2013-1

Mckenzie concluded by saluting the courage of journalists throughout the Middle East who have documented change, momentous change and many of them have paid the ultimate price. 

She asked all participants to pay tribute to media colleagues across the world who have lost their lives because of their job. 

What was extremely gratifying for the PEC is honoring journalists killed in the Line of duty,
McKenzie handed the World Press Freedom Hero to a colleague of American lead reporter Marie Colvin, and to a partner of japanese photojournalist Mika Yamamato, for their bravery and professionalism while covering the ongoing conflict in Syria as well as other conflicts before.

Marie Colvin and Mika Yamamoto were both among 39 journalists killed in 2012 while covering the Syrian conflict. Most of the journalists killed were local ones.
 
The IPI General Assembly voted on a resolution calling for Freedom of Movement of Journalists between Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. 

***13.05.2013. TURKEY. In a written contribution, the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) calls again on the Human Rights Council’s attention to the situation of journalists’ rights, and the severe conditions Kurdish journalists have to face in their country. Almost three-quarter out of the more than 200 journalists imprisoned in Turkey are from the medias that criticize the governmental policy towards the Kurdish people.

Press Emblem Campaign calls on again the Human Rights Council’s attention to the situation of journalists’ rights, and the freedom of press and information in Turkey. Our organization already alerted the Council at its 21st and 22nd sessions[1], during the general debate on Agenda item 4, on the severe conditions Kurdish journalists have to face in their country. Almost three-quarter out of the more than 200 journalists imprisoned in Turkey are from the Medias that criticize the governmental policy towards the Kurdish people.

While last February the 15th Chamber of the Istanbul Appeal Court ordered the release of seven employees of Kurdish media, "given the time already spent in detention" and "the state of evidence", in 2012, seventeen cases were opened against Ibrahim Güvenç, the editor of the only Kurdish daily newspaper, Azadiya Welat. Mr. Güvenç had to resign from his post and is now threatened, like his predecessors, Mr. Vedat Kursun and Mr. Ozan Kilinç, with imprisonment for his coverage of the Kurdish question.

According to different sources, 72 journalists, including six chief-editors and co-owners are still in detention. Among them are at least 48 Kurdish journalists including 18 reporters from news agency DIHA, 13 journalists from Azadiya Welat eight of Özgür Gündem, two of Demokratik magazine Modernity and the news agency Firat. Freedom of expression and rights of journalists to freely investigate, report and criticize government policies are excessively restricted in Turkey.

It has to be highlighted here that from 1959 to 2011, out of 479 cases brought to the European court of human rights under freedom of expression, 207 originated from Turkey.

Despite the recent opening of negotiations between the Turkish government and representatives of the PKK, last April a trial was held in Silivri (80 km. west from Istanbul) against 44 Kurdish journalists, prosecuted for membership of an alleged “media committee” created by the outlawed Union of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK), a Kurdish non-governmental organization accused of backing the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK).

Surprisingly, after a short introduction of the President of the Court, the reading of the indictment (more than 800 pages) was made by a Turkish well-known television announcer. Finally, only two journalists (Zeynep Ceren Kuray of the Firat news agency and Sadik Topaloglu of the Diha news agency) were released. The Court will hold its next session of hearings from 17 to 19 June and will take decisions on other requests for provisional release. At the same time other arrest warrants have been issued against Kurdish journalists.

Mrs. Kuray criticized the court board for ordering the release of only two journalists, adding that, “KCK operations and trials are targeting not only Kurdish journalists but also Kurdish identity. Journalists working for the mainstream media can go to Kandil for interviews but we are standing trial for doing the same work. Namık Durukan (journalist working for Milliyet daily) has been awarded for his report on the so called Imrali Protocols, while we have been criminalized because of the similar reports we wrote”[2].

In this context it is interesting to note that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), in adopting a resolution on 23rd April 2013, decided not to consider PKK as a terrorist organization. In the same resolution, PACE spells out the steps Turkey still needs to take if it is to successfully complete its reform program, such as further reform of the Constitution and continuing revision of the Criminal Code, as well as progress on freedom of expression, pre-trial detentions, local and regional decentralization and resolving the Kurdish question[3].

