011. The beating caused contusions and also caused his camera to break, Fakousa then required hospitalization after he lost consciousness when soldiers fired tear gas projectiles at him.
• Freelance photographer Mahfouz Abu Turk was attacked by the IOF whilst covering clashes between the IOF and Palestinians in Silwan on 25 March 2011. Abu Turk required treatment at Almaqased hospital after a gas projectile thrown by IOF solders struck his left eye causing abrasions and burns.
• al-Bayader al-Siyas magazine correspondent Muhammad al-Madhoun sustained severe head injuries following an Israeli military strike in the Gaza Strip. In a statement to MADA, al-Madhoun said that on the night of the 7th he was in his cousin’s home when Israeli’s shelling began. Because of the severity of his head wounds al-Madhoun had to be taken for immediate treatment to Shifa’ Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
• Israeli Occupation Forces opened indiscriminate fire on the participants of a peaceful demonstration in commemoration of al-Nakba. Dozens of unarmed civilians suffered moderate to severe injuries, including freelance photographer Mohammad Othman (25 years). Othman was covering the March of Return, proceeding towards the Beit Hanoun crossing in northern Gaza Strip when Israeli Occupation Forces began firing live bullets at demonstrators. Osman was hit with live rounds to his chest and right hand and had to be evacuated to Kamal Adwan hospital
for emergency treatment before being transferred to Shifa Hospital for surgery. Othman is currently suffering from paraplegia and is receiving physiotherapy in preparation for his transfer to a specialist medical center in Jordan. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has stated that the Palestinian National Authority will cover all the costs of his treatment.
• Israeli Occupation Forces attacked APA Agency photographer Najih
Al-Hashlamoun while covering clashes between Israeli occupation forces and residents of the Shalalah neighbourhood in the city of Hebron.
Al-Hashlamoun reported that he was filming Israeli soldiers firing tear gas at demonstrators from the gate of one of the houses, and was standing away from demonstrators when he was struck by a rubber-coated steel bullet, wounding his left foot. Al-Hashlamoun went to the Hebron public hospital, where staff found he was suffering from severe contusions and swelling.

Decline in the number of violations in the past three months

An improvement in freedom of expression has been seen in the last three months (April-June) in comparison with earlier in the year. This decline can be attributed in part to the signing of the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement on 4 May 2011, which has allowed for the return of Palestine TV broadcast from the Gaza Strip, and and Al-Aqsa TV from Ramallah.

Despite this welcome improvement, more steps need to be taken to ensure
the safety and respect of journalist’s rights in the occupied Palestinian territories. The journalists in region had previously paid a high price for the political division, where the number of violations increased dramatically and self-censorship was enhanced, that’s had very negative impact on the level of Palestinian media.

Conclusion and recommendations:

Freedom of opinion and expression is guaranteed under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Palestinian basic law, however because of the political situation journalists still struggle to operate freely and safely within the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Since the beginning of the year journalists have faced numerous incidences of harassment, humiliation and abuse while trying to perform their work by both Israeli occupation forces - who never miss an opportunity to suppress journalists and prevent them from documenting current events and violations against the Palestinian people - and the Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The unrest and calls for unity which escalated in March caused a steep increase in the violations against journalists by Palestinian Security Services,
particularly in the Gaza Strip, during that period.

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) reiterates its condemnation of all violations committed against journalists regardless of type or perpetrator, and calls once again upon the international community to apply serious pressure on Israeli occupation authorities to end their aggression against journalists, which both limit their ability to perform their professional duty and
cause a very real threat to their physical and psychological wellbeing.

In regards to the Palestinian Authorities, MADA calls upon the security services of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to end their attacks against journalists, and in particular, end their campaigns of harassment through repeated summons for investigation. Since the beginning of this year 14 journalists have been interrogated. MADA additionally urges the Hamas government to fully disclose all of the evidence obtained regarding the murder of Vittorio Arrigoni so his family and friends may finally have closure on his tragic death and begin the process of
healing.

The Center also wishes to reiterate the necessity for those responsible for violations to be held accountable, and suitable mechanisms to be employed by which journalists can receive compensation and justice for the violations they suffer.
-----------------------
For more information:
Riham Abu Eita
Coordinator of Public Relations
riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org
00970 2 2976519

***15.07.2011. SYRIA. Silencing global coverage, Syria detains, expels reporters (CPJ)

The Syrian government has detained a local journalist who contributes to pan-Arab news outlets and expelled an international reporter, according to news reports, continuing a crackdown designed to silence global news coverage of the nation's political crisis.Omar al-Assad, a Syrian online journalist and blogger who works for multiple news organizations, was detained on July 3, according to local and regional news outlets. His condition and whereabouts are unknown. Al-Assad contributes to the Lebanese daily As-Safir, the pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat, and the broadcaster Al-Jazeera, news reports said.  

Maarten Zeegers, a Dutch national who writes for the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad and the Belgian Flemish-language daily De Standaard, was detained on Monday in Damascus when he went to renew his residence permit, Radio Netherlands Worldwide reported. Zeegers was informed his name was on a list of "undesired foreigners," he told the radio station. He said he was held for about five hours before being expelled to Turkey.

Zeegers, who had been living in Syria for two and a half years, had been studying Islamic jurisprudence at Damascus University and anonymously writing news reports for the two newspapers. Zeegers' articles were labeled as having been written by a "staff writer" in an effort to obscure his identity and prevent authorities from harassing him. Since mid-March, when civil unrest erupted throughout the country, the government has expelled more than a dozen international journalists, leaving a void in global news coverage, CPJ research shows.    

 "The Syrian authorities are systematically detaining local journalists and expelling foreign reporters in a ruthless attempt to stifle coverage of political protests," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Mohamed Abdel Dayem. "We are concerned for the wellbeing of Omar al-Assad who has disappeared into the black hole of the Syrian security apparatus. We call on the government to release him immediately."

***30.06.2011. GAZA - IFJ Welcomes Israel U-turn on Warning to Media over Gaza Aid Flotilla

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today welcomed the decision of the Israeli Government to reconsider the warning to slap a ten year ban on foreign reporters who plan to board the new aid flotilla bound for Gaza ,in defiance of the blockaded imposed by Israel. The decision also threatened to seize journalists’ equipment.
The government announced on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
had ordered a review of the measure after widespread criticism in media circles and representation from the Journalists’ Association in Jerusalem (JAJ), a branch of the IFJ affiliate in the country, the National Federation of Israeli Journalists (NFIJ). “We welcome the review of the measure and urge the government to restrain
from any action against media covering the event,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “We should not have the repeat of last year’s heavy handed intervention of Israeli navy who failed to distinguish between journalists
and activists. Our members in Israel are to be commended for their staunch
defence of the rights and safety of journalists now just as they acted with speed to assist colleagues caught in violent clashes aboard the first Gaza aid flotilla.”
According to media reports, the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon
said that senior government officials were unaware of the warning which was issued on Sunday by the head of the Government’s press office, Oren Helman, to media organisations. The Deputy Prime Minister reportedly told media that the government is anxious to avoid clashes with media.
The warning provoked an outcry among journalists’ organisations led by the
Foreign Press Association in Israel which described it as "a chilling message that raised questions about Israel's commitment to freedom of the press.”
In a statement, the Journalists’ Association in Jerusalem called on the
Government of Israel to cancel the decision to punish journalists who will
be on board the second Gaza flotilla. The JAJ also requested Prime Minister Netanyahu to order the Israel Defence Forces to enable free coverage of the event.
Last year, the IFJ condemned the brutal attacks on civilians, including
journalists, by Israeli forces in the assault on a flotilla that tried to breach the military blockade of the Gaza coastline in Palestine. One media staff was among the nine people killed by Israeli soldiers during the raid and many journalists were detained and had their equipment confiscated by Israeli authorities. The JAJ coordinated the IFJ efforts to recover the equipment.

***22.06.2011. YEMEN. IFJ Warns Official Media Management in Yemen over Plans to Sack Journalists

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today joined its affiliated organisation in Yemen, the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) in warning the management of Yemeni State Television that massive sackings of journalists who defied orders to censor reporting on recent anti-government protests will not go unchallenged.

The warning follows the revelation of a memo sent by the Yemeni Television board to the managing director, Abdallah El Harazi, including a list of some 30 journalists who should be fired on the grounds that they allegedly supported the uprising.

“The Yemeni Television management is trying to make our colleagues scapegoats because they refused to compromise their professional ethics,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “We stand by their side and support our affiliate’s defence of journalists’ freedom from undue interference from politicians of all sides.”

According to the JYS, the Yemeni TV board instructed the director to take disciplinary measures, including dismissals, against media personnel suspected of supporting the protests. The memo also called for denying these employees access to the television premises as well as withholding their wages and benefits entitlements.

The JYS has condemned the action against journalists at Yemeni Television and other official media, vowing to protect their rights and interests.

The news of the campaign against journalists working for state controlled media coincides with reports of a vigilante group in Yemen which has threatened attacks on media that do not support Yemeni President Saleh.

The so-called ‘Revenge Brigades to protect Yemen and President Saleh’ warned that they will assassinate President Saleh’ opponents and attack newspapers, online website and media connected to members of the political coalition in Yemen, the Al Liqa al Mushtarak.

The group claimed the responsibility for breaking into the weekly “Al Adwa al Mustaqilah” newspaper and beating its staff last Tuesday. It said this was a warning from the ‘Brigades’ to all newspapers and websites supporting the revolution and threatened to assassinate and bomb all opposition newspapers and reporters of foreign Television stations.

“We condemn this vigilante attacks on media and hold Vice President Abed Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi and his government responsible for the safety of journalists in Yemen,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “They have to shoulder their responsibility, reign in and disband these violent groups.”

***14.06.2011. PAKISTAN. Two journalists among 36 killed in Peshawar blast (see update and safety tips below)
 
PESHAWAR: Khyber Union of Journalists has strongly condemned the suicide attack in Peshawar that killed two journalists among 36 other people and injured over hundred including five media persons.
A minor blast took place at a local restaurant in the Khyber Super Market in the military cantonment area at 11.45 pm on the night between Saturday and Sunday. Hearing the bang, the people, media persons and police rushed to the spot, when a suicide bomber on a motorbike struck causing huge losses.
Located just next to the Army Flats, the area is dominated by newspaper offices. Office of The News, Geo television, Daily Times, Pakistan Today, Khyber News, Akhbar-e-Khyber, Kawish television network, Independent News Pakistan, Online news agency, NNI news agency, Frontier Star, Afra Tafreeh magazine and others. The journalists, who work in the nearby offices and reside there as well, rushed to the spot and two among them lost their lives, while five others injured.
The deceased included Asfandyar Khan, who worked with different media organizations and had recently joint Akhbar-e-Khyber, and Shafiullah, a young graduate, who had recently joint The News, International as a trainee reporter.
The injured were Safiullah Mehsud, bureau chief Dunya News, Barakatullah Marwat, sub-editor, The News International, Mohammad Tufail of The News, Hashim Ali of Khyber News and Sheheryar and Riaz of Akhbar-e-Khyber. The injured were, however, in stable condition after receiving first aid.
In a press statement President Khyber Union of Journalists Arshad Aziz Malik and Yousaf Ali strongly condemned the incident and urged the government to take steps for protection of the media people.
They said that this was the second incident in the past one month exactly at the same area where journalists were targeted. On May 10, they said, Nasrullah Afridi was attacked in his own car at the same location.
They informed that some of the newspaper and television offices had received threats of attack and the employees working there have been asking their management repeatedly to shift the offices from the area but to no avail.
 
Yousaf Ali
General Secretary
Khyber Union of Journalists

15.06 UPDATE PAKISTAN

The young Shafiullah is still in critical condition. He has got 70 percent of his body burnt. He has been shifted to a burn center near pindi as unfortunately we don't have any burn unit here in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Let's pray for his recovery.
Also let me inform you that yesterday Khyber Union of Journalists convened a meeting of all the bureau chiefs of the broadcast media here in Peshawar to adopt some SOPs for the media staff that works in field. below are the points, which we finalized. we would send them to all our colleagues and media owners and editors with the strong urge to strictly follow them as the situation has gone the worst here...

Khyber Union of Journalists convened a meeting of the bureau chiefs of all the television channels to finalize standard operation procedures (SOPs) for the field staff to minimize risk. Chaired by Arshad Aziz Malik, president KhUJ, the meeting was attended by president Peshawar Press Club Saiful Islam Saifi, Abdullah Jan of Geo TV, Jamshed Baghwan of Express TV, Zahir Shah Sherazi of Dawn TV, Waqas of AVT Khyber, Iqbal Khattak of Daily Times and Yousaf Ali, general secretary Khyber Union of Journalists. Safiullah of Dunya News could not attend the meeting because of the injuries he had sustained in the June 11 blast. Shokat Khattak of Samaa, Ziaul Haq of ARY and Fakhar of Aaj were out of the town, they however committed to follow strictly whatever decided by the meeting. The meeting thoroughly discussed the threats faced by journalists and finalized safety tips. The safety tips are as follow:

 Do go closer to the spot - Use zoom cameras - Check the distance from where your camera can zoom and cover an incident from that distance - Check the surrounding buildings - If there is any tall, but safe building in the nearby location, go to its rooftop to cover have a better footage - Use of safety equipment should be made compulsory - The organizations must provide safety equipment - Take precautionary measures as soon as you come to know about a happening - Take bullet proof jacket, helmet, etc. - The bullet proof jackets and helmets should be there in vehicle. Locally manufactured safety jackets can also be used - Do have first aid box in your vehicle - First aid training should be made compulsory for the entire field staff - At the spot avoid going near a crowd - Media people themselves should avoid standing in group - DSNGs and other vehicles should be parked at the maximum possible distance from the spot - DSNG guards/drivers should keep an eye on their vehicles and surroundings - Minimum distance from spot for covering an incident should be determined in consultation with the bomb disposal unit - Never go beyond that distance - Be cooperative and polite at the spot with the security personnel as well as common people - Never violate security forces’ guidelines - Field staff should not be forced by their bosses for covering a specific incident that may cause some risk to them - Willingness of the field staff should be sought before sending them for coverage - Avoid going out of the city jurisdiction after 10 in night - Life insurance of the field staff should be ensured - The organizations must arrange life insurance of the staff - Efforts should be made at individual and union level to press the organizations to ensure insurance of the journalists and other media workers - Trainees should never be allowed to go to conflict zones, risky areas, as they are neither registered with their organizations nor properly trained for the situation - DSNGs and other vehicles should be plain-colored instead of having prominent colors and logos - Prominence as media people should be avoided - Identification signs and boards should be used only at the time of the need - Apart from news collection somebody from the office should remain in constant touch with the field staff - Avoid rumors mongering

How to implement These tips should be emailed repeatedly to the staff and management with attractive messages - Informal awareness sessions should be held with the field staff - Alert messages should be sent to the field staff - Give proper space to the safety tips on the union’s web-page

***30.05.2011. GEORGIA. Independent Association of Georgian Journalists deeply concerned over the violence against journalists in Tbilisi 

Independent Association of Georgian Journalists, member of IFJ, is deeply concerned over the violence against journalists in Tbilisi. On May 26, during the opposition rally, journalists were beaten by police, many of them were detained. 

Journalists representing different media channels were covering anti-government protests that have started on May 21. The police fired tear-gas and rubber bullets and used batons to disperse the protesters. Journalists were verbally and physically attacked. Cameras and video cameras were seized or destroyed. And some reporters were arrested without justification.
 
Violence against journalists was recorded from on May 22-26 in Tbilisi and Batumi. Reporters were threatened from both sides: Anti-governmental protesters and Georgia’s Special Forces. 
 
Netgazeti journalist Nino Kakhishvili was detained by policemen in the Tbilisi Main Police Department. After the May 26 raid the riot policemen took Kakhishvili out of an ambulance vehicle and took her with other detained to the Main Police Department.

Camera was seized by riot policemen from Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetskhladze also. According to Tsetskhladze her camera was damaged during the police raid.
 
According to the Internet television Palitra TV, early morning May 26, during the raid of the protest rally in Rustaveli Avenue the riot policemen broke one camera and seized another from the Palitra TV cameraman Avtandil Surmava. Flip-cameras have also been seized from Mediapalitra journalists.
 
A RIA Novosti said, it’s correspondent Andrei Malyshkin was beaten and detained by Georgian riot police on Thursday while covering mass opposition protests.
 
Journalists of the Asaval-Dasavali newspaper have been severely injured during the last night riot police raid. Beka Sivsivadze has been shot several times with rubber bullets in the back.  Giorgi Mamatsashvili was beaten with rubber truncheons; he has trouble moving himself. Pictures of insured bodies were published on front pages of newspapers next day.

According to the journalists later they were released by help from a journalist of one of the "governmental TV-channels."
 
Journalist of Guria News newspaper Nato Gogelia was physically and verbally abused during the dispersal of protest rally on Rustaveli Avenue in the early morning of May 26.

Several police officers held the journalist, removed the memory card from the photo camera and broke it, they also damaged the camera. 
 
News agency Expressnews said that on May 26 during raid at the protest rally at Rustaveli Avenue a correspondent of the agency Ana Gabulia was detained; she was released in the morning.

On May 22 late night incident that took place in the Kostava Street, when the protesters insulted physically and verbally the itv.ge journalist Nino Kekelia and cameraman Irakli Khizanishvili and damaged the video camera.
 
May 22 Netgazeti journalist Tamaz Kupreishvili was hit in the stomach with a flag-stick by Anzor Bitsadze, son of the former chairman of Georgian parliament Nino Burjanadze when he was trying to get a comment from Burjanadze on the incident taken place in front of the public broadcaster building.
 
News agency Interpressnews reported May 22 that an unidentified person in civil clothing took away the video-recording of the clash that took place at the Kostava Avenue in front of the public broadcaster building from their correspondent.  
 
In Batumi, Eter Turadze said in a telephone interview that up to 20 policemen did not allow her to leave the Ajara TV-Station territory, claiming the reason for her own safety.
 
Amnesty International says that during a May 26 demonstration Georgian police clubbed unarmed and peaceful demonstrators and fired rubber bullets and tear gas at bystanders and journalists. Some 90 people have been detained.
 
An OSCE statement says at least 10 reporters were verbally and physically abused by police officers. Some were detained for questioning; others had their press cards taken away, and their equipment damaged or confiscated.
 
In a letter to Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, said: "The fact that the police would abuse, detain and question reporters engaged in their professional duties is worrisome."
 
Independent Association of Georgian Journalists is demanding unbiased and urgent investigation of violence against journalists. Association believes that people who prevented professional activity of media representatives must be adequately punished. Freedom of media must be guaranteed and respected. At the same time, IAGJ is concerned over polarization of Georgian media. Unfortunately majority of TV channels are divided into anti-governmental and pro-governmental groups. This is damaging the main principles of media – to be independent and unbiased.
 
Contact:
Zviad Pochkhua
editor@finchannel.com
+995 99 96 52 52  

***26.05.2011. BAHRAIN. IFJ Condemns Brutal Assault of Journalist by Police in Bahrain

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today joined its affiliate in Bahrain, the Bahrain association of Journalists (BJA) in condemning the savage beating and inhuman treatment of reporter Nazeeha Saeed who was arrested on 22 May over the story she had filed about the repression of anti-government protesters.
The female reporter, who was covering the uprising for France24 and Radio
Monte Carlo in the of Douar el loulou area , suffered severe injuries at the Rafa police station where she was badly beaten by her interrogators. She also bore torture marks, according to the reports.
“We are appalled by this senseless and cruel treatment of a working journalist and we urge the Bahraini authorities to hold accountable the officers involved,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “The brutal behaviour of security forces towards Saeed shows there is no end to media repression in Bahrain and the world must make it clear that these gross violations of peaceful protesters’, women’s and journalists’ rights will not go unpunished.”
Media reports say that Saeed was summoned to the Rafa police for questioning over her report on the death of Ali Abdelhassan who was allegedly killed by security forces during the anti-government protests of 17 February 2011. She was detained for 12 hours during which she reportedly was savagely beaten up and tortured. After her release, the French consulate arranged for the journalist to receive medical treatment in France due to the gravity of her condition.
The BJA has also called for a full investigation into the allegations of torture and requested from the authorities a copy of the complaint made by the reporter, stressing the need for transparency and independence in the investigation in this case.
The IFJ has accused the Bahraini government of widespread intimidation and
systematic harassment against journalists which have already led to the arrests and sackings of at least 68 media personnel in the country since the start of the protests for political reforms.
The Federation is taking part in a protest visit to the embassy of Bahrain in Brussels today. The protest, jointly organised by the IFJ, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Education International (EI) and the Belgian trade unions ACV/CSV, ABCC/FGTB and ACLVB/CGSLB. The organisers will deliver a letter calling, among other measures, for the immediate release of all detained trade unionists, teachers, journalists and workers as well an end to all harassment against trade unions leaders and activists and respect for press freedom.

***19.05.2011. BAHRAIN. IFJ Calls for End to Intimidation Campaign against Journalists in Bahrain

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the widespread intimidation campaign targeting journalists who work for newspapers which are critical of the Bahraini government. The IFJ accuses the authorities of systematic harassment of media in the wake of recent anti-government protests and says that at least 68 journalists working for two leading Bahraini newspapers, Al Wasat and Al Bilad, have been singled out for sacking, arrests and charges for treason. Others were forced into exile to escape arrest in the on-going clampdown.
“There is an appalling campaign to silence dissent in Bahrain and journalists have become the prime targets,” said Jim Boumelha. “The authorities are resorting to interference in media affairs and blatant intimidation to control information and stifle independent reporting. This must be exposed and resisted.”
Reports say that the Bahraini authorities have embarked on a hunt of the
government’s critics and arrested several journalists, on allegations of betraying the country. One report on the media crackdown in Bahrain entitled ‘ Journalists in Bahrain: The murder of Free Speech and the Siege of Freedom’ says that those arrested include the Al Wasat reporter Haidar Mohammad and blogger Zakariya Al Oushayri who is reported to be one of the two journalists who died while in detention.
More journalists were sacked from their jobs after management of public and private media in Bahrain, particularly Al Wasat and Al Bilad newspapers, came under severe political pressure, including banning advertising in Al Wasat, to get rid of staff members who opposed political interference. Senior journalist Mansour Al Jamry, editor –in-chief of Al Wasat and his colleagues Walid Nuwayhid, the paper’s editing manager and Akil Mirza, member of the Bahraini Journalists Association (BJA), an IFJ affiliate, lost their jobs in this campaign which affected at least 68
media staff, according to the report.
Mansour will go on trial this week along with three other senior staff charged with publishing false information about the police crackdown, a charge which carries a one-year prison sentence, media reports say.
The IFJ is deeply concerned by the situation of the Bahraini journalists who have been caught up in this crackdown, whether they are in detention, awaiting trial or on the run in exile and calls on the government to rescind all measures which violate the rights and the independence of media.
“We urge the authorities to re-establish the climate of respect for press freedom which the right of the public to accurate information requires, “added Boumelha.
“This won’t happen unless and until all detained journalists are set free,
outstanding warrants of arrest and charges cancelled, the ban on advertising in Al Wasat lifted, journalists who have been unfairly dismissed reinstated and an independent commission of inquiry set up to investigate reports of journalists’ deaths in detention.”
In the meantime, the massive dismissals of workers suspected of involvement in the anti-government protests have prompted the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to warn the Bahraini government that these measures threaten to tarnish the country’s record of “progressive policies towards labour in the Gulf region”. The organisation has, however, welcomed the decision to establish a joint committee to review all dismissals.
“Bahrain stands out as a country with an independent trade union movement,” ILO Deputy Director General Guy Ryder told Al-Jazeera. “The ILO is doing whatever it can with the government and other social partners to find a way forward so that people can return to their jobs.”

***14.05.2011. BAHRAIN. IFEX MEMBERS APPEAL TO WORLD LEADERS TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST RIGHTS ABUSES

Even as the King of Bahrain promises to end the state of emergency he imposed in mid-March to quell anti-government demonstrations, journalists, rights activists and opposition leaders continue to be arrested, with dozens of them hastily tried. Forty-two IFEX members and 15 partners are appealing to the international community to end their silence and demand that the Bahraini government take action against the rights abuses.

In a letter addressed to U.S. President Barack Obama, EU Vice-President Baroness Catherine Ashton and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, the members point to cases of journalists, bloggers and rights activists being arrested, tried in military courts and tortured, with some even dying in custody. The joint action was led by the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), which has been engaged in campaigning and trial monitoring in Bahrain.

Founding member of "Al Wasat" newspaper, Karim Fakhrawy was declared dead on 12 April under suspicious circumstances - two days after he was arrested. On 18 May, three of the paper's senior editors are to be tried for "publishing fabricated news and made up stories . . . that may harm public safety and national interests," reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Zakariya al-Aushayri, an online activist, founder and manager of the online forum Al Dair, died on 9 April under mysterious circumstances while in government custody.

Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) notes that four people have recently died in police custody, and 35 have been killed in the protests so far - in a country whose population is only 570,000.

Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former president of BCHR, was beaten unconscious when 15 masked men raided his daughter's home on 9 April. Human Rights Watch and BCHR report that while in detention, Al-Khawaja has been beaten to the point of being unrecognisable. He and blogger Abduljalil Al-Singace, along with 13 other detainees, were suddenly brought to trial on a dozen charges, including attempting to "overthrow and change the country's constitution and Royal rule by force" and organising rallies without permission. Seven others were tried in absentia. The trial has been adjourned until 12 May. BCHR is appealing for international observers to attend.

Current president of BCHR, Nabeel Rajab, is being prosecuted for alerting readers through Twitter about pictures of the tortured body of a man who died in custody, which the government alleges are "fabricated." He recently found out he is still banned from leaving the country.

Meanwhile, dozens of journalists have been subjected to lay-offs, arrests and threats because of their work. According to ANHRI, 30 journalists from "Al Watan", "Al Ayam" and "Al Bilad" newspapers have been laid off, while numerous reporters have been arrested or gone into hiding for fear of arrest.

Foreign reporters have had restrictions placed on their movements. This week, the authorities decided to expel German journalist Frederik Richter, the Reuters correspondent in Manama since 2008, for alleged bias in his coverage of the protests, says Reporters Without Borders (RSF). He has been given a week to leave.

"We are dismayed at the silence of governments across the world in the face of ongoing violations, which seem particularly difficult to comprehend given the widespread condemnation of human rights abuses in Libya, in the face of pro-democracy demonstrations," the members said in the letter.

The members are asking the world leaders to urge Bahraini authorities to investigate the deaths in custody; unconditionally release political prisoners; drop the politically-motivated charges against "Al Wasat"; and allow journalists and rights workers, whether local or international, to freely carry out their work.

According to "The New York Times", the King's announcement that the state of emergency will end on 1 June is a sign that Bahrain is seeking to assure banks and foreign governments that the chaos is over and that the kingdom, which depends heavily on financial business, is trying to return to normal.

"It is also a sign that the numerous arrests and rushed trials of opposition figures in military courts could be running their course. Some leading opposition figures went on trial as the announcement was being made," the "Times" said.

"This is a cosmetic step trying to show the international community that everything is back to normal when it is not," Rajab told the "Times". "I don't see it as a real initiative that will solve problems. Otherwise they would release political prisoners. The dispute is wider now than it was one month ago between the ruling elite and the people."

Related stories on ifex.org:
- BCHR statement: "Journalists in Bahrain - the murder of free speech and the siege of freedom":
www.ifex.org/bahrain/2011/05/04/murder_of_free_speech/

- IFEX defends member BCHR in light of free expression abuses:
www.ifex.org/bahrain/2011/04/13/ifex_defends_bchr/

More on the web:
- Bahrain says it will end state of emergency (The New York Times):
www.nytimes.com/2011/05/09/world/middleeast/09bahrain.html

***13.05.2011. AFGHANISTAN. Journalistes otages en Afghanistan : 500 jours sont autant de jours de trop, selon la FIJ

La Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ) et son groupe européen la Fédération européenne des journalistes (FEJ) s’associent aujourd’hui aux manifestations marquant les 500 jours de captivité des journalistes français Hervé Guesquières et Stéphane Taponier détenus avec leurs accompagnateurs en Afghanistan.

« Cinq cents jours de captivité sont autant de jours de trop », a déclaré le président de la FIJ Jim Boumelha. « Nous sommes préoccupés par l’état de santé, physique et mentale, de nos collègues après tout ce temps passé. Malgré les appels de la famille, des collègues et des organisations de journalistes, rien ne filtre de la part des autorités françaises ou afghanes. Nous appelons solennellement à ce que les choses changent, vite ».

Hervé Ghesquière et Stéphane Taponier, ainsi que leurs trois accompagnateurs afghans (Mohamed Reza, Ghulam et Satar) ont été enlevés le 29 décembre 2009 dans la vallée de la Kapisa, au nord-est de Kaboul, alors qu’ils réalisaient un reportage pour France 3.

La FIJ et la FEJ redoutent la radicalisation des groupes alliés au mouvement terroriste d’Al Qaeda en Afghanistan après la mort d’Oussama Ben Laden il y a quelques jours. De concert avec leurs  membres en France, le Syndicat National des Journalistes (SNJ), le Syndicat National des Journalistes-CGT (SNJ-CGT) et la section journalistes de la CFDT, les deux organisations  appellent les autorités françaises et afghanes à redoubler leurs efforts de négociations pour la libération des otages et à mettre fin au silence qui règne à ce sujet.

La FIJ rappelle aussi qu’en vertu de la résolution 1738(2006) du Conseil de sécurité des Nations Unies, les gouvernements sont tenus de garantir la sécurité des journalistes en zones de conflit.

Elle a réitéré l’obligation des employeurs des journalistes de s’assurer que leurs journalistes soient  bien préparés, formés et bénéficient de la protection nécessaire pour travailler dans les zones de conflit.

***11.05.2011. MEXICO. Violence and Press Freedom in Mexico: Still in the Line of Fire (Article 19)

ARTICLE 19’s latest report on violations of press freedom in Mexico in 2010 highlights yet again an appalling level of violence and attack perpetrated against journalists and media workers over the year, along with a marked increase in self-censorship on the part of journalists and editors.
In a report released in Mexico City on the occasion of World Press Freedom day on May 3rd, ARTICLE 19 and its partner Cencos document a total of 155 attacks against journalists, media facilities and media workers. This is the third year in a row that ARTICLE 19 undertakes such an exercise, allowing it to monitor trends in Mexico and to identify key patterns and changes.

“A disturbing level of violence against journalists in Mexico has continued throughout 2010. 8 journalists were killed in 2010 simply in the exercise of their profession. It makes for a total of 44 journalists killed and 8 still missing during the period of the administration of President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa,” says Dr. Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director.

However, ARTICLE 19 found a decline in the overall number of attacks against journalists. There were 155 attacks in 2010 down from 244 in 2009. This does not reflect significant improvement in the situation for media workers in Mexico. Instead, ARTICLE 19’s and CENCOS’ research finds that this decline was linked primarily to a marked increase in self-censorship by journalists and editors, taken as a protective measure against possible future attack.

Statistical analysis undertaken by ARTICLE 19 and Cencos demonstrates that the majority of the attacks against journalists were carried out by government agents. In 49.03% of the assaults, the evidence pointed directly to government agents whereas 26.45% of the assaults could be attributed to organized criminal groups. Nevertheless, since 2009 there has been a drop in the proportion of these assaults committed by government authorities, down from 65% to 49.03%.

The research also found that there had been 6 cases of kidnapping of journalists in 2010, up from just one in the previous year. Five of these victims in 2010 worked for national media companies, including Televisa and Multimedios, and were covering local issues of national interest.

The report on the state of freedom of the press in 2010 also includes for the first time an index of the most dangerous states for journalists in the country which are found to be Guerrero, Michoacan, Coahuila, Tamaulipas, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon and Sinaloa. Attacks in these states represented 41.9% (65) of all attacks nationwide and included 8 homicides, and 13 violent attacks against media workers. 

• For more information please contact: Mona Samari, at mona@article19.org
or at +44 20 7324 2500. For interviews in Spanish, please contact Ricardo
Gonzales Bernal, at +52 55 1054 6500.
• For a copy of the executive summary of the report in Spanish, please click on the following link:
http://www.article19.org/pdfs/reports/mexico-resumen-ejecutivo-2011.pdf
• For a full copy of the report in Spanish, please click on the following link:
http://www.articulo19.org/articulo/sites/default/files/documentos/ARTICLE19%20Informe%202010(1).pdf

***04.05.2011. WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2011: 21ST CENTURY MEDIA - NEW FRONTIERS, NEW BARRIERS (IFEX)

Last month, Egyptian blogger and activist Maikel Nabil Sanad was sentenced to three years in jail for insulting and publishing false news about the military. His crime was writing a recent blog post that criticised the lack of transparency in the military.

This month, more than 800 participants from around the world are converging in Washington, D.C., to explore the idea that just as new media is being used to promote freedom, regimes are creating ways to suppress online voices. The occasion is UNESCO's World Press Freedom Day, held annually on 3 May, and the theme this year is "21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers". Many IFEX members are in attendance.

"We enjoy unprecedented opportunities for expression thanks to new technologies and media. More and more people are able to share information and exchange views, within and across national borders. This is a blessing for creativity, for healthy societies, for including everyone in new forms of dialogue," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, and Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, in a joint statement.

In a new report for 3 May, ARTICLE 19 runs with UNESCO's theme and gives us stories of how barriers have crumbled when it comes to free speech and information flow.

For example, 2010 was the year of WikiLeaks, which "revolutionised transnational whistleblowing," said ARTICLE 19. Yes, Twitter was used to organise protests in Tunisia and Egypt, but ARTICLE 19 also points to a group of journalism students in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who used Twitter to tell the world that 42 people died in a recent drug raid. @vozdacomunidade provided the only reporting from within the favela.

Thanks to new media, "outrage and embarrassment spread in equal measure, corruption is magnified, people-power amplified, and governments fall," said ARTICLE 19.

But at the same time, "many governments, fearful of this lack of control, are trying hard to restore or fortify barriers to trace, block, target and censor those who champion the truth," said ARTICLE 19. Its report also highlights cases of governments fighting back, from the authorities banning YouTube in Turkey to controlling mobile phone ownership in North Korea.

In a special World Press Freedom Day report, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) assessed the 10 prevailing strategies for online oppression and named which countries lead the way. The techniques go well beyond web censorship. There's state-supported email designed to take over journalists' personal computers in China, the shutting down of anti-censorship technology in Iran, monopolistic control of the Internet in Ethiopia, and carefully timed cyber-attacks on news websites in Belarus.

CPJ says what is most surprising about the 10 online oppressors is not who they are - they are all nations with long records of repression - but how swiftly they adapted old strategies to the online world, like Syria jailing online writers, and violence against bloggers in Russia. As of 1 December, 69 journalists whose work appeared primarily online are in jail, constituting nearly half of all journalists in prison, reports CPJ.

According to Human Rights Watch, Nabil's three-year sentence may be the worst strike against free expression in Egypt since the Mubarak government jailed its first blogger, Kareem Amer, for four years in 2007. The sentence is not only severe, but it was imposed by a military tribunal after an unfair trial.

A new coalition of rights groups in Egypt, including the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), hopes the transitional government will break with these kinds of military trials and other repressive practices of the past. The National Coalition of Media Freedom is using the occasion of World Press Freedom Day to unveil a "Declaration of Media Freedom" - its vision on how to develop and liberate the Egyptian media.

Preparing a defence is the right thing to do, according to Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, especially as we savour recent advances. "For the moment, the forces of freedom have the upper hand. But vigilance is essential before the inevitable reaction," he said.

Roth is urging Facebook and Twitter to join the Global Network Initiative, a voluntary code of conduct developed by Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft in conjunction with Human Rights Watch and other nongovernmental organisations, including IFEX members CPJ, Index on Censorship and the World Press Freedom Committee. The initiative makes it easier for companies to resist demands from governments to reveal the identities of anonymous users or to block discussion of certain topics.

Sympathetic governments also have a role. "Social media companies could better resist repressive demands if acquiescence were prohibited by law," said Roth."These governments should also fund a broad range of technologies and initiatives for circumventing censorship."

"Governments might also look for creative ways to fight censorship, such as including Internet freedom in trade agreements, much as labour rights are now," he added.

On this World Press Freedom Day, "the media revolution is triggering new debates about freedom of expression, about the nature of regulation, about the balance between expression and responsibility," said the UN."We must not shy away from exploring all angles of these questions. We must all rise to the occasion and accept the responsibility of change."

Find out on IFEX's special 3 May website how IFEX members accepted the responsibility and commemorated World Press Freedom Day.

Related stories on ifex.org:
- Human rights defenders, journalists come together to form National Coalition for Media Freedom:
www.ifex.org/egypt/2011/04/13/national_coalition/

- Blogger sentenced to three years in military prison:
www.ifex.org/egypt/2011/04/13/blogger_sentenced/

More on the web:
- IFEX World Press Freedom Day site:
www.ifex.org/wpfd/

- World Press Freedom Day: No Frontiers, New Barriers (ARTICLE 19):
www.article19.org/pdfs/press/world-press-freedom-day-no-frontiers-new-barriers.pdf

- The 10 Tools of Online Oppressors (CPJ):
www.cpj.org/reports/2011/05/the-10-tools-of-online-oppressors.php

- New laws needed to protect social media (Human Rights Watch):
www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/04/15/new-laws-needed-protect-social-media

- Global Network Initiative:
www.globalnetworkinitiative.org/

***03.05.2011. WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY. US Ambassador Donahoe Hails Importance of New Media on World Press Freedom Day, Announces Internet Freedom Fellows Program

Statement by Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe - U.S. Representative to the Human Rights Council
May 3, 2011
The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day – “21st Century Media – New Frontiers, New Barriers” - could not be more appropriate to the transformative crossroads in history at which we stand today. Social media users are playing a major role in the demand for democracy unfolding across the countries of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. Around the world, the Internet is a vital medium through which journalists, activists and citizens connect with each other and share stories in ways that are changing their societies. As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has put it, the Internet is “the public space of the 21st Century.”

This World Press Freedom Day highlights the role of new media at a moment of great challenges but also of much hope and promise. That is why I am particularly proud to announce today the creation of a new program to highlight the innovative use of the Internet in promoting and defending human rights. In June this year, the United States Mission will invite a group of Internet Freedom Fellows to visit Geneva and Washington. The Internet Freedom Fellows will meet with key government, United Nations, and civil society representatives and participate in public discussions to demonstrate at the global level the importance of internet freedom.
The Internet Freedom Fellows program follows up on Secretary Clinton’s pledge to find innovative ways to promote the use of the Internet in support of human rights. It is funded by the Department of State and managed by the U.S. Mission in Geneva in cooperation with the Institute for Media Global and Governance (IMGG), a Geneva-based NGO.
Around the world people are using new media in the call for freedom, transparency and greater self determination. We must always remember that it is not the tools, but the courageous people who use them - journalists and reporters and individual citizens – who are the human voice of freedom. In recent weeks we have seen the detention of prominent activists around the world who have made bold and creative use of new media to expose problems in their own societies.
On World Press Freedom, and every day, the United States stands with those
exercising their universal rights and calling for democracy and greater respect for human rights.
(end text)

***02.05.2011. "At this historic juncture, Governments must choose reform over repression”, state UN expert on World Press Freedom Day

The following statement was released by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. Frank La Rue, on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (3 May 2011).

We commemorate the World Press Freedom Day* this year against the backdrop of extraordinary events in the Middle East and North Africa. People from all walks of life, in particular the youth, have peacefully and collectively stood up against decades of oppression and denial of basic human rights.

I commend and stand in solidarity with these courageous individuals, including journalists, bloggers, and activists, who have risen above fear to express their legitimate grievances and to demand reforms, democracy and transparency, using at great risk their freedom of expression and new information communication technologies.

At the same time, I am deeply shocked and saddened that thousands of individuals have lost their lives, and journalists, human rights defenders and opposition leaders in particular continue to be targeted in countries such as Libya, Syria, and Yemen. I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and urge authorities to immediately stop any further bloodshed. I call on the international community to respond urgently and effectively to these human rights and humanitarian crises.

I believe that we are currently in a historic moment. Never in the history of humankind have individuals been so interconnected across the globe. Social networking platforms have given individuals the means to share and disseminate information in “real-time”, and have played a key role in the recent demonstrations. As one activist tweeted during the protests in Egypt, “we use Facebook to schedule the protests, Twitter to coordinate, and YouTube to tell the world.”

Indeed, the Internet has become an essential tool to exercise the right to freedom of expression, a topic which is discussed further in my next report to the United Nations Human Rights Council to be presented on 3 June 2011.

At the same time, the power of the Internet to awaken individuals to question and challenge the status quo and to expose corruption and wrongdoing has generated fear among the powerful. As a result, Governments are increasingly censoring information in cyberspace and, in some cases, disconnecting users from Internet access entirely.

Such censorship measures are often combined with age-old tactics of harassment and intimidation, arbitrary arrests, torture and other cruel or inhuman treatment, enforced disappearances and even killings – not only to directly silence dissent, but also to generate a climate of fear within society. I remain deeply concerned about such practices around the world, and in particular the continuing persecution of journalists, bloggers and activists covering the ongoing demonstrations.

On this World Press Freedom Day, I would like to remind all States that the strongest governments are those that allow democratic participation of citizens, and diverse views to be expressed openly. The events in the Middle East and North Africa have shown that it is never a viable long-term option to suppress the voices of the people. They have also served as a reminder that the role of the Government is to serve the people, not those in power.

I therefore call upon all Governments to choose reform over repression, to embrace diverging views, to listen to the people, and to build a strong society based on the consent of the governed, whose freedom of opinion and expression must be upheld.

(*) 3 May was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993. It is a day to commemorate the fundamental principles of press freedom and to assess the state of press freedom worldwide.
For further information on the Special Rapporteur’s mandate, please visit:
http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/opinion/index.htm
For press inquiries and additional information regarding the visit, please
contact Ms. Momoko Nomura (Tel: +41 22 917 9304 / email: Mnomura@ohchr.org

***02.05.2011. PHILIPPINES. Statement of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day

AS IN THE PAST, WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2011 is being commemorated
after a year (May 2010-May 2011) of global and national turmoil.

Iraq and Afghanistan continued to occupy media attention and to subject journalists to the usual perils of covering conflict areas. Five journalists were killed in Iraq in 2010, and two in Afghanistan.  And while the unrest in the Middle East and North Africa was among the unique characteristics of 2010-2011, the political crises in Egypt, Tunisia. Yemen, Bahrain, Syria and Libya did subject journalists to the same perils of being killed, threatened, harassed or abducted while doing their jobs. Four journalists were killed in Libya, two in Egypt, and several others abducted.

The Philippine media situation has resisted change despite the change of administration in July, 2010.  The Ampatuan Massacre trial  is continuing, but in terms of results has virtually come to a standstill, bogged down in the tedious processes involved in resolving technical issues, even as the killing of journalists has continued, with  eight cases of journalists killed, of which five were work related.

The same ethical and professional shortcomings that have made the media the subject of citizen skepticism and even scorn still haunt media practice, with the performance of the media, whether print, broadcast or online, being uniformly problematic.  Plagiarism was a nagging problem, together with sensationalism, lack of fairness and balance, biased reporting, and corruption.  Problems related to job security, as well as the usual issues of low salaries and limited or non-existent
benefits were also prominent during the May 2010 to May 2011 period.

Attempts to legislate a freedom of information act are continuing even as the 15th Congress pursues efforts to pass a right of reply law initiated by the 14th Congress despite media and press opposition.

While the Aquino administration had pledged to respect press freedom and to stop the killing of journalists, Mr. Aquino has not taken the concrete steps needed to create the conditions necessary to end the culture of impunity. Neither has he been reticent in criticizing the media, at one point accusing them of criminal behavior, later of sensationalism, focusing on his love life,  and  ignoring the
achievements of his administration, while at the same time urging advertisers to advertise only in “responsible media organizations”.

In these circumstances, the tasks of the media advocacy and journalists’ organizations remain as urgent as ever: it is to defend press freedom in difficult circumstances through self-examination, self -regulation and reform.  The process has been difficult and as glacial in pace as everything else has been in the Philippine setting, but it is essential that the effort at self criticism and self regulation for the sake of better media and the defense of press freedom are pursued with renewed vigor and commitment.

***13.04.2011. SYRIA. IFJ Raises Concerns over Arrest of Journalist amid Media Clampdown in Syria

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on Syrian authorities to release journalist Mohamad Zaid Mastou, who was arrested on 6 April in Damascus by security agents and taken to an undisclosed location.

“The manner of his arrest and the lack of information about his whereabouts raise concerns for his safety and wellbeing,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “The Syrian regime must be in no doubt that the world is watching and this latest case of repression of press freedom will not go unnoticed.”

The IFJ has learned that Mastou, a Norwegian national of Syrian Kurdish origin, was in Syria covering the anti-government protests for the Arabic TV Al Arabiya’s website, Arabiya.net when he was arrested last Wednesday. The government agents reportedly used violence to arrest the journalist who was sitting in a cyber café in Damascus before bundling him in a car and driving away. Attempts by his family to find out where he is detained have been in vain as the authorities are refusing to provide any information thereabout.

The IFJ says the arrest of Mastou comes in the wake of a major crackdown on media in Syria as the government attempts to stifle reporting on the widespread protest movement in several cities which have led to clashes between security forces and protesters.

Media freedom organisations reported cases of threats, disappearances and arrests targeting journalists and bloggers who were covering the protests. These include Reuters producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji who went missing on 26 March while journalists Doha Hassan, Zaher Omareen and Mohamed Dibo were arrested over the protests and remain in detention.

The IFJ calls on the international community to monitor violence against media by the Syrian authorities in a desperate attempt to resist the popular uprising demanding political changes in the region and which has already toppled regimes in Tunisia and Egypt.

“The world needs to challenge the Syrian leadership over its brutal repression of democratic debate and press freedom,” added Boumelha. “Journalists must not be scapegoats for the government’s brinkmanship.”

***12.04.2011. SYRIA. The HIGH COMMISSIONER DEEPLY CONCERNED 

We are deeply concerned about reports of the intensification of killings of protestors by security forces in Syria, as well as mass arrests of human rights defenders and the harassment of journalists. A number of journalists, international and Syrian, as well as Syrian bloggers have reportedly been arrested and TV signals suspended of at least one private TV station. Syrian authorities must immediately release journalists detained for doing their jobs and to respect the right to freedom of expression.

The High Commissioner has emphasized to the Syrian authorities that the use of force against peaceful protestors has not quelled discontent anywhere in the region. We urge the authorities to take immediate action to stop the excessive use of force, particularly the use of live ammunition against peaceful protestors.

***31.03.2011. SYRIA UPDATE. The situation for journalists working in Syria continues to be extremely precarious (INSI).

Two Reuters journalists are missing in the country.

Correspondent Suleiman al-Khalidi, a Jordanian national based in Amman, is believed to have been detained by the Syrian authorities in Damascus on Tuesday.
 
Photographer Khaled al-Hariri, a Syrian based in Damascus, has not been in contact with colleagues since Monday. A Syrian official said authorities were working to establish what had happened to the two men.

Their disappearance follows the detention in Syria of two other Reuters journalists, television producer Ayat Basma and cameraman Ezzat Baltaji.

The two, who are both Lebanese, were released and expelled to Lebanon on Monday after being held by Syrian authorities for two days. 

***26.03.2011. SYRIA - Authorities impose news blackout on crackdown in Deraa (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders strongly condemns the censorship that the Syrian authorities have imposed on national and foreign news media seeking to cover events in the southern city of Deraa. The security forces have blocked access to the city so that there is no one to witness their ruthless crackdown on the protests that have been taking place there during the past few days.

Ahmed Hadifa, a 28-year old blogger better known by the blog name of Ahmad Abu Al-Kheir, was arrested again by the security services in Damascus yesterday “because of his activities on Facebook in support of the protests in Deraa.” He was previously held for several days in February without being formally charged.

Maan Aqil, journalist, was detained yesterday after being constantly harassed during the preceding days. Mazen Darwish, the head of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression, was released last night after after being summoned for questioning on 23 March for making statements about the crackdown in Deraa and the recent wave of arrests.

Darwish had already been held for several hours on 16 March after being arrested while attending a peaceful sit-in outside the interior ministry headquarters in Damascus as an observer.

Writer and political activist Louay Hussein was also released last night after being arrested at his home on 22 March because of his online activities in support of the demonstrations and calls for reform.

The authorities blocked distribution of the leading pro-government daily Al-Watan yesterday without giving explanation although it is owned by Rami Makhlouf, a cousin of the president. Media sources blamed the move on an article headlined “The Syrian media are lying to us.” The ban was issued at 6 a.m., just after yesterday’s issue had been printed. The information ministry lifted the ban later in the day, again without any explanation.

The same newspaper had itself been criticising the international media’s coverage of the events in Deraa, accusing them of lying and insisting that everything was calm in Syria. An article in the 24 March issue questioned the peaceful nature of the protest movement and voiced support for the crackdown on the demonstrators.

Reporters Without Borders has learned that a photographer and a freelance video reporter working for Agence France-Presse and an Associated Press photographer were briefly held and roughed up while covering the demonstrations in Deraa on 22 March. Their equipment was seized and was handed back a few hours later. When the AFP journalists tried to return to Deraa the next day, their equipment was again seized. They have not yet been able to recover it.

***23.03.2011. YEMEN. IFJ Blames State Violence over Killing of Journalist in Yemen

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the use of violence which led to the killing of freelance journalist Jamal Shar’abi who was killed on Friday in Taghier Square when gunmen fired on the protesters in the capital Sana’a.
“This killing is the inevitable and tragic end to a terrible seven days for media in Yemen,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “The Government bears a heavy responsibility because of its heavy handed tactics in dealing with protesters that has increased the risks for journalists.”
The news of the journalist’ death followed the expulsions last week of six foreign reporters amid escalating anti-governments protest. Italian photojournalist Marco Di Lauro and his American colleague Patrick Symmes who writes for US travel magazine Outside were detained at the airport in Sana’a as they returned from visiting historic sites and the Socotra Island before being expelled from the country.
In a targeted sweep on foreign reporters, four other journalists were ordered to leave -- Oliver Holmes, a stringer for the Wall Street Journal and Time, Portia Walker, a correspondent of the Washington Post, Haley Sweetland Edwards, of the Los Angeles Times and AOL News and Joshua Maricich, a contributor to various newspapers. According to the international broadcaster Aljazeera, two of its reporters were also deported on Sunday and its office in Sana’a was ransacked by attackers with police looking on.
The IFJ says the attacks on media are also directed at Yemeni journalists
following an attack on the offices of its affiliated organisation in the country, the Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate (YJS) by a group of thugs who threatened to burn it down. The Federation wrote on 14 March to President Ali Abdallah Saleh of Yemen to request his urgent intervention to end systematic attacks on journalists.
“The Government has declared war on media and their attacks on journalists
during the unrest signals signal that they are aiming to shut down media and stifle dissent in all its forms,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “Journalists are targets and government scapegoats to cover their own failure to contain the wave of popular protest in favour of political reform. This is a dangerous and ultimately futile policy which will only lead to yet more tragedy unless it is ended now.”

***20.03.2011. IFJ Appoints Female Union Rights Campaigner from Brazil as New General Secretary (see PEC statement on PEC NEWS)

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) this weekend formally endorsed the appointment of Brazilian journalist and union activist Elizabeth Costa as the new General Secretary to replace Aidan White who is standing down at the end of this month after 24 years in the post.
Elizabeth Costa is a veteran campaigner for union rights and press freedom in Latin America and has been a leading force for international solidarity in the Brazilian Federation of Journalists’ Associations (FENAJ). She emerged as the unanimous choice from a strong field of candidates who were interviewed in Brussels last month.
“I welcome the appointment of Beth Costa as the new General Secretary,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “This is the first time in the history of the IFJ that its General Secretary comes from outside Europe. It is also the first time that the IFJ secretariat is led by a woman. This is indeed proof of the impact of the change and recognition of the IFJ as a truly global federation of unions.”
Beth Costa has a strong background in trade unionism and journalism. She worked as a Television journalist in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo for over twenty years. She also held senior positions in the FENAJ where she served as President from 1998 to 2004, becoming the first woman President of the Federation since its inception in 1946. She was also a member of the IFJ Executive Committee from 2001 to 2004.
“The IFJ is in a transition to a more inclusive organisation which empowers its regions in its projects work and representation,” said Elisabeth Costa, the new IFJ General Secretary. “ I look forward to implementing the resolutions from the World Congress in Cadiz and to further strengthening the reach of the IFJ as a global voice of journalists.”
The outgoing General Secretary, Aidan White, said the challenges for journalists across the globe have intensified, especially in the Middle East and called for renewed solidarity in addressing them.
“The period we are now entering is a challenging endeavor but, with a new
dynamic General Secretary, staff and the Executive working hand in hand, I hope very much that the IFJ will respond to show that our leadership of the global journalism is in good hands.”
For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 07
The IFJ represents more than 600.000 members in 125 countries

***16.03.2011. BAHRAIN. IFJ Concerned over New Media Crisis in Bahrain

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the
escalation of violence against media in Bahrain after photographer Mohammed Almoukhraq was assaulted by security forces while covering anti-government protests in the capital, Manama on Sunday. Last night, the Al–Wasat newspaper headquarters were also attacked.
“These incidents illustrate a crisis for media and democracy in Bahrain,” said IFJ President, Jim Boumelha. “The government must give guarantees that journalists will be able to operate freely and safely despite the Declaration of a State of Emergency.”
According to Bahrain Journalists Association (BJA), an IFJ affiliate, photographer Almoukhraq was set upon on Sunday by security forces and plainclothes officers who beat him up and broke his camera and mobile phone.
In a separate incident, the headquarters of the Al-Wasat newspaper in Manama came under attack last night by unknown assailants.
The BJA condemned the assault on Almoukhraq and the attack on offices of
Al –Wasat newspaper and demanded a thorough investigation into these incidents to hold perpetrators accountable. In a statement, the BJA leadership called on “all stakeholders to allow the press to perform its mission.”
The IFJ backs the BJA demands and says the Government of Bahrain has the
primary responsibility to protect journalists who are covering an increasingly violent situation.
“We call on the authorities to order security forces to stop attacking journalists and to protect all media professionals from violent groups,” added Boumelha. “Journalists must not be targeted and media must not be made scapegoats for this political crisis.”

***15.03.2011. TURKEY. UN RIGHTS OFFICE CALLS ON TURKEY TO ENSURE PRESS FREEDOM AFTER JOURNALISTS’ ARREST
New York, Mar 15 2011 10:10AM
The United Nations human rights arm today called on Turkey to guarantee
freedom of opinion and expression, voicing serious concerns at the recent imprisonment of journalists on charges of involvement in a conspiracy allegedly designed to overthrow the Government.

“If there are genuine reasons to suppose that any journalists have committed crimes outside the scope of their journalistic work, then those reasons should be transparent to the journalists themselves, to their defence lawyers and to the rest of us,” UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) spokesperson Rupert Colville told a news briefing in Geneva, noting the secrecy order surrounding the investigation.

“Otherwise, inevitably, suspicions will continue to mount that these arrests are politically motivated,” he said, calling on the Government to comply with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and ensure that journalists are not prosecuted and imprisoned because of their journalistic work and critical reporting.

On 3 March, nine Turkish journalists and writers were detained by the police on accusations of involvement in a conspiracy and detained under an order from an Istanbul court authorizing their police detention for questioning “on suspicion of being members of the Ergenekon terrorist organization and of spreading hatred and enmity among the population.”

Those detained included Ahmet Sik and Nedim Sener, two prominent journalists known for critical reporting on the Turkish criminal justice system and police. Mr. Sener works for the daily newspaper <em>Milliyet<./em>, and Mr. Sik is the co-author of a book about the Ergenekon investigation and trials.

The others detained were Professor Yalçin Küçük, a writer and a prominent
critic of the governing party, who is already on trial for alleged connections with Ergenekon, and six employees of odaTV.com which is an opposition news website – Sait Çakir, Dogan Yurdakul, Mumtaz Idil, Coskun Musluk, Müyesser Yildiz and Iklim Bayraktar.

After being brought before prosecutors and formally charged with being members of the Ergenekon organisation, Mr. Sik and Mr. Sener were imprisoned on 6 March, to await trial. Mr. Küçük and four more journalists were imprisoned on the following day.

“The investigation is subject to a secrecy order, so the full details of the alleged evidence justifying the investigation and detention of the journalists is not publicly available,” Mr. Colville said. “It is not yet clear whether those detained are under investigation for their legitimate activities relating to their professional duties as journalists and broadcasters, or whether there is other evidence against them unrelated to their work as journalists.”

***14.03.2011. LIBYA. IFJ Warns over Safety as Journalist is Killed in Libya

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today warned that journalists working in Libya are facing acute dangers after an Al Jazeera cameraman was killed in what appears to have been an ambush near Benghazi, the country’s second city which is held by rebels opposed to the Government.
The death was reported as a Brazilian reporter who was freed from detention in Libya urged Mohammar Gaddafi's government to release a colleague from a British newspaper who is still held. Andrei Netto, a correspondent for Brazil's Estado de S. Paulo, fears for the fate of his colleague Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, an Iraqi national working for The Guardian who was detained with him.
The IFJ and its Iraqi affiliate are calling for the Gaddafi government to release the journalist who has been missing since March 6.
The first media death reported in Libya is that of Ali Hassan Al Jaber who was shot while returning to Benghazi from a nearby town after filing a report for Aljazeera from an opposition protest. Unknown fighters opened fire on a car he and his colleagues were travelling in.
“The crisis in Libya is intensifying and the risks to journalists are increasing by the hour,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “As government forces turn their fire on Benghazi we can expect that journalists reporting from the city will face extraordinary threats. It’s important that media act to protect their staff.”
The IFJ says that media must heed warnings being issued by the International News Safety Institute which yesterday warned that journalists need to be increasingly aware of the risks to them particularly as there is antipathy towards foreign news crews.
“We see hostility to journalists from all sides in this volatile situation,” said White. “All reporters are at risk, but foreign media staff face particular problems.”
Last week the IFJ condemned government attacks on media which may be contributing to a hostile atmosphere.
“We mourn the loss of our colleague in Benghazi and we do not want more casualties,” said White. “All sides must respect the rights of unarmed media staff that is why we urge the government to release the detained Guardian journalist and to allow all media to report freely.”

****02.03.2011. CHINA. More Crackdown Incidents; Authorities Use Force to Prevent Reporting of Jasmine Rallies (HRIC)

In an effort to stamp out any possible Jasmine Rally activities, the Chinese authorities continue to crack down on Chinese rights activists and lawyers, and resorted to violence against foreign journalists that marks an escalation of media censorship in China.

Since our February 23 press release, Human Rights in China (HRIC) has received information on 19 additional incidents of detention, house arrest, and other forms of harassment in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou. Many continue to be detained without any formal notification to their families of their detention.

In an episode that took place in Beijing last Sunday, February 27, which shook the foreign press community in China and the international community, police in the Wangfujing Street shopping district – a designated Jasmine Rallies location – roughed up, beat, kicked, and detained the reporters and camera crew members of at least 16 foreign media outlets, including Bloomberg, BBC, CNN, and Voice of America, and erased their photos and videos. 
 
On Tuesday, March 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) defended the police actions on Sunday. At a press conference, MFA spokesperson Jiang Yu (姜瑜) said that the journalists gathering in a busy business district “affected social order” and that “the police of Beijing properly handled the incident in Wangfujing.” 
 
The police brutality was accompanied by a series of official actions that undermine the relaxation of restrictions on foreign journalists begun at the end of 2008. In the press conference, Jiang pointed to a rule requiring that journalists seek approval from the local district authorities before reporting in the Wangfujing Street shopping district. The cited rule raises concerns about effectiveness of the 2008 regulations, which ended the requirement of official approval before foreign journalists could conduct interviews as long as they have the consent of the individuals interviewed. 
 
On Wednesday, March 2, the BBC Chinese language service reported that more than a dozen foreign journalists in Beijing were summoned to the Public Security Bureau earlier in the day. They were told that if they attempt to cover the Jasmine Rally this upcoming Sunday, March 6, they will have problems renewing their visas. They were also told that going forward they must seek approval before reporting in certain Beijing areas, including Wangfujing, so that the streets can be kept clear of congestion. 
 
Last week, Boxun, a major U.S.-based Chinese news website that had posted several notices about the Jasmine Rallies, announced that it had been attacked and that, “under tremendous pressure,” it would no longer post information relating to the Jasmine Rallies because “the dissemination of information about the Jasmine Rallies has brought harm to countless innocent Chinese activists and netizens.” 
 
“The police attack on journalists who were simply doing their jobs shows that the Chinese authorities are so fearful of losing control that they are willing to pay the price of exposing themselves as thugs and bullies in photos and videos that are going around the world,” said Sharon Hom, HRIC Executive Director. 
 
HRIC urges the international community to firmly support independence of the media in China. HRIC also urges the Chinese government to investigate the incidents of violence against foreign journalists, stop the intimidation of journalists, and release all persons taken into custody or detained as part of the efforts to prevent them from participating in the Jasmine Rallies.

For more information on the Jasmine Rallies, see: 

Videos of Reporters Being Beaten and Harassed

·         Damian Grammaticas, “Calls for Protests in China Met with Brutality,” British Broadcasting Corporation, February 27, 2011

·         Peter Simpson, “Heavy Police Presence Thwarts Call for Protests in China,” Voice of America, February 27, 2011

·         Eunice Yoon, “Getting Harassed by the Chinese Police,” Business 360 (Cable News Network), February 28, 2011
 
HRIC Press Releases

·         “Heavy Charges for Chinese Activists; HRIC Urges Support from International Community,” February 25, 2011

·         “Lawyers and Activists Detained, Summoned, and Harassed in ‘Jasmine Rallies’ Crackdown,” February 23, 2011

·         “Jasmine Organizers Call for Rallies Every Sunday,” February 22, 2011
 
HRIC Video Commentary

·         HRIC Guest Commentary: Wan Yanhai on Jasmine Rallies and 1989, March 1, 2011

·         HRIC Commentary: Gao Wenqian on "Subversion" Charges in Advance of February 27 Jasmine Rallies, February 27, 2011

·         HRIC Guest Commentary: Jerome A. Cohen on the Jasmine Revolution, February 24, 2011

·         HRIC Commentary: Gao Wenqian on the Jasmine Revolution, February 22, 2011
 

***01.03.2011. YEMEN. Yemen: UN human rights chief warns against use of force

GENEVA – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday warned Yemeni authorities against violent repression of planned mass peaceful protests, and called on the Government to protect the rights of demonstrators and journalists under international law.

Noting reports that opposition protestors have called for a “Day of Anger” today, the High Commissioner urged all parties to exercise restraint and to respect the right to life and the freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.

“People have the legitimate right to express their grievances and demands to their Government,” she said, denouncing previous violence against protestors in Yemen which is reported to have resulted in a number of deaths and injuries.

“We have seen over and over again in the past few weeks that violent responses, in breach of international law, do not make the protestors go away and only serve to exacerbate their frustration and anger,” Pillay added.

The High Commissioner also cited reports of attacks, intimidation and harassment against local and international journalists covering the protests, as well as the arrest and detention of journalists and human rights defenders. She was particularly concerned about reports of enforced disappearances of political activists and called for immediate clarification on the whereabouts of individuals recently transferred to Sanaa from Aden.

“The authorities must release all individuals arrested for demonstrating peacefully, and human rights defenders and journalists must be protected as they carry out their important work,” she said.

“Those who are responsible for public security must understand that their actions are governed by international law and they can be held personally accountable for breaches. As a general rule, army units with no training or equipment to deal with street protests should not be deployed in cities. If there is no alternative, they should be under the tight control of qualified officers.”

Pillay also called on the opposition protestors not to resort to violence. She further expressed concern that medical personnel were allegedly denied access to treat injured protestors during earlier protests.

She called for a meaningful, broad and inclusive dialogue in Yemen to chart a way forward that respects the human rights aspirations of the people.

“Across the Middle East and North Africa, people have been taking their
governments to task. The only way forward is to listen to them and grant them their due rights to participate in the decisions that deeply affect their lives,” she said.

***01.03.2011. IRAQ. Action call after “black day” for media freedom (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders urged the Iraqi government today to allow journalists to do their job freely and to make every effort to ensure their physical safety after what it called “one of the blackest days for media freedom” in the country since US combat troops left last August.

Journalists were “attacked and illegally and summarily arrested” by police and soldiers who were “supposed to protect them” during demonstrations to mark the 25 February “day of rage” in many cities, including Baghdad, Karbala, Mosul and Basra, the organisation’s secretary-general, Jean-François Julliard, said.

He urged the government to investigate all the abuses and punish those responsible as a matter of course.

The army had two days earlier banned the live televising of the Baghdad protest. (http://en.rsf.org/iraq-authorities-prohibit-live-24-02-2011,39626.html)

Police sealed off Baghdad’s Tahrir Square, where the city’s demonstration took place, and helicopters were used to help block access.
 Cameramen from Al-Baghdadiya and d’Al-Sharqiya were arrested while filming security forces firing assault weapons and using tear gas to disperse protesters.
 A cameraman from the satellite TV station Faiha injured his hand when he was attacked by security forces.
 Journalist Seif Al-Khayat was run over by a police car.
 Police raided and searched the premises of the TV station Al-Diyar, which was covering the demonstrations from the roof of its building. Reporter Ali Al-’Ainbaki and nine technicians were arrested and the station went off the air.
 Two journalists from the satellite TV station Al-Sumariya, Idris Jawad and Sanan Adnan, along with cameramen Satar Muhammed Abdul and Safa Hatem, were arrested after reporting on the protest. They were accused of participating in and helping to organise it and were held for several hours at the Al-Rusafa operations centre (eastern Baghdad).
 Thaier Al-Sudani, a Reuters photographer, and Ahmad Al-Rubaie, of Agence France-Presse, were also arrested.
 Cameraman Imed Hamed, of satellite TV station Al-Hurra, and his assistant Mustafa Kazem were arrested by riot police in Baghdad and their cameras and recordings seized.
 After the demonstration, agents of the 11th intelligence police division burst into the Al-Taraf restaurant in central Baghdad and arrested four journalists – Hussam Serail (a reporter with Al-Sabah), Ali Abdul Sada (Al-Mada), Hadi Al-Mahdi (a presenter with Radio Demozy) and Ali Sumerian (of Al-Sabah). They were insulted and punched and then taken to division headquarters at the former defence ministry building. They were handcuffed, blindfolded, beaten and threatened for several hours before being released.

In Karbala, Reuters correspondent Mushtaq Muhammad was hospitalised with serious head injuries after a policeman clubbed him while he filmed the protests. His camera was destroyed. The provincial chief minister apologised to him and the news agency after investigating the incident. The journalist called for an example to be made of the policeman to ensure such an incident did not happen again.

Riot police in Karbala also beat and insulted crews from TV stations Afaq TV and Al-Salam TV and seized their recordings.   Reporter Ahmed Hiyali, of Radio Sawa, was badly beaten by a special police unit in Mosul and prevented from covering the protests there. A colleague, Adel Sayegh, of the TV station Al-Salah A-Din, said Hiyali was repeatedly hit before being taken to the provincial assembly building.

Soldiers confiscated cameras and recordings from several journalists covering the protests in Basra. Radio Dijla reporter Mohammed Al-Jabri was insulted and also beaten with a rifle butt.

The journalist Muntazer Al-Zaidi, famous for throwing a shoe at US President George Bush in 2008, was arrested on 24 February while trying to hold a press conference in front of the Abu Hanifa mosque in Baghdad’s Adhamiyah neighbourhood. He was subsequently released.

A total of 23 journalists jointly announced on 27 February they would boycott the offices of prime minister Nuri-Al-Maliki and the Baghdad military commander in protest against the violence against journalists by the security forces and their arbitrary attempts to prevent coverage of the demonstrations. In an open letter, they demanded official apologies and an immediate halt to attacks on the media.

Gen. Qassem Atta, spokesman for the Baghdad military chief, duly apologised and said the attacks on freedom of expression were “unintentional.” In response to a question from a cameraman with the satellite TV station Turkmen Illy during a news conference yesterday, Prime Minister Maliki apologized to journalists for the violence used by the security forces and promised both sanctions and reforms.

Mohammed Al-Hamdani, a correspondent for the satellite TV station Al-Itijah, was meanwhile killed in a suicide bombing in Ramadi, the capital of Al-Anbar province (110 km west of Baghdad) on 24 February. Ahmed Abdul Salam, a journalist working for the satellite TV station Al-Aan, was wounded by the same explosion. The bombing was at the House of Culture in the neighbourhood known as 17 Tammuz, where a religious festivity was being held. The overall toll was 14 dead and 23 wounded, including the journalists covering the event.

***26.02.2011. Iraq cracks down on media; violations in Yemen, Libya Military forces rounded up journalists in Baghdad's Tahrir Square.

(AP/Karim Kadim)New York, February 25, 2011--The Committee to protect Journalists documented additional attacks today in Iraq, Yemen, and Libya as journalists tried to cover anti-government protests.

Iraqi authorities cracked down on media: Security forces stormed a satellite TV office, detained dozens of journalists, and confiscated equipment, according to local journalists and news reports. In Yemen, at least four journalists were detained today, according to local journalists, and Al-Jazeera reported that its crew was prevented from covering demonstrations in Sana'a. Libyan border patrols confiscated cameras and SIM cards of journalists entering Libya from Tunisia, according to news reports. "The media in the Middle East have long been under pressure from authoritarian governments but what we are witnessing now is a marked escalation in repression," said Robert Mahoney, CPJ's deputy director. "We are particularly disturbed that a democratically elected government such as that of Iraq would attempt to quash coverage of political protests. We call on Baghdad to honor its commitments to respect media freedom."

Security forces prohibited cameras from entering Baghdad's Tahrir Square, where there were thousands of people protesting, according to news reports and local journalists. Police confiscated tapes that reporters managed to shoot in the square, according to Al-Jazeera.

Al-Jazeera reported that dozens of journalists were detained in central Baghdad today. Four journalists for Iraqi news outlets, Husam Serail, a reporter for Al-Sabah newspaper, Ali Abdul Sada, a reporter for Al-Mada newspaper, Hadi al-Mahdi, an anchor for Radio Demozy, and Ali Sumerian, an editor for Al-Sabah, were arrested, according to news reports. They were taken to an unknown location, local journalists told Al-Sumaria News website. The journalists said "a military force raided Al-Taraf restaurant in downtown Baghdad and arrested the four journalists after beating them."

Military and security forces detained Al-Sumaria News photographers Ali Jasem and Safa Hatim, and correspondents Sinan Adan and Idriss Jawad while they were covering demonstrations in Baghdad, according to Al-Sumaria News. Anti-riot forces also raided the offices of Al-Diyar satellite TV station in Baghdad and detained 10 of its staff members for three hours, according to Al-Diyar's website. In the afternoon, anti-riot police stormed the office for a second time, prohibited the staff from entering the building, and detained at least three more employees.

Niyaz Abdulla, a correspondent for Radio Nawa and a volunteer for Metro Center, a local press freedom group, was assaulted today while covering demonstrations in Erbil. "I was on the air when a plainclothes security officer came and started threatening me," she told CPJ. The officer threatened to call over men to attack her, alluding to a potential sexual assault. "I stayed calm but it was very disturbing," Abdulla said. She added that two of her colleagues had their cameras confiscated while they were covering the demonstration.

In Karbala, anti-riot forces attacked Afaq and Al-Salam satellite channels crews, according to news reports. "They were beaten and cursed at while they were covering the march in Karbala," Jihad Jaafar, a correspondent for Afaq channel told Noun. He added that the tapes of the crews were confiscated.

In Yemen, security forces attacked an unidentified cameraman for Suhail opposition TV channel and detained at least four journalists while they were covering demonstrations in Al-Mansoura in Aden Governorate, local journalists told CPJ. Security forces detained freelance journalists Marzouq Yasin, Abdel Rahman Anis, Bassim al-Shaabi, and Fares al-Jalal, while they were covering protests in Mansoura for various websites. Security forces also prevented an Al-Jazeera crew from reaching the demonstrations near Sana'a University, the Qatar-based station reported.

In Libya, foreign journalists entering the country from Tunisia tweeted that their cameras, hard drives, and SIM cards were confiscated by border patrol guards. Paul Danahar, a BBC journalist reporting from Tunisia-Libya border, said that Suresh Kothia, "an Indian who just arrived from Libya," told him that "at the last checkpoint the Libyan army took everyone's phone SIM cards and computer hard drives to stop images of the uprising getting out." Kothia told Danahar that equipment was broken and thrown to the ground. 

***15.02.2011. IRAN. IFJ Condemns New Wave of Journalists' Arrests in Iran

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused Iranian authorities of targeting media amid signs of solidarity in the country with protests which toppled regimes in Egypt and Tunisia. At least four journalists working for reformist newspaper were arrested last week ahead of demonstrations called by the opposition to support recent popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.

"The Iranian regime is attempting to intimidate journalists out of fear for the publicity anti governments protests have had in the Middle East," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "Gagging media is further proof that the authorities are failing to heed calls for democratic change in the region."

According to the Association of Iranian Journalists (AoIJ), an IFJ affiliate, security forces arrested on Friday two journalists, Nazhat Amirabadian and Maziar Khosravi , working for Shargh, the only remaining reformist newspaper in Iran. On Sunday night, the authorities arrested Abodalah Naseri, former head of Iranian news agency(IRNA) under President Khatami's rule. Four more journalists, Omid Mohaddes, Taghi Rahmani, Meysam Mohammadi and Sadredin Beheshti Shirazi were detained early last week for questioning.

These arrests followed the call by Iranian political opposition for demonstration yesterday 14 February in solidarity with people in Tunisia and Egypt who have forced former presidents Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak to step down. Media reports say the authorities have blocked access to internet sites and started jamming satellite news channels.

The AoIJ says that at least 34 journalists remain in prison, including two women Nazanin Khosravani and Hengameh Shahidi. Khosravani faces charges of "acting against national security, propaganda against the Islamic Republic and disturbing public opinion", says the AoIJ.

The IFJ accuses the Iranian authorities of seeking to blame the media for the public opinion which has largely been critical of the leadership since the disputed presidential poll of June 2009.

"The authorities must respect journalists' independence and stop making them scape goats," added White. "It is time to release all our colleagues."

***14.02.2011. AFGHANISTAN - IFJ Praises Courage of Photojournalist Severely Wounded While Reporting Afghanistan War

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), its European group the
European Federation of Journalists( EFJ) and its affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) are shocked and saddened to learn that a British photojournalist was severely injured after stepping on a makeshift bomb in southern Afghanistan.
Giles Duley, a freelance photographer associated with the Camera Press Agency in London, was on a foot patrol with Afghan and American soldiers on February 7 near the village of Sangsar, in rural Kandahar Province, when he stepped on a pressure-plate that detonated a hidden explosive charge, The New York Times reported today.
Duley, 39, suffered multiple amputations as a result of the blast, losing one leg below the knee, one leg above the knee and his left arm was severed above the elbow, the report said. He also suffered a range of superficial wounds and a finger on his right hand was fractured.
The photojournalist was working alongside soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment who were clearing a compound at the time of the incident. It was the first time Duley had covered military operations, having arrived in Afghanistan only two weeks earlier.
“The IFJ applauds the courage of Giles Duley and many others like him who
expose themselves to extreme personal risk in order to report the grim realities of war,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.
“The IFJ sends its best wishes to our colleague for as speedy a recovery as is possible, given the extent of his injuries.”
Duley spent a decade as an editorial photographer in the fashion and music
industries, with his exhibited and published around the world in publications such as Vogue, GQ, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Sunday Times and New Statesman. In recent years he has concentrated on humanitarian projects, working with charities such as Médecins sans Frontiers.
New York Times photographer Joao Silva stepped on an anti-personnel landmine in October in southern Afghanistan, losing both legs and sustaining other injuries in the blast.

***14.02.2011. 17 Palestinian NGOs announced yesterday that they are forming a coalition to defend freedom of expression in oPt

17 Palestinian human rights, women, media and youth organizations announced yesterday that they will be joining forces to form a coalition focused on defending freedom of expression in the occupied Palestinian territories, with press freedoms at the top of the agenda.