It is always fundamental to recall that the Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 2003/42 on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, adopted without a vote, « mindful of the need to ensure that unjustified invocation of national security, including counter-terrorism, to restrict the right to freedom of expression and information does not take place », urged States « to refrain from using counter-terrorism as a pretext to restrict the right to freedom of expression in ways which are contrary to their obligations under international law. »

Mr. Martin Scheinin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, in his report on the visit to Turkey[1] (16 to 23 February 2006), among other recommendations, already stressed «… that only full definitional clarity with regard to what acts constitute terrorist crimes can ensure that the crimes of membership, aiding and abetting and what certain authorities referred to as “crimes of opinion” are not abused for other purposes than fighting terrorism…»

The Human Rights Council, in adopting by consensus Resolution A/HRC/RES/21/12 on “Safety of journalists” acknowledged the particular role played by journalists in matters of public interest, including by raising awareness of human rights and recognized that the work of journalists often puts them at specific risk of intimidation, harassment and violence. At the same time, the Human Rights Council condemned in the strongest term all attacks and violence against journalists, such as arbitrary detention, as well as intimidation and harassment.

Recently, the Turkish Parliament discussed changes in the legislation known as the Fourth Legislative Package, but apparently the governmental proposal falls short to the expectations and the definition for the term "terrorist" needs a more clear-cut. On the other hand, in early March, the Constitutional Court granted the prime minister's office authority to order temporary media censorship in extraordinary circumstances and situations in which national security makes the ban a must. The law allows the Prime minister to stop news broadcasting on issues regarding national security such as war and terrorist attacks when it is strongly possible that the public order is to be seriously disrupted.

In light of the above elements, the Press Emblem Campaign calls on the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers to monitor the proceedings of the collective trial against the Kurdish journalists in Turkey and to report to Human Rights Council.

[1] E/CN.4/2006/98/Add.2
[1] See also PEC written contribution A/HRC/22/NGO/90[2] http://en.firatnews.com/news/news/zeynep-kuray-kck-trials-target-kurdish-identity.htm[3] Doc. 13160 - Report of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee)

***06.05.2013. MEXICO. PEC strongly condemns the murder of two children of journalists on Sunday in the city of Chihuahua 

Gunmen executed the sons of two prominent Mexican journalists in the northern city of Chihuahua, a spokesman for the state attorney general's office said Sunday..

Brothers Alfredo Paramo, 20, and Diego Paramo, 21, were shot dead Saturday in Chihuahua after being chased through the streets by gunmen in a car, said spokesman Carlos Gonzalez.

They are the sons of well-known Mexican financial journalist David Paramo, who hosts a radio show, appears on TV Azteca and has a national newspaper column, and Martha Gonzalez, editor of the local El Peso newspaper.

PEC condemns these appalling murders and calls for a full investigation to clarify the circumstances and prosecute the authors. 

On April 28, hundreds of journalists and human rights defenders staged marches in 14 Mexican states at the request of many NGOs to demand an end to the barbarity that targets them, and an end to impunity. The date chosen was the first anniversary of the murder of Regina Martínez, the newsweekly Proceso’s correspondent in the eastern state of Veracruz. Just four days before the marches, the dismembered body of Daniel Martínez Bazaldúa, a photographer for the newspaper Vanguardia, was found in the northern state of Coahuila. Another journalist, Gerardo Blanquet of the Radio Grande group, went missing in Coahuila on 30 April.

A law approved by the Mexican congress on 25 April, making it easier for crimes against freedom of information to be addressed by the federal authorities, is a step forward but is not enough. 

Spanish: La PEC condenó el asesinato de los jóvenes y exigió justicia y una pronta investigación para llevar a los responsables de sus muertes ante la justicia.

Dos jóvenes que eran hijos del periodista mexicano David Páramo y su pareja, también comunicadora, fueron asesinados a tiros por sicarios la madrugada del domingo en la ciudad de Chihuahua, en el norte de México, informaron las autoridades locales. Las víctimas del crimen fueron identificadas como Alfredo David y Diego Alejandro Páramo González, de 20 y 21 años, informó la Procuraduría General de Justicia de Chihuahua.