Initiated by the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), participating organizations agreed to form a coalition after holding a number of preliminary meetings in Ramallah and Gaza in the start of 2011.

All of the involved organizations believe in the importance of a joint effort lead by civil society institutions to develop respect for freedom of expression in the oPt, as guaranteed by article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Palestinian Basic Law, in harmony with their role in enhancing democracy and human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories and preserving freedom of expression, especially in the continual violation against Palestinian rights and freedom of expression from the Israeli occupation forces and Israeli settlers who
committed the most of violations, in addition to the violations committed by several Palestinian parts in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The coalition will implement numerous initiatives to achieve its goals in cooperating with all concerned parties to advance freedom of expression in oPt. The coalition membership will be open to civil society organizations and active persons in this field.

Participating institutions in the Freedom of expression coalition:

1- Al- Haq-Law in the Service of Man
2- Aldameer Association for Human Rights
3- Creative Women Forum
4- Center for the Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights (hurryyat)
5- Media Development Center /Birzeit University
6- Observatory of the Arab World to Democracy and Elections(MARSAD)
7- Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA)
8- Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)
9- Palestine News Network (PNN)
10- Pen Media
11- Palestinian Institute for Communication and Development
12- Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies (RCHRS)
13- Women journalists South Forum
14- Sharek Youth Forum
15- Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (TRC)
16- Women’s Affairs Technical Committee
17- Hureya Media Center

***11.02.2011. Extraordinary Historical Moment and Opportunity for Egypt

London, 11.02.2011: As Hosni Mubarak’s resignation is announced, ARTICLE 19 calls on the transitional government to abide by the will of the Egyptian people and instigate swift democratic reforms, including an immediate end to censorship of the media and the release of political prisoners.

“Tunisia and Egypt have shown the way toward liberty in the Middle East. The people have spoken out – women, young people, men, overcoming fears, denouncing oppression, human rights violations and corruption, and demanding democratic reforms. This is an extraordinary moment for Egypt – it should quickly and swiftly be translated into an opportunity for real and in-depth reforms and changes. A pathway paved with full protection for human rights, including freedom of expression, is the only way forward for a stable, confident and just Egypt.” says Dr Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director.

18 days of mostly non-violent protests have brought to an end the 30 year
dictatorship of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak who has finally step down as president of Egypt today. The Military Council is said to have provisionally taken power.

Triggered by protests in Tunisia, which resulted in the toppling of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, protesters across much of Egypt over the last 18 days have called for reform and for Mubarak to leave. Demonstrations have also taken place across the Middle East and North Africa.

There have been widespread allegations of human rights violations and disappearances during the protests, and many journalists and human rights
defenders have been detained. Accusations of torture of protesters are beginning to emerge, as more and more people feel safer to come forward to tell their stories.

ARTICLE 19 calls for the process of democratic and human rights reform to begin immediately. All imprisoned peaceful protesters and political prisoners, including journalists, should be released. The authorities should immediately investigate and disclose the fate and whereabouts all those who are missing, and immediately inform their families.

The transition and reform processes require, and should be based on, freedom of expression and freedom of the press, transparency, and the ability of all Egyptians, men and women, religious and other minorities and vulnerable groups, to speak out and participate equally and without fear in the reform process and the democratic running of their country.

ARTICLE 19 also urges Egypt’s neighbours to take heed of the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia and immediately begin a process of real democratisation. In the words of Polish Nobel peace prize winner Lech Wałęsa, “You have no chance to win. The only choice you have is between defeat with bloodshed and defeat without".

***09.02.2011. IFJ Condemns Internet Censorship in Jordan

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused the Jordanian government of stifling calls for democratic change after the country’s intelligence service disabled a news website and removed a letter to the King demanding political reforms.
The IFJ backed protests by journalists’ leaders and others who joined a protest after the country’s biggest news website http://www.ammonnews.net/
was hacked into and a report over the letter was taken down. Leaders of
the IFJ affiliate, the Jordanian Press Association(JPA), joined the demonstration which was held outside the union offices in central Amman.
“This is a sinister development that shows how vulnerable free speech on the internet has become to spooks and censors from inside government,” said Aidan White IFJ General Secretary. “We support the rights of journalists across all sectors of the media to publish freely. This incident is shocking evidence of political interference in the democratic process.”
The IFJ says that it will support the Jordan Press Association and its members who demand that journalists are allowed to work without restraint, particularly when voices calling for political change are being heard across the Arab world and in Jordan itself.
“This is a momentous time when the people have a right to know and a right
to participate in debates about the future,” said White. “It is not for government and their security people to try to censor legitimate comment.”

***04.02.2011. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) joigned the call of around 60 organisations worldwide on Egypt to protect freedom of expression and the right to information

Civil society organisations around the world are calling on Egyptian and international bodies to respect freedom of expression and the right to information.

We, the undersigned civil society organisations working to promote freedom of expression around the world, condemn the serious violations of human rights taking place at this critical moment in Egypt. Since pro-democracy activists first began popular protest across Egypt on 25 January, there have been at least three hundred deaths, incidents of physical attacks and brutality, often involving live fire, and arbitrary arrests and detentions of protestors and journalists. The government has also restricted access to the internet, withdrawn mobile phone services and placed restrictions on independent media.

These measures have had the effect of silencing and suppressing the speech of legitimate protestors and presented significant obstacles to many others, both inside and outside the country, who wish to access or share information about the demonstrations and the human rights abuses that have occurred during this period. Egypt's total censorship of the internet and mobile communications also stands to encourage other governments in the region and beyond to take similar action.

In our opinion, the Egyptian authorities are in violation of the state's
international human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights with respect to the right to freedom of expression and the right to information as well as the right to freedom of assembly and association, the right to liberty, the right to life and the right not to be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

As massive rallies take place across Egypt, we call upon the Egyptian state authorities, including the national government, police, security and armed forces to:

• Remove any remaining limitations on access to the internet and mobile
communications and refrain from imposing any such restrictions • Remove all restrictions on independent media and release all journalists and lawful protestors who have been detained • Respect Egypt's international legal obligations in policing the protests and only use force that is reasonable, proportionate and genuinely aimed at preventing crimes • Ensure that there are independent and effective investigations into allegations of killings, attacks or threats by state agents • Immediately repeal state emergency laws.

We further call upon influential states, intergovernmental and regional organisations, including the United Nations, African Union and the European Union to:

• Condemn all violations of human rights by Egyptian state authorities
during this period of popular unrest in Egypt • Exert pressure on Egypt to remove any remaining limitations on access to the internet and mobile communications and refrain from imposing any such restrictions • Exert pressure on the Egyptian state authorities to respect human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression and the right to information • Support a smooth transition in Egypt to a system that embraces democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

We will continue to closely monitor the events in Egypt as they unfold.
Signed,

Adil Soz - International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech
Andean Foundation for Media Observation & Study
Arab Archives Institute
ARTICLE 19
Association of Caribbean Media Workers
Association of Independent Electronic Media
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Cartoonists Rights Network International
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility
Center for Media Studies & Peace Building
Centre for Independent Journalism
Democracy Coalition Project (DCP)
Fojo Media Institute
Foundation for Press Freedom
freeDimensional and the Creative Resistance Fund
Freedom Forum
Freedom House
Free Media Movement
Globe International
Hong Kong Journalists Association
Human Rights Network for Journalists
Independent Journalism Center
Index on Censorship
Initiative for Freedom of Expression
Institute for the Studies on Free Flow of Information
Institute of Mass Information
Instituto Prensa y Sociedad
Instituto Prensa y Sociedad de Venezuela
International Federation of Journalists
International Media Support (IMS)
International Press Institute
International Publishers Association
Maharat Foundation (Skills Foundation)
Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance
Media Foundation for West Africa
Media Institute of Southern Africa
Mizzima News
National Press Association
National Union of Somali Journalists
Observatoire pour la liberté de presse, d'édition et de création
Observatorio Latinoamericano para la Libertad de Expresión
Pacific Freedom Forum
Pacific Islands News Association
Pakistan Press Foundation
Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms
PEN Canada
Privacy International
Public Association "Journalists"
Reporters Without Borders
SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom (Samir Kassir Eyes)
Southeast Asian Press Alliance
Thai Journalists Association
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
Writers in Prison Committee, PEN International

***02.02.2011. EGYPT - INSI Advisory - News crews in Egypt facing increasing threats to their safety

News crews covering the violent clashes in Egypt are facing increased threats to their safety, amid reports that a growing number are being targeted by protesters loyal to President Hosni Mubarak, angry at the foreign media's coverage of the situation in the country.

Al Jazeera has had its offices in the country closed, while Al Arabiya reported that one of its correspondents, Ahmed Bagatu, was injured.
But, even though some government supporters are said to have been carrying
placards saying 'Down with Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya, other non-Arab news
organisations have been attacked.
The Associated Press said two of its correspondents had been "roughed up"
by the crowd.
A Belgian reporter on Wednesday was arrested, beaten and accused of being
a spy by men in plain clothes in the central Cairo neighborhood of Choubra.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that four Israeli reporters had
also been arrested.
CNN reported that an Egyptian reporter for Al-Arabiya went missing. He was beaten and handed over to Egyptian military. It said that journalists from the BBC, ABC News and CNN were also attacked. Among them were CNN's Hala Gorani and Anderson Cooper, who said he was hit on the head by a protester.
Hala Gorani was quoted as saying, "I got slammed against the gates and was
threatened by one of the pro-Mubarak protesters who was ... telling me to
'get out, get out!' and saying it very close to my face. The pro-Mubaraks,
whoever they are, whoever sent them, are being threatening toward camera
crews, journalists, anybody who looks like they may be onlookers. Some of
the elements there are rather thuggish and they seem to be intent on
causing trouble."
NBC News' Richard Engel said, in a message on Twitter, that journalists in
Cairo had been "mobbed on the streets" by people angry with foreign press
coverage.
A spokesman for the US State Department PJ Crowley also took to Twitter to
say it was "concerned about detentions and attacks" on the media, saying
that "the civil society that Egypt wants to build includes a free press"

INSI advises all journalists covering civil disturbances to plan accordingly and take appropriate precautions. The following information may help:
CIVIL DISTURBANCE CHECKLIST
• Plan in advance
• Establish pre-arranged contact points with the rest of your team
(photographer, camera operator, producer, etc.) if you are separating
• Always carry press identification but conceal it if it attracts unwarranted attention
• Bring a cellular phone with emergency numbers pre-set for speed dialling
• Position yourself upwind if there is a possibility that tear gas will be used
• Bring eye protection such as swimming goggles or industrial eye protection
• Carry first aid kits and know how to use them
• Wear loose natural fabric clothing as this will not burn as readily as
synthetic ones; remember there is always the possibility of gasoline bombs
being exploded
• Carry a small backpack with enough food and water to last for a day in
case you are unable to get out of the area
• If you are a reporter you don’t have to be in the crowd as long as you
can see what’s happening
• If you are a photographer or camera operator, try to shoot from a higher
vantage point
The use of flats and buildings to report is common-place, but ensure exit
is possible and does not become obstructed.
• Work with the team and keep a mental map of your escape route if things
turn bad
• Have an immediate newsroom debriefing after the coverage to extract
lessons from the coverage
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
1. Baseball Bump cap (Head Protection in style of Baseball Cap)
2. Standard Eyeshields
3. Goggles (Protection against Tear Gas)
4. Footwear -- boots with non-stick sole and ankle protection
5. Personal First Aid Kit
6. Knee Pads
7. Ear Plugs

Also consider:
1. Stab Resistant Vest
2. Flame Retardant Spray
3. Flame retardant Underwear
4. Steel Toe Cap Footwear
5. Hi-Visibility Vest
6. Hand Protection

***31.01.2011. IFJ Condemns “Desperate Tactics” as Egypt Targets Media

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on Egypt to end the crackdown on journalism and media which has led to numerous beatings of media staff and censorship of television and communications networks. As the political crisis has intensified with renewed protests in the streets the regime of President Hosni Mubarak has become ever-more desperate to stop media coverage of the uprising.
Media reports say that the Government last week blocked websites and the
Qatari- based international broadcaster, Al-Jazeera has been taken off the air. Its office in Cairo has been shut down and staff were arrested, their film confiscated. The studios of the French public broadcaster, France 2 have also been shut.
“This targeting of media is desperation on the part of a regime that is in the brink of collapse,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “It makes a mockery of the Government’s talk of dialogue to restore calm.”
According to a statement from Al-Jazeera, five Cairo-based staff were arrested following the Government’s decision over the weekend to withdraw the broadcaster’s licence and its journalists’ accreditation in the country. They were released today.
The move against Al-Jazeera comes days after access to websites in Egypt was blocked ahead of the major streets protests of last Friday. Reports also say the studios of French TV, France 2, have been closed and one camera damaged, according to the SNJ-CGT, an IFJ affiliate in France.
The IFJ, which last week denounced police violence against journalists and
warned the authorities over their responsibility for media safety, says the latest measures cast doubt over the Government’s willingness to change.
“Shutting down media as a public space for dialogue is no way for showing
genuine commitment to tolerant debate on the country’s future,” added White. “The authorities are failing the basic test of open democracy by stifling free press.”

***28.01.2011. EGYPT - UN HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS URGES GOVERNMENT RESTRAINT AND RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN EGYPT

GENEVA – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday urged the Government of Egypt to exercise restraint and protect the rights of its citizens to freedom of expression, information and assembly in line with the country’s legislation and international human rights law.

“It has been brought to my attention that since the street protests erupted, police have confronted protestors with rubber-coated bullets, tear gas, water cannons and batons, and arrested more than 1,000 people, including political opponents,” she said.

“While maintaining rule and order are important, the responsibility of the Government to protect the rights to life, liberty and security is paramount.”

Ms. Pillay also noted reports of blocked Internet access and mobile service interruptions, as well as harassment of journalists and photographers.

“I call on the Government to take concrete measures to guarantee the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, including by restoring free use of mobile phones and social networks,” she said.

The High Commissioner called on the Government to initiate investigations into reports of the use of excessive force, particularly the killing of at least five and possibly more civilians, and to ensure justice, truth and reparations for victims and their relatives.

Drawing attention to the fact that Egypt’s emergency law has been in force for almost 30 years, she called for it to be lifted, stressing the importance of accountability and the rule of law in creating a stable society.

“I believe the lifting of the emergency law is long overdue and it lies at the root of much of the frustration and anger that has now boiled over into the streets,” she said.

She welcomed calls by the Egyptian National Council for Human Rights for an open dialogue including all political parties and social groups to formulate steps to end poverty and fight corruption.

“People must be entitled to express their grievances against violations of their civil and political rights as well as their frustrations at lack of realisation of their economic rights, the right to work and the right to an adequate standard of living,” the High Commissioner added.

“And governments in the region and around the world must take heed. Suppressing citizens’ voices, silencing dissent and stifling criticism will not make the problems go away. Recent events in the region highlight the fact that tackling serious problems by resorting primarily to high-handed security measures only causes them to fester and eventually erupt on a large scale.”

For further information and media requests, please contact OHCHR spokesperson Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9310)

***28.01.2011. IFJ Calls for End to Violence against Journalists in Egypt

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused security forces in Egypt of indiscriminate violence after scores of journalists were forcibly detained and beaten during recent protests in the capital, Cairo, calling for political change in the country. At least ten Egyptian journalists were detained during a protest held outside the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate (EJS) office in Cairo and foreign reporters were arrested and beaten while covering the protests.
“Journalists, the world over, are appalled by the thuggery of Egypt’s state security officers and riot police, beating and arresting protesters as well as journalists and photographers in Cairo,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President.” We hold the government primarily responsible for directing the police charge and call on them to order an immediate halt to these attacks.”
According to the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate, the journalists who were arrested on Wednesday have been released along with around 200 students after they insisted on the release of all detained protesters, especially university students who were due to sit their exams on Thursday.
The EJS says that journalists were demonstrating outside their offices when the security forces forcibly intervened to break up the protest and made several arrests among journalists and other protesters. The journalists who were detained included Karem Mahmmoud, former head of press freedom committee of the EJS and Abd Al-Qudus, both of whom were badly beaten by police.
The Guardian’s reporter in Cairo, Jack Shenker, was attacked by plain cloth officers while covering the protest in downtown Cairo who bundled him in a van with many other protesters. He managed to provide a live account of officers’ brutality against all detainees who managed to escape after overpowering the van’s guard outside Cairo, according to the Guardian’s website. Other foreign reporters were also targeted, including Associated Press TV News cameraman Haridi Hussein Haridi and his assistant Haitham Badry who were arrested but have now been released .
The IFJ defends the journalists’ rights to express their views in a peaceful way and warns that the authorities’ violent response is likely to escalate the protests and endanger the safety of media.
“Journalists have a job to do and they have the right to be able to report
safely on these demonstrations without being punched, kicked or arrested,”
added Boumelha. “The Egyptian government must be responsible for their safety.”

***27.01.2011. EGYPT. Journalists targeted by police violence, arrests (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders roundly condemns police use violence against journalists covering Egypt’s street protests. It is hard to establish exactly how many journalists have been arrested or physically attacked by police officers in the past 48 hours. According to the latest information obtained by Reporters Without Borders, more than a dozen journalists have been arrested.

We urge the Egyptian authorities to allow journalists to work without fear of being arrested or attacked by those who are supposed to protect them. We also call for the immediate release of all the media workers still being held and an end to the blocking of communications. It is essential for the Egyptian people to have access to reliable information about the events of the past few days.

Reporters Without Borders reminds the Egyptian authorities that the United States has urged them not to disrupt online social networks. US secretary of state Hillary Clinton also voiced concern about the arrests of journalists. France has called on Egypt to respect civil liberties including freedom of expression.

Here are details of some of the cases of arrests or attacks on journalists:

 Daily News reporter Mohamed Effat was arrested at around 6 p.m. yesterday and was taken to the Qasr el-Nil police station. He was then transferred to the Nasr City police station.

 Despite having press cards issued by the Egyptian authorities, Associated Press Television News cameraman Haridi Hussein and his assistant, Haitham Badry, were arrested at about 1 a.m. yesterday while filming clashes between protesters and police. They were released this morning.

 AP photographer Nasser Gamal Nasser was covering protests on the evening of 25 January when he struck in the face by a stone thrown by a policeman. His right cheekbone was fractured and his camera was broken.

 Guardian reporter Jack Shenker was detained after being beaten by plain-clothes policemen while covering demonstrations on the evening of 25 January (read his account: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/27/egypt-riot-security-force-action?&).

 Three journalists with the daily Ash-Shourouq – Ahmed Bihnassawi, Ahmed Abdel Latif and Imen Hilal – were roughed up by police officers on the evening of 25 January. Bihnassawi was hit on the head by a policeman who confiscated his camera. Hilal was attacked by a police officer while covering the protests outside the headquarters of the company Sidnawi. The policeman hit him in the face and smashed his photographic equipment.

  Amru Salaheddin, a photographer with the opposition daily Al-Wafd, was arrested today. So too were Ibrahim Mamdouh Siam of Radio Horytna, Samuel Al-Ashy of Reuters and Abdel Rahman Izz ad-Din Imam of Al-Doustour. The police today also arrested Sami Al-Belchy, the deputy editor of the magazine Al-Idhaa wa Al-Tilfaza, Sherif Arif, the deputy editor of Al-Ahrar, and two members of the Journalists’ Syndicate, Mohamed Abdul Quddus and Karim Mahmoud.

Facebook and Twitter are reportedly being blocked intermittently. Telephone communications were blocked today in Suez and the surrounding area because of the many protests being organized in response to the death of three demonstrators in yesterday’s clashes in this port city.

***26.01.2011. SRI LANKA. Press marks cruel anniversary

A year ago last January, Sri Lankan cartoonist Prageeth Eknelygoda mysteriously disappeared. Two years ago this month, independent TV station Sirasa was bombed with military precision - a couple of days before well-known editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was critical of his government's war against the Tamil Tigers, was killed.

Today, none of the cases have been solved, and no one has been brought to justice. Sri Lanka's Free Media Movement (FMM) and other IFEX members have launched a series of campaigns and actions to commemorate one of Sri Lanka's "cruellest months for journalists."

FMM joined an alliance of journalists and press freedom advocates on 18 January outside the Fort Railway Station in the capital, Colombo, demanding that the government expedite investigations into the series of attacks.

One of the protesters was Sandhya Eknelygoda, Prageeth's wife. Prageeth, the political cartoonist and columnist who supported the now-jailed opposition leader Sareth Fonseka, has not been seen by his family or colleagues since he left for work at the pro-opposition news website Lanka eNews on 24 January 2010.

Sandhya issued a public letter in December that pleaded for information about her husband's disappearance. Then, along with FMM and other press groups, she reiterated her demands to the UN country representative on 24 January 2011 - the first anniversary of Eknelygoda's disappearance. To date, she has not had any formal response or update from the police, the attorney general's office, the Sri Lankan government or even the UN.

CPJ has also put out a public appeal to help Eknelygoda's family and other journalists caught in similar straits around the world.

At the same time, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has teamed up with Cartooning for Peace and launched an international support campaign, using 12 cartoons by cartoonists throughout the world to symbolise each month that Eknelygoda has been missing.

Wickrematunge's case has fared no better. According to CPJ, on 13 January, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told Sri Lankan media his government had no evidence to continue an investigation into Wickrematunge.

"In the two years since Lasantha's murder on 8 January 2009, the government has stonewalled the investigation while it has been passed around like a hot potato from one investigating body to another," said Sonali Samarasinghe, Wickrematunge's widow.

FMM is holding a Wickrematunge memorial lecture in February.

Meanwhile, writers from Asia and all over the world are planning to gather in the southern city of Galle for a literary festival from 26 to 30 January, co-sponsored by Sri Lanka's leading tourism promotion agencies.

"We believe this is not the right time for prominent international writers… to give legitimacy to the Sri Lankan government's suppression of free speech by attending a conference that does not in any way push for greater freedom of expression inside that country," say Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS), a network of exiled Sri Lankan journalists, and RSF in an appeal asking for writers and intellectuals to endorse their campaign for more free expression in Sri Lanka.

In Sri Lanka, RSF and JDS have come under fire for calling for a boycott, which critics say suppresses free speech. RSF and JDS refute the claim, saying that the appeal urges festival organisers and writers who are planning to attend to give some thought to the situation of dissident writers, journalists and cartoonists in Sri Lanka, like Eknelygoda and Wickrematunge.

***25.01.2011. NEPAL. UNITED NATIONS: International Community Urge Nepal to Address Impunity and Protect Journalists

Geneva. At the tenth session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group today, countries from around the world recommended the Nepali government immediately address the growing impunity in the country, and protect journalists and human rights defenders from attacks.

“The international community has come together during today’s review to
highlight the growing concern about impunity in the country and call for the government to address the worrying situation,” said Dr Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director.

ARTICLE 19 attended the UPR of Nepal, during which impunity was by far the
most repeated issue by the delegates, with reference to the continuous attacks against media workers and human rights defenders in Nepal.

The Czech Republic, Canada, France and the United States of America recommended the government of Nepal safeguard the security of journalists and implement adequate measures for the protection and investigation of crimes against journalists and human rights defenders.

The Czech Republic specifically called for thorough investigation and prosecution into the case of the murder of female reporter Uma Singh in 2009. Norway also recommended the government to investigate attacks against female journalists and prosecute the perpetrators. France urged the government to address the lack of enforcement of the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and information.

Impunity was also addressed by Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland and the UK.

In response, the government of Nepal pledged to tackle impunity and address the human rights concerns of the delegates. But the government was unwilling to accept the role of the Nepali Army in the continuation of widespread impunity, arguing that: “the Nepali Army are fully supportive of human rights and any issues are not supported by policy … The Nepali Army is the source of Nepali democracy.”
The recommendations made by the international community at the UPR of Nepal, were in line with those made by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) stakeholders’ report, to which ARTICLE 19 and Freedom Forum jointly contributed.

In their joint submission in August 2010, ARTICLE 19 and Freedom Forum
highlighted five areas of concern, including (1) killing of and violent attacks against journalists and human rights defenders, (2) impunity for attacks and political protection, (3) freedom of expression in the Interim Constitution and overall legal framework fail to meet international standards, (4) regulation of the media fails to promote independence and transparency, (5) the government has failed to give a full effect to the right to freedom of information.

***21.01.2011. PAKISTAN. Reports of a journalist "hit-list" in Pakistan - INSI demands government action

London, January 20 - A "hit-list" of journalists targeted for murder is reportedly being circulated in Pakistan, currently the deadliest country in the world for the news media, informed sources have told the International News Safety Institute (INSI).
Sixteen journalists were murdered in Pakistan last year, and that pattern of violence seems to be continuing in 2011 with two journalists killed in the past two weeks.
Twenty-nine year-old Wali Khan Babar, shot dead in Karachi on 13 January, was one of 16 names on the hit-list, the sources said.
INSI called on the Pakistani government and police to intervene and stop the killing.
"The Pakistani authorities have a duty to protect all citizens, journalists included," said INSI Director Rodney Pinder. "Pakistan already is number one in the world for journalist murder - it is beyond time now for real action.
"This list apparently identifies people lined up for murder. The government must act swiftly to protect them and arrest those responsible for this shocking state of affairs."
The shooting of Babar has spooked the media community in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. The journalist, who worked for the private television channel Geo News, was stuck in a traffic jam on his way home when a man stopped outside his car, pulled out his pistol and shot him several times in the head, according to police. They say they are treating the killing as premeditated murder.
Fifteen other names are reported to be on the hit-list, which is said to be comprised of mainly ethnic Pashtun journalists and is being attributed by many Karachi journalists to the militant wing of MQM, Pakistan’s third largest and most liberal political party.
INSI has not seen the list, but it is believed to be in possession of the authorities. INSI sources understand that one correspondent has gone into hiding after being told by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik that he was number two on the list behind the dead man, Wali Khan Babar.
In recent months, ethnic violence has spiralled in Karachi, with shootings and targeted killings increasing in frequency. And as the violence intensifies, so too does the political vitriol, with the MQM party remaining at loggerheads with the mainly Pashtun ANP, both of whom blame each other for undermining law and order in the city.
In Karachi, INSI’s sources say the military has been deployed – so far with limited result – but that is unlikely to be of much comfort to the city’s journalists.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) warned last week that the assassination of Salmaan Taseer, governor of the Punjab province in Pakistan, may open the door to a new wave of political intolerance and pressure on journalists across the country. It said that unless media and journalists isolate extremists and challenge incitement to violence the killing will lead to fresh attacks and the targeting of journalists who defend the right to free expression.
Any questions about this news release should be address to Hannah Storm
email hannah.storm@newssafety.org +44 7766814274

***07.01.2011. SOMALIA. NUSOJ releases Annual Report on State of Freedom of the Press in Somalia

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) today releases the union’s annual report on state of freedom of the press in Somalia in 2010 summarising major press freedom violations and challenges in southern and central regions of Somalia, Puntland and Somaliland.

The yearly report, which describes cases of killings, arrests, injury, expulsion, death threats, imprisonment, looting of media houses, media houses taken over, court cases against journalists and journalists fleeing, arranges unequivocally the violations in the order of their occurrences.

The report, entitled “Mouth-murder” and Media Hijacking: A Year of Heartache and Fear for Somali Journalists, states that “the most attacks against journalists have been attributed to Islamist armed forces, followed by the Puntland administration and their security forces and the transitional federal government”.

“Killings of journalists have been a source of terrible pain in the hearts of journalists especially in the conflict-ravaged city of Mogadishu, which is still where most journalists were murdered in our beloved country,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.

NUSOJ cited that since killing journalists has not been entirely effective in silencing independent journalism, the armed Islamist groups, al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam, have resorted to seizing private media houses from their legitimate owners, taking over a total of seven media houses to use them for war propaganda and hate campaigns against those who fail to promote their ideology.

“Independent reporting is no longer possible from places such as Baidoa, Jowhar, Beledweyne, Bardhere and Kismayo” declared Omar Faruk. “People in these towns are therefore suffering a total blackout of independent news. In defiance of atrocities, Radio Shabelle continues to brave the deadly al-Shabaab and has moved to a new location to broadcast independently in the capital city”.

With Islamists now in control of the majority of southern and central regions, including most of the capital, “the suffering of the media is unmistakable”. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has failed to safeguard human rights, including the right to free expression and freedom of the press, NUSOJ stated.

“Young and unknown adults are increasingly appearing, claiming to be journalists but widely suspected to have another hidden and illicit agenda. This is another emerging threat to press freedom that reduces the space for professional and genuine journalists to operate”, said Omar Faruk Osman.

The National Union of Somali Journalists notes that Puntland, a semi-autonomous state in the northeast, has been experiencing a worsening press freedom climate. “The Puntland administration has increased suppression and attacks against journalists and the independent media in the last six months,” said Burhan Ahmed, NUSOJ Puntland Coordinator. A special section was first time dedicated in the annual report for the situation in Puntland.

The impunity with which journalists are attacked fuels further terrible crimes against journalists while in Puntland the judiciary has been hugely compromised, NUSOJ states. Lack of the rule of law in the southern regions continues to put the lives of journalists in danger. There are similar problems in Puntland where police and security agents operate at will with no respect for the work of journalists.

NUSOJ’s concern is that as the period of the transitional government ends in August 2011 without a viable political and security solution for the country, armed power struggles may increase and politicians as well as armed groups will turn their guns on journalists who refuse to be cowed by their intimidation and manipulation.
--
For further information, contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, tel/fax: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: newsletter@nusoj.org
Internet: www.nusoj.org

***03.01.2011. BELARUS: THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) CONDEMNS THE POST-ELECTION CRACKDOWN AGAINST JOURNALISTS 

Dozens of journalists arrested in a police crackdown on demonstrations that followed the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko last month remain in jail, some of whom could face 15 years in jail for organising public disorder, report IFEX members and the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ). Since the election, security forces have also raided the homes and offices of critical Belarusian journalists and confiscated equipment.

According to BAJ, an affiliate of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), 24 journalists were arrested in the crackdown, and 21 were physically assaulted. A number were sentenced to up to two weeks' detention and others remained "under investigation".

Irina Khalip, correspondent for the Moscow newspaper "Novaya Gazeta" and winner of last year's Central European Initiative (CEI) and the South East Europe Media Organisation (CEI SEEMO) Investigative Journalism Award, and Natalya Radina, editor of the pro-opposition news website Charter 97, have been charged with organising and participating in mass disorder, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). They have been held at a KGB detention centre since 20 December and face up to 15 years in jail if convicted.

Radina suffered head and ear injuries when police violently dispersed a post-election demonstration that she was covering, but she has not received medical attention in custody, says CPJ. BAJ confirmed that Belarusian authorities are trying to place Khalip's three-year-old son in a foster home against the wishes of his grandparents.

Khalip's husband, opposition presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, is also being held by the KGB, reports CPJ. Sannikov was tortured while in custody - his legs appear to be broken, and his speech and behaviour indicate head injuries, his lawyer told Amnesty International.

Meanwhile, KGB agents continued to raid the homes and offices of independent and pro-opposition journalists and seized equipment, apparently searching for photographs and video footage of the election protests.

On 28 December security agents raided the offices shared by "Nasha Niva" and the Belarusian PEN Center on suspicion of organising public disorder and desecrating national symbols, says BAJ. KGB agents confiscated a dozen computers and numerous digital storage devices. On the same day, security agents searched the home of "Nasha Niva" editor-in-chief Andrei Skurko, forced Skurko to sign a gag order and took his computer, says CPJ.

Similarly, government agents confiscated computers and other equipment on a 25 December raid at the Minsk offices of European Radio for Belarus (Evroradio), reports CPJ, halting news broadcasts from Minsk. Evroradio continued broadcasting from its headquarters in Warsaw. Local press reports said the raid might have been in retaliation for Evroradio interviews with Russian political analysts who were sharply critical of Lukashenko.

Agents also raided the premises of Belsat but weren't able to seize property; apparently apprehensive journalists had dismantled station equipment and taken it home for the holiday, says CPJ.

Several journalists working for these independent media outlets continue to have their homes searched and equipment confiscated, report BAJ, CPJ and Index on Censorship.

In a rare joint statement issued on 23 December, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton condemned the post-election violence and called for the immediate release of more than 600 political detainees rounded up after the election. "Respect for democracy and human rights remain central to improving Belarus's relations with the United States and the European Union. Without substantial progress in these areas, relations will not improve," said the statement.

Freedom House is calling on the EU to renew full sanctions against Belarus if Lukashenko fails to take restorative action. "The current situation is much worse than that in 2006, when the EU and U.S. together imposed sanctions against the regime."

According to CPJ, the Central Election Commission reported that Lukashenko won a fourth term in office with just under 80 percent of the vote. Observers with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) criticised the lack of transparency in the vote count and the suppression of the news media.

A defiant Lukashenko told a news conference on 20 December that post-election detainees were "pogromists and bandits." In an explicit threat against the press, he pledged to make journalists "answer for every word they write," reports CPJ.

***31.12.2010. IFJ Reports Heavy Media Loss to Violence after 97 Journalists Died in 2010

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today warned that journalists and media personnel remain prime targets for political extremists, gangsters and terrorists as it announced that at least 94 journalists and media personnel who were killed in 2010, victims of targeted killings, bomb attacks and crossfire incidents. Three other journalists lost their lives in accidents this year.

The IFJ list was issued just two days after police in Sweden and Denmark revealed they had foiled a potentially deadly bomb plot against Jyllens Posten, the Danish newspaper that in 2005 set off protests around the world when it published cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammed.

Elsewhere the IFJ list puts Pakistan top of the list of the most dangerous zones for journalists in 2010, ahead of Mexico, Honduras and Iraq.

"Nearly 100 journalists killed is a heavy loss which ought to stir the world governments into action to offer better protection to journalists," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "The sheer number of murders and conflict related incidents which claimed the lives of journalists and media personnel around the globe this year has brought into sharp focus the high risks associated with the practice journalism today."

The IFJ list of work related media killings is coordinated with the International News Safety Institute (INSI) and contains 94 journalists and media personnel who died during 2010, down from the 139 killings recorded in 2009. There were also three accidental deaths of journalists.

The IFJ says the majority were victims of violence connected to the insurgency war in Pakistan, the drug war in Mexico as well as the political unrest in Honduras. In these countries and others such as Somalia, The Philippines and Iraq, the rule of men of violence and the failure of governments to protect journalists are creating a climate of siege and despair.

"The threats to journalists are everywhere and once again the shadow of impunity falls across the world of journalism," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "Governments must act now to hunt down the killers and make journalism safe, not just for the people who work in the industry but for democracy itself."

As of 31 December, the IFJ recorded the following information on killings
of journalists and media staff in 2010:

Targeted killings and homicides incidents : 94

Accidental deaths : 3

Total Deaths : 97

The deadliest region, for the third year running, was Asia Pacific with 38 journalists and media personnel killed. Pakistan had the region's highest death toll with 15 dead.

Every region was affected including Europe where on Wednesday the head of
the Danish Security Service said five suspects had been arrested over plans for a "Mumbai-style" attack on the Danish newspaper, referring to the 2008 assault by multiple gunmen around the Indian city that left 163 people dead.

Among countries with high numbers of media fatalities are:

Mexico : 10
Honduras: : 10
Iraq: : 6
The Philippines: : 5

In 2009, The Philippines, Mexico, Pakistan and Russia were the most dangerous countries in the world. The full IFJ report on journalists and media staff killed in 2010 will be published mid- January 2011.

***20.12.2010. WIKILEAKS: CPJ urges US not to prosecute Julian Assange, says historic principles & US image at risk

December 17, 2010
Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Via facsimile: +1 202-456-2461

Eric H. Holder Jr.
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530
Via facsimile: +1 202-616-7290

Dear President Obama and Attorney General Holder:

We write because of deep concern about reports that you are considering the prosecution of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange for publishing classified cables and other documents. Based on everything we know about these events, we urge you to avoid such action. Our concern flows not from an embrace of Assange's motives and objectives.
Indeed, we wish that he would fully disclose his sources of financing and support. But the Constitution protects the right to publish information of important interest to the public. That right has been upheld through decades of American jurisprudence and has served the people well.

On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee held hearings on the implications of prosecuting Assange under the 1917 Espionage Act. We believe that such a prosecution could encourage the government to assert legal theories applying equally to all news media, which would be highly dangerous to the public interest. History shows that Congress didn't intend the law to apply to news reporting. Over
nearly a century, the government has refrained from using the act against the media. To reverse these long-standing positions would threaten grave damage to the First Amendment's protections of free speech and the press.

As CPJ seeks to defend freedom of expression and the safety and rights of journalists around the world, we find that by far the largest share of imprisoned journalists are jailed on antistate charges, including publishing information that governments deem secret. In the past, we have been proud to point to the United States as a place where journalists may not be jailed because they published something that offends government officials. It would be an incalculable loss to
freedom everywhere if America lost its role as a shining example, and authoritarian governments abroad could say they were only doing what the United States was doing in jailing reporters or editors for what they published.

CPJ urges the Justice Department to protect freedom of speech and the press, along with the country's global reputation as a beacon of those values, by standing back from any prosecution of WikiLeaks or Assange for publishing classified documents.

Sincerely,
Paul E. Steiger - Chairman
Joel Simon - Executive Director

***15.12.2010. PAKISTAN. Worst month for journalist's killing in 10 years

Senior journalist and President of Kuzdar Press Club, Mohammad Khan Sasoli, was shot dead by unknown assailants near his house. He is the second journalists killed in Baluchistan and fourth in a country in a month, raising the death toll of journalists to 14, this year amid reports that more journalists are on the hit list in the troubled province. According to details, Sasoli, who was associated with daily Baluchistan Times, was attacked by armed men, who were on motor-cycle fired the deceased from close range and remain there for sometime and then fledaway.

Early this month journalist Lala Hameed Baluch was killed in Gawadar while President of Mirpurkhas Press Club, Sultan Chandio was killed in Sindh province and two were killed during the sucide blast in the tribal area, bordering Afghanistan. Police have arrested one suspect in Chandio's case whereas no clue could be found in other cases while panic gripped in Baluchistan province.
Some 60 journalists had been killed in Pakistan since year 2000, but situation is getting deteriorated in the two most troubled province Baluchistan and Kyber Pakhtoonkhawan and in FATA.
Journalists working in Baluchistan, have been subjected to most serious threats allegedly from the intelligence agencies as well as from Baluch militant groups. Some of the journalists working in different Media groups revealed that not only reporter or correspondents faced threats but also those working in the newsroom including Editors, News Editors and even Sub-editors.
"There is no concept of freedom of the Press exist in these areas and we can't sent report with our free will or without keeping the possible consequences of the news particularly if relate to any operation in Baluchistan or forces action. We have to publish the Press Release sent by extremist groups or security forces and the desk left with no option but to print it or air it," said a senior journalist, who don't want to be named.
In the last three years five journalists had been killed in Baluchistan including three in Kuzdar and two in Gwadar. There have also been incidents in which journalists were detained, mainly by the intelligence agencies.
Baluchistan issue considered as most "sensitive" for the media for the past several years. Journalists, who covered the burring issue of the Province often faced harrassment at the hands of agencies and its not confined to the province. A young journalist of DAWN TV, was detained for several hours after he interviewed Baluch nationalist leader, last year.
During the period of General Pervez Musharraf, many talk shows on Baluchistan could not be aired and media owners were told to avoid discussion on the sensitive issues of the province. Even if any private channel record any show on the said issues they need to sent one copy to the "intelligence quarters."
Its not easy for organisations like Baluchistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) or Quetta Press Club, to organise protest rallies against these killings but the journalists held regular protest and condemned violence against journalists.
The recent wave of terror against journalists in Pakistan particularly in Baluchistan province is alarming and journalists all over the country must come forward in solidarity with their colleagues in Baluchistan.

Mazhar Abbas - Ex-Secretary General, pfuj

***DEC.2010. WIKILEAKS, the US Embassy Cables and the right to know (UN, IFJ, Article 19, RSF)

- NAVI PILLAY, UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER A journalist asked at a press conference in Geneva Dec. 9, if the High Commissioner believed that Wikileaks deserved the same whistle blower protection as journalists enjoyed?

The High Commissioner : “Of course, you asked me about Wikileaks, I think that, what is happening here, this is truly what the media would call a cyber war. It is just astonishing what is happening. Let me say that the Wikileaks case raises complex human rights questions about balancing freedom of information, the right of people to know, and the need to protect national security or public order. This balancing act is a difficult one. Let me say article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides for the right to freedom of expression, which includes the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds. Well the right to seek, receive and impart information may be restricted; restriction clauses must be a. necessary and b. proportional, and must be provided by law and should be justified strictly on the need to protect national security or public order. So who is best to judge or strike at the balance but courts of law. Courts
of law are equipped to address the delicate issue of balancing competing rights and values. If Mr. Assange has committed any recognized offense, then the judicial system following fair procedures should be able to address how these rights can be balanced. It is important to note that the current charges against him do not relate to leaked information. I am concerned about the reports of pressure exerted on private companies, including banks, credit card companies and internet service providers, to close down credit lines for donations to Wikileaks, as well as to stop hosting the website or its other sites. While it is unclear whether the individual measures taken by private actors directly infringe on States’ human rights obligations to ensure respect of the right to freedom of expression, taken as a whole, that could be interpreted as an attempt to censure the publication of information. That is potentially violating Wikileaks right to freedom of expression. If Wikileaks has committed any recognizable illegal act, then this should be handled through the legal system, and not through pressure and intimidation, including on third parties.”

- IFJ Condemns United States “Desperate and Dangerous” Backlash over
WikiLeaks
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the political backlash being mounted against the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks and accused the United States of attacking free speech after it put pressure on the website’s host server to shut down the site yesterday.
The website’s host Amazon.com blocked access to WikiLeaks after United States officials condemned the torrent of revelations about political, business and diplomatic affairs that has given people around the world unprecedented access to detailed information from United States sources, much of it embarrassing to leading public figures.
“It is unacceptable to try to deny people the right to know,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “These revelations may be embarrassing in their detail, but they also expose corruption and double-dealing in public life that is worthy of public scrutiny. The response of the United States is desperate and dangerous because it goes against fundamental principles of free speech and democracy.”
The IFJ has taken no position on the justification for the release of hundreds of thousands of internal documents which have made headlines around the world in the last few days, but it has welcomed the decision of WikiLeaks to use respected channels of journalism including Der Spiegel, The Guardian, the New York Times and El Pais to filter the information.
“This information is being processed by serious, professional journalists who are well aware of their responsibilities both to the public and to people implicated in these revelations,” said White. “It is simply untenable to allege as some people have that lives are being put at risk here. The only casualty here is the culture of secrecy that has for too long drawn a curtain around the unsavory side of public life.”
The IFJ is also concerned about the welfare and well-being of Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder and Bradley Manning, the United States soldier in Iraq who is under arrest and suspected of leaking the information. Both men are the target of a growing political campaign mounted by government officials and right-wing politicians.
Assange has been forced into hiding and is the subject of an international police investigation over allegations concerning sexual offences in Sweden. The IFJ says that calls by right wing commentators for Manning to be executed and that Assange be hunted down as a spy, as demanded by former Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, show a mood of intolerance and persecution that is dangerous not just for the two men but for all journalists engaged in investigating public affairs.
“The IFJ and its members support the rights of whistle-blowers and the responsible reporting of information in the public interest,” said White. “This over-reaction by politicians and their allies illustrates that they have not understood the historical significance of these events. The people’s right to know is not something that can any longer be willfully ignored. They have to adjust to the fact journalists have a duty to report, fairly and accurately and with due respect for the rights of all
parties in the public interest.”

ARTICLE 19 - WikiLeaks and Internet companies

ARTICLE 19 is extremely concerned by the political pressure governments and elected officials are exerting on internet companies, to force them to deny provision of services to WikiLeaks without prior authorisation from a court. Recent actions by a number of internet companies against WikiLeaks raise several issues about the rights of free expression on the internet, which is largely controlled by private companies but still subject to state threats.
Intermediaries, such as internet companies, facilitate connections between the providers of information and the users of that information.
Increasingly, they are the subject of legal and other actions whose actual end targets are their service-users. Where these companies can do so lawfully, they should resist such interference.

Any removal of information on internet, or blocking of internet access to information should be authorized only by a court. Actions that seek to limit freedom to donate to their service-users should only be allowed after a finding by a court that a service-user has violated the law. Internet companies in turn should be transparent in actions affecting users of their services.
1. Denial of Services and Arbitrary and Non-Transparent Actions by
Intermediaries

To date and without any legal justification, a number of companies have stopped providing services to WikiLeaks because of pressure from governments and elected officials. This has made it more difficult for individuals to access the site, which in turn restricts their right to freedom of information. ARTICLE 19 believes that in the absence of any legal authority or court ruling finding WikiLeaks’ activities to be
illegal, this pressure is unlawful and is in violation of national constitutions and international laws protecting freedom of expression.

ARTICLE 19 believes that blocking or removing information from sites, restricting domain names, limiting donations and other restrictions on access to information should be based only on a court order approved by a judge taking into account domestic and international laws on freedom of expression. Such action should not be based on extra-legal government pressure. The actions of government officials in placing such pressure on companies and companies’ compliance by removing access or information without legal authority are characteristic of life under authoritarian regimes. Companies based in the United States, with its long and proudly claimed history of freedom of expression and in Western Europe, with the
protections afforded by the European Convention on Human Rights, have no need to submit to such pressure in the absence of a court ruling.

ARTICLE 19 is also concerned that many of the companies have acted non-transparently. Instead they have offered contradictory, shifting and non-credible excuses for their conduct. For example, Amazon dropped WikiLeaks after communications from a US Senator. Amazon has since claimed that WikiLeaks had violated their terms of service because it "doesn’t own or otherwise control all the rights to this classified content." However, at the same time, Amazon continues to sell numerous books containing classified information including an e-book with excerpts from the cables themselves. Other books with similar material include those containing the text of the Pentagon Papers (released this year in Kindle edition) which have never been declassified, and unauthorised memoirs from former spies including Phillip Agee’s Inside the Company: CIA Diary, Spy Catcher by
former British spy Peter Wright, and The Mitrokhin Archive by former KGB agent Vasili Mitrokhin, all ! of whom were strongly criticised if not threatened by their governments.

Amazon also sells many books that US government officials have claimed reveal sensitive classified information, including Bob Woodward’s series of books on the Iraq war under the Bush and Obama administrations, James Risen’s book on the CIA, and James Bamford’s book on the National Security Agency. Amazon also continues to partner with the New York Times, which is one of the primary publishers of the cables.

ARTICLE 19 calls on Amazon to issue a public explanation regarding their
contradictory stance on the publication of classified materials.

Equally concerning has been the refusal by financial intermediaries and banks, including Paypal, PostFinance, Visa and Mastercard, to process donations for WikiLeaks. ARTICLE 19 notes that WikiLeaks has not been formally charged in any country with any crime and there is no legal authority for these companies to refuse lawful payments.

Paypal, initially claimed that they were asked to drop the processing of donations by the US Government. This was later denied by the later and Paypal now says that it based its decision on a public letter sent to WikiLeaks from a US State Department legal advisor. In no way does this satisfy the requirement that restrictions on speech are based on the rule of law. Paypal's owner Ebay facilitates the selling of many of the same books that Amazon does. Mastercard and Visa’s decision-making is similarly unclear.
2. Lack of Legal Authority

As ARTICLE 19 commented earlier, we do not believe that recent releases of
documents by WikiLeaks violate US national law or the law of any other nation. We recall that it is an obligation of governments - not of media and private individuals - to protect the confidentiality of official information, if necessary under legitimate interests. Furthermore, the US Espionage Act has never been used against a media organisation since its inception in 1917. At the time it was written, the Congress rejected amendments that would have expanded its scope in areas that were
considered unconstitutional restrictions on the press. In this respect, ARTICLE 19 calls against the adoption of legislation, such as the recent bill introduced by Senator Lieberman and others, to criminalise further disclosures as these would violate international and American freedom of expression standards.

In the absence of legal authority, governments and other elected officials
must cease the unlawful harassment of the companies with which WikiLeaks
does business.

Under US law, internet intermediaries are not liable for WikiLeaks activities. The Communications Decency Act, §230 states that “No provider … of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” Thus, they are protected from liability for the speech of their clients as a means for encouraging more speech and commerce.

This approach is also widely supported in international law. The special rapporteurs on freedom of expression for the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Organization of American States stated in 2005: “No one should be liable for content on the Internet of which they are not the author, unless they have either adopted that content as their own or refused to obey a court order to remove that content.”

Intermediaries’ unfortunate caving in to the WikiLeaks-related pressure is in direct contradiction to the protections internet intermediaries should enjoy.
3. Blocking by Governments

ARTICLE 19 opposes various attempts by the US authorities to restrict access to WikiLeaks, in violation of their legal obligations to protect free expression. The prohibition of access to the WikiLeaks websites by US government branches, including by the Library of Congress, is foolish and irrational given how widely available the information is. Furthermore, the prohibition of access significantly weakens the role of Congress and its respected research arm, the Congressional Research Service, which, as an independent body, is responsible to oversee the actions of the executive.
The unofficial warnings made to students that their future potential government careers may be imperilled if they discussed or linked to the WikiLeaks documents amount to intimidation. They are also counterproductive since a review of the documents will give students a far more accurate picture and understanding of their potential future roles than many other reference materials available.

ARTICLE 19 is also concerned that websites and discussion forums about the
WikiLeaks documents were subsequently blocked in many countries including
China, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, we believe that the statements made by French Industry Minister Eric Besson calling for the blocking of the sites in France to be in full violation of free expression as guaranteed by the French Constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights and international law. ARTICLE 19 welcomes the refusal by French ISP hosting company OVN to drop WikiLeaks and their referral of the question of legality to a court to determine. So far, the Court has refused to make a judgment, citing the need to adequately
consider the issues. US officials should take this under advisement.

The attempt to takedown or block the entire WikiLeaks website is also overbroad and violates international human rights law. The website includes many documents on a variety of issues. To block an entire domain removes access to a considerable amount of lawful materials and is not justifiable. It would not be attempted in an offline environment.
Bookstores and libraries are not closed and burned to the ground based on the publication of a single or multiple books. Internet speech deserves the same respect.

ARTICLE 19 notes that these efforts to take the site offline have been
ultimately counterproductive, with over 1,000 sites now mirroring the
WikiLeaks cables.
4. Whistleblower Protection

ARTICLE 19 would also like to reiterate our call for governments to adopt adequate protections for whistleblowers in this case and others. The UN Human Rights Committee and the European Court of Human Rights have stated that under international human rights law, Official Secrets Acts cannot be used to suppress secret information that is of public interest. States should adopt and implement a legal and policy framework that protects whistleblowers from prosecution, and allow for public interest exemptions to secrets laws for revealing information such as corruption or human rights abuses.

Having reviewed a selection of the current releases of the US Embassy cables, ARTICLE 19 maintains that the documents reveal information of great public interest to citizens around the world, including on issues such as corruption in Afghanistan, Kenya, Tunisia, and Nigeria, and censorship in China and Russia. Other issues covered include efforts by the US government to pressure the Spanish government to limit prosecutions of the American military officials who killed a Spanish journalist in Iraq, and pressure on French parliamentarians to adopt a controversial intellectual property law cutting people off of the internet. We note that a number of public figures including US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
and former Australian Prime Minister John Howard have said that in their opinion no significant long-term damage would be done from the release of the cables.
5. Denial of Service (or DDOS) Attacks

ARTICLE 19 does not condone the denial of service attacks on Mastercard, Visa and other companies. However, we also note that there seems to be little effort made by authorities to identify and prosecute those who have conducted the attacks against WikiLeaks resulting in the website being taken offline, which also constitutes a violation of criminal law and a violation of freedom of expression.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
• For more information please contact: David Banisar, Senior Legal Counsel, ARTICLE 19, banisar@article19.org +44 20 7324 2500
• ARTICLE 19’s previous statement on WikiLeaks are available at:
www.article19.org/pdfs/press/wikileaks-and-internet-disclosures.pdf

- Reporters Without Borders condemns the blocking, cyber-attacks and political pressure being directed at cablegate.wikileaks.org, the website dedicated to the US diplomatic cables. The organization is also concerned by some of the extreme comments made by American authorities concerning WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange.

Earlier this week, after the publishing several hundred of the 250.000 cables it says it has in its possession, WikiLeaks had to move its site from its servers in Sweden to servers in the United States controlled by online retailer Amazon. Amazon quickly came under pressure to stop hosting WikiLeaks from the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and its chairman, Sen. Joe Lieberman, in particular.

After being ousted from Amazon, WikiLeaks found a refuge for part of its content with the French Internet company OVH. But French digital economy minister Eric Besson today said the French government was looking at ways to ban hosting of the site. WikiLeaks was also recently dropped by its domain name provider EveryDNS. Meanwhile, several countries well known for for their disregard of freedom of expression and information, including Thailand and China, have blocked access to cablegate.wikileaks.org.

This is the first time we have seen an attempt at the international community level to censor a website dedicated to the principle of transparency. We are shocked to find countries such as France and the United States suddenly bringing their policies on freedom of expression into line with those of China. We point out that in France and the United States, it is up to the courts, not politicians, to decide whether or not a website should be closed.

Meanwhile, two Republican senators, John Ensign and Scott Brown, and an independent Lieberman, have introduced a bill that would make it illegal to publish the names of U.S. military and intelligence agency informants. This could facilitate future prosecutions against WikiLeaks and its founder. But a criminal investigation is already under way and many U.S. politicians are calling vociferously for Assange’s arrest.

Reporters Without Borders can only condemn this determination to hound Assange and reiterates its conviction that WikiLeaks has a right under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment to publish these documents and is even playing a useful role by making them available to journalists and the greater public.

We stress that any restriction on the freedom to disseminate this body of documents will affect the entire press, which has given detailed coverage to the information made available by WikiLeaks, with five leading international newspapers actively cooperating in preparing it for publication.

Reporters Without Borders would also like to stress that it has always defended online freedom and the principle of “Net neutrality,” according to which Internet Service Providers and hosting companies should play no role in choosing the content that is placed online.

***11.11.2010. RUSSIA. EBU shocked by attacks on Russian journalists

Geneva, 11 November 2010 – The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) expressed
shock and alarm at recent attacks on Russian journalists. The EBU urged the Russian authorities to ensure that all journalists working in Russia are allowed to carry out their professional duties without risk of violence.

Oleg Kashin of the Kommersant newspaper was attacked outside his home in
Moscow on Saturday. Anatoly Adamchuk a reporter for the Zhukovskie Vesti was attacked by two men as he was leaving his newspaper's offices on Monday.

The EBU’s News Assembly* welcomed President Medvedev's condemnation of the
attack on Mr Kashin. However, it noted with concern that 19 journalists have been killed in Russia since 2000 and 18 of these cases remain unsolved.

“[The EBU ...] condemns violence against journalists and calls upon governments everywhere to investigate all instances of violence against journalists and bring to justice those responsible”. 

The annual EBU News Assembly meeting brings together all major European
public service broadcasters.

***08.11.2010. MEXICO. Government Launches Protection Mechanism for Journalists

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the Mexican Federal Government’s long awaited decision to create a mechanism for the protection of journalists. However we are concerned that the mechanism as planned will not protect journalists at risk.
“Whilst the belated mechanism is sorely needed, this version has limitations that will severely curtail trust between the government and media workers,” says Dario Ramírez, Director for Mexico and Central America of ARTICLE 19. “Despite the expertise of civil society and journalists, they are excluded from effectively taking part in the mechanism, and this means the mechanism may fail to take account of the environment of violence against journalists and not properly address it.”

In August 2008, ARTICLE 19 called for the Mexican government to establish a mechanism that would protect journalists from increasingly targeted violence. Despite the clear pattern of attacks, it has taken until now for the Mexican government to accept the need.

The National Commission on Human Rights and the Ministry of Interior, along with other governmental institutions will now agree the mechanism, and draft the operational guidelines. Journalists and civil society will not be invited to participate.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the mechanism, which will assess journalists at risk and define prevention and protection measures on a case-by-case basis, but it is concerned by serious limitations:

1. Lack of resources. The decision does not allocate resources for the mechanism’s implementation, relying on the resources and political will of the authorities involved. ARTICLE 19 has found that political will is lacking so far, and the lack of resources will restrain the mechanism’s capacity to protect

2. Lack of coordination between federal and local levels. The decision relies on local authorities for the implementation of protection measures. ARTICLE 19 has found that local authorities are often involved in violence against journalists, and lack of trust in the local authorities will undermine local protection

3. Lack of civil society participation. The decision excludes civil society organisations from participating in the development of the mechanism and the Risk Evaluation Committee, despite their years of experience in the protection of journalists. ARTICLE 19 believes that this will result in an inadequate analysis of the causes and protection of journalists, poor transparency in the mechanism, and the absence of proper evaluation from a technical and human rights perspective

4. Restricted participation of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The decision does not allow for the participation of the OHCHR as a full member in the Committee. It is only foreseen as an occasional guest. ARTICLE 19 believes that the OHCHR’s participation is vital in the assessment and decision-making process to ensure a human rights and gender perspective and build trust within the journalism community.

ARTICLE 19 calls on the Mexican Federal Government to take account of the observations made by civil society and journalists, and to ensure their participation in the formulation of the Operational Guidelines of the Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists.

ARTICLE 19 further urges the government to comply with its international human rights obligations and commitments, including the recommendations formulated by the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council and the UN and OAS Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Expression related to the creation of a mechanism for the protection of journalists.
• For more information please contact: Carla Aguirre, carla@article19.org; +52 55 1054 6500

***08.11.2010. RUSSIA. IFJ Calls for Swift Action in Russia after Murderous Attack on Journalist

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned a brutal attack on a leading Russian journalist and has urged the Russian authorities to act quickly to find the attackers and bring them to justice.
Moscow journalist Oleg Kashin, an investigative journalist with Kommersant, one of Russia’s best-known national dailies, was set upon on the night of 5-6 November. His attackers, waiting outside his apartment block, beat him so severely that his jaw was broken and both legs fractured. After emergency hospital treatment doctors put him in an induced coma for the next few days.
“Regrettably, this is not an isolated incident,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “Our research shows that over 100 journalists in Russia have been targeted in exactly the same way since 2005.”
The IFJ says that there is a pattern to these warning attacks – often the use of iron bars by the attackers. In very few cases have investigations, for the most part led by the police, led to any prosecutions. The killings of high-profile journalists such as Anna Politkovskaya in 2006 remain unsolved and suggest a lack of political will to respond to violence against reporters.
However, in this latest incident the IFJ welcomes the decision by the authorities to treat the attack seriously. The assault on Kashin has been classified as attempted murder and the inquiry is being led by Moscow city investigative committee, a newly-independent body.
“This is good news, but it is only a start,” said White. “If the high level of impunity for such assaults is to be tackled, the investigation must be sustained and far more determined than the failed previous efforts to establish who is behind this sustained campaign of violence against journalists.”
The IFJ is also joining Kommersant’s chief editor Mikhail Mikhailin and the Russian Union of Journalists in calling for the authorities to recognise that there is a link between the attack and the investigations conducted by Kashin and his reporting over recent months.
“This is the key element in the inquiry and only in that way can the people who ordered the attack and those who carried it out be identified and brought to justice,” said White.
The IFJ has also called for the international community to call on Russia to act more effectively to find those responsible for attacks on journalists. “So far the response of many governments, including the European Union, appears feeble and suggests that they are holding back because of strategic self-interest to do with protecting access to Russian energy supplies,” said White. “If this is so, it’s a shameful betrayal of fundamental rights they claim to defend at home and abroad.”

***29.10.2010. UN EXPERT DESCRIBES PRISON SENTENCES FOR PANAMANIAN JOURNALISTS AS A “WORRYING PRECEDENT”

GENEVA – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of
opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, expressed his concern regarding the sentencing to prison of two Panamanian journalists, who had been absolved
in the first instance, for slander and libel. According to the information received, they were also prohibited from carrying out activities related to their profession for a year.

“This judicial decision represents a worrying precedent for the efforts being made to decriminalize such incidents, especially in cases such as this, wherein the act which led to the punishment relates to information about the actions of public officials,” Mr. La Rue stressed.

Although the sentence was commuted to a fine, and faced with the possibility of a pardon being granted to the journalists for the same crime, the UN independent expert reiterated his position concerning the importance of the right of citizens to be fully informed about the activities of public officials.

“Despite the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” said Mr. La Rue, “States frequently limit or restrict freedom of expression arbitrarily, even resorting to criminal laws or civil actions, in order to silence dissent or criticism.”

The Special Rapporteur urged the State to take account of international
instruments related to the exercise of this right, particularly the International Covenant.

***25.10.2010. CUBA: CUBAN DISSIDENT WINS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT'S SAKHAROV PRIZE

The European Parliament has awarded its Sakharov human rights prize to Guillermo Fariñas Hernandez, the Cuban dissident whose four-month hunger strike ultimately led to the release of numerous political prisoners in Cuba.

Fariñas, a psychologist, journalist and former soldier, ended a hunger strike in July after the Cuban government agreed to release 52 political prisoners.

"Fariñas's hunger strike made it impossible for the world to ignore the dissidents imprisoned in Cuba," said Human Rights Watch. "The Sakharov prize highlights Cuba's responsibility to free every last political prisoner and dismantle the laws that punish dissent."

During his campaign for human rights he has staged more than 20 hunger strikes and spent more than 11 years in prison.

Speaking to the BBC, Fariñas said he thought the honour could make his campaign for greater freedom in Cuba more difficult. "Anyone who is familiar with the Cuban regime understands that as a dissident becomes more well known the attacks against him become more sophisticated, more bloody and more inhuman," he said.

The IFEX members are calling on the Cuban government to allow Fariñas to receive the award in person in December and to release all remaining political prisoners, estimated to be around 100.

Named after former Russian physicist and human rights advocate Andrei Sakharov, the 50,000 Euro (US$68,800) award is given each year to an exceptional individual or organisation fighting "to protect freedom of thought and expression against intolerance, fanaticism and hatred." This marks the third time that the award has been made to Cuban dissidents since it was first presented in 1988.

Related stories on ifex.org:
- Cuban dissident wins human rights prize:
www.ifex.org/international/2010/10/22/sakharov_prize/

More on the web:
- Cuba dissident Farinas awarded Sakharov Prize by EU (BBC): www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11594804

- Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought (European Parliament):
www.europarl.europa.eu/parliament/public/staticDisplay.do?language=EN&id=42

***29.09.2010. SOMALIA. Crucial Call for Dedicated Collective Action to End the Violations of Freedom of Expression and the Culture of Impunity in Somalia

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
15th Session 

Statement by Mr. Omar Faruk Osman
Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) on 
Stand Alone Interactive Dialogue for Somalia

Geneva, 29 September 2010

"Mr. President

Honourable Abdirahman Aden Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Minister of Republic of
Somalia
Madame Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Excellencies
Distinguished Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a great honour for me to speak to you here today for this stand-alone interactive dialogue for Somalia during which I seek to put under the spotlight, the deteriorating human rights situation in Somalia, particularly the right to freedom of expression. This state of affair has been occasioned by the unremitting deadly and deliberate violence that has led to the total collapse of respect for civilians’ rights as enshrined in international humanitarian law.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the relevant conventions call upon member States of the United Nations to protect and promote universal and indivisible human rights. The members of this Council must, therefore, not turn away their eyes from Human Rights situation in Somalia.

The scope of the term legitimate targets as well as the rule of the proportionality has been widened to suit the interests of the warring parties in Somalia. This has resulted in unacceptably high numbers of civilian victims of the conflict and the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including journalists and their media houses. The actions targeting media in this bloody conflict seek to entrench and enforce a culture of silence, as one way of sapping the social energy of
Somali society.

Excellencies,

Somali journalists, who risk life and limb in their work, continue to pay a heavy price for playing their role as the public’s messengers. The violence directed at them undermines their capacity to fulfil this duty. Dozens of journalists have been assassinated while many other dozens daily face threats, intimidation, physical harassment and dislodgement from their workstations.

Twenty-two journalists were murdered since 2007, making them the most
victimised group among the foremost defenders of human rights. 3 journalists were killed so far this year. Abdifatah Jama Mire, Director of Horseed Radio in Puntland, is currently serving 6 years jail sentence. This sentence is the most outrageous and the harshest punishment given to a journalist in recent times in this semi-autonomous region of Somalia.

The private media houses were hit hard after Al-Shabaab and Hizbul Islam seized control of 5 radio stations in South-Central regions in the last 6 months. The Islamists have since banned the broadcast of music and songs. All sides in the conflict wanted journalists to favour them in their reporting. These forces also confiscated equipment from journalists. Reporting the truth has become a dangerous business in Somalia, and as a result Journalists have started practicing self-censorship.

Private media is on the verge of total collapse and there is a fear that there could be a total reversal of whatever progress has been made over the past few years. The economic and social consequences of sophisticated restrictions on media have been heavy and have resulted into loss of business and gradually, the media industry is also becoming as sick as the country.

It is of particular concern that media professionals continue to be targets of deadly violence in the southern and central regions of Somalia, and in particular in the capital city. The top priority of the world community must be to end the vicious cycle of violence and impunity directed against journalists and the news media organizations that are being targeted because of their legitimate role of facilitating exchange of news and opinion.

Human rights could not be guaranteed in Somalia in the absence of press freedom and freedom of expression, while freedom of expression could not exist when journalists were not protected and suffered death or violence for telling the truth.

Mr President,

The degree to which human rights are respected and protected serves as a
benchmark for a Country’s stability and sustainable development. To secure peace and protect human rights in Somalia, we need a strong and efficient government that lives up to its human rights obligations.

The world community must quickly come to the aid of the survivors of these
gruesome violations, and ensure punishment for the perpetrators of human rights violations as a deterrent to future acts of impunity. For the journalists who continue to endure this hell that defies precedent, justice delayed is more than justice denied – it is terror sustained.

Failure to address these violations of human rights against journalists, if left to continue, gives an incentive to the perpetrators to continue their macabre trade.

The UN HRC must impose targeted measures against persistent violators of the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press by setting up a mechanism for prevention, deterrence and rapid response to the widespread and systematic violence against the right to free expression. We see this as an important step on the road to providing incentives for the protection of civilians.

I thank you Mr. President"

***27.09.2010. MEXICO: Newspaper’s Call for Truce Sign of Government Failing to Protect

Due to the recent assassination of Luis Carlos Santiago Orozco, photographer of El Diario, in Ciudad Juarez, ARTICLE 19 undertook an emergency mission to assess the situation and to express solidarity with journalists working in the city.

Ciudad Juarez is one of the largest cities on Mexico’s northern border with the United States. Since 2006, organised crime groups have been fighting for control of the city due to its strategic location for smuggling goods and migrants. The conflict has resulted in an exponential increase in violent deaths: according to official figures, more than 500 murders have taken place so far in 2010, the majority of which were of women and young people. The majority of people killed are women and adolescent, and journalists and human rights defenders also targeted due to their work.

Over the last three years, ARTICLE 19 has documented the deterioration of
freedom of expression in Ciudad Juarez, highlighting violence against the media in the city, and in the wider state of Chihuahua, in its 2009 report on attacks against freedom of expression, Attacks on Freedom of Expression in Mexico.

Josefina Reyes, a human rights defender working on the disappearance of women in Ciudad Juarez, was shot dead in January 2010. In November 2008, Armando Rodriguez, a veteran crime reporter from El Diario, was shot in front of his daughter. In both cases, the criminals remain unpunished, without attackers remain without any significant development in the investigations. In September, two photographers working as interns for El Diario, Luis Carlos Santiago Orozco and "Carlos" were shot in a shopping centre car park just 200 metres from the newspaper headquarters, and Orozco died. During ARTICLE 19’s visit, a small device exploded outside the offices of the newspaper Norte. Fortunately no one was injured.

The local authorities are responsible for investigating all the above ases. In 2010, the state government of Chihuahua adopted a series of actions to protect journalists, such as the creation of an emergency protection system and legal reform to better tackle attacks against the media. However, such achievements are being consistently undermined by local members of the local authorities spreading misinformation, delaying investigations and denying that journalists and human rights defenders are targeted because of their work.

President Felipe Calderon’s policy to combat organised crime includes the
deployment of the army and latterly the federal police in Ciudad Juarez and other cities in Chihuahua. However, without a code of conduct for the treatment of the media during operations, deployment of the army and police have resulted in more threats, physical attacks, destruction of equipment and illegal detentions.

“I am more afraid of the federal police than the organized crime, at least you know exactly where you stand ”, explained a reporter during an interview.

On 1 July, federal police broke into the office of the Journalists and Communicators Association without a warrant, claiming they had information that the building was a secure house for kidnappers and the storage of weapons. The illegal entry has not been investigated by the authorities.

The absence of proper legal remedies to investigate cases of attacks on journalists and human rights defenders sends the wrong message to future perpetrators, including those involved in organised crime.

After repeated attacks against its staff, El Diario published a front-page editorial on 19 September asking for a truce with organised crime groups. The government accused the newspaper of negotiating with the groups but the editorial sent a clear sign that the newspaper feels the government is failing in its duty to protect the media.

ARTICLE 19 reiterates its strong appeal to the Mexican authorities to guarantee the safety security of those who are exercising their right to freedom of expression, in accordance with Mexico’s international obligations. In particular, ARTICLE 19 appeals to Chihuahua state authorities and federal authorities to undertake prompt and effective investigations into the crimes and make information about the investigations available. ARTICLE 19 expresses its solidarity with the relatives, friends and colleagues of Luis Carlos Santiago Orozco, Armando
Rodriguez and Josefina Reyes. 
• For more information please contact: Ricardo Gonzalez Freedom of Expression Programme Officer ricardo@article19.org, +52 55 1054 65 ext 102.

***08.09.2010. The Iraq War: The Heaviest Death Toll for the Media Since World War II, March 2003 – August 2010 (RSF)

Riyad Assariyeh, a 35-year-old journalist working for state-run Al Iraqiya TV, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen as he was leaving his home in Baghdad this morning (Sept 7). This clearly targeted murder brings to 15 the number of Al Iraqiya journalists who have been killed since Saddam Hussein’s removal.

Reporters Without Borders calls for a proper investigation capable of identifying and arresting both the perpetrators and instigators of this murder and bringing them to justice. It would be deplorable it this killing were to go unpunished, which unfortunately has been the case in 99 per cent of the 230 murders of journalists and media workers since the US-led invasion in 2003.

Two weeks after the U.S. Army’s last combat brigade withdrew from Iraq, Reporters Without Borders surveyed the country’s seven years of occupation by the coalition forces and their impact on press freedom. The aim of this report is to pay homage to all of the media professionals who gave their lives in order to keep the public informed, despite the risks they were taking.

Although the U.S. intervention in Iraq put an end to Saddam Hussein’s regime and paved the way for a major expansion of the Iraqi media, the human toll of the war, and the years of political and ethnic violence which followed, were nothing short of disastrous – too many people died.

The second U.S. war with Iraq was the most lethal for journalists since World War II. Reporters Without Borders tallied 230 cases of journalists and media staff killed in the country since the conflict broke out on 20 March 2003. That is more than those killed during 20 years of the Vietnam War or the civil war in Algeria.

In this report intitled “The Iraq War: A Heavy Death Toll for the Media,” Reporters Without Borders focuses on those journalists who were killed during the conflict simply because they wanted to do their jobs. Who were they? Which media outlets did they work for? Under what circumstances were they killed? Were they deliberately attacked? This is the third time that Reporters Without Borders has conducted such a study. The last one was released on 20 March 2006, on the occasion of the third anniversary of the American invasion of Iraq.

In this study, Reporters Without Borders also re-examines the issue of journalist abductions during the war: Iraq, with its more than 93 abducted media professionals, was for several years the biggest market for hostages in the world.

Suspected of collaborating with insurgent groups, Iraqi journalists were also frequently arrested during the war, either by the newly established Iraki administration, or by the U.S. Army. Some 30 journalists were arrested by the U.S. Army between March 2003 and August 2010, mainly in 2008. By early January 2006, Camp Bucca, the American detention centre in southern Iraq between the cities of Basra and Uum Qasr, had become the biggest prison for journalists in the Middle East.

To obtain a better grasp of the factors which contributed to this death toll, Reporters Without Borders produced several graphs showing diverse trends with regard to attacks on the media in Iraq since 2003 (Read the report on: www.rsf.org)

***02.09.2010. Palestinian Media in Gaza Strip was able to continue performing his duties despite the Israeli blockade

Ramallah- A study issued by the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) showed that despite the serious consequences of the continuing Israeli blockade effects on all aspects of the Palestinian life, including the media; however the media outlets were able to continue performing its duties.

The goals of the study which is entitled “The impact of the Israeli siege on media outlets in Gaza Strip”, prepared by Dr. Ahmad Hammad are to identifies the impact of the Israeli blockade on the performance of the Palestinian media, and the methods used by the occupation forces to prevent journalists and media institutions covering the events.

The study included the legal status of journalists and media institutions working in the Palestinian territories, and their right to be protected during the war.

The study stated that the media institutions in Gaza Strip suffer from the lack of press equipment by the non-entry of the necessary equipment for broadcasting, and other requirements for the journalistic work, as the embargo affects the printing and publishing as because of the shortage in inks and papers needed for printing, after the Israeli occupation forces prevented its entry into Gaza Strip.

The Israeli occupation forces also prevent the entry of the Palestinian newspapers issued in Ramallah and occupied Jerusalem for long periods; in addition, the prevention of fuel has affected the ability of journalists and media workers in mobility and movement.
------------------------------
Contact: Riham Abu Aita
Public Relation Officer
Ramallah
riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org

***27.08.2010. THREATS AGAINST JOURNALISTS IN EASTERN NEPAL ALARM UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICIALS

United Nations human rights officials in Nepal are voicing concern over continued reports that journalists operating in the country’s eastern Terai districts are facing serious threats and intimidation.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (www.ohchr.org/EN/Pages/WelcomePage.aspx) in Nepal issued a
press statement yesterday from Biratnagar in which it said it had received at least nine reports of threats against journalists in that region since the start of May.

Many journalists have also told OHCHR that they increasingly feel insecure in Nepal, where a decade-long civil war that killed an estimated 13,000 people ended in 2006 with a peace accord. Political tensions still persist in the South Asian country.

“The situation jeopardizes the right to freedom of expression and the right to liberty and security of journalists, who are at the forefront in defending the rights of other peoples,” according to the press statement.

“Freedom of expression is fundamental in a society that respects human rights and is a core element of a democratic society.”

The office stressed the need for State authorities in Nepal to build an environment in which media professionals can feel they can carry out their work free of threat or intimidation. 

***13.08.10. Mexico: Special Mandates Make Landmark Visit to Mexico

Following rigorous campaigning by ARTICLE 19, two Special Mandates on freedom of expression are currently in Mexico on a joint official visit. Catalina Botero, the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression for the Inter American Commission of Human Rights, and Frank la Rue, the UN’s Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression, are the first Special Mandates ever to visit Mexico. This unprecedented envoy is a severe indictment of the rapidly deteriorating freedom of expression situation in Mexico, which has witnessed increasing impunity to the
violence being perpetrated against its media outlets. In the light of this
international attention, ARTICLE 19 calls on the Mexican government to protect media workers throughout the country and ensure freedom of expression can be exercised by journalists.

The visit, petitioned for by ARTICLE 19 alongside a collective of national and international organisations, follows months of delays by Mexico’s government in effectively tackling the worsening situation. In spite of numerous statements and assurances, attacks against journalists have continued to increase and impunity has become the standard response.

August has been mired by several violent attacks on the media. At the beginning of the month, four journalists were kidnapped following their exposé of a corrupt penitentiary. Two were later liberated following an intense public outcry and the others rescued by federal police. Last week saw yet another brutal attack against a media outlet and there is no sign of a government response.

“The joint visit of the Special Mandates comes at a crucial time for Mexico” explained Dario Ramirez, Director of the Mexico and Central merica Office of ARTICLE 19. “We hope their visit will induce the State to provide the answers that have been constantly denied to victims and their relatives.”

ARTICLE 19 recommends that the Special Mandates address the following
specific issues, pertaining to the protection of freedom of expression,
during their mission:

• Protection: The urgent need to implement a policy to prevent aggressions
against journalists, including the creation of a Protection Committee to
provide emergency measures in a timely and diligent manner to journalists
at risk.

• Impunity: All cases of aggression should be investigated fully; currently the majority of incidents fail to reach a Court of Law.

• Legal Reforms: Pending reforms, requesting all cases of aggressions against journalists are investigated at the federal level, should be passed immediately. In addition the Especial Prosecutor Office responsible for investigating aggressions must be strengthened.

• New Media Law: Crucially, a new media law is needed to effectively promote and protect diversity in all its forms and ensure a pluralism of voices.

• Defamation: A total of 16 local legal frameworks, out of 32, still punish defamation with jail. The full decriminalisation of defamation in Mexico must be made a priority.

ARTICLE 19 hopes that the Special Mandates will engage with these critical
issues and that the Mexican government will respond quickly, and effectively, to the deteriorating situation.

***06.08.10. FIRST JOINT MISSION BY EXPERTS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES TO VISIT MEXICO

GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue,
will undertake an official visit to Mexico from 9 to 24 August 2010 in what will be the first joint mission with the Organization of American States’ Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Catalina Botero.

“We will carry out a wide-ranging assessment of the situation of the right to freedom of opinion and expression in Mexico, in particular issues related to the protection of journalists,” said Mr. La Rue, noting that no UN independent expert on freedom of expression has officially visited the country to date.

The main purpose of the mission is to “engage constructively with the
Government to identify ways to ensure that all individuals can exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression without fearing for their safety,” he added.

During their 16-day visit, the experts will visit Mexico City and the states of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Guerrero. They will meet with representatives of the Government, both at Federal and local levels, and with members of the legislature and the judiciary, as well as with non-governmental organizations, journalists, and other organizations and individuals working in areas related to their mandates.

The Special Rapporteur’s findings and recommendations will be reflected in his final report, which will be presented to the Human Rights Council in June 2011.

A press conference will be held at 4 p.m. on 24 August 2010, at Centro de
Cultura Casa Lamm (Álvaro Obregón 99, Colonia Roma, Mexico City).

***04.08.10. IFJ Mourns Loss of Journalist Killed in Lebanon Border Clash

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said that the killing of a journalist in clashes between Israeli and the Lebanese troops has highlighted the continuing dangers facing journalists trying to cover the world’s longest-running conflict.
Assaf Abu Rahhal, working for Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper, was reportedly killed today in the fighting which erupted along the Israel-Lebanon border. He was killed when a shell landed next to him.
A journalist working for the Lebanese TV outlet Al-Manar was wounded in the exchange of fire which left three Lebanese soldiers dead.
“After years of relative calm, this outbreak of violence illustrates just how dangerous covering any corner of Arab-Israeli conflict can be,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “Journalists and media can never be safe as long as governments fail to respect their rights to report freely.”
The media casualty is the first since freelance photographer Layal Najib was killed in the war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.
“This killing is another tragic moment for media in a conflict that has provided many examples of the sacrifice that journalists make to cover this story,” said White. “It is ever-more important that all sides take note of the need to respect international law and the rights of non-combatants, including journalists.”

***27.07.2010. ICRC. How does international humanitarian law protect journalists in armed-conflict situations? Media professionals are increasingly at risk of being wounded, killed, detained or kidnapped while reporting in armed-conflict situations. Robin Geiss, an ICRC legal expert, talks about the protection to which they, as civilians not taking part in the fighting, are entitled under international humanitarian law.

Please go to the following link for the interview:

 www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/protection-journalists-interview-270710?opendocument

***26.07.2010. IRAQ. IFJ Condemns Impunity as Iraq Suicide Strike on Al-Arabiya Kills Six

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned a suicide bomb attack in Baghdad on the Arab satellite channel Al-Arabiya in which four employees and two members of the public were killed.
The Federation says journalists remain prime targets for terrorists in Iraq and the government must act now to counter impunity in the killings of journalists.
The suicide bomber blew up a vehicle at around 9.30am local time in front
of the station's bureau in Baghdad's city centre, leaving a massive crater. Iraqi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi said three guards and a cleaning woman were killed in the blast that left another 10 injured.
"This attack comes after clear threats from terrorists that they intend to target media," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "It is a shocking incident that reinforces the concern over the dangers faced by journalists and media. More must be done to ensure the safety of all media personnel."
The attack occurred a month after officials warned that insurgents opposed to the channel, which is funded from Saudi Arabia, planned to strike against the network.
"This attack is a further challenge to the authorities," said White.
"Previous killings of journalists have not been investigated or have been dealt with casually, creating an intolerable regime of impunity. The government must change its approach and ensure that the killers of journalists and media staff will be brought to justice."
This is the latest in a series of attacks on Al-Arabiya. In September 2008, its Baghdad bureau chief, Jawad Hattab, escaped unharmed after spotting a bomb, which would-be assassins had attached to his car, before it was detonated by remote control.
In October 2006, a car bomb targeting the channel's then bureau killed seven people and wounded 20. And in February 2006, Al-Arabiya presenter Atwar Bahjat and two colleagues were kidnapped and murdered in Samarra north of Baghdad over coverage of the bombing of a Shiite shrine, an attack by al-Qaeda that sparked a new round of sectarian bloodshed.
"This attack puts a media perspective on the recent falling levels of violence against civilians," said Aidan White. "For all journalists and media staff, the dangers in reporting Iraq's tense political situation remain as great as ever."

***22.07.2010. SOMALIA: AMNESTY REPORT. Journalists under attack in Somalia as government steps up media crackdown

Amnesty International has called on Somali authorities and armed opposition groups in the country to respect freedom of expression amid a growing government crackdown on independent journalism.

A campaign of harassment and intimidation has seen a spate of arrests and
interrogations of journalists since June. Media workers already face serious threats from armed groups, with 10 reporters killed in the last 18 months.

Amnesty International's new briefing paper, Hard News: Journalists' lives in danger in Somalia, launched on Somali Human Rights Day (22 July), documents the targeting of journalists in the country.

"Somali journalists are being prevented from informing the local population about daily violence that affects their lives - a service that is particularly vital in a conflict too dangerous for consistent international media reporting," said Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International's Africa deputy director.

"Somalia's authorities must investigate the attacks and harassment of journalists, both by armed groups and members of their own government, and ensure that freedom of expression is respected."

Somalia's internationally backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) controls only a small part of the capital Mogadishu, while the rest of southern and central Somalia is under the control of armed groups.

The two largest are al-Shabab and Hizbul Islam, which are allied against the TFG but have also engaged in fighting against each other. While the armed groups are the most deadly threat to journalists in the country, media workers have come under increased pressure from the TFG in a recent clampdown on independent journalism.

On 26 June, New York Times correspondent Mohammed Ibrahim fled Somalia
after threats from government security forces, following the publication of an article alleging that government forces included child soldiers.

On 29 June, several journalists were wounded when missiles were fired on a press conference being held by Al-Shabab in Mogadishu. Local journalists at the scene believe they were indirectly targeted by the TFG, who did not want the press conference to go ahead.

On 1 July, police detained journalist Mustafa Haji Abdinur and freelance cameraman Yusuf Jama Abdullahi for taking pictures of their colleague, photojournalist Farah Abdi Warsame, who had been hit in the crossfire during fighting in Mogadishu.

The journalists were interrogated and forced to delete their photographs.
Warsame was only able to get medical treatment after being interrogated.

"Rather than protecting journalists from feared armed groups such as al-Shabab, the Somali authorities are increasing the problems for media workers by adding to the harassment they face," said Michelle Kagari.

Armed groups opposed to the Somali government now control many towns in the country. They have killed, harassed and intimidated journalists, shut down radio stations, restricted what local media can report on and frequently prevent journalists from publishing information which they believe is unfavourable towards them. This makes it almost impossible to disseminate vital information on the situation in Somalia.

On 5 May - the most recent journalist killing - three gunmen shot dead
broadcast journalist Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey as he was returning home from
the state-run Radio Mogadishu.

He was abducted by the gunmen near his home in southern Mogadishu and then
shot repeatedly in the head. Members of al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the killing.

In 2009, nine journalists were killed, the highest total in any one year since 1991, when armed conflict broke out after the collapse of ex-President Siad Barre’s government.

In the first five months of 2010, in addition to the killing of one journalist, many more were abducted and harassed by armed groups.

The TFG was backed militarily by Ethiopian troops who remained in Somalia until early 2009. TFG officials and institutions are now protected by the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM.

The TFG is opposed by a number of armed Islamist groups. Groups on both sides of the conflict often overlap, forge or shift alliances, or divide into separate groups.

***18.07.2010. ISRAEL. MADA condemns the Israeli attacks against journalists, and the security services raid of WATAN TV

The Israeli occupation forces continued their attacks on Palestinian journalists, whom covering the peaceful marches, where they threw tear gas and sound bombs at a group of journalists, on Friday, 16 July 2010, they include: Associated Press photographer Abdul Hafiz Hashlamoun, France Press Agency photographer Mousa Alshaér, Pal Media cameraman Samer Hamad, Maan News Agency photographer Luay Sababa, and Al-Quds TV cameraman Akram Natshe; while they were covering a peaceful march in the village of Alma’sara near Bethlehem city. Yesterday, 17 July 2010 The Israeli occupation forces attacked the photographers of: Agency France Press Hazem Bader, Reuters Agency Abdul Rahim Al-Aqusini, and Associated Press Abdul Hafiz Hashlamoun, as they also detained Associated Press photographer Iyad Hamad, while they were covering a peaceful march in the town of Beit Omar Near Hebron.

Hashlamoun said he went on Friday with a group of journalists to cover the
weekly march of Alma’sara near the city of Bethlehem, where the Israeli army started throwing sound and gas bombs between the legs of journalists, causing them not to focus in photography and a serious bottleneck from gas smell. Hashlamoun added: "There were a group of Israeli soldiers their mission was to impede the journalist’s work and to evacuate them from the area."

"Yesterday was the fiercest against journalists", Al-Aqusini said - who is still lying in Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron – who also said that he was standing with a group of photographers to cover the march of Beit Omar, during that time one of the Israeli soldiers throw a sound bomb from a close distance at him, so it hit him under his left ear, which caused him the loss of consciousness and a hole in his left eardrum and his main auditory nerve. Al-Aqusini added: "I’m still hearing a sensation in my ears and sometimes I feel the inability to focus".

Bader said: "Yesterday was very bad for journalists; we were targeted irectly by the officer and soldiers. Personally the officer threatened me then he beat me with a stick on my face and legs, causing me a wound in my nose and cheek and bruises on my left leg, and I wasn’t able to stand, the harder thing was when the officer prevented my colleagues from helping me. The officer also struck my colleague Hashlamoun with iron sound bomb on his back causing him bruises in the back. "

Form his part, Hamad said that the Israeli soldiers arrested him because he protested about the beating of his colleague Bader, where the soldiers took him and made him sit on the ground for two hours under the sun. During that the Israeli settlers who were in the area insulted and provoked him. The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemns the Israeli continued targeting of Palestinian journalists, especially during their coverage of the weekly marches in the West Bank. Since the violations have become a major threat to the lives of journalists and their safety. MADA also demands the international community and human rights organizations to intervene immediately to stop these attacks.

On the other hand MADA strongly condemns the raid of WATAN TV headquarters
by members of the Palestinian security forces yesterday in Ramallah, after the television broadcast images of Hizb Al-Tahrir political party march, which was yesterday in Ramallah. WATAN director Muammar Orabi said that armed individuals in civilian clothes who identified themselves as security and intelligence members raided WATAN headquarters yesterday around 5:00 PM, demanding the arrest of the journalists who covered the march of Hizb Al-Tahrir, they also wanted to confiscate the tape that they have recorded. Orabi added: "After a verbal argument and some calls they have gone back and evacuated the building."

Contact: Riham Abu Aita - Public Relation Officer - Ramallah
riham@madacenter.org www.madacenter.org

***29.06.2010. SOMALIA. NUSOJ Condemns bomb attack on 8 Journalists in Mogadishu 

At least 8 journalists have been critically wounded in a bomb attack today
Tuesday, 29 June 2010, which occurred at a police school in Abdiasis district of northern Mogadishu. The journalists were wounded after a bombardment in the police training facility where an Al-Shabaab spokesman was holding a press conference after they took over the base yesterday. The wounded journalists were covering the press conference.

Four of the wounded journalists have been identified as: Muse Mohamoud Jisow, Ilyas Ahmed Abukar, Abdinasir Idle, and Abdirisak Elmi Jama. One of the wounded journalists told the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) that the people who bombed the scene knew that a press conference was taking place and that journalists were in attendance.

NUSOJ has condemned the attack as wasteful and cowardly act that only targets the harmless journalists who are only armed with pens and cameras and notebooks. NUSOJ promised to soon distribute the complete list of names of the journalists injured in the blast and their respective media houses.

NUSOJ called on all parties in the conflict in Mogadishu to cease hostilities and to desist from taking their bloody conflict to the journalists and un-armed civilians.

“Warring sides have made it their habit to bombard or attack places with a
congregation of journalists ostensibly to eliminate their enemy’s claims of political gains. But we must remind them of their responsibility to protect journalists and civilians. Once they commit such otherwise avoidable atrocities they then take their war to the people,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary-General.

***29.06.2010. Rwanda: Pre-Election Violence and Intimidation Must Stop

ARTICLE 19 calls upon the Government of President Kagame to investigate all incidents of violence against activists, journalists and human rights defenders, in the lead up to Rwanda’s August elections, and ensure they are able to carry out their legitimate activities in safety.

Following the killing of Leonard Rugambage, deputy editor of “Umuvugizi”
newspaper, on 24 June 2010, ARTICLE 19 is greatly concerned by increasing
threats to activists and media workers in Rwanda, particularly those perceived to be critical of the Government. On the morning he was killed Rugambage published an online article alleging that the Rwandan Government was behind the attempted murder of one of their most outspoken critics, former General Faustin Kayumba, who is now lying critically injured inside a South African hospital. Shortly after 10 pm Rugambage was shot dead in his car.

“We condemn the killing of the late Leonard Rugambage and call upon the  
Government to ensure that those who committed this heinous act face justice. At the same time we wish to remind the authorities of their primary responsibility to provide security for the people of Rwanda” says Dr. Agnes Callamard, Executive Director, ARTICLE 19.

“The loss of life, under whatever circumstances, is deplorable and particularly troubling during what should be a democratic election. The continued intimidation of dissenting voices in Rwanda shows the extent of the current regime’s intolerance and prevents political commentary, directly limiting the ability of opposition parties to participate” adds Dr. Callamard.

ARTICLE 19 calls on Rwanda’s Government to bring those responsible for
Rugambage’s death to justice without delay. In addition ARTICLE 19 appeals to the authorities to ensure that opposition voices are not excluded from Rwanda’s political process, compromising freedom of expression during a pivotal period in the country’s development.

***27.06.2010. RWANDA. JED demande aux autorités de lancer une enquête impartiale suite à l'assassinat de son correspondant. 

Journaliste en danger (JED) condamne l'assassinat de Jean Léonard Rugambage, rédacteur en chef adjoint de "Umuvugizi", un journal paraissant à Kigali, capitale de la République du Rwanda et correspondant de JED au Rwanda. JED demande instamment aux autorités rwandaises de diligenter une enquête impartiale et crédible afin de faire toute la lumière autour de ce crime. En effet, JED craint que ceux qui auraient commis le forfait soient justement ceux-là qui conduisent les enquêtes.

JED estime que ce meurtre d'un journaliste courageux et respectable qui a refusé maintes fois de partir en exil en dépit de menaces sérieuses est un signal négatif de trop à l'approche des prochaines élections présidentielles.

Selon les informations recueillies par JED, Jean Léonard Rugambage a été tué, dans la nuit du jeudi 24 juin 2010, par des inconnus qui lui ont tirés quatre balles à bout portant devant son domicile dans le quartier populaire Nyamirambo à Kigali alors qu'il revenait, au volant de sa voiture, d'une visite familiale en province. Le 25 juin au matin, selon un journaliste local contacté par JED, la police aurait ramassé sur le lieu du crime quatre douilles.

Correspondant de JED au Rwanda depuis plusieurs années, Rugambage avait, dans son humour légendaire, le courage de ses idées et n'avait pas sa langue en poche au sujet des dérives totalitaires du pouvoir à Kigali. À la veille de sa mort tragique, il a publié sur le site du journal "Umuvugizi" un article dans lequel il a cité un haut responsable des services de sécurité rwandais qui aurait demandé à son chauffeur d'achever, en échange de récompense, le général Kayumba Nyamwasa (en exil en Afrique du Sud), hospitalisé après une tentative d’assassinat.

JED note également que Rugambage et son journal était depuis plusieurs mois la cible des autorités rwandaises. Le Haut conseil des médias (HCM), instance de régulation des médias au Rwanda, avait suspendu, le 13 mars 2010, "Umuvugizi" et "Umuseso", deux principaux journaux indépendants paraissant à Kigali pour une durée de six mois pour "incitation de l'armée et de la police à l'insubordination aux ordres de leurs chefs, publication d'informations portant atteinte à l'ordre public, diffusion de rumeurs ainsi que pour diffamation et immixtion dans la vie privée des gens".

***20.06.2010. Journalists in Exile 2010 - At least 85 journalists fled their home countries in the past year in the face of attacks, threats, and possible imprisonment. High exile rates are seen in Iran and in the East African nations of Somalia and Ethiopia (CPJ)

At least 29 Iranian editors, reporters, and photographers fled into exile over the past 12 months, the highest annual tally from a single country in a decade, a new survey by the Committee to Protect Journalists has found. CPJ also found a significant spike in the number of journalists fleeing violence and harassment in East Africa.

“My photos were seen as political criticism of clerics in Iran,” said photographer Mohammad Kheirkhan, who, like other Iranian journalists, went into exile after being harassed and interrogated by authorities for coverage of the unrest that followed the disputed 2009 presidential election. “The punishment for criticizing clerics is prison, torture, and even execution.”

Worldwide, at least 85 journalists fled their home countries over the past 12 months, CPJ found in its annual survey, which marks World Refugee Day, June 20, and highlights the plight of journalists who are forced to leave their homes in the face of attacks, threats, or the possibility of imprisonment. This year’s total, which counts journalists who went into exile from June 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010, is double the number recorded in the prior 12-month period. The tally is comparable to the decade’s previous high of 82, which CPJ recorded in 2007-08.
Data on exiled journalists closely track other press freedom indicators such as deadly violence and the threat of imprisonment. The countries with the highest exile rates over the past 12 months—which include Ethiopia and Somalia, along with Iran—have long records of press repression. 

“It wasn’t a single incident that pushed me to leave Ethiopia—it was numerous incidents over the course of several months,” said Mesfin Negash, who served as editor of the independent Ethiopian newspaper Addis Neger. Government security forces, intent on silencing criticism before the May 2010 elections, intimidated staff members and threatened criminal charges. Finally, Negash and several other staffers closed Addis Neger and fled the country. “We had hoped the harassment and intimidation would stop, but it never did because [the government] thought that if we stayed in Ethiopia we could influence the outcome of the elections.”

Hundreds of journalists in exile over the past decade

Since 2001, when CPJ began compiling detailed records on journalists in exile, more than 500 journalists have fled their homes. Illustrating the extraordinary dangers facing these journalists at home, 454 remain in exile today. 

African journalists have been at particular risk throughout the past decade, but the exile rate tripled over the past 12 months. At least 42 African journalists, most of them from Somalia and Ethiopia, fled their homes in the past year. A majority sought refuge in Kenya and Uganda, where they hoped to resettle to a third country through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The process can be lengthy as well as financially and emotionally grueling. “It is difficult to even plan when you are in this situation of exile and relocation,” said Negash, who has relocated elsewhere on the continent. “It is tormenting because everything is out of your control.”

Journalists find themselves in a legal limbo, unable to work and often the targets of ethnically motivated violence and police harassment. They live in a constant state of anxiety about the family members who are still back home. Negash’s exile has been devastating for his wife and mother, who depended on him but were forced to stay in Ethiopia when he fled. “It has been so difficult that sometimes I can’t even call them because they are so emotionally disturbed,” said Negash, who continues to help his family financially, sending whatever amounts he can spare from the small aid he receives from international organizations.

At least half of the Iranian journalists who fled this year are in a similarly precarious situation in Turkey. Several of those journalists told CPJ they have been approached by individuals they believe are working for the Iranian regime who have warned them that colleagues and relatives back home will suffer consequences if they discuss Iranian politics publically. Kheirkhan’s photographs of street protests were considered political criticism of Iranian clerics.

Kheirkhan, 24, whose photographs of the Iranian political unrest for United Press International were seen worldwide, had to travel through Afghanistan and Italy before resettling in the United States. “I wasn’t happy to be far away from my country, my family, and my friends,” he said when asked about his decision to petition for asylum. “But safety is the first thing that everybody must think about in his or her life.” He said he hopes to continue working as a journalist in California, where he now resides.

In exile, journalists face obstacles in continuing work

That will not be an easy path. CPJ research shows that less than a third of exiled journalists are able to continue to work in their profession. Throughout the world, exiled journalists face lengthy bureaucratic procedures as they establish their new legal status, along with significant language and cultural adjustments as they rebuild their lives. Many accomplished journalists are forced to take whatever employment opportunities are available.

Luis Horacio Nájera, a Mexican reporter with almost two decades of experience covering criminal gangs and political corruption, has been working as a janitor in Vancouver, Canada, since leaving his home country in 2008 in the face of death threats.

“It has been really hard to work here because no one recognizes my experience and I don’t speak English well,” he told CPJ in an interview conducted in Spanish. “There aren’t many opportunities, and you have to stand in a very long line of other refugees, so you end up doing things that you never thought you would have to—cleaning houses and washing bathrooms—because there is nothing else that you can do.” Nájera, above on assignment in Mexico, was an accomplished reporter in his home country. (Courtesy Luis Horacio Nájera)

Nájera and his family filed for asylum in 2009, and are awaiting an answer from Canadian authorities. If approved, Nájera said, he will study English, enroll in school, and find other work, although he does not think he will go back to journalism. Neither does he plan to return to Mexico. “I am very hurt with my country,” he told CPJ. “I did all that I could to help Mexico through my work as a journalist, and Mexico has not responded—it has not even been able to keep me and my family safe.”

Nearly 50 percent of journalists who have been forced into exile since 2001 have done so after being attacked or threatened with violence. Another 30 percent fled because of the possibility of imprisonment, while 20 percent left following prolonged harassment, CPJ research found.

Violence was the primary reason for an exodus of Iraqi journalists earlier in the past decade. As the death toll in Iraq has dropped to its lowest point since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, so too have the numbers of journalists seeking exile. CPJ documented just one Iraqi exile case in the past 12 months. Until this past year, Iraq had seen the largest single-year exodus of journalists.

CPJ’s survey counts only those journalists who fled due to work-related persecution, who remained in exile for at least three months, and whose current whereabouts and activities are known. It does not include the many journalists and media workers who left their countries for professional or financial opportunities, those who left due to general violence, or those who were targeted for activities other than journalism, such as political activism. Other groups using different criteria cite higher numbers.

***19.06.2010. PHILIPPINES - Two broadcasters killed in separate incidents (CMFR) 

As the Arroyo administration neared the end of its term this June 30, two other broadcasters were killed in separate incidents in the regions of Northern Luzon (Region I) and Southern Mindanao (Region XI). If found to be work-related, these will raise the number of journalists/media practitioners killed in the line of duty
during President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's watch rise  to 78, more than
twice the combined number of journalists killed in the terms of the three
previous Philippine Presidents.

The Philippine National Police in both regions announced the formation of task forces to investigate the killing of radio broadcasters Desidario "Jessie" Camangyan in Manay town, Davao Oriental (June 14) and Jovelito Agustin in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (June 15).

Camangyan, a blocktimer at Sunrise FM-Mati City, was killed at around 10 p.m. (local time) while hosting a singing competition in Old Macopa village, Manay town. Manay is a town in Davao Oriental, approximately 1,021 kilometers south of Manila.

In a 15 June 2010 interview, Philippine National Police Southern Mindanao spokesman Superintendent Querubin Manalang said initial police investigation showed that Camangyan had just taken his seat after introducing a contestant when the gunman came from behind him and shot him in the head.

Manalang said the suspect came and fled through the cornfield/plantation behind the makeshift stage.

Sunrise FM station manager Bobong Alcantara said Camangyan and his two co-hosts in "Hotline Patrol" had been invited by the village captain f Old Macopa to host the competition. But only Camangyan came. Camangyan was with his wife and his six-year-old son when he was shot.

Manalang, in a phone interview with the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility last June 15, said Police Task Force Camangyan is still looking into the possible motives in the killing of the broadcaster.

But members of the local media community say they believe the killing was work-related. Alcantara said the killing could be due to Camangyan and his partners' commentaries on illegal logging activities in the "east coast" of Davao Oriental. He said they have been receiving threats. The threesome had been discussing the problems of illegal logging in the province for almost four weeks now, Alcantara said.

"Hotline Patrol" is a blocktime program hosted by Camangyan, and his colleagues Frank Gupit and Nonoy Bacalzo.

In the northern part of Luzon, police have yet to complete their investigation into the killing of dzJC Aksyon Radyo's (Action Radio) anchor Jovelito Agustin. Agustin died at a local hospital a few hours after two unidentified men on a motorcycle shot him four times in Laoag City, the capital of Ilocos Norte.

Nick Malasig of dzJC said Agustin was driving home from the radio station on a motorcycle when the suspects intercepted and attacked him. Agustin had come from his daily public affairs show which usually dealt with problems in the province as well as election issues like the disqualification of some candidates. Ilocos Norte is a province approximately 402 kilometers north of Luzon.

The online news organization GMANews.TV reported that, according to Laoag City Police Chief Senior Superintendent Sterling Blanco, the nephew of Agustin who was riding home with him "could not give other details on the suspects."

Malasig told CMFR in a 16 June 2010 interview that Agustin said he ad received threats prior to the killing. In fact, some unidentified men shot at Agustin's house in Bacarra town during the campaign period for national and local elections last May. No one was hurt. Agustin had suspected a local politician as the one behind the shooting incident in May 2010.

Local and international media organizations have called for speedy investigations into the killings. Several groups also called on incoming Philippine President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to decisively act on the numerous killings and attacks against journalists, media practitioners and human rights activists.

***18.06.2010. UN EXPERT CALLS ON VENEZUELAN AUTHORITIES TO WITHDRAW ARREST WARRANT OF TV CHANNEL PRESIDENT AND SECURE THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

GENEVA – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, urged the Venezuelan authorities to withdraw the arrest warrants against Guillermo Zuloaga, president of the private TV news channel Globovisión, and his son. “No Government in the world has the right to silence critics or those who oppose the State with criminal proceedings,” Mr. La Rue said.

“This latest act of harassment against Mr. Zuloaga is symptomatic of the
continuous deterioration of freedom of the press in the country,” noted the independent expert mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council to monitor the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

The Special Rapporteur said that he is troubled by the arrest warrants issued on 11 June 2010 by a prosecutor in Caracas against Mr. Zuloaga and his son, allegedly for business irregularities. It is feared that these warrants are politically motivated, aimed solely at silencing Mr. Zuloaga who has been critical of President Hugo Chavez.

“This is not the first time that staff members of Globovisión, including Mr. Zuloaga, are criminally prosecuted because of the exercise of their right to freedom of expression,” he said. Since 2001, Globovisión’s personnel have been subject to acts of harassment and intimidation, which in 2008 led the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to order provisional measures to protect its employees.

“I urge the Venezuelan Government to take all necessary steps to secure the right to freedom of opinion and expression of all persons, in accordance with fundamental principles as set forth in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and recalled in article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights*, to which Venezuela is a party,” stressed the Special Rapporteur.

“I would like to reiterate my request to visit Venezuela in order to make an in-depth assessment on the ground of the state of freedom of expression and freedom of the press in the country,” Mr. La Rue said. “This request regrettably remains unanswered.”

***17.06.2010. KYRGYZSTAN: MEDIA OUTLETS INCINERATED; TOO DANGEROUS TO REPORT - PEC CONDEMNS ATTACKS AGAINST UZBEK MEDIA  (IFEX/RSF/PEC)

An estimated 2,000 have been killed in interethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan since 10 June, say news reports. In response to the unrest, authorities in the southern city of Osh ordered local television stations to cease transmission, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The Public Association of Journalists (PAJ), based in Bishkek, is currently working to provide humanitarian assistance to journalists in the southern part of the country.

Violence first erupted between Uzbek and Kyrgyz youth in Osh on 10 June, leading to major riots. Armed gangs drove through neighbourhoods in Osh and Jalal-Abad, setting houses and stores on fire and shooting at people trying to escape, report Human Rights Watch and CPJ. In response, the government declared a curfew and sent security forces to the region, granting shoot-to-kill authority. News reports say tens of thousands of ethnic Uzbeks have fled the two cities and crossed the border into Uzbekistan to escape the violence.

Meanwhile, local media are being trampled by the fallout of the revolution. Osh residents now only have access to state television channel KTR and several Russian television channels, reported the independent news agency Zpress. Mezon TV and Osh TV were stopped from broadcasting, says the independent news site "Ferghana". The buildings of Osh TV and JTR TV in Osh and Jalal-Abad were burnt down, reports International Media Support (IMS).

PAJ and IMS are working to deliver food and medical supplies to about 100 journalists and their families in the Osh and Jalal-Abad regions. Media coverage of events in the southern part of the country is limited as journalists fear attacks while reporting in the streets.

(RSF) - As violence continues, the media are increasingly being prevented from working in the south of Kyrgyzstan. News is being reported only sporadically as infrastructure is targeted and journalists obstructed by clashes.

Initially, local television stations in Osh were targeted. TV Osh, Mezon and Akhborot were ransacked, with the second two torched and wrecked, leaving computers and databases unusable. All three stations are Uzbek-language, targeted since the start of the clashes.

Before the events of 10 June, a large number of journalists were attending a seminar in Osh. In the current chaos, it is not known how many of them have been evacuated and which media they were working for. Concordant sources confirm that media in the south of the country have been advising their journalists to stay at home and not to put themselves in danger by covering the situation. Local and foreign journalists do not or rarely venture into the urban Uzbek areas for fear of being attacked.

Some news is filtering out however through journalists reporting from their windows on the current state of the troubles. They are also managing to send news to websites such as ferghana.ru, by telephone.

In Uzbekistan, on the other side of the border, which has now been closed, Reporters Without Borders voiced its relief at the news of the release on 16 June of prominent freelance Uzbek journalist, Alexei Volossevich.

Police arrested Volossevich on 13 June when he came to cover the arrival of hundreds of refugees of Uzbek origin, fleeing from neighbouring Kyrgyzstan. He was placed in a detention centre for people without ID or fixed address (His papers were in a bag that he did not have the time to grab at the moment of his arrest). The authorities said they would release him as soon as they had checked his identity. Although his colleagues brought his passport the following day, he was not freed until 16 June.

Reporters Without Borders welcomes the release of Alexei Volossevich, but regrets that the authorities prevented him from doing his work. Even in the current situation, the government of Islam Karimov has not let up in its attacks on journalists. The arrest and detention of Volossevich could be seen as a warning to all journalists seeking to cover these events. Could this be a continuation of the campaign against the press that saw an upsurge in January this year?

***04.06.2010. ISRAEL. IFJ Demands Inquiry as One Journalist Is Confirmed Dead in Gaza Ships Attack

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), with the backing of its affiliate in Israel, today called for a special inquiry into the killing of a journalist and injuries to others during the Israeli assault on a flotilla of ships carrying humanitarian aid which took place on June 1.
"We now know that one journalist died and at least one other is seriously injured in horrifying circumstances that remain unexplained," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "We are also gathering information about the treatment of journalists and the confiscation of their material, all of which raises new concerns about the violations of their rights."
The IFJ says that a specific inquiry into the treatment of journalists is required because around 100 of the people detained by the Israeli authorities were thought to be journalists from across the globe including Australia, Algeria, Jordan, Turkey, Greece, the UK, Italy, Iran, Germany, South Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia ,Pakistan and UAE.
The media victims are Turkish journalist Cevdet Kiliclar, killed by a shot in the head, and Indonesian cameraman Sura Fachrizaz who was shot in the chest and seriously injured. Fachrizaz is in a hospital in Haifa and his injuries are not considered life threatening.
The IFJ is in touch with reporters involved as well as a number of unions representing media staff and is compiling information on material that has been confiscated by the Israeli authorities.
Marcello Faraggi, a journalist who was on board the Mediterranean Sea, a cargo ship which was part of the aid convoy and was later detained in the Israeli prison of Bersheva, told the IFJ that journalists were subjected to body search and stripped of their equipment during their detention.
A special information collection point has been established to prepare a dossier on the incident which will form the basis of journalists' claims for compensation in the aftermath.
The IFJ affiliate in Israel, the National Federation of Israel Journalists (NFIJ), which has been assisting journalists and gathering information, should also be involved in any inquiry into the treatment of journalists, says the IFJ.
The NFIJ section in Jerusalem, the Journalists Association in Jerusalem, has specifically urged the Israeli government to give back immediately all the equipment that was confiscated from the journalists on the boats.
"Journalists on duty should be left out of any confrontation and should have the full freedom to cover the events in a professional way," they said in a statement.
Further concerns have been raised about the broadcasting by Israeli authorities of material confiscated from journalists which is being used to project their version of events.
"This is shocking disregard for the rights of journalists," said White.
The confiscation and then unauthorized use of journalists' footage shows
the contempt that the Israeli authorities have for journalism."

***02.06.2010. ISRAEL. At least 60 journalists were aboard flotilla, most still held (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders reiterates its urgent appeal to the Israeli authorities to release the journalists who were accompanying the Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla that was intercepted on 31 May. According to the latest information available to the press freedom organisation, at least 60 journalists were aboard.

“We point out that the journalists were there to do their job, which was to cover what happened,” Reporters Without Borders said. “They should not be confused with the activists. Three hundred of the flotilla’s passengers are about to be deported but journalists are still being held. We call on the Israeli authorities to free all the detained journalists and return their equipment, which was seized by the military.”

Three hundred passengers are currently at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, from where they are to be deported today. Some journalists are among them.

Reporters Without Borders has also learned that the Al Jazeera crew that was aboard the flotilla, including correspondent Abbas Nasser and cameraman Isaam Zaatar, was expelled yesterday.

Reporters Without Borders is aware of 16 journalists being held at Be’er Scheva detention centre. They are Svetoslav Ivanov and Valentin Vassilev of Bulgaria’s BTV, Muna Shester of the Kuwait News Agency, Talat Hussain of Aaj TV, Paul McGeough and Kate Geraghty of the Sydney Morning Herald, Mario Damolin of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, David Segarra of teleSUR, Ayse Sarioglu of Taraf, Murat Palavar and Hakan Albayrak of Yeni Safak, Sümeyye Ertekin, Ümit Sönmez and Ersin Esen of TVNET and Ashwad Ismail and Samsul Kamal Abdul Latip of Astro Awani.

Reporters Without Borders has tried repeatedly to get in touch with them, so far without success.

***01.06.2010. ISRAEL: Israel needs to heed international calls for free flow of information (Article 19) 

ARTICLE 19 is calling for an open, international, independent and impartial investigation into the use of lethal force by the Israeli Defence Forces which resulted in a number of deaths onboard the Gaza-bound flotilla on 31 May.

The blocking of all communication channels, including mobile phones, shortly after the assault, followed by the arbitrary detention of journalists, human rights monitors and others who were travelling onboard the flotilla, are evidence of censorship and a news blackout by Israeli state authorities. Such actions curtail the free flow of information, as protected by Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil on Political Rights to which Israel is party.

The one-sided information originating from official Israeli sources on the
circumstances surrounding the assault and the deaths restricts the right to information and minimises the possibilities for international public scrutiny of the actions of the Israeli Defence Forces and thus for accountability.

As early as 1946, at its very first session, in the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 59(I) which states that “Freedom of information is a fundamental human right and ... the touchstone of all the freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated.”

Freedom of expression, including access to information, is also essential to the realization of what is commonly referred to as the “right to truth.” The UN Commission on Human Rights, at its 61st session, adopted Resolution 2005/66, which ‘‘Recognizes the importance of respecting and ensuring the right to the truth so as to contribute to ending impunity and to promote and protect human rights.’’

The investigation into the assault against the flotilla must be open, international, impartial and independent. It should focus on the legality of the Israeli assault in international waters and thus the legality of the blockade, and the proportionality of the use of force. An international investigation team should be allowed access to government-held information on the matter, as well as direct access to
those involved in the assault, witnesses and those subsequently detained.

***01.06.2010. IFJ Calls for Immediate Release of Journalists Detained by Israeli Military

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called upon the Israeli authorities to release without delay all journalists and media staff who were detained on board the Gaza bound aid convoy on Monday morning. Up to a hundred journalists are believed to be among the passengers currently being held by the Israeli Defence Forces.
"The Israeli authorities must not play cat and mouse with professional journalists who are doing their job, not just for the company they serve but in the service of a worldwide audience," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary.
The Israeli authorities have given reassurances that they will treat all professional journalists the same way as politicians who accompanied the flotilla and seek their early release and deportation.
Reports state that up to ten people were killed and many more injured during clashes between the military and passengers when the flotilla was boarded by the Israeli Defence Forces in the early hours of Monday morning.
" We are grateful for the tremendous efforts being made by leaders of the
National Federation of Israeli Journalists to defend the rights of working
professionals who have been caught up in this series of tragic events," added White. " We will continue to work with our Israeli affiliate and others who have expressed concern about the detention of their journalists and media staff."

***31.05.2010. IFJ Condemns Gaza Attack and Demands International Inquiry after Reports of Media Casualties

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today reacted with shock at the news of the brutal attacks on civilians, including journalists, by Israeli forces in the assault on a flotilla that yesterday tried to breach the military blockade of the Gaza coastline in Palestine.
The IFJ said that reports of casualties - including possible deaths of media staff - were unconfirmed and a curtain of secrecy drawn around the incident by the Israeli authorities was increasing anxiety among friends and relatives.
The IFJ is calling for an urgent and comprehensive international investigation into the incident and for the information blackout to be lifted.
"We join the European Union in demanding a full inquiry which must be independent in order to be credible. We condemn any attempt at the blackout and censorship of news by the Israeli authorities which is hindering journalists from giving an accurate account of what is happening," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President.
The IFJ believes that 20 journalists and media staff from a number of different countries were on board when the attacks took place, according to Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. He said the IFJ is fully investigating the incident and plans to raise the issue at a special meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council planned in Geneva on Wednesday.
The IFJ is also writing today to the Israeli government warning them about their responsibility vis-à-vis the security of the journalists on the flotilla and is asking its member union in Israel to take the matter up with the authorities.
"The international community must respond immediately to this outrage," said White. "The rights of journalists in conflict zones have been particularly highlighted by the United Nations and members states cannot stand by when one state acts in a reckless and dangerous manner."

***20.05.2010. Thailand: Attacks on Media Must Stop (Article 19)

Following the surrender of “Red Shirt” leaders and the imposing of curfew in Bangkok, all sides must stop attacking the media in order to allow the media to report freely on the development of the crisis. The media must also uphold the professional standards of objectivity to gain public trust and credibility.

Protests across Thailand have continued today following weeks of growing
conflict. Yesterday the Thai army surrounded and used live arms to disperse protesters calling for the dissolving of parliament and announcing early elections, killing many. Members of the Red Shirts, largely consisting of rural poor, have in recent weeks targeted national media houses claiming that they are biased towards the urban elite. The government, on the other hand, has blocked around 4,500 websites and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s Twitter feed amongst other censorship measures.

On Wednesday, the Red Shirts stormed national TV station Channel 3 and set
cars on fire. Journalists at The Bangkok Post and The Nation also evacuated their building in fear of their safety. Following the crackdown, some protestors also turned on the media, threatening photographers taking pictures of retreating Red Shirts in particular.

The crisis has taken a heavy toll on journalists. International and national journalists have been killed and injured in the course of the crisis. In Wednesday’s army crackdown, Fabio Polenghi, an Italian photojournalist was killed by gunshot. He is the second journalist to have lost his life after Japanese cameraman for Reuters, Hiroyuki Muramoto, who was fatally shot on 10 April. At least five other international journalists from the Netherlands, USA, Canada and the UK, and a Thai photographer working for Australian Broadcasting Corporation have been injured thus far. Besides journalists working for foreign media, two local newspaper photographers - one working for Matichon and the other for The Nation – also suffered injuries in recent clashes.

“Such attacks, as well as threats to journalists and media censorship, seriously undermine a free media environment much needed at this critical moment when the public needs updated information from all sources to understand the situation,” says Dr Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director.

ARTICLE 19 calls on both sides to end the attacks on journalists and media
censorship, and to ensure the right to information and right to expression are not compromised.

ARTICLE 19 also urges journalists to adhere to the professional standards of reporting, upholding objectivity and refraining from inciting violence.

***20.05.2010. THAILAND: BANGKOK ABLAZE; TWO JOURNALISTS KILLED AND SEVERAL OTHERS WOUNDED (IFEX)

Downtown Bangkok has spiralled into a flaming battleground after close to two months of anti-government protests, with at least 39 dead, including two journalists killed in clashes, and hundreds wounded. Thai troops broke through the encampment of red shirts today, cracking down on the movement and triggering more violence, report the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) and other IFEX members. The media have taken a heavy toll - several media outlets were targeted or closed down to protect staff, and other journalists have been shot and wounded. The government has imposed a night-time curfew across the country.

Although several red shirt leaders surrendered and called off the protests, protesters reacted by setting fire to the stock exchange, Southeast Asia's second-biggest department store complex, banks, and attacking newspaper offices and a television station. The protests have now spread to northeast Thailand where demonstrators torched more buildings.

Throughout this red shirt fury over social injustice, the media has been under constant attack from all sides. The government has tried to control the flow of information by blocking websites, and shutting down satellite TV channels that it claims were inciting violence and promoting red shirt propaganda. Journalists and media outlets have been attacked by protesters who accused the media of biased coverage.

Italian photojournalist Fabio Polenghi died after being shot in the chest during the recent offensive, and at least three demonstrators were killed. A Dutch reporter Michel Maas and a US documentary filmmaker suffered from gunshot wounds. The army shoots "everything that's moving and don't ask if you are a reporter before shooting," said Maas. Another journalist was wounded in a grenade attack in the capital on 19 May.

Rioters set fire to the Channel 3 building, a government TV station, and set 10 news vehicles ablaze, reports SEAPA. Several media organisations, including the "Bangkok Post" and "The Nation", sent staff home, fearful that mobs would attack the compounds.

"About 100 employees of the Channel 3 TV station were trapped on the roof of their high-rise office, but most were later rescued by helicopter," reports "The Guardian". Meanwhile, radio stations sympathetic to the red shirts have aired "incendiary commentary," says SEAPA.

After government troops cordoned off the protesters' site by cutting off water and electricity and setting up roadblocks to prevent red shirts from joining their comrades last week, three journalists were wounded in skirmishes on 14 May. Canadian journalist Nelson Rand, working for France 24 TV channel, was shot three times. Subin Namchan, a photographer for the Thai-language newspaper, "Matichon", and Supawat Wanchantha, cameraman for Thai Voice TV Channel, were both shot in the legs. The next day, Thai reporter Chaiwat Poompuang, working for "The Nation", was also shot in the leg while covering clashes.

On 13 May, "International Herald Tribune" reporter Thomas Fuller narrowly missed being killed when a sniper fired a bullet into the head of a red shirt rebel commander whom he was interviewing. On 10 April, Reuters journalist Hiro Muramoto was shot and killed while covering fighting between protesters and security forces.

Attacks on the press "will ultimately deprive Thais of the information, news and commentary they need to understand and navigate these perilous days," said SEAPA. The press freedom organisation is also urging journalists to not take sides and to provide reliable information.

***17.05.2010. ALERT THAILAND. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) GRAVELY CONCERNED: JOURNALISTS INJURED DURING BANGKOK CLASHES

Safety issues raised as casualties among journalists covering Bangkok clashes increase (SEAPA/IFEX/PEC - 17.05.2010) 

Journalists covering the renewed clashes between Thailand's security forces and the anti-government Red Shirt protesters have found themselves literally caught in the crossfire. 

SEAPA maintains its stand that the violence directed against the media in Thailand is indefensible. These attacks will victimize not only the press, but also the Thai public in general, which both need free media, unintimidated journalists, and a healthy environment for news, commentary, and information to help understand and determine their options especially in these days of crisis. 

As of Sunday, 16 May 2010, 33 people have already been killed with 239 injured, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Emergency Health Service Center.
 
Of this number, five journalists were wounded by gunfire as troops fought with protesters after the government gave out orders to cordon off the protesters' rally site in Ratchaprasong intersection on Thursday night. Power and water supplies were cut off, Skytrain and subway lines were stopped and roadblocks set up to prevent more Red Shirts from reinforcing their comrades in Bangkok's commercial district. The Center for Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES) also announced that soldiers are now authorized to fire live rounds one shot at a time in case the use of rubber bullets to dissuade armed protesters would prove to be ineffective. The troops, the government said, are to shoot only at the legs of any resisting protesters. 

However, three journalists on Friday, 14 May, found themselves shot in the leg when they covered the skirmishes in Wireless Road, Bangkok's Embassy Row, which runs parallel to Lumpini Park, occupied by the protesters since 12 March. 

Canadian national Nelson Rand, who works for France 24 TV channel, was shot three times - in the abdomen, in one of his legs and another in one of his wrists. He was rushed to Chulalongkorn Hospital where he underwent surgery. 

Subin Namchan, a photographer of the Thai-language newspaper, "Matichon", sustained a gunshot wound in the thigh at the Sarasin-Wireless intersection. He was brought to Bumrungrad Hospital. 
 
Meanwhile, Supawat Wanchantha, cameraman for Thai Voice TV Channel was also shot in the leg and was brought to Rama 9 Hospital. 
 
Witnesses said some of the injured journalists were covering the action near the lines of the protesters. It is not clear, however, if the three journalists - all sustaining a gunshot wound in the leg - were deliberately shot or were just victims of stray bullets. 
 
The following day, Chaiwat Poompuang, a veteran photojournalist of "The Nation" newspaper, was shot in the leg when he was covering the fighting at the Din Daeng intersection near Ratchapraprop Road between some 300 Red Shirts and the soldiers manning the barricade. 

On Sunday, 16 May, a PTV cameraman's life was saved by the bulletproof vest he was wearing while lying on the ground at around 4 pm near the Lumpini Tower in Rama 4 Road. Phutthapong Chusaeng said he felt a severe pain in his back when the bullet impacted his vest. His colleague from another TV station, Thai PBS, said the bullet did not pierce the vest. 
 
These incidents underline the physical dangers faced by journalists in the on-going political crisis in the Thai capital, which started on 12 March this year. 
 
On 13 May Thursday, a reporter for the "New York Times" came within a hair's breadth of death on Lumpini Park near Rama 4 Road when the man he was interviewing, renegade Maj. Gen. Katthiya Sawasdipol alias "Seh Daeng", was hit in the right temple by a bullet fired by a sniper. 

Thai reporters have started wearing safety equipment like ballistic helmets and bulletproof vests in the aftermath of the violent April 10 dispersal of the Red Shirts in Ratchdamnoen Road. Japanese journalist Hiro Muramoto, who worked as a cameraman for British news agency Reuters, was killed after he was shot in the chest. 

A freelance photographer for ABC news, Winnai Ditthajorn, suffered from a gunshot wound to his left leg in the same incident. 
 
Thai reporters and photographers have lobbied their respective media employers to equip them with these two items as fighting between the troops and the protesters continued to heat up. Sources said that it came to a point where some journalists even threatened to stop their news coverage if not issued a helmet and a vest. 

Prior to this, the only protection the journalists had was a green armband distributed by the Thai Journalists Association (TJA) identifying the wearer as a member of the media. 
 
The TJA has repeatedly issued statements the past months calling on both parties to spare journalists from threats, harassment and physical attacks while they are covering the political conflict. 
 
In the aftermath of these recent shooting incidents, the TJA and the Thai Broadcast Journalists Association (TBJA) called on journalists to exercise caution during coverage and urged them to look first after their own safety. 
 
SEAPA observed in a prior press statement that the attacks on journalists "serve no purpose but to intimidate all media practitioners, and will ultimately deprive Thais the information, news, and commentary they need to understand and navigate these perilous days". 
 
However, even the reporters' abode is increasingly at risk, too. An AFP photographer, Pedro Ugarte, said that the hotel he was staying in, the Dusit Thani Hotel on Rama 4 Road, sustained bullet hits and several rounds from what were believed to be rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) at dawn of 17 May, forcing the hotel to ask its guests to check out at noon for their own safety. Foreign correspondents billeted in a nearby hotel had also reportedly checked out earlier due to increased dangers brought on by the fighting. 
 
As of press time, the CRES issued an ultimatum to the remaining protesters, especially women, children and the elderly, in Ratchaprasong to leave the area even as it braces for a determined resistance from the hardcore elements of the Red Shirts. The TJA and TBJA also called on the media to pull out of the protest zones and other areas declared as "illegal" by the CRES for their own safety. 

Three journalists injured in Bangkok clashes (IPI - 14 May 2010)

(IPI) - Vienna, 14 May 2010 - Three journalists have been injured in clashes between government forces and protesters in Bangkok, Thailand.

The injured journalists - Nelson Rand, a Canadian working for broadcaster France 24; a local journalist working for Thai newspaper Matichon and a cameraman working for Thai broadcaster Voice TV - were injured in separate outbreaks of violence in the Thai capital today, according to media reports. Rand was reportedly shot thrice, in the leg, abdomen and wrist, and is reported to be in "serious condition."

Thai news outlet The Nation reports that protesters briefly surrounded a mobile van belonging to broadcaster Channel 3, alleging that the station's broadcasts were biased against the protestors, called "Red Shirts." The protesters dispersed after a discussion with the news staff and no one was hurt in the incident.

Journalists on the micro-blogging site Twitter, which has emerged as one of the most current sources of information on the protests, warned of attempts being made to steal cameras from photographers.

On Thursday, Thomas Fuller, a reporter for the International Herald Tribune, described how opposition figure Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdipol was shot in the head as Fuller was interviewing him. Fuller told CNN that he was standing only a few feet away from Sawasdipol when he was shot. Sawasdipol was transported to hospital and is in grave condition.

"Journalists covering the clashes in Thailand at the moment are extremely vulnerable to danger," said IPI Director David Dadge. "We ask soldiers and protestors to respect the independence of the media and to ensure that they do not become targets for violence in this volatile environment."

Earlier this week, IPI reported that over a month after Reuters cameraman Hiro Muramoto was killed in clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, officials have yet to identify his killers.

Citing the current political tension in Thailand, editor of The Nation, Tulsathit Taptim, suggested at the time that the government may have chosen to not yet reveal the results of any murder investigation to avoid inciting further violence and, possibly, because the information may be inconvenient or embarrassing for the government.

"It is very difficult for any independent investigation to be conducted under these circumstances," Taptim said. "Any outcome would be politicised and used by one side or the other."

The deepening political crisis in the country has resulted in at least four deaths today, according to media sources, and over 30 people are said to have died in the clashes between the Red Shirts and government soldiers.

The wave of protests against the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva began on 12 March when Red Shirt protesters took to the streets. Three days later, demonstrators splashed blood under the gates of Government House in a sign of protest against the current leadership.

The government responded by blocking several websites and an opposition broadcaster People TV.

The Red Shirts do not recognise Abhisit Vejjajiva's leadership, charging that the prime minister came to power illegitimately following the 2006 coup against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Who are firing the shots that are injuring journalists? (RSF 16.05.2010)

Reporters Without Borders called on the Thai Army and the Red Shirts to guarantee the safety of journalists covering ongoing clashes in Bangkok after three reporters were injured: a cameraman for France 24, a photographer for Thai newspaper Matichon, and a photographer for the Thai daily The Nation.

“The confusion reigning in various parts of Bangkok do not suffice to explain the shooting injuries sustained by several Thai and foreign journalists since April,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Both camps must comply fully with the requirements of international law, according to which journalists cannot be military targets. We also call for an investigation to establish who gave the orders to shoot a rebel general as he was being interviewed by journalists.”

The press freedom organisation added: “We note that Thailand has just got itself elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council, and we urge the government to guarantee the safety of civilians and put an end to news censorship, in particular, the blocking of the Prachatai website.”

Nelson Rand, a Canadian reporter employed by the French TV news station France 24, was badly injured today by automatic gunfire near the Suan Lum night bazaar. Cyriel Payen, France 24’s Bangkok bureau chief, said he was hit in an exchange of shots between soldiers and Red Shirts. A photographer with the Thai newspaper Matichon also sustained a gunshot injury in the same place.

“He underwent a very long operation and came out of the operating room at about 6 pm,” Payen said about Rand. “He is slowly recovering consciousness. He was hit three times by shots from an assault rifle. Once in the leg, causing the loss of a lot of blood. Once in the abdomen and once in the hand, causing multiple fractures. The doctors say his condition is now stable.”

A third journalist, working for The Nation, Chaiwat Pumpuang, was shot in the right leg on 15 May as the army tried to disperse Red Shirts blocked a road at Din Daeng in Bangkok. Continued shooting in the area prevented the photographer from being taken to hospital for half an hour.

A journalist working for Voice TV, a Thai cable station that supports the Red Shirts, was also reportedly injured in Bangkok. Red Shirt protesters harassed a TV crew working for Thailand’s Channel 3, accusing them of supporting the government. After an argument, the journalists were able to leave the scene.

Hiroyuki Muramoto, a Japanese cameraman working for the Reuters news agency, was fatally shot and a France 24 cameraman was injured in clashes in Bangkok on 10 April. The results of the official investigation into Muramoto’s death have still not been released.

Reporters Without Borders is also shocked by the methods used by the army to eliminate the pro-Red Shirt general Khattiya Sawasdipol, who was shot in the head yesterday while being interviewed by International Herald Tribune reporter Thomas Fuller. Another journalist who was there said the shot appeared to have been fired by a sniper.

Fuller told CNN: “I was facing him, he was answering my questions, looking at me and the bullet hit him in the forehead, from what I could tell. It looks like the bullet came over my head and struck him.”

***10.05.2010. HONDURAS. VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS: UNITED NATIONS EXPERTS CALL UPON HONDURAS TO PROTECT MEDIA STAFF

GENEVA – A group of United Nations human rights experts* called upon the Honduran Government to take urgent action to address the increasing vulnerability faced by journalists operating in the country. In the past six weeks, seven journalists have been killed, and several others have been threatened, reportedly for their activities in defence of human rights in the country.

“We urge the Government to take all necessary measures to thoroughly investigate these killings and threats, prosecute those responsible, and ensure the physical and psychological integrity of all journalists under threats”, the independent experts said. “In particular, we call upon the Government to establish an independent inquiry aimed at shedding lights on these issues, as well as at identifying measures that could be taken to better protect journalists and prevent the occurrence of such acts in the future”.

Journalists José Bayardo Mairena Ramírez, Manuel Juárez, Nahun Palacios
Arteaga, David Meza Motesinos, Joseph Hernández Ochoa, Luis Antonio Chévez
Hernández and Jorge Orellana “recently lost their lives while exercising their legitimate right to freedom of opinion and expression”, stressed the United Nations Special Rapporteurs.

Several journalists continue to receive death threats, despite precautionary measures ordered by the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights to protect journalists in Honduras.

“Journalists play a critical role in strengthening human rights through their work”, the independent experts said. “Silencing them not only curtails freedom of opinion and expression, but also jeopardizes the enjoyment of all rights and freedoms of society as a whole.”

“We call on the Honduran authorities to take all necessary steps to protect the right to life and secure the right to freedom of opinion and expression of all persons, including journalists and human rights activists, in accordance with articles 6 and 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”, the Special Rapporteurs said. “The international community will closely scrutinize the response of the Government to this tragic situation.”

(*) Frank la Rue, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of
the rights to freedom of opinion and expression; Mr. Philip Alston,
Special Rapporteur on summary, extrajudicial or arbitrary executions; and
Ms. Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights
defenders.

***06.05.2010. PAKISTAN. Twenty-six IFEX members join the Pakistani Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in condemning suicide bombings

Twenty-six IFEX members and the PFUJ appeal to the leaders of the Taliban, to the jihadist movements and to Al-Qaeda in Pakistan to put a stop to all further suicide bombings in public gatherings:

"We, the undersigned journalists of Pakistan and defenders of free expression around the world, condemn with the utmost firmness all recourse to suicide bombings in the middle of crowds of civilians that result in the deaths of innocent people including media workers.

In April, two fellow-journalists working for Samaa TV were killed in the space of two days in suicide bombings in Pakistan. They were both covering stories at the time and paid with their lives for doing their duty to report the news. These bombings have made Pakistan one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the press.

As the Pakistani Muslim scholar Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said in March, there is no place for the martyr in Islam. In a 600-page fatwa, he did not hesitate to describe the perpetrators and instigators of suicide bombings as enemies of Islam.

"They cannot claim that their suicide bombings are martyrdom operations and that they become the heroes of the Muslim umma [Islamic community]," Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri said. "No, they become the heroes of hellfire and they are leading towards hellfire. There is no place for any martyrdom and their act is never, ever to be considered jihad [holy struggle]."

As journalists, we have to cover official events first hand but that does not mean that we support any specific politician or public figure. By targeting large gatherings, the organisations that use suicide bombings are endangering the lives of innocent civilians and reporters. This is not acceptable.

We appeal with the utmost urgency to the leaders of the Taliban in Pakistan, to the jihadist movements and to Al-Qaeda in Pakistan to put a stop to all further suicide bombings in public gatherings.

We can no longer accept that our fellow journalists lose their lives."

***05.05.2010. SOMALIA. NUSOJ Condemns Assassination of Veteran Journalist in Mogadishu

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) today condemned the mindless and merciless targeted assassination of veteran journalist, Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey, in Mogadishu, on Tuesday night, 4 May 2010.

Hooded men with pistols followed the late journalist Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey, 52, who was working for Radio Mogadishu – Voice of Somali Republic, a government owned Radio station, and killed him near his home in Wardhigley district.

“We condemn the assassination of Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey who is another victim of mindless and merciless brutality against journalists” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General. “Somali journalists are being murdered for just reporting their stories independently or their journalistic work with particular media house”.

Journalists in Mogadishu believe that Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey was murdered
because of his leading role and journalistic work with Radio Mogadishu which is owned and managed by Transitional Federal Government. The government officially accused Al-Shabaab armed group for committing this heinous crime. “The loss of this experienced journalist is heartbreaking for his family and colleagues, but it is also a blow to the entire Somali people” Omar declared.

NUSOJ says the latest assassination shows how journalists continue to face
daily risks in Somalia where violence and terrorism has become an increasingly routine part of daily life. “We again call on all sides in the conflict to stop manipulating media to suit their own political interests which became major source of media victims” Omar Faruk added.

Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey joined the profession in 1988 as a reporter with former Somali National News Agency (SONNA), especially in the foreign news service. In the past ten years he worked for several media houses in Mogadishu such as HornAfrik radio, Somali Television Network (STN), East Africa Radio and recently radio Mogadishu.

Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey didn’t move from his home when he started working for Radio Mogadishu as other journalists working for Radio Mogadishu moved to the premises of the Radio in fear for their security. The late Sheik Nur was well-skilled journalist who worked as producer, reporter, presenter and even technician.

***03.05.2010. Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) - International Press Freedom Day: 69 violations of media Freedoms in oPt since the beginning of the year

Let’s stand a minute of silence in respect to the souls of killed Journalists in Palestine and the whole world

Since Eighteen years ago, the world celebrates the Third of May as the International Press Freedom Day, which approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1993.The significance of the celebration is to highlight the violations practiced against Journalists and media institutions in all parts of the world, and promote freedom of expression culture. Especially; because the freedom of speech is missing in a lot of countries.

The occupied Palestinian territories are suffering from a lot Freedom of expression violations, where the media sector workers have been paying a high price for their hard insistence to cover events by word and image, which made them subjected almost to daily violations by Israeli occupation forces, and the Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on the other hand.

Palestinian Center for Development and media Freedoms (MADA) monitored 69 violations against Journalists in the first four months of this year; 57 violations were committed by the Israeli side, and 12 violations were committed by the Palestinian side.

This number is a serious and significant predictor at the low level of press freedom in the Palestinian territories. At the same period of the last year the number of violations was almost the same; 62 violations (41 were committed by the Israeli side, and 21 violations were committed by the Palestinian side). While on 2008 year witnessed 90 violations at the same period (64 were committed by Israeli side, and 26 by the Palestinian side). MADA monitored 173 violations during the last year.

Since the beginning of 2008, Five Journalists were killed by the Israeli occupation forces. Those are: Fadel Shana’a, Ihab Wahidi, Basil Faraj, A'la Murtaja, and Omar Silawi. As there have been no cases of murder were committed by the Palestinian side.

The continuing violations of media Freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories left negative effects on the Palestinian Journalists and the media landscape in Palestine, and the free access to information. The Palestine TV correspondent Haroon Amyreh, who had suffered from several violations by the Israeli occupation forces since the beginning of this year said: “The violations have a positive and negative impact on the Journalist, the positive effects that it increases the insistence of the Journalist to convey the truth to the whole world, and it gives him a greater motivation to continue covering the events, despite all the risks. While the negative effect is the feeling that there is no lasting security, where the beatings and insults by the Israeli occupation forces become as a routine for me.”

"The lack of security in the Journalistic work, make the journalist life like a hell and kill the motivation of work and creativity inside him”, said the freelance Journalist Mustafa Sabri, who expressed his feelings toward the multiple violations he had subjected by the security forces in West Bank. Where the several arrested times makes him living in state of fear and horror about his wife and his eight children.

Alhayat Aljadedeh correspondent in Gaza Strip “Nufouth Al-Bakri" has expressed her resentment from some officials who refused to give her information when they know that she is working with Alhayat Aljadedeh Newspaper ; Also, she complained about her permanent suffering from security agents in the dismissed government during her coverage of the press conference. It is worth mentioning that Al-Bakri home was raided two separated times by unknown individuals who said that they are belonging to the Interior Ministry and Ministry of Information.

In its efforts to develop its work to reduce the suppression of media freedoms in Palestine ,MADA will start in conjunction with the world press Freedom day, to defend Journalists by providing two lawyers in West Bank and Gaza Strip to defend them, and to give them legal consultancy. MADA will also work to increase the awareness of Journalists about their legal rights by holding workshops, printing a legal guide that related to the Journalist work in Palestine.

MADA will work to promote and to enhance freedom of expressions culture in the Palestinian society through the media .MADA will also launch an updated version of its website that contains new links about media freedoms violations.

MADA center calls the International community to exercise a real and effective pressure on Israel authorities to stop the continuing attacks on Journalists, and also demands the authorities in West Bank and Gaza to stop all forms of Suppression of media Freedoms. MADA also demands the release of all detained Journalists in Palestine and all over the world, and to provide a safe working environment for Journalists. And to respond to the UNESCO request to stand a minute of silence for the journalists who were killed, in order to show the truth, on Monday 3 May 2010, where 36 Journalists from all over the world had been killed since the beginning of 2010 according to Press Emblem Campaign press release.

MADA center offers warmest congratulations to fellow Journalists in Palestine and all over the world on the occasion of the International Press Freedom Day, hoping that Palestine and the entire world will witness a significant development to Freedom of opinion and expression.

Contact:
Riham Abu Aita
Public Relation Officer
Ramallah
info@madacenter.org
madapalestine@yahoo.com
www.madacenter.org

***03.05.2010. WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY. IFJ Highlights Struggle in Iran on World Press Freedom Day

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has marked this year's World Press Freedom Day with a special focus on the situation of journalists in Iran where  dozens of journalists remain behind bars, newspapers closed and where the IFJ affiliate, the Association of Iranian Journalists has had its office closed down.

"The onslaught on media in Iran has been unrelenting since the disputed elections
in June, last year," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "The government has sought to suppress independent media and to shut down all contacts with outside following unprecedented show of public defiance to the regime."

The IFJ says there are still up to 35 journalists in prison since the mass trial of media last August and many more newspapers have been shut down. The office of the Association of Iranian Journalists (AoIJ), an IFJ affiliate, remains sealed since 5 August 2009 with no immediate prospect of being allowed to function again.

The IFJ Executive Committee decided in their meeting in Marrakech, Morocco on 20-21 March to focus World Press Freedom Day activities on raising awareness of the situation of media in Iran and support for the IFJ campaign to free Iranian journalists which has been running since September 2009. In particular, IFJ affiliates, their members and journalists around the world are requested to send the IFJ electronic post card to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, calling for the release of all detained journalists and the reopening of the AoIJ office in Tehran.

"We need to show solidarity with journalists in Iran all the time," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "But World Press Freedom Day provides the opportunity to focus the minds and send a message to the Iranian government about our determination to stand by our colleagues and fight for their freedom."

The IFJ has also called for global action to promote the safety of journalists following confirmed deaths of at least 27 journalists since the start of the year in countries such as Honduras, Thailand, Nigeria and Pakistan.

"This death toll after just four months ought to shock the world into action," added White. "We are well past the time of words alone in the face of utter indifference on the part of men of violence."

UN Secretary-General Ban KI-moon, in Remarks at World Press Freedom Day Event, Highlights Killings of 77 Journalists, Saying Governments Have Duty to Protect Media Personnel

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the observance of World Press Freedom Day, in New York today, 29 April:

Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, enshrined in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  But around the world, Governments and those who wield power use many different ways to obstruct it.
They impose high taxes on newsprint, making newspapers so expensive that people cannot afford to buy them.  Independent radio and TV stations are forced off the air if they criticize Government policies.  The censors are active in cyberspace too, preventing people from accessing websites for political reasons, and arresting citizen journalists.
In some parts of the world, journalists are imprisoned for years, on dubious or non-existent charges.  Elsewhere, they risk intimidation and harassment, and even their lives, simply for doing their jobs.  Simply for exercising their right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas, through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Last year, UNESCO condemned the killing of 77 journalists.  These were not high-profile war correspondents, killed in the heat of battle.  Most of them worked for small, local publications in peacetime.  They were killed for attempting to expose wrongdoing or corruption.

I condemn these murders and insist that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

All Governments have a duty to protect those who work in the media.  This protection must include investigating and prosecuting those who commit crimes against journalists.  Impunity gives the green light to criminals and murderers, and empowers those who have something to hide.  Over the long term, it has a corrosive and corrupting effect on society as a whole.
Our theme this year is “Freedom of Information: the right to know”.  The good news is that there is a global trend towards new laws which recognize the universal right to publicly held information.
But these new laws do not always translate into action.  Requests for official information are often refused, or delayed, for years.  At times, poor information management is to blame.  But all too often, this happens because of a culture of secrecy and a lack of accountability.

We must work to change attitudes and to raise awareness.  People have a right to information that affects their lives.  States have a duty to provide this information.  Such transparency is essential to good government.

The United Nations stands with persecuted journalists and media professionals everywhere.  Today, as every day, I call on Governments, civil society and people around the world to recognize the important work of media, and to stand up for freedom of information.

***29.04.2010. MEXICO. Mexico: International Mission Attacked in Oaxaca
Human Rights Defenders, Activists and Journalists Killed or Missing

Yesterday at 14h30, a convoy of over 40 international and local human rights defenders, activists and journalists were attacked by an armed group in the town of San Juan Copala, Oaxaca State.

Two human rights defenders were killed, Finnish citizen Jyri Antero Jaakkola, and Mexican Beatriz Alberta Carino Trujillo, member of the Centro de Apoyo Comunitario Trabajando Unidos (CACTUS), both died by gunshot wounds.

According to locals, 40 other people in the international human rights mission ran away and two journalists remain missing. The total number of people killed, wounded and missing is yet to be confirmed by Mexican authorities.

The two journalists, Erika Ramirez and David Cilia García are reporters for the journal Contralinea. According to the journal, Erika and David established contact for the last time with their colleagues in Mexico City yesterday at eleven in the morning.

Erika and David were travelling to Oaxaca to investigate the previous killings of Felicitas Martínez Sánchez and Teresa Bautista Merino. Felicitas and Teresa work for the Triqui community radio station “The voice that breaks the silence” in San Juan Copala and were killed on 7 April 2008. No one has been brought to justice for their murders.
According to local sources, one of the main concerns at the moment is that the Triqui region is more or less under siege, with no one allowed to leave, including those in need of hospital treatment.

The mission included human rights defenders coming from Finland, Italy, Belgium, and Germany, accompanied by representatives of local organisation the Red de Radios y Comunicadores Indígenas del Sureste Mexicano, Section 22 of the teachers union, the Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca (APPO) and journalists, including Erika Ramirez and David Cilia García.

Yesterday’s attack adds to the atmosphere of insecurity and political confrontation that has been typical of the region since the beginning of 2007. This has been attributed in part to the declaration in January 2007 by the Triqui people of the creation of the autonomous municipality of San Juan Copala, 350 km away from the state capital. Furthermore, there is information that confirms the presence of paramilitary groups in the area.

ARTICLE 19 expresses its solidarity with the families and colleagues of the victims. We urge the local and federal authorities to undertake all necessary measures to find Erika Ramirez, David Cilia and others urgently and provide all necessary assistance, including medical and repatriation.

ARTICLE 19 is deeply concerned about the escalating number of attacks against journalists and human rights defenders in Mexico, and especially about the evident pattern of violence in Oaxaca. We also urge the authorities to launch a proper investigation into the attack and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

***28.04.2010. AFGHANISTAN. Les journalistes de FR3 Hervé Ghesquière et Stéphane Taponier otages des talibans depuis 4 mois. La Presse Emblème Campagne (PEC) s'inquiète de leur sort et demande à nouveau leur libération immédiate. La PEC s'associe à la pétition lancée par RSF:

"Nous, amis et soutiens des deux journalistes et de leurs accompagnateurs afghans comprenons et respectons les consignes de silence et de discrétion autour de leur enlèvement afin de ne pas gêner les négociations qui s’engageraient avec les ravisseurs. Pour autant, nous ne pouvons pas admettre que des responsables politiques mettent en cause la probité professionnelle de nos confrères et amis.
Les journalistes de France Télévision enlevés sont tous deux très expérimentés, avec chacun plus de vingt ans d’expérience professionnelle sur de nombreux théâtres d’opération. Afghanistan, Proche Orient, conflit de l’ex-Yougoslavie, Rwanda, guérillas du Cambodge, ex-URSS, ils ont effectué de nombreux reportages dans des pays en guerre. C’est à ce titre que la rédaction de France 3 leur a confié cette mission d’information en Afghanistan.
Journalistes et amis, nous n’accepterons pas que la réputation de nos confrères soit salie et diminuée alors même qu’ils sont encore aux mains de leurs ravisseurs et qu’ils n’ont pas encore livré le récit de leur enlèvement. Les propos tenus sont outrageants au regard du parcours professionnel de nos confrères, des risques qu’ils ont encourus avec certains d’entre nous pour informer le public lors d’autres conflits et des motivations profondes qui les guident dans l’accomplissement de leur métier. Le dénigrement de nos confrères est en outre très blessant pour les familles. Et puisque la recommandation est à la discrétion, nous aurions souhaité que les responsables politiques soient les premiers à faire preuve de retenue. Loin des contre-vérités et des polémiques. L’Etat doit assistance à tout citoyen français, fût-il journaliste"

signez la pétition sur le site de RSF: www.rsf.org

***22.04.2010. CONSTERNACIÓN EN AMÉRICA LATINA POR SEXTO PERIODISTA ASESINADO EN HONDURAS

La Federación de Periodistas de América Latina y el Caribe (FEPALC) expresa su consternación por el asesinato del periodista Jorge Georgino Orellana, sexto asesinado en los últimos dos meses en Honduras.

La FEPALC denuncia a viva voz la escalada de violencia contra los comunicadores sociales registrada en Honduras, que aumenta de manera delirante el número de víctimas del sector en la región.

Orellana fue asesinado la noche del último martes 20 de abril al salir de las instalaciones del canal de televisión en el que trabajaba, en San Pedro de Sula.
El comunicador dirigía el programa "En vivo con Georgino", un programa de
debates que se emitía de lunes a viernes en Televisión de Honduras.

Lo que más reclama la FEPALC es la celeridad con la que los agentes oficiales descartan –y no sólo en Honduras- el móvil del trabajo periodístico como causa del asesinato. Siempre arguyen altos índices de criminalidad o móviles pasionales, lo que nos parece inaceptable en recogida de evidencias y análisis de circunstancias que no han tomado siquiera 24 horas.

La FEPALC recuerda que otros cinco periodistas fueron asesinados en marzo en la peor escalada de ataques de este tipo en Honduras: José Bayardo Mairena Ramírez y Manuel de Jesús Juárez, comunicadores de Canal 4 y Radio Excélsior de Juticalpa, Olancho (26 de marzo); Nahúm Palacios Arteaga, periodista, asesinado en Tocoa el 14 de marzo; David Meza, reportero radiofónico, asesinado el 11 de marzo en La Ceiba; y Joseph Hernández Ochoa, presentador de televisión, asesinado a balazos el 1 de marzo en Tegucigalpa en un atentado en el que una colega suya, también periodista, resultó gravemente herida.

A lo acontecido en Honduras, la FEPALC suma su enérgico grito de no a la
impunidad a los crímenes contra la periodista María Isabella Cordero, ex conductora de la cadena Televisa, en Chihuahua, en México y el reportero gráfico Arsenio Zambrano Ocampo, en Colombia, victimados en las últimas dos semanas.

Nuestra organización ante tan dramática situación demanda a los Estados
hondureño, mexicano y colombiano tomar medidas certeras que garanticen la
vida y seguridad de los periodistas.

Es terrible que a la fecha a consecuencia de la indiferencia y la ineficacia de los gobiernos sólo sumemos víctimas, una tras otra, sin que sea posible identificar a los culpables.

Honduras se ha convertido en el país con el mayor número de periodistas-víctimas en lo que va del 2010, seguido de México y Colombia.

Celso Schroder
Presidente FEPALC

Zuliana Lainez
Secretaria Derechos Humanos FEPALC

FEDERACIÓN DE PERIODISTAS DE AMÉRICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE (FEPALC)
Federación Argentina de Trabajadores de Prensa (FATPREN); Federación
Nacional de Periodistas (FENAJ); Sindicato Nacional de Periodistas de
Costa Rica (SNP); Federación Colombiana de Periodistas (FECOLPER); Federación Nacional de Trabajadores de los Medios de Comunicación Social de Chile (FENATRAMCO); Sindicato de Periodistas y Similares de El Salvador (SINPESS); Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Industria de la Prensa y Similares de Honduras
(SITINPRES); Sindicato Nacional de Redactores de Prensa de México (SNRP);
Sindicato de Periodistas del Paraguay (SPP); Asociación Nacional de Periodistas del Perú (ANP); Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Prensa de la República Dominicana (SNTP); Asociación de Prensa Uruguaya (APU); Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Prensa de Venezuela (SNTP).

***21.04.2010. Appeal for Press Freedom Day silence to honour world journalist dead (INSI)

London, 21 April - The International News Safety Institute supports a call for a minute's silence in newsrooms around the world to honour more than 1,500 journalists and other news media who have died trying to cover the story over the past 14 years.

UNESCO has called for the gesture of respect to take place this and every year on World Press Freedom Day, 3 May, "to denounce the murder of journalists and to demand an end to impunity" for their killers.

An INSI global inquiry into the deaths of news professionals, Killing The Messenger, recorded 1,000 deaths between 1996 and mid-2006. A further 500 have died since then, maintaining an average of more than two deaths every week. Twenty-four are confirmed killed this year so far, with an additional 14 cases under investigation to determine whether the killings were connected with the victims' work.

INSI and other news support organisations have found than in more than eight out of 10 cases no one is ever brought to justice. In some countries the prosecution rate is virtually zero.

"This is the dreadful hidden price of our world news," said INSI Director Rodney Pinder. "The death toll is a shocking indictment of States that fail in their duty to protect their journalist citizens -- and of other countries who profess a staunch commitment to freedom of expression but stand aloof when journalists die just trying to do their job.

"One minute's silence in newsrooms on World Press Freedom Day surely is the least we can do to remember our friends and colleagues who have fallen as well as those who still put their lives on the line daily to keep us informed."

The UNESCO proposal was adopted by the Intergovernmental Council of the
Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) at its 27th session in Paris last month. The IPDC aims to mobilise the international community in support of media development in developing countries.

A Decision adopted on the safety of journalists stressed the responsibility of States to comply with their obligations under international law to end impunity and prosecute those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law.

It called on member States to inform the Director-General of UNESCO of actions taken to prevent impunity as well as the progress of judicial inquiries into the murders of journalists.

The Decision also sought to place a priority on projects that support local capacity building for the safety of journalists. (INSI noted in this regard that it had provided free safety training for more than 1,595 news media staff in 21 countries.)

The Decision concluded by proposing UNESCO convenes an inter-agency meeting of all relevant UN agencies to formulate "a comprehensive, coherent and action-orientated approach to the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity."

***20.04.2010. PHILIPPINES. Statement of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility on the Agra order to drop the multiple murder charges against Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Zaldy Ampatuan Zaldy and Mamasapano Mayor Datu Akmad Ampatuan in connection with the Ampatuan Massacre

THE ORDER of acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra for state prosecutors to drop the multiple murder charges against Zaldy and Akmad Ampatuan in connection with the Ampatuan Massacre of 2009 has understandably aroused suspicions of political interference.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar has described these suspicions and outright allegations as “an obscenity.” But the real and current obscenity in this country is the fact that the alleged president for whom Olivar speaks has become central to the major issues that beset this country, most particularly that of whether there will be a change in its putrid leadership rather than more of the
same despite the 2010 elections.

Why the country has reached this point is clear: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has demonstrated time and again that no method is too mean and no tactic too low for her to use in her drive to remain in power, and that includes committing the worst travesties against the very institutions—whether the police, the military or the justice system—that sustain State power.

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo would rather that the public forget it, but there is no denying that the Ampatuans were, and could still be, her political allies, and that their help could be crucial in insuring the victory of the ruling coalition’s candidates at both the national and local levels.

The political imperative rather than the legal one is thus evident in Secretary Agra’s attempt to justify his order. His predecessor had ruled that there was “probable cause” that the two Ampatuans were involved in the conspiracy to waylay, abduct and kill the 57 men and women in the Mangudadatu convoy last November 23.

Whether either Ampatuan or both Ampatuans were actually present during the massacre is an incidental issue. If they were part of the conspiracy, their knowledge of and involvement in its planning constitutes the “probable cause” that Agra’s predecessor concluded existed as far as the two Ampatuans were concerned. It is that which must be established or proven false during the trial. Despite all this Agra still issued the order, thus the universal suspicion that
Malacañang had told him to do so.

But there is not much point in belaboring the obvious. In the face of this most recent outrage against both justice and democracy, the media need to take this issue to the rest of Philippine society, and to bring to the attention of the Filipino people the impending travesty the Arroyo regime is once more poised to commit. The press too needs to support the public prosecutors protesting Agra’s order, and it needs to engage law groups as well as the rest of civil society not only in
condemning the order, but even more importantly, in demanding that he
recall it. For this the press and everyone else must take to the streets if necessary.

***16.04.2010. SOMALIA. IFJ Challenges Somali Extremists and International Community over Independent Media

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global voice of journalists, has expressed fresh concern over efforts on all sides in Somalia to wipe out independent media. The intervention follows a serious deterioration of the situation for private media outlets operating out of Somalia's densely populated and war-torn capital city of Mogadishu.

According to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), an IFJ affiliate, the Somali Islamist insurgent group, Hisbul Islam, has imposed bans on radio stations instructing them not to air music and songs and to refer to foreign fighters fighting the country not as "foreigners", but as "Muhaajiriin". Some 14 radio stations in Mogadishu buckled under this pressure and implemented the Hisbul Islam edict after a ten-day ultimatum.

"This latest action coming after months and years of violent intimidation illustrates the wretched state of press freedom in Somalia," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "Journalists are in the frontline of the struggle for peace and democracy in Somalia and they must be supported."

The IFJ says that the latest censorship is in line with similar actions been imposed on media stations in the southern Somalia regions held by Al-Shabaab Islamic extremists group. Many journalists fled or became Al-Shabaab hostages. This group took over Radio stations in Baidoa and Kismayu.

The IFJ says that media have also suffered as Somali extremist groups have put pressure on some trading companies not to place advertisements with particular media companies. Media and independent journalism have taken a hit too as donor support has diminished.

"The threats and bullying of journalists and the financial uncertainty surrounding private media have created a dangerous and despairing environment," said White. "More must be done to support media and to ensure the survival of independent journalism."

Radio Mogadishu, which is run and controlled by the Transitional Federation Government of Somalia (TFG), was launched to counter propaganda of Al-Shabaab. Newly established Radio Bar-Kulan, broadcasted in Nairobi but transmitted in strong FM station in Mogadishu, with the funding of the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA) is widely believed by the local media to support African Union Peace Keeping Troops in Mogadishu.

"The international community must not reduce its commitment to fund and to
support media nor should it show hesitation in backing the private sector," said White. "These are the vital outlets that reflect the independent voice of the Somali people. If international support is withdrawn it will open the door to new pressure from extremists and the enemies of press freedom."

***13.04.2010. AFGHANISTAN. In Video, Journalist Says French President ‘Must Negotiate Very Quickly, Otherwise We Will Be Executed Soon’ (IPI)

In a video released by the Taliban in Afghanistan on Monday, two French journalists who were kidnapped in December say they will be killed unless the Taliban’s demands are met. 
 
The two journalists, Stephane Taponnier and Herve Ghesquiere, both employed by France 3 television, were kidnapped in December in Afghanistan’s northeastern Kapisa province, along with their driver and Afghan translator.  

One of the kidnappers’ demands was that the video be broadcast on France 3 television.  

France 3 for the first time on Monday revealed the journalists’ names and images. The channel stated that it had so far protected the duo’s anonymity in the interest of their security, but that it had taken the decision to make the information public at the request of their family members.  
 
The video shows one of the journalists reading from a notebook, in English: “This message is the last message for the French government and my TV: France 3. After three months to be prisoner, the Taliban want absolutely that their (will) has to be accepted by French officials.” 

He adds: "The French president, Mr. Nicolas Sarkozy, must understand that we are now in danger of death. I repeat, the French president must negotiate very quickly, otherwise we will be executed soon." 
 
The French Foreign Ministry has announced that it is working to secure the journalists’ release. “Given that this could have a direct impact on the security of our two compatriots and the course of our action to secure their release, we prefer to exert the utmost discretion on this point,” spokesman Bernard Valero was quoted by AFP as saying.
 
The video was reportedly released on a Taliban website, alemarah.info, and was accompanied by a statement which announced that the Taliban had sent the French government a list of detainees who were to be released in exchange for the journalists’ safety. 
 
The area of Afghanistan where the journalists were kidnapped is primarily French-patrolled. 
 
In recent times, journalists have repeatedly been kidnapped or taken hostage by nations or non-state actors in hopes of ransom or political mileage. Earlier this month, two journalists of British origin were reportedly kidnapped when they were returning from an interview with Taliban representatives in Pakistan’s restive North West Frontier Province. Last year Iran arrested and tried an American journalist, Roxana Saberi, sentencing her to eight years on espionage charges. She was later released after her sentence was suspended. Also in 2009, North Korea detained two American journalists after it claimed that they had illegally crossed the border from China to North Korea. They were released after a visit to North Korea by former U.S President Bill Clinton. 
 
“It is unacceptable that journalists be used as pawns or as tools for political maneuvering,” said IPI Press Freedom Manager Anthony Mills. “Journalists are neutral observers and must be treated as such. They should be allowed to do their job freely and without fear of being kidnapped for political ends. The Taliban must release these journalists unharmed immediately.”

***08.04.2010. IRAQ: US MILITARY WHISTLEBLOWERS SHARE VIDEO OF REUTERS STAFF BEING KILLED

Chilling video footage of the US military killing a dozen Iraqis, including two Reuters staff, was released on 5 April by WikiLeaks, a website that publishes leaked information. The disturbing video was taken from a US Apache helicopter, and includes heartless commentary from soldiers as they fire on civilians in a Baghdad neighbourhood.

Reuters photographer Namir Noor-Eldeen, 22, and his assistant Saeed Chmagh, 40, are seen in the video walking with cameras slung over their shoulders when the voice of a US soldier identifies the cameras as "weapons." Prior to the attack, Chmagh is talking on the phone. Minutes later, a van appears; as two men start carrying a wounded Chmagh to the van, the helicopter fires on the van. Two children were hurt in the subsequent firing.

The US military claims fighting took place between US forces and insurgents. The video shows otherwise. WikiLeaks also spoke to witnesses and journalists directly involved in the episode. "The Guardian" reports the Pentagon has identified WikiLeaks as a threat to national security. Meanwhile, Reuters has been unsuccessful in its attempts to obtain a copy of the video through the Freedom of Information Act.

go to the WikiLeaks website: www.wikileaks.org 

REMEMBER: seven years ago the attack by US forces on Palestine Hotel in Baghdad 

The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) joins journalists and media workers from media organisations across the world and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in commemorating the seven-year anniversary of two attacks by the United States in Iraq which resulted in the deaths of several journalists.

On April 8, 2003, an attack by US forces on Baghdad’s Palestine Hotel killed José Couso, of Spain’s Telecinco and Taras Protsyuk, a Ukrainian cameraman working for Reuters. The hotel has long been known for hosting foreign journalists.
 
On the same day, US forces attacked the offices of the Al Jazeera broadcaster in Baghdad, killing reporter Tareq Ayyoub. 
 
The IFJ and other press freedom groups examined the Pentagon’s November 2004 report on the attack on the Palestine Hotel, concluding it was flawed and unconvincing. 
 
The IFJ calls on US President Barack Obama to now set up a thorough inquiry, in the spirit of his stated vision of hope for peace and stability in Iraq.
 
This year’s April 8 anniversary coincides with publication by Wikileaks on April 5 of a video which reportedly portrays a US military helicopter in July 2007 opening fire on and killing civilians in Baghdad, among them Reuters photographer Namir Noor-Eldeen and driver Sameed Chmagh.
 
Reuters has repeatedly requested this US military footage under US freedom of information laws, to no avail. The footage can be seen at the following link: www.collateralmurder.com

Today, the IFJ and its affiliates are writing to President Obama requesting that his administration take responsibility to explain the 2003 and 2007 attacks, especially to the families and colleagues of the victims.

In 2006, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1738, which calls on governments to protect journalists and media personnel working in situations of war and conflict, in accordance with their civilian status. 

At the most recent meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva last month, the IFJ alongside Article 19 and the International News Safety Institute (INSI) welcomed a draft resolution on protection of journalists in situations of armed conflict. 

The draft resolution recognises the “vital role played by the press in situations of armed conflict” and highlights “the large and increasing number of deaths and injuries among members of the press in armed conflict”.

***01.04.2010. FIVE JOURNALISTS KILLED IN HONDURAS IN MARCH, UNESCO REPORTS

New York, Apr 1 2010 10:10AM
The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom today spoke out against the murders of two radio journalists ambushed last week, bringing the total number of media professionals killed in the Central American nation last month alone to five.

As José Bayardo Mairena and Manuel Juárez, who worked for the radio stations Excélsior and Super 10, drove from hosting a radio programme in Catacamas, in eastern Honduras, their car was sprayed with bullets by unidentified armed men, according to reports.

“Such despicable crimes against media professionals undermine the fundamental right of freedom of information, cornerstone of a democratic society,” said Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/).

Also killed last month were journalist Nahúm Palacios Arteaga in Tocoa on 14 March; radio reporter David Meza on 11 March in La Ceiba; and, on 1 March, reporter Joseph Hernández Ochoa in Tegucigalpa, in a shooting that seriously wounded another journalist.

“I call on the Honduran authorities to make every possible effort to arrest the perpetrators and put an end to this unprecedented and intolerable wave of violence,” Ms. Bokova said.

Reporters Without Borders, a non-governmental organization (NGO), has said that Honduras and Mexico are now the deadliest countries by far for journalists working in the Western Hemisphere.

A new report issued by UNESCO last week found that rising numbers of journalists are being killed worldwide, mostly in countries that are at peace, calling for an end to impunity in the murders of media professionals. Last year set a new record, with 77 murders reported by the agency. The high number is due in part to the murder of some 30 journalists in one day during an ambush in the Philippines on 23 November 2009, the publication says. Sadly, the frequency of acts of violence against journalists is increasing,” it notes. “In most cases, impunity precludes the way of justice, and if this trend prevails, journalists will remain easy targets.

“Needless to say this represents a severe threat to freedom of expression
and to our ability to seek the truth.” 

***26.03.10. UN Human Rights Council: ARTICLE 19, IFJ and INSI Back New UN Action over Safety of Journalists in Armed Conflict (see PEC NEWS)

ARTICLE 19, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International News Safety Institute (INSI) have welcomed a draft resolution on protection of journalists in situations of armed conflict which has been proposed at the thirteenth session of the UN Human Rights Council by Bangladesh, Egypt and Mexico.

The draft resolution coincides with action at UNESCO where a request was made for an inter-agency discussion to promote a UN-wide action plan on the safety of journalists.

The draft resolution recognises the “vital role played by the press in situations of armed conflict” and highlights “the large and increasing number of deaths and injuries among members of the press in armed conflict”. It calls on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to organise a panel discussion on the issue with “all concerned parties and stakeholders, including relevant press organizations and associations”.

ARTICLE 19, IFJ and INSI welcome the spirit of the resolution, particularly the support from Mexico which has one of highest rate of journalists’ killings over the last three years. They are nevertheless concerned that the process suggested by the resolution (a panel discussion) is inappropriate in view of the gravity of the situation. The resolution also fails to make reference to, and build on, steps taken to date by the international community, and to enforce commitments by member
states which are still to be implemented.

In 2006, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1738 calling on governments to protect journalists in armed conflict situations. The resolution, recalling the frequency of acts of violence, including deliberate attacks in many parts of the world against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflicts called on all parties to put an end to such practices.

The Security Council demanded that all parties to an armed conflict must comply with their obligations under international law to protect civilians in armed conflict. It also emphasized the responsibility of States in that regard, as well as their obligation to end impunity and to prosecute those responsible for serious violations. All parties in situations of armed conflict were urged to respect the professional independence and rights of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians.

Some four years later, the recommendations still have to be fully implemented. Over the past 12 years, more than 1,100 journalists and media staff have been killed in the line of duty. Almost none of these crimes have been prosecuted and impunity for crimes committed against journalists is especially high.

ARTICLE 19, IFJ and INSI call on the three sponsors and all member states
to:
• Comply with their obligations under international law to protect civilians in armed conflicts and end impunity, as highlighted by UN Security Council Resolution 1738 (2006) on violence against journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel in armed conflicts; and other international agreements and initiatives;
• Ensure that a future panel discussion on the topic focuses on the implementation of existing international agreements and commitments, with the view of identifying the gaps and problems with violence and impunity, and effective ways of addressing them.

ARTICLE 19, IFJ and INSI encourage broad participation in this process and
accordingly offer their assistance to all interested parties.

***18.03.10. MEXICO: EIGHT JOURNALISTS ABDUCTED, TWO KILLED

In Mexico, information can be fatal. Eight journalists were abducted in separate episodes between 18 February and 3 March, report the Center for Journalism and Public Ethics (CEPET), Inter American Press Association (IAPA), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Three journalists were later released; one of them died as a result of being tortured. Mexican journalists in newsrooms remain silent about the kidnappings for fear of reprisals from drug traffickers. And in another part of the country also caught in the terror of drug cartels, another journalist was slain on 12 March.

The abducted journalists work for both print and broadcast media and were kidnapped in Reynosa, northern Tamaulipas State. Sources declined to name the victims or file complaints with authorities due to fear of retaliation or further endangering the victims' lives. The abductions come at a time of bloody clashes between two drug cartels in the Reynosa border area, and the press has been intimidated into not reporting on the violence. Local journalists say the cartels are behind the kidnappings and corrupt police are protecting them. "An escalating internal dispute among drug cartel members has claimed over 200 lives in 14 days and contributed to a media blackout," reports the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA).

Reporter Jorge Rábago Valdez, 49, who worked for the Reynosa-based daily "La Prensa" and broadcasters Radio Rey and Reporteros en la Red, was abducted on 19 February. He was dumped on a highway less than two weeks later, and was found alive, but unconscious with signs of torture. He died in a hospital on 2 March. Miguel Angel Domínguez Zamora, a reporter for the Reynosa-based "El Mañana", has been missing since 1 March.

Two reporters from the Milenio media group were assigned to cover drug-related violence in Reynosa. They were abducted on 3 March and freed the next day. A top editor at Milenio, Ciro Gómez Leyva, wrote an op-ed saying they had been injured and their abductors had warned them to avoid any reporting on them. "Journalism in Reynosa is dead. I have nothing more to say," he said.

"As drug trafficking, violence, and lawlessness take hold," said CPJ, "the Mexican media are forced into silence. This pervasive self-censorship is causing severe damage to Mexican democracy."

In a separate incident, Mexican reporter Evaristo Pacheco Solís was found shot to death last week in Chilpancingo, Guerrero State - another area convulsed with open warfare between drug gangs, report RSF, CPJ and the International Press Institute (IPI). A reporter with the weekly "Visión Informativa", Pacheco Solís is the second journalist killed in Guerrero this year. According to press reports, at least 15 people died in a series of violent attacks in Guerrero last week.

"As journalist after journalist is slain there, the Mexican population - who stand at the forefront of the government's violent conflict with drug cartels - are being deprived of their right to information, and courageous Mexican journalists are being brutally deprived of their right to inform," said IPI.

Related stories on ifex.org:
- Eight journalists kidnapped in two weeks :
www.ifex.org/mexico/2010/03/12/tamaulipas_violence/

- Journalist shot to death in Guerrero:
www.ifex.org/mexico/2010/03/16/pacheco_solis_killed/

***16.03.10. IFJ Condemns Spate of Journalists' Murders in Honduras

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today expressed fresh concern over the media crisis in Honduras following three murders in two weeks targeting media. The killings of Joseph Hernández Ochoa, a former TV presenter on 1 March, David Meza Montesinos, a radio reporter who died on 11 March and fellow reporter Nahum Palacios Arteaga murdered three days later were carried out in drive- by shootings.
"This spate of murders targeting journalists in Honduras shows the alarming level of increasing political violence in the country," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "There is a disturbing trend of targeting of journalists in a cold-blooded series of planned assassinations."
According to media reports, all three journalists were killed while driving their cars. Arteaga, 34, a radio reporter, was shot dead on Sunday 14 March in the coastal city of Tocoa. Gunmen blocked his car before firing a hail of bullets - 41 in all - into the car, killing him instantly.
Montesinos, a veteran reporter for El Patio radio station, was killed as he was driving home in the town of La Ceiba when armed men opened fire from another car. He had reportedly received death threats earlier over his coverage of the drug trade.
Ochoa, a former television presenter, also died in a drive-by shooting which also injured a passenger in his car, fellow journalist Carol Cabrera. Their car was sprayed with bullets by gunmen travelling in another vehicle, reports say.
The IFJ says journalists are victims of organised crime as the country struggles to restore political dialogue and law and order in the wake of last year's coup d'état which sparked political unrest in the country. The Federation accused at the time the coup leaders of attacking journalists and closing media in Honduras.
"Journalists are extremely vulnerable in Honduras as impunity is taking hold in the country," added White. "Every effort must be made to protect journalists and restore the rule of law and order to the streets."

***07.03.10. Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) Annual report of violations of media freedoms in the Occupied Palestinian Territories: 173 violations of media freedoms in oPt during the year 2009 - 2009 was a bloody year for Palestinian journalists

Israel's continued occupation of the Palestinian lands has lead to continued violations of media freedoms during the past year (2009). The ongoing conflict between Fatah and Hamas was the main factor in the violations that took place by the Palestinian side, whereas the Palestinian territories are still characterized by the security control of several parties which leads to a multiplicity of actors that violate media freedoms. There are Israeli occupation authorities and settlers On the one hand and security apparatuses in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on the other, in addition to Palestinian armed groups which led to the continued decline of media freedom and freedom of expression available. The excessive practice of self censorship by journalists and media outlets have also led to a decline in the level and professionalism of Palestinian media.
 
In this context, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) has monitored 173 violations of media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories during the past year 2009, 97 of which were committed by the Israeli occupation forces and settlers, and 76 were committed by the Palestinian security apparatuses in the West Bank and Gaza, and the Palestinian armed groups.
 
 Although the size of the violations against the Palestinian Journalists is large and it is considered one of the largest rates at the global level, but it marks a decline in the number of violations compared to year 2008, which witnessed 257 violations monitored by MADA Center. It was noted that despite this decline the past year was a bloody year for the Palestinian journalists who have lost four of their colleagues by the fire of the Israeli occupation forces during the aggression on the Gaza Strip. Those are: Omar Silawi, A'la Murtaja, Basel Faraj and Ihab Al-Wehaidi.

It was noted that violations against Palestinian journalists have been increasing when the inter-Palestinian disputes were escalating. The attacks by the Israeli side have also seriously increased during the aggression against the Gaza Strip during the month of January as well as during the coverage of peace marches against the Apartheid Wall in the West Bank. The Israeli security forces have escalated their attacks against journalists in the city of Jerusalem and banned their entry to the yards of Al-Aqsa Mosque in a clear violation not only to international conventions and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but also to the Israeli law itself which occupation forces forcibly apply in the occupied East Jerusalem.

In the same context, Israel continued its policy of detaining journalists. The number of detainees among them has attained seven journalists. The same was repeated by the Palestinian side where thirty journalists have been detained. The same number was kept in custody by the Israeli and the Palestinian sides for different periods. However, the number of Palestinian journalists who were injured by Israeli occupation forces has attained 34, while the number of injuries due to beating attacks by the Palestinian side has attained six journalists.

In another corner of this scene, last year haunted bombing and destruction of a large number of media institutions and homes of journalists in the Gaza Strip during the Israeli aggression. The Israeli occupation forces have, moreover, prevented the entry of Palestinian newspapers over the past year, in addition to continuing its policy of restricting the movement of journalists from and to the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, the occupation forces continued its old policy of preventing most of the journalists in the West Bank from freedom of movement to and from Israel and Jerusalem, as well as the denial of travel abroad to some journalists.
The Israeli systematic and continued measures against the entire components of the media sector in Palestine prevented many of our colleagues from traveling abroad to receive international and regional awards that were awarded to them due to their objectivity and professionalism in the coverage of the Palestinian reality with all its pains and hopes.

 The persistence of the political divide with all attendant sharpness and rift in the relationship between Hamas and Fatah led to further infringement on press freedoms by the Palestinian security apparatuses in both parts of the country. It also led to keeping many media institutions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip banned from functioning or halted as a result of their staff’s fear of prosecution and attacks, since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in mid-June 2007.

 The continued conflict between the two movements has also led to the promotion of self-oversight among the Palestinians journalist which negatively impacted on the productivity and professionalism of the Palestinian media. Tow concepts became dominating the mentality of a big number of journalists: fear or courtesy, the fear of Hamas or courtesy to it as well as the fear of Fatah or courtesy to it.
 
In regard to kidnapping of journalists, the Palestinian arena and for the second consecutive year did not see any cases of abduction of journalists, which predicts the demise of this phenomenon that prevailed in the Palestinian territories for several years, and produced very negative impacts on the work of the media outlets, especially the international ones. It is noted in this regard that such a phenomenon had also a negative and dangerous impact on the status of the Palestinian cause. When a foreign journalist is kidnapped, the international public opinion, especially the one of the country of the kidnapped, will retreat in its sympathy to the Palestinians and their just demands.

 While “MADA” is welcoming the decision of Dr. Salam Fayyad which prohibits torture in the prisons of the Palestinian National Authority, and the decision of the Director General of Police in the Gaza Strip not to abuse journalists, but to facilitate their mission, which will have positive impact on press freedom, we request that the decisions should be accompanied with a resolution by relevant authorities in the West Bank and Gaza  strip prohibits the arrest of journalists on the background of freedom of opinion and expression.
 
“MADA” Center condemns all attacks against journalists and media outlets which is a flagrant violation of freedom of expression guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Palestinian Basic Law and the Law on Press and Publication.

 MADA Center also expresses its appreciation to the colleague journalists who, despite the seriousness of the situation in the Palestinian territories and the magnitude of the repeated attacks on them, continued to do their full duty, risking their lives in many cases. The cheerful difference here is that many of them have received regional and international awards which indicate their high level of professionalism.
 
We confirm again that without the demise of the Israeli occupation and putting an end to the internal Palestinian conflict, it is difficult to talk about a dramatic drop in attacks on journalists and Palestinian media outlets.
 
Recommendations:

 Based on the details of the Palestinian media sector over the past year and due to the goals of the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) in terms of defending media freedoms and developing the Palestinian media, it recommends the following:

·      Respecting the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Palestinian Basic Law and the Law on Press and Publication.

·      Urging the international community to pressure Israel to stop its attacks on journalists and Palestinian media outlets.

·      Releasing the journalists detained in Israeli and Palestinian prisons.

·      Prohibiting the arrest of journalists by the Palestinian security apparatuses in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and not involving them in the internal Palestinian disputes.

·      Allowing all media outlets and journalists in the West Bank and Gaza to work freely and safely.

·      Commitment of the Palestinian journalists to professional standards, and not to resort to incitement.

·      Forming a supreme council for media to be responsible for the official media bodies to ensure their impartiality and objectivity.

·      Respecting the decisions of the judiciary, especially the rulings of the Supreme Court of Justice, related to journalists by the authorities responsible for law enforcement.

·      Prosecuting all those responsible for attacks on journalists and bringing them to justice.

·      Enacting a law on the right free access to information, and amending the Law on Press and Publications of 1995, in accordance with the Palestinian Basic Law and the international standards on freedom of expression. 

Full report on: www.madacenter.org

***03.03.10. KILLING OF NEPALESE MEDIA GROUP HEAD SPARKS UN ALARM 

The United Nations human rights office in Nepal today expressed its deep concern over the killing of the head of a media group, the latest in a string of murders of journalists in the Asian nation.

Arun Singhanyia, chairperson of the Janakpur Today Media Group in southern
Nepal, was shot dead on 1 March. According to media reports, he was killed
as he was traveling home after celebrating the Hindu festival of Holi.

His murder comes just one month after the killing of Jamim Shah, head of satellite TV station Channel Nepal and cable TV company Space Time Network, who was shot dead by two men on a motorcycle on a major thoroughfare in Katmandu, the capital. His driver Mathuraman Malakar was seriously injured in the attack.

Last year, Uma Singh, a reporter at Radio Today FM and a member of the Women’s Human Rights Defenders in the southern district of Dhanusha, was hacked to death in her own home by men armed with “khukhuris,” curved knives traditional to Nepal.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal stressed today that threats and violence against the media can jeopardize the right to freedom of expression, and that journalists must be able to carry out their profession safely and have their human rights fully respected.

The State must ensure the necessary security and intervene when appropriate for all journalists under threat, it added.

“The protection of journalists is of paramount importance in a democratic society and both State and non-State actors must show full respect for press freedom and support a free and independent media,” said Andrew Palmer, Officer-in-Charge of OHCHR-Nepal.

A decade-long civil war, claiming some 13,000 lives, ended in 2006 with
the signing of a peace accord between the Government and Maoists. After
conducting Constituent Assembly elections in May 2008, Nepal abolished its
240-year-old monarchy and declared itself a republic. 

UNESCO CHIEF DEPLORES KILLING OF NEPALESE MEDIA OWNER
New York, Mar 4 2010 11:10AM
The head of the United Nations agency tasked with defending press freedom
today condemned the murder of Nepalese media owner Arun Singhaniya, while
reiterating her concerns over the ongoing threats faced by journalists in
the South Asian nation.

Mr. Singhaniya was killed on 1 March in the south-eastern city of
Janakpur, the second such murder three weeks. According to local media
sources, he was shot by four men on motorbikes, and several armed groups
have claimed responsibility for the murder.

He was chairman of Janakpur Today Publications, which publishes Janakpur
Today and operates Radio Today. A journalist from the radio station, Uma
Singh, was murdered 12 months ago.

“I condemn the murder of Arun Singhaniya, who was fulfilling an important
role in the development of a dynamic information service,” UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova stated in a news release.

She stressed that in Nepal, as elsewhere in the world, a pluralistic media
serves as a vital pillar for freedom of expression, and voiced her
conviction that the Nepalese authorities should do everything possible to
ensure that this crime does not go unpunished.

***03.03.10. PHILIPPINES: Statement of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility and theSoutheast Asian Press Alliance on the 100th day of the Ampatuan Massacre

A hundred days have passed since the massacre of 32 journalists and media workers in Maguindanao, Southern Philippines, together with 26 others. The principal suspect has been indicted.
But the petition for bail of the alleged mastermind has been the subject of
several postponements, in a portent of things to come that’s not encouraging
for the demand for justice for the victims.

The urgent demand for justice is in danger of foundering on the shoals of the technicalities that—together with police collusion at the local levels in the killing of journalists, overworked prosecutors who fear for their safety, and the involvement of local officials and warlords—constitute the many weaknesses of the Philippine justice system.  Equally distressing is the information, relayed by one of the private lawyers helping prosecute the case, that witnesses are being bought if not threatened, and that relatives are being offered amounts that few mortals in the Philippine community setting can refuse in exchange for withdrawing their complaints.

Add public indifference and resignation, and the mass media’s own short attention span and susceptibility to the lure of reporting those events that help boost ratings and circulations to these problems and issues, and we have the potential for the massacre’s  not only going unpunished, but even forgotten.

Forgetfulness is among the worst vices of a people whom the media have failed to provide information crucial to their lives. And yet, forgetfulness is the sure guarantee for the repetition of such atrocities as the Ampatuan massacre, the human rights violations that continue to haunt this country, and the constant peril of authoritarian rule. Only by remembering the past can we prevent its repetition.

The media are among the institutions crucial to the fostering of the imperative of keeping in the public mind the need for justice in the Ampatuan massacre and for the making of a culture of remembrance. But the public as a whole needs to support the campaign to keep the Ampatuan massacre in the national agenda as an issue that needs resolution. As we enter the fourth month since that atrocity, the undersigned media and journalists’ organizations renew their pledge never to forget and to continue to remind the Philippine public and the international community that the pro-active engagement of a militant people and a truly free and responsible press can prevent the many crimes and atrocities that haunt this country, among them the killing of journalists, from going unpunished and even repeated. 

***03.03.10. MEXICO: PUBLIC OFFICIALS BEHIND CRIMES AGAINST JOURNALISTS

Mexico is the deadliest country in the Americas for journalists trying to do their job. Organised crime is often perceived as being predominantly behind attacks on the press, but a new report by ARTICLE 19 and the National Center for Social Communication (CENCOS) points to public officials as the main perpetrators. And there is a movement to challenge this culture of impunity with newspaper editors and journalists joining forces to urge the government to take action, reports the Inter American Press Association (IAPA).

ARTICLE 19 and CENCOS recorded 244 cases of attacks and intimidation against journalists and media workers in 2009. Within that number of attacks, 11 journalists were assassinated and one more has disappeared. More than 65 percent of assaults on press freedom came from political authorities or individuals linked to political parties, compared to six percent from criminal gangs, with the Mexican army cited in 26 abuses.

The report examines the lack of political will to deal with the issue, along with severe corruption. Governments at all levels and security services are failing to protect media workers, which leads to a culture of impunity, allowing attacks on the press being carried out to eliminate unwanted reporting or dissident voices.

In a separate statement, ARTICLE 19 called on Gustavo Salas Chávez, the newly appointed Special Prosecutor for Crimes Against the Media, to be independent, impartial and to protect the rights of victims and avoid re-victimisation. The previous prosecutor was widely seen as ineffective at controlling attacks on the press and claimed that the murders of journalists were not work-related. As well, the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Crimes Against the Media (FEADP), established in 2006, has lacked the political will to investigate crimes and bring perpetrators to justice.

In addition, the Center for Journalism and Public Ethics (CEPET) recorded 183 attacks on journalists and 19 attacks on media in 2009, a 10 percent increase from the year before. According to CEPET's annual report, the attacks include threats, arbitrary detention or intimidation, injuries and disappearances. CEPET records the murders of 13 journalists, although not all were linked to their work. CEPET's research concurs that most attacks are connected to the state, and most take place with impunity.

A forum held last month by IAPA, in Durango, Mexico, brought together newspaper editors and publishers from the Mexican states of Durango, Coahuila, Sinaloa and Sonora, to discuss the self-censorship that is routine as a result of violent reprisals from organised crime. It called on federal and state authorities to make crimes against journalists a federal offense and for the creation of a united front among police, public prosecutors' offices and the army, to give journalists timely and transparent access to information about acts of violence.

***18.02.10. CPJ LAUNCHES SURVEY OF ATTACKS ON THE PRESS AT EVENTS WORLDWIDE
 
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released its worldwide survey on press freedom violations, "Attacks on the Press," in six countries in different regions on 16 February. Drawing on CPJ's own investigations as well as information gathered by other IFEX members, the 360-page book details the struggles and threats journalists face and how these press freedom violations corrupt the flow of information, undermining democracy. The survey provides a factual, systematic analysis of the media environment in more than 100 countries, with information on journalists killed, imprisoned, and the repercussions of forcing journalists into in exile.

In Africa, dozens of journalists have gone into exile because of intimidation and violence, especially in Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea. And with this exodus of reporters, local communities no longer have a reliable source of information, governments or political factions take over control of formerly independent news outlets, and there are fewer journalists who have the professional standards and training to carry out independent news gathering. Many journalists remaining in Ethiopia and Eritrea have been imprisoned. In Somalia, English-speaking journalists are targeted. This means that without reliable local reporters, international reporters no longer get news. In exile in Nairobi, separated from loved ones, living on the streets, Somali journalists encounter arbitrary harassment and detention. At the Nairobi launch of the CPJ survey, Somali journalists pointed to the risks local journalists face in the war-ravaged country; nine journalists were killed in 2009.

In the Americas, unlawful spying by national intelligence agencies has created a chill with sources becoming increasingly reluctant to talk to journalists. Cuban state security agents have kept journalists and dissidents under constant surveillance for decades. In Colombia in 2009, agents subjected journalists, politicians, judges and human rights defenders to illegal phone tapping and e-mail interception. And in Argentina, there has been a federal investigation examining whether agents tapped the phones and hacked the e-mail accounts of critical journalists, politicians, judges, and artists as part of a strategy to discredit and stop their work.

On 16 February in Bogotá, CPJ and the local Foundation for Freedom of the Press (FLIP) launched their annual reports together. They also met with authorities, including President Alvaro Uribe Vélez, to discuss the findings of the reports. The delegates called on the Colombian government to prosecute all those responsible for illegal spying and to refrain from accusing members of the media of having connections to armed groups, without any evidence, as it puts their lives in danger.

The CPJ survey points to the power of the Internet in the Middle East in bringing human rights reporting to a mass audience by bloggers, despite brutal attacks on critics by the state, and the resilience of Arab journalists. "A 2008 survey of 600 journalists in 13 Arab countries by the American University in Cairo found that most believed their primary mission was to drive reform."

At a press conference in Cairo, Naziha Rejiba, editor of the Tunisian online publication "Kalima" and a 2009 CPJ International Press Freedom Awardee, offered a stark description of the harassment Tunisian journalists face. "They don't kill us physically... but they assassinate our characters." At the United Nations in New York, Canadian-Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari, who was detained and tortured for 118 days in Tehran's Evin prison, asked the secretary-general to prioritize free expression.

For Asia, the book includes a special section on the culture of impunity in the Philippines with a detailed account of the massacre of 32 journalists last November in election-related violence. For the international launch of the book, in Tokyo, CPJ led a panel discussion on how technology and the rise of social media is changing the press freedom landscape, with discussion on citizen journalists sending photos of street demonstrations in Iran, and other examples that highlight the worst abusers.

More on the web:
- Attacks on the press 2009 (CPJ): www.cpj.org/attacks/

***17.02.10 IRAN: IFEX MEMBERS SPEARHEAD CAMPAIGN TO RELEASE IMPRISONED IRANIAN JOURNALISTS

A coalition of IFEX members launched a campaign last week on the 31st anniversary of the Iranian revolution, to pressure the government of Iran to release journalists and activists imprisoned for exercising their right to free expression. The "Our Society Will Be a Free Society" campaign is named for a pledge that Ayatollah Khomenei made during the 1979 Iranian Revolution to protect freedom of expression and the press.

But in the last 31 years, thousands of newspapers have been shut down, hundreds of journalists arrested and hundreds more sentenced to long prison terms, and dozens executed. In the days leading up to the anniversary, in an effort to stop opposition protests and control the flow of information in and out of the country, authorities suspended Google Mail (saying they would soon create a national email service), blocked text messaging, slowed connectivity to the Internet and arrested several journalists, report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Meanwhile, foreign journalists were invited to Iran to cover pro-government celebrations, says RSF.

The coalition is a joint initiative of CPJ, RSF, International PEN, PEN American Center, English PEN, Index on Censorship, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) and the International Publishers Association (IPA). It is acting out of "a sense of shared, urgent concern for the welfare of journalists, writers and bloggers and a profound alarm over the situation for free expression in Iran." The campaign runs up to 20 March, the Iranian New Year, with events aimed at increasing pressure for the release of writers and journalists in prison. It then continues in North America and Europe through the spring. The group is also urging world leaders to apply pressure on Iran to release jailed dissidents. Some of the most distinguished journalists and leading bloggers are behind bars.

In an open letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the coalition asks him to respect the spirit of the 1979 revolution to "protect human rights and celebrate the Iranian people's freedom of expression" by releasing the more than 60 writers, journalists and bloggers in prison. "This list constitutes the largest number of our colleagues jailed by any country on earth at one time in over a decade," says the letter.

In an op-ed published on 10 February in the "International Herald Tribune" and addressed to Ayatollah Khamenei, Iranian-Canadian journalist and documentary filmmaker Maziar Bahari, who is working with the coalition, said: "The only accusation against many reporters who are languishing in Iranian jails at the moment is that they held a mirror to the actions of the Iranian government. They did not want to overthrow it. They never took up arms. All of them did their job as peacefully as journalists elsewhere around the world." Bahari was arrested while reporting on demonstrations in Tehran in the aftermath of the disputed June 2009 election. He also says, "I was unfortunate enough to know firsthand how your agents treat journalists. I was kept in your jail for 118 days simply for being a reporter. For much of that time I was tortured."

The Human Rights Council of the United Nations met on 15 February to examine Iran's human rights record. The Council has "more than 200 reports documenting the arbitrary arrests, incommunicado detentions and torture, often for the purposes of extracting false confessions, of intellectuals, students, artists, human rights defenders, journalists and others after the disputed presidential elections last year," says the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN (WiPC).

"The countries that say nothing about the bloody crackdown that has been taking place in Iran for the past eight months are accomplices to these crimes," RSF said. "When the UN Human Rights Council conducts its Universal Periodic Review of Iran, it must show that it is up to the task."

On 17 February, the coalition called for UN special rapporteurs to be sent to Iran. UN human rights experts have already brought attention to the mass arrests and abuse of dissidents, said Index on Censorship, "but independent investigation on the ground is crucial."

Iranian human rights organisations and activists and international labour groups protested outside UN offices in Geneva this week, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners, reports the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). Two weeks ago, IFJ participated in a meeting at the European Parliament on "Human, Journalists and Trade-Union Rights in Iran: the New State of Emergency." The group is calling for the reopening of the Iranian Association of Journalists (AoIJ).

Sign a petition to free Kian Tajbakhsh, an Iranian-American scholar sentenced in August 2009 to 15 years in prison after a mass trial of 140 activists, intellectuals and writers. Please visit: Free Kian ( www.freekian09.org/tag/our-society-will-be-a-free-society/ )

Related stories on ifex.org:
- Iran attempts to stifle Internet on anniversary of revolution:
www.ifex.org/iran/2010/02/12/internet_stifled/

- Human Rights Watch report documents mounting rights violations as government celebrates revolution's anniversary:
www.ifex.org/iran/2010/02/16/post_election_crackdown/

More on the web:
- IFJ backs UN protest and calls on Iran to Set Journalists Free:
www.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-backs-un-protest-and-calls-on-iran-to-set-journalists-free

- Groups join forces, urge Iran to free journalists (CPJ):
www.cpj.org/2010/02/organizations-to-iran-release-journalists.php

- Bahari to Iran: Let my colleagues go (CPJ):
www.cpj.org/blog/2010/02/bahari-calls-on-iran-to-free-colleagues.php

- International community urged to face up to responsibilities during UN Human Rights Council's review of Iran (RSF):
www.rsf.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=36451

- Open letter to Ayatollah Khamenei:
www.indexoncensorship.org/2010/02/open-letter-to-ayatollah-khamenei/

- Free press and free expression organisations to Iran: Release jailed journalists, writers (CJFE):
www.cjfe.org/releases/2010/11022010irancampaign.html

***16.02.10. COLOMBIA. Informe sobre el estado de la libertad de prensa en Colombia en 2009

En el 2009 el estado de la libertad de prensa en Colombia no varió significativamente en comparación con años anteriores. Sin desconocer los
logros que se han obtenido en materia de seguridad física de los
periodistas, preocupa que desde hace dos años las cifras se mantienen
estables, lo cual, aunque denota que la situación no tiende a empeorar,
tampoco mejora.

La estabilidad de las cifras se presentó en la mayoría de indicadores de
libertad de prensa con respecto al año anterior, sin embargo, en 2009 hubo
un incremento en el total de las violaciones. Esto se debió a que el
indicador de obstrucción al trabajo periodístico tuvo un aumento dramático
a raíz del escándalo de las interceptaciones y seguimientos ilegales
contra periodistas por parte del Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad
(DAS), agencia de inteligencia adscrita a la Presidencia de la República.

El total de violaciones a la libertad de prensa registradas en 2009 fueron
157 los cuales dejaron 258 víctimas mientras que durante 2008 se
reportaron 129 casos que dejaron 180 afectados.

Del escándalo del DAS se han confirmado 16 casos de periodistas, no
obstante, se cree que el fenómeno es muchísimo mayor, pues según la
Fiscalía, no se ha analizado el total del material incautado. Los primeros
hallazgos de la investigación de la Fiscalía empiezan a evidenciar que
desde el DAS no sólo se hacían interceptaciones ilegales a las
comunicaciones y seguimientos a las actividades de los periodistas, sino
que además se diseñaron manuales para amenazar, como lo demuestra la
investigación de la Fiscalía en el caso de las interceptaciones a la
periodista Claudia Julieta Duque, corresponsal de Radio Nizkor en
Colombia.

Por otra parte, la FLIP registró con preocupación el asesinato de un
comunicador por razones de su trabajo periodístico en 2009. Se trató de
José Everardo Aguilar, de Radio Súper, en Patía, Cauca. Según
investigaciones de la FLIP en zona, las constantes denuncias sobre
corrupción e informaciones sobre política local habrían sido el motivo de
su crimen, ocurrido el 24 de abril. Es el primer homicidio de un
periodista por razones de oficio en Colombia luego de 20 meses. El único
sindicado fue absuelto.

En cuanto a las amenazas, éstas continúan siendo una de las formas más
frecuentes de coartar la labor de los periodistas y de silenciarlos. En
2009 se presentaron 74 casos, cifra que se mantiene estable en comparación
con años anteriores. Sin embargo, la FLIP considera que el fenómeno es aún
mayor, pues existe un alto subregistro de intimidaciones que no son
reportadas.

Las regiones del país donde se registraron más ataques a la prensa fueron
el Distrito Capital de Bogotá (39 casos) y los departamentos de Valle del
Cauca (22), Atlántico (13), Antioquia (7), Caldas (7), Tolima (7) y Huila
(7). En el caso de Bogotá, las altas cifras no significan que sea la zona
del país de mayor riesgo para los comunicadores. Su alto registro de casos
se explica porque es la ciudad de Colombia con mayor concentración de
medios y mayor número de periodistas activos.

Respecto a los autores de las violaciones, durante 2009 se mantuvo la
tendencia al incremento de los casos cometidos por parte de funcionarios
públicos (26% de los casos). De hecho, el escándalo de las
interceptaciones y seguimientos ilegales cometidos por funcionarios del
DAS incrementó las cifras en este sentido. No obstante, en la mayoría de
los casos reportados el autor de la violación es desconocido (32%) pues
las amenazas, por ejemplo, son realizadas generalmente a través de
llamadas o mensajes anónimos. Hay una tendencia decreciente de las
violaciones cometidas por los grupos armados ilegales en los últimos años:
las FARC pasaron de cometer 14 violaciones en 2008 a 5 en 2009 y los
paramilitares bajaron de 13 a 10 casos en el mismo periodo.

Como hecho positivo por destacar, fueron condenados a los autores
intelectuales del asesinato del periodista José Emeterio Rivas, ocurrido
en Barrancabermeja, Santander, en abril de 2003. La Fiscalía encontró que
Julio César Ardila Torres, ex alcalde de esa ciudad; Fabio Pajón Lizcano y
Abelardo Rueda Tobón (ex funcionario de la misma entidad), planearon y
ordenaron el homicidio en alianza con paramilitares de la zona. El fallo
estableció una pena de 28 años de cárcel para Ardila y 26 para Pajón y
Rueda. 

***15.02.10. NEPAL: UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE CONDEMNS THREATS TO JOURNALISTS AFTER KILLING

New York, Feb 15 2010 6:10PM
United Nations human rights officials in Nepal voiced alarm today over the threats made against journalists reporting on the recent murder of the media entrepreneur Jamim Shah, stressing that freedom of expression must be upheld in the Asian nation.

Richard Bennett, the Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights in Nepal, issued a statement condemning the threats against editors and publishers and describing them as sending "a chill through the entire community."

The threats follow the murder of the television channel operator Mr. Shah,
who was shot dead in the capital, Kathmandu, on 7 February.

"Unfortunately violence against the media is not rare in Nepal and has been witnessed especially against journalists working in the Terai," said Mr. Bennett, referring to the region that runs along the length of southern Nepal.

"I urge State authorities to ensure a secure environment that facilitates full enjoyment of rights of freedom of expression as guaranteed by national and international human rights law."

Mr. Bennett's office emphasized that "freedom of expression, including freedom of the media to publish news fairly and honestly, is fundamental in a society that respects human rights and thrives alongside the rule of law and good public security."

The independent Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that at least 13 journalists have been murdered in Nepal over the past decade.

***05.02.10. International Special Rapporteurs for Free Expression Highlight Critical Ten Challenges

The four international special rapporteurs on freedom of expression have released their tenth annual Joint Declaration on *Ten Key Challenges to Freedom of Expression in the Next Decade*. Brought together by ARTICLE 19 and the Centre for Law and Democracy in February 2010, the special rapporteurs have issued a Joint Declaration each year since 1999.

The 2010 Joint Declaration, which reaffirms all the previous declarations, acknowledges important advances made for free expression over the past decade, especially regarding the enormous potential of the Internet as a tool for realising the rights to freedom of expression and information. At the same time, the Joint Declaration notes both the long-standing and emerging challenges to the full realisation of freedom of expression and identifies ten key threats as follows:

1. Increasing government control over the media through a range of mechanisms, including political influence over public media, punitive registration and licensing requirements, political ownership, and the use of antiquated rules.
2. Criminal and civil laws on defamation, slander and insult, which penalise
statements which are factual or opinions, or which protect the reputations of symbols, state institutions or religions, or allow for overly harsh penalties.
3. Violence against journalists and the failure to prevent and investigate such attacks, and bring those responsible to justice.
4. The failure by a majority of states to adopt laws guaranteeing the right of access to information, and the weak implementation of such laws in many states which have.
5. Discrimination against historically disadvantaged groups who struggle to
exercise their right to freedom of expression.
6. Commercial pressures, including a growing concentration of media ownership and the risk that public broadcasters will lose out during processes of digital switchover in many countries.
7. Challenges to the public funding support for public service and community
broadcasters.
8. National security interests being used to justify unduly broad limitations on freedom of expression.
9. Government restrictions on the Internet, through the imposition of firewalls and filters, or the blocking of websites and web domains.
10. The limited access to the Internet by vulnerable people, such as the poor, and rural or elderly populations.

*“These Joint Declarations elaborate on the meaning of freedom of expression
according to different thematic areas,” *says Dr Agnès Callamard, ARTICLE 19
Executive Director. * “Collectively, the Declarations provide important
guidance to those wishing to understand international human rights standards
on freedom of expression.”
*
The four special mandates on freedom of expression are Frank La Rue, United
Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression; Miklos
Haraszti, the Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe; Catalina Botero, Special Rapporteur on
Freedom of Expression for the Organisation of American States; and Pansy
Tlakula, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to
Information for the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights..

• The full text of the Joint Declaration is available here:
www.article19.org/pdfs/standards/tenth-anniversary-joint-declaration-ten-key-challenges-to-freedom-of-express.pdf

***02.02.10. IFJ Marks 'End of Deadly Decade' With Report on Journalists and Media Staff Killed in 2009

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today issued its report on journalists and media workers who died in the exercise of journalism in 2009. The report provides detailed information of media killings, including 32 victims of a single massacre in Manguindanao, the Philippines, last November.
"The report is more than just a record of the death toll of journalists and media workers killed in 2009," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "More importantly, it provides a chilling account of risks and dangers which continue to claim our colleagues' lives in the four corners of the world."
The IFJ says that 2009, one of the worst years for journalists' killings, capped a violent decade which put journalism to the sword and left record numbers of murders of media people. According to the report, the death of Michelle Lang, the Canadian reporter killed in Afghanistan on 30 December and the confirmation of murder of photographer Jepon Cadagdagon in the Manguindanao massacre brought the 2009 total of media killings to 139.
The Asia Pacific region recorded the highest death toll with 52 followed by the Americas with 30 killings, including 13 murders of journalists in Mexico alone.
The IFJ reports warns that the levels of violence against media witnessed
last year raise the likelihood of another massacre in places like lawless Somalia and gangster-ruled parts of Mexico.
"The failure of governments to take seriously the issue of media protection plays in the hands of men of violence," added White. "This can only be tackled by an unwavering commitment to end Impunity for journalists' murderers."

The IFJ full report on journalists and media staff killed in 2009 is
available on the IFJ website: www.ifj.org

***30.01.10. SOLIDARITE AVEC LES JOURNALISTES HAITIENS. SOLIDARITY WITH THE HAITIAN JOURNALISTS. Ecoutez le témoignage du journaliste haïtien Jean-Edouard Rigaud, correspondant de Radio-Métropole à l'ONU: 

http://www.rhonefm.ch/fr/informations/temps-arret/haiti-apres-le-chaos-la-reconstruction-0-25804 

27.01.10 Haïti. Media casualties, damages mount: at least 11 journalists died in the January 12 earthquake

By Carlos Lauría/Americas Senior Program Coordinator (CPJ)

Working in an atmosphere of great confusion and grief, our sources in Haiti are compiling preliminary lists of media casualties, documenting damages to news facilities, and examining the challenges ahead. SOS Journalistes, a press advocacy group led by the prominent Haitian journalist Guyler Delva, reports that at least 11 journalists died in the January 12 earthquake outside Port-au-Prince. CPJ continues to investigate their identities and the circumstances in which they died.

Delva told CPJ that the three-story building that housed SOS Journalistes has collapsed, and all of its equipment has been destroyed. He said the premises of Radio and Tele Ginen, TV Channel 11, Radio Magik 9, Energie FM, and Radio Vasco were also severely damaged.

The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters reports that at least 12 community radio stations in Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, and Petit Goave were extensively damaged and their operations interrupted. The two Port-au-Prince-based dailies, Le Matin and Le Nouvelliste, are still not circulating, according to news accounts and CPJ interviews.

“The small society of Haitian journalists has been dealt a tough blow from the earthquake,” wrote Trenton Daniel in Monday’s Miami Herald. He noted that it comes at time when the “independent press had made significant strides … after reporters struggled to do their jobs under decades of despotic rule."

The task is enormous, said Delva, who described it as “starting from zero.” He noted that local reporters must deal with their own personal challenges—grieving the loss of loved ones, taking care of injured relatives, rebuilding their homes, and addressing basic needs such as feeding their families. Delva has launched a campaign to help feed and shelter numerous displaced local journalists; he is also looking for help in rebuilding SOS Journalistes.

CPJ is working with local groups such as SOS Journalistes to identify needs and help direct assistance. 

 22.01.10. HAITI. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) EXPRESSES ITS  SOLIDARITY WITH THE HAITIAN JOURNALISTS. La Presse Emblème Campagne (PEC) exprime sa solidarité avec les journalistes haitiens

Not only did the devastating earthquake on 12 January in Haiti leave survivors with no food, no water, no shelter and no place to bury the dead, but it also left them with little or no information, report IFEX members. The media have also suffered great losses at a time when people urgently need aid information.

The death toll for journalists is unknown. Surviving Haitian journalists are unable to work because they have lost family and homes, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) after talking to Haitian journalist Guylar Delva. Delva, 43, is the founder of SOS Journalistes, created to protect local reporters and promote professional journalism. The SOS offices have been reduced to rubble. "An experienced reporter who has covered both natural disasters and political violence, Delva said he has never seen anything like this."

CPJ is attempting to find out what Haitian journalists need right now and beginning to collect funds. RSF and AMARC are asking for donations for media reconstruction, including equipment.

The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) notes that media and communications following the earthquake were almost entirely cut off, with the exception of Skype.

Coordinating disaster relief is impossible without accurate news and information being relayed by a functioning news media. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is working with Canadian media group Quebecor to set up a media centre for Haitian journalists in Port-au-Prince, so they can report on the situation and contribute to the process of providing humanitarian aid to the population.
The centre will also service international news media searching for information on Haiti, and will eventually be used to produce and disseminate news and information by employing Haitian print journalists. It will also have facilities for journalists in distress.

The premises of Port-au-Prince-based TV stations Tele Ginen and Canal 11 and radio station Magik 9 have been destroyed, reports RSF. A Tele Ginen cameraman was killed, says CPJ and RSF. According to RSF, Radio Ibo is damaged and unable to broadcast, but three other radio stations continued to function after the earthquake. The offices of newspapers "Le Nouvelliste" and "Le Matin" are still standing and the staff survived, but the editor of "Le Nouvelliste" is missing. A journalist who writes for "Ticket Magazine" is believed to have been killed.

A week after the earthquake, 20 radio stations are operating again, including the UN mission's station, due to the help of foreign technicians and Radio France, reports RSF. Other radio stations in the country survived but their equipment was seriously damaged. Many community radio stations were completely destroyed.

The World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) is carrying out an urgent assessment of the status of community broadcasting in the crisis areas and is working to mobilise resources and technical assistance. AMARC is calling on community broadcasters to support the international relief effort by organising airtime appeals.

An Internews team of media specialists, radio technicians and humanitarian liaison experts is heading to Haiti to determine the damage to the media infrastructure. They are also taking portable broadcast equipment that can be used to quickly broadcast emergency information. Internews recently worked on a project with 40 community radio stations throughout the country.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is mobilising its members in the Americas to provide assistance to media workers in Haiti. The "Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Prensa" (SNTP), an IFJ affiliate in the Dominican Republic, is helping investigate the status of journalists in Haiti.

RSF "hopes to get news media in countries that are providing significant amounts of aid to Haiti, such as Canada, Brazil, the United States and France, to become financial and logistic sponsors of Haitian media that need rebuilding."

***22.01.10. PHILIPPINES. International Mission Demands Arroyo Protect Media as Elections Loom

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her Government must take
all necessary measures to provide local media with protection ahead of upcoming elections, says the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and other members of an international solidarity mission that investigated the November 23 massacre of 57 people in the southern Philippines.

Among those killed were 32 journalists and media workers.

"The massacre underlines the terrible dangers that Filipino journalists face. It also highlights the inability and unwillingness of the State to ensure the protection and safety of journalists who are seeking to perform their duties," the mission members say in their report, Massacre in the Philippines: International Solidarity Mission Rapid Assessment, released today.

The mission conducted its investigations in the Philippines from December 5 to 10 in association with the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), an affiliate of the IFJ. The team included representatives from leading journalists' rights and press freedom organisations, including the IFJ, Indonesia's Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ),
International Media Support (IMS), International News Safety Institute
(INSI), the Institute for Studies on the Free Flow of Information (ISAI),
Australia's Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance, the Southeast Asia Press
Alliance (SEAPA), the Thai Journalists' Association (TJA), and Union Network International (UNI).

"Power-holders in the Philippines must act urgently on all the recommendations of the mission's report to reverse once and for all the country's shameful culture of impunity for the murders of journalists, tragically underscored on November 23," IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.

As the mission report went to press, the toll of media personnel killed in the massacre was revised up to 32, as it was confirmed that Saksi News photographer Jepon Cadagdagon was among the victims in Maguindanao province, Mindanao. The toll of 32 media personnel includes 31 whose bodies were recovered, as well as Reynaldo"Bebot" Momay who remains missing.

The mission team says that it holds grave concerns for the safety of Filipino journalists as the investigation and prosecution of the accused take place in a tense environment ahead of national and presidential elections due on May 10.

"This massacre, coming at the very beginning of the 2010 election process,
not only undermines that process but has dealt a cruel blow to democracy
and free media in the Philippines," the mission members say in their report.

They call on the Government to ensure media is able to report fairly and freely on the election campaign without undue risk. It also stresses concerns about judicial and forensic processes in view of the political ties between the Arroyo administration and the Ampatuan family in Mindanao.

Although at least 100 gunmen are believed to have been involved in the
massacre, Andal Ampatuan Jr, the son of the clan patriarch, is the only person to be charged and brought before a court in direct connection to the massacre. He is pleading not guilty.

Among other significant concerns highlighted in the report is the role of Major General Alfredo Cayton, the Commander of the 6th Infantry Division in Maguindinao at the time of the massacre. The mission urges a full investigation into Cayton's role and actions preceding the massacre.

Cayton, who denied requests for a military escort to accompany the convoy
that was attacked on November 23, was stood down immediately after the
massacre. However, he has since been promoted to Vice Commander of the
Philippine Army.

The mission further calls for an investigation into reports that several members of the Philippine National Police were involved in the massacre.

It stresses that under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1738 (2006), the Government of the Philippines is required to ensure its security forces provide the protection due to citizens in areas of conflict within national borders, including media personnel.

The mission, which Arroyo declined to meet, further recommends:

­ The Government and local authorities must undertake all necessary measures to fully investigate the massacre and to ensure all evidence is properly preserved and available.

­ The Government and local authorities must provide all necessary measures for the protection and safety of witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, lawyers and judges.

­ Families must be provided with legal support to pursue the prosecution of perpetrators.

­ Observers and human rights groups must have full open access to legal proceedings.

­ The Government is urged not to reimpose martial law ahead of the May 10 elections.

The mission report will be officially released in the Philippines today at the launch of an organisation of families of journalists killed in the massacre, Justice NOW! The NUJP and Justice NOW! will conduct a press conference in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, where many of the families live.

In Quezon City, the November 23 Movement, which has been convened by the
NUJP, will hold a candle-lighting vigil, among other activities to mark two months since the massacre.

The report is available at:
http://asiapacific.ifj.org//assets/docs/203/037/15d11cb-013d725.pdf

***22.01.10. AFGHANISTAN. La FIJ appelle à la libération des deux journalistes français enlevés en Afghanistan
La Fédération Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ) fait part de son inquiétude sur le sort des deux journalistes français de France Télévisions enlevés depuis le 30 décembre en Afghanistan et appelle toutes les parties concernées à tout faire pour obtenir leur libération immédiate.
« Les récentes déclarations des autorités françaises selon lesquelles elles ont reçu l'assurance que les deux journalistes étaient "en vie" sont encourageantes », a affirmé Aidan White, Secrétaire général de la FIJ. « Mais le temps passe et nous exhortons toutes les parties concernées de redoubler d'efforts pour leur libération". Selon la presse française, les deux journalistes de la chaîne publique française ont été enlevés avec trois ressortissants afghans qui les accompagnaient le 30 décembre dernier sur la route entre Surobi et Tagab, dans la province de Kapisa, sous contrôle sécuritaire des troupes françaises.
La FIJ soutien les efforts des gouvernements français et afghan en vue de la
libération de deux journalistes et leurs collègues afghans mais s'étonne toutefois des propos tenus par le secrétaire général du Président français, M. Claude Guéant, le 17 janvier devant la presse pour évoquer le "coût considérable" de l'opération de recherche des deux journalistes. La Fédération regrette également les propos du président français Nicolas Sarkozy rapportés par M. Guéant selon lesquels le chef de l'Etat a accusé les deux journalistes d' "imprudence vraiment coupable" et qui font suite aux propos rapportés par le Ministre de la Défense selon lequel M. Sarkozy a fustigé « l'inconscience » des journalistes.

« Il est inacceptable d'accuser les journalistes d'imprudence, d'inconscience ou d'être coupable de quoi que soit alors qu'ils cherchent simplement à travailler de façon indépendante pour informer le public », a ajouté M. White. « Cela est d'autant plus vrai dans un pays comme l'Afghanistan où l'insécurité règne partout. Cela reviendrait à interdire la présence des médias étrangers dans tout le pays ».
La FIJ rappelle que les journalistes en Afghanistan comme ailleurs dans le monde font leur métier en étant présents sur le terrain pour informer les citoyens et qu'il n'est pas adéquat de parler de "recherche du scoop" quand on connait les risques d'exercer ce métier dans des zones aussi dangereuses que l'Afghanistan.
« De telles déclarations sont infondées et mal avisées d'autant plus que les deux journalistes sont toujours détenus », a conclu M. White.

***11.01.10. IFJ Mourns Latest Media Death in Afghanistan, Warns of Risks for "Embedded" Reporters

The International Federation of Journalists said the death of a British journalist in Afghanistan, who was travelling with United States marines when he was caught in an explosion, was further evidence of the high risks involved in "embedding" journalists with soldiers.
He was the second reporter to die travelling with the military in recent weeks. Rupert Hamer, the defence correspondent of the Sunday Mirror, died of his wounds at the scene of the blast north-west of Nawa in Helmand Province His colleague, photographer Philip Coburn, was critically injured in the blast. Two soldiers were also killed.
"We are shocked by this incident and send our sincere condolences to the friends, family and colleagues of Rupert Hamer," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "His death shows that Afghanistan remains one of the world?s most dangerous reporting assignments. Travelling with the army does not lessen the risk to reporters. Indeed, as this tragedy shows, it can put journalists directly in the firing line."
The two journalists were accompanying a patrol by the marines when their vehicle was caught in a bomb blast. Hamer was a distinguished journalist and a veteran of conflict reporting who had served in Iraq and was on his fifth trip to Afghanistan. He was married with children aged six, five and 19 months.
He is the second foreign journalist embedded with troops to be killed in
Afghanistan in recent weeks. Michelle Lang, aged 34, working for the Calgary Herald, in Canada, died along with four Canadian soldiers in another roadside bomb attack in December.
"These terrible tragedies show that telling the story of conflict remains the most perilous of tasks for media staff," said White. "As we mourn and wish those injured a swift recovery we must redouble our efforts to reduce the risks that journalists face, even when we know that casualties are unavoidable."
Ten days ago, the IFJ released its annual statement on journalists killed in 2009 providing details of 137 deaths of media staff, including around 113 targeted killings, one of the highest numbers ever recorded.
For more information contact the IFJ at +32 2 235 2207 or +32 478258669
(GSM)

***07.01.10. UNESCO DEPLORES RECENT KILLING, ABDUCTION OF JOURNALISTS IN AFGHANISTAN

New York, Jan 7 2010 11:10AM
The head of the United Nations agency charged with defending the freedom
of the press today condemned last week’s killing of a Canadian journalist and kidnapping of two French television reporters in Afghanistan.

“Violence against journalists constitutes an attack on the fundamental
human right of freedom of expression; it is therefore a direct threat to
democracy,” said UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Director-General Irina Bokova.

Calgary Herald journalist Michelle Lang, 34, was killed in a bomb blast on 30 December while traveling with four Canadian soldiers in the volatile Kandahar province after spending less than three weeks in Afghanistan.

A reporter and cameraman for France 3 television were taken hostage by
gunmen on the road near Omarkhil, north-east of the capital, Kabul, on 29
December while working on the current affairs programme “Pièces à conviction,” and there has been no word from them since.

“The fates of these three media professionals cruelly underline the dangers that journalists face when they go into areas of conflict to provide news coverage,” said Ms. Bokova in a statement condemning the killing and abduction.

“I call on the Afghan authorities to do their utmost to obtain the release of the French journalists, and to take measures to increase press security in the country.”
Jan 7 2010 11:10AM 

***05.01.10. IFJ Condemns New Wave of Journalists' Arrests in Iran

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned recent arrests of journalists and media union leaders following the civil unrest which gripped Tehran and the country last week with demonstrations and clashes between protesters and security forces.
The IFJ says that at least 12 journalists were arrested, including Badralsadat Mofidi and Mashaalah Shamsolvaezin, respectively General Secretary and Vice President of the Association of Iranian Journalists (AoIJ), an IFJ affiliate.
"We condemn the Iranian Government's kneejerk reaction of blaming the media over legitimate public protest," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "There is systematic repression and brutal intimidation of media and journalists under the cloak of restoring public order."
According to media reports, authorities in Iran carried out a number of arrests of prominent independent journalists in the wake of last week's demonstrations which pitted protesters against security forces in Tehran and other cities in the country. Violence erupted when the authorities tried to ban a procession to mark the Muslim festival of Ashura which coincided with the death of Ayatollah Hossein Montazeri, a senior Iranian cleric who had criticized the government for its handling of the post June presidential election protests.
Reports say Shamsolvaezin, AoIJ Vice President was arrested at his home on
28 December by plain clothes officers while its General Secretary Bradralasad Mofidi was detained on 28 December along with her husband Kayvan Mehregan, editor of the political section of the reformist daily Etemad. Syrian reporter Reza al-Basha who works for state-owned Dubai TV was reportedly also arrested on Sunday 27 December and detained in Tehran.
The AoIJ says that at least eight more journalists were arrested last week, including Nasrin Vazere (Ilna news agency), Morteza Kazemeyan (freelance), Mostsfa Ezade (freelance), Emadoddin Baghe (freelance), Mohammad Nazere( freelance), Mohammadjavad Mozaffar(freelance), Ali Hegmat (freelance) and Mohammadreza Zohde (freelance).
The IFJ has also described as "absurd" the sentence of a seven year and
four month jail term handed down to Iranian journalist Bahman Ahmadi Amoui. The journalist, a critic of President Ahmedinajad's rule, also faces 34 lashes, according to media reports.
"The international community of journalists will stand by their colleagues in Iran" added White. "The government will not restore order or end this crisis without respect for the rights of people to protest and of journalists to tell the story. There must be an end to the reign of terror that is being unleashed against free speech and journalism in Iran."
For more information contact the IFJ at +32 2 235 2207

***05.01.10. World death toll for journalists shoots up in 2009 despite safety calls (INSI)

Brussels, January 5 - More than 130 journalists and support staff died trying to cover the news in 2009 despite repeated international calls for action to constrain the bloodshed.
 
The worldwide total of 132 dead in 35 countries, recorded by the International News Safety Institute, was one of the worst yearly tolls on record.

It was boosted by the slaying of 31 people in a politically-motivated ambush in the Philippines on 23 November, the bloodiest single incident ever recorded for the news media. That made the Philippines by far the most dangerous country in the world for the news media with a total of 37 dead over the year

More than 400 news media have now died trying to cover the story since the
end of 2006 when the UN Security Council unanimously passed landmark
Resolution 1738 http://tinyurl.com/yclyba2 which demanded greater safety
for journalists in conflict areas and called for an end to impunity for their killers. Similar appeals have been made time and again by UNESCO and the Council of Europe.

By far the greatest number of those who died last year -- 98 -- were targeted, murdered because of their work. Over the past decade fewer than 8 out of 10 of the killers of journalists have been brought to justice.

As always, the great majority of the casualties in 2009 were not international war correspondents but local journalists working in their own countries, mostly in peacetime, covering dangerous stories such as high level crime and corruption.

"Journalists continue to die because they dare to shine a light on the darkest corners of societies," said INSI Director Rodney Pinder. "This is the shocking price we pay for our news.

"And this unacceptable situation will persist as long as killers of journalists walk free.

"Again, we call on the United Nations to help enforce Resolution 1738 and on all member states to respect its provisions and prosecute the murderers. http://tinyurl.com/ya68s6f

"Free societies everywhere are undermined whenever a journalist is slain because of their work."

After murder, the biggest cause of death for news personnel in 2009 was accidents with 23 fatalities, the INSI figures show. Eleven news men and women died in "crossfire" incidents such as random shootings, roadside bombings and aerial bombardment which did not appear to be directed specifically at them.

After the Philippines, the bloodiest countries in 2009 were Mexico with 11 killed, Somalia and Russia with 9 each, Pakistan with 8 and Iraq with 5.

"The one encouraging statistic over the past couple of years has been the dramatic fall in killings in Iraq," Pinder said.

"It was the most dangerous country in the world for the news media for five years after the US-led invasion in 2003, but journalists are now benefiting from a general reduction in violence there. This demonstrates that even the direst situations can improve."

Nevertheless, INSI now counts 257 news media dead in the Iraq conflict --
the bloodiest for news men and women in modern times.

The year had barely begun when the first journalist fell. Radio Shabelle reporter Hassan Mayow Hassan was gunned down by a member of a pro-government militia in Somalia. Hassan was covering clashes between Islamist militants and armed groups supporting the federal transitional government when a militiaman confronted him.

Hassan identified himself as a journalist and the militiaman shot him twice in the head.

The year also ended badly. On 30 December, Canadian journalist Michelle Lang, 34, was killed along with four Canadian soldiers by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan and Indian freelance photojournalist Aman Kashyap was run over by a train in Ghaziabad while taking pictures of fog-bound rail services.

INSI's detailed list of fatal incidents in 2009 can be found at http://tinyurl.com/mtkgkn

As a safety organisation, INSI records all causes of death, whether deliberate, accidental or health-related, of all news media staff and freelancers while on assignment or as a result of their news organisation being attacked because of its role.

***04.01.10. Federación de Periodistas de América Latina y el Caribe denuncia:
TREINTA PERIODISTAS ASESINADOS EN AMÉRICA LATINA DURANTE EL 2009

Treinta periodistas fueron asesinados en América Latina y el Caribe durante el 2009. México con 13 víctimas se convierte en el país más riesgoso para el ejercicio periodístico en la región. A la lista se suma Colombia, con seis asesinados, Guatemala con cuatro, Honduras y Brasil con dos, El Salvador, Venezuela y Paraguay con uno.

En Latinoamérica, en los últimos doce meses, se registraron retrocesos en
materia de libertad de prensa y derechos laborales de los trabajadores de medios, en un contexto de crisis económica global que ha significado despidos masivos en algunos países.

La grave crisis humanitaria en México, se ha profundizado con los 13 crímenes de periodistas, donde se confabulan el narcotráfico y la impune inactividad del Estado. Esto en medio de una avalancha de agresiones y amenazas contra periodistas críticos e independientes que ha obligado a buena parte de la prensa a la autocensura, como mecanismo de protección.

En Colombia el gobierno minimiza los crímenes de periodistas (seis en el 2009), el crecimiento geométrico de los ataques violentos contra los comunicadores y el acoso judicial, mediante una sugestiva campaña internacional que ha dado engañosos frutos.
Lamentablemente, en dicho país un proyecto de ley para despenalizar la injuria y la calumnia, presentado por la Federación Colombiana de Periodistas, fue eclipsado por los debates por una segunda reelección del actual gobierno.

En Venezuela las agresiones vienen principalmente del Estado, mediante ataques de simpatizantes del gobierno a periodistas (en un solo hecho fueron golpeados y heridos 12 colegas) y a través de la no renovación de licencias a medios de comunicación de oposición o simplemente críticos de políticas oficiales. Esta situación adversa a la libertad de prensa, está acabando con la diversidad informativa que caracteriza a cualquier sociedad democrática para darle paso a un sistema informativo afecto al gobierno.

En República Dominicana las agresiones físicas contra periodistas suman en el 2009 casi un centenar. Esta realidad se agrava al verse invisibilizados los países caribeños en todos los registros de violaciones a la libertad de expresión.

Honduras se vio ensombrecida por un golpe de Estado, con la consecuente
represión contra los medios de comunicación críticos, periodistas independientes y corresponsales internacionales.

Brasil, el único país que contemplaba jurídicamente la exigencia de título profesional para el ejercicio del periodismo, perdió esta prerrogativa que
garantizaba un mínimo en la calidad de la información, tras un fallo del Tribunal Supremo Federal. La sentencia se produjo bajo un fuerte looby de los empresarios de medios.

En Perú, aunque no se producen crímenes de periodistas, las agresiones superan a las de cualquier país de la región, con 180 casos en el 2009. El caso más emblemático, sin duda, el silenciamiento de Radio La Voz, de Bagua, emisora independiente “castigada políticamente” por haber dado a conocer la verdad de lo ocurrido durante la matanza criminal de policías y nativos selváticos (5 de junio 2009).

En Argentina se logró la aprobación de una Ley de Medios –de especial acento contra la propiedad monopólica de los medios de comunicación-, presentada por el gobierno, pero redactada por una coalición de sindicatos, ONG y organizaciones sociales, liderada por la Federación Argentina de Trabajadores de la Prensa (FATPREN).

En Uruguay, la Asociación de Prensa Uruguaya consiguió la despenalización
de los delitos de prensa, en el mes de junio.

Los asesinatos, y las agresiones en general, han estado, la mayoría de las veces, vinculados a destapes de casos de corrupción, en la escena local, nacional o continental. Las víctimas de las agresiones no suelen ser, por regla general, directivos o trabajadores de los grandes medios escritos o audiovisuales. Salvo en casos excepcionales, las muertes tienen por escenario pequeñas poblaciones y alcanzan a comunicadores de medios locales y comunitarios o a corresponsales de grandes medios en ciudades menores.

La consigna durante el 2009 en América Latina-Caribe ha sido eliminar el
mensaje. Para ello, en México, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Brasil Paraguay y Venezuela se decidió por “matar al mensajero”, con el consiguiente drama que ello arrastra para las familias, los colegas y la organización en sí misma. Se ha matado al mensajero, desapareciéndolo físicamente o silenciándole la voz. . 

Celso Schroder
Presidente FEPALC
Zuliana Lainez
Secretaria de Derechos Humanos FEPALC

PERIODISTAS ASESINADOS
Enero-Diciembre 2009

Brasil (2)
José Givonaldo Vieira
Dalvison Nogueira de Souza

Colombia (6)
María Eugenia Guerrero
José Everardo Aguilar
Hernando Salas Rojas
Diego Rojas Velásquez
Ferney Henao
Harold Humberto Rivas Quevedo

El Salvador (1)
Christian Poveda

Honduras (2)
Osman López
Gabriel Fino Noriega

Guatemala (4)
Rafael Murguía
Rolando Santis
Jorge Mérida Pérez
Marco Antonio Estrada Orla

México (13)
Jean Paul Ibarra Ramírez
Luis Daniel Méndez Hernández
Carlos Ortega Melo Samper
Eliseo Barrón Hernández
Martín Javier Miranda Avilés
Ernesto Montañez Valdivia
Juan Daniel Martínez Gil
Norberto Miranda Madrid
Gerardo Esparza Mata
Fabián Ramírez López
Bladimir Antuna
José Emilio Galindo Robles
Jorge Alberto Velásquez López

Venezuela (1)
Orel Zambrano

Paraguay (1)
Martín Campos Páez

FEDERACIÓN DE PERIODISTAS DE AMÉRICA LATINA Y EL CARIBE (FEPALC)
Federación Argentina de Trabajadores de Prensa (FATPREN); Federación
Nacional de Periodistas (FENAJ); Sindicato Nacional de Periodistas de
Costa Rica (SNP) Federación Colombiana de Periodistas (FECOLPER); Federación Nacional de Trabajadores de los Medios de Comunicación Social de Chile (FENATRAMCO); Sindicato de Periodistas y Similares de El Salvador (SINPESS); Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Industria de la Prensa y Similares de Honduras
(SITINPRES); Sindicato Nacional de Redactores de Prensa de México (SNRP);
Sindicato de Periodistas del Paraguay (SPP); Asociación Nacional de
Periodistas del Perú (ANP); Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la
Prensa de la República Dominicana (SNTP); Asociación de Prensa Uruguaya
(APU); Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Prensa de Venezuela
(SNTP).