Las primeras versiones de los hechos apuntan a que ambos fueron atacados a tiros cuando circulaban a bordo de su automóvil por la colonia Arboledas de la capital de Chihuahua, explicó a Efe Carlos González, portavoz de la Fiscalía General de Chihuahua.

Explicó que los jóvenes son hijos de la editora del diario El Peso, Martha González Nicholson, y de David Páramo, titular del espacio radiofónico “No tires tu dinero”, del Grupo Imagen, del programa “Poder financiero” en Proyecto 40, y de la columna “Personajes de renombre” del diario Excelsior.

El portavoz aseguró que el asesinato no está relacionado con la actividad profesional de sus padres. Tras conocerse la noticia el presidente de México, Enrique Peña Nieto, expresó su pésame a la pareja de periodistas, vía Twitter.

***02.05.2013. On World Press Freedom Day, PEC honors the media workers killed in the line of duty (French and Arabic versions below) (for SYRIA see more on OTHER NEWS)

Geneva, May 2 (PEC) – On World Press Freedom Day, the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) honors all media workers killed in the line of duty because they were performing their profession.

According to the PEC figures the number of journalists killed from the beginning of 2013 stands at 39.

Pakistan leads the tally with 9 journalists killed in four months, followed by Somalia 5, Syria 4 and 4 in Brazil.

Two journalists were shot to death in Guatemala, 2 in Mexico and 2 in Paraguay. One journalist was killed in the following countries: Ecuador, Haiti, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Central African Republic, Russia, Tanzania and Yemen.

PEC Secretary-General Blaise Lempen noted that progress has been made last year when the UNESCO action plan was adopted, and a resolution on the safety of journalists was also adopted by the UN Human Rights Council.

He added that in a number of countries, killings and intimidation of journalists decreased and serious enquiries have been launched.

Lempen said that regrettably, the situation remains grim in other countries. Problems of access to zones of conflict and of impunity are major challenges.

Syria has been for two years a permanent dilemma for media across the globe where journalists take the risks to go in order to witness the massive human sufferings, thus endangering their lives, or they cover from the borders and give up on informing directly the general public.

At least 4 brave foreign journalists are missing in Syria and the worst is feared. PEC calls for their immediate release if they have faced the fate of abduction.

The situation has dramatically deteriorated in Pakistan from one year to the other ahead of the general polls.

In Latin America the situation is very worrying for journalists in countries like Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Paraguay, Ecuador, Guatemala and Honduras.

PEC President Hedayat Abdelnabi, said there is still no concrete and efficient action by the international community though many members of which have lost journalists in conflict zones.

She hopes that the forthcoming report prepared by the UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR) for the September session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva will establish best practices and that the international community will be able to work on this basis to move forward on the issue of the protection of journalists.

According to the PEC tally, 2012 was a record year for journalists killed: 141 for the whole year. 

Journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse: la PEC rend hommage aux travailleurs des medias tués dans l'exercice de leur fonction

Genève (PEC), 2 mai - A l'occasion de la Journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse, la Presse Emblème Campagne (PEC) rend hommage aux travailleurs des médias tués dans l'exercice de leur fonction. Selon les recherches de la PEC, 39 journalistes ont été tués depuis le début de cette année.

Le Pakistan est le pays le plus dangereux avec 9 journalistes tués depuis janvier, suivi par la Somalie (5 victimes), la Syrie (4) et le Brésil (4 également).

Deux journalistes ont été mortellement visés au Guatemala, 2 au Mexique et 2 au Paraguay. Un journaliste a été tué dans chacun de ces pays: Equateur, Haïti, Inde, Kenya, Nigeria, Pérou, Philippines, République centrafricaine, Russie, Tanzanie et Yémen.

Le secrétaire général de la PEC Blaise Lempen a relevé que des progrès ont été réalisés l'an dernier avec l'adoption d'un plan d'action par l'UNESCO et d'une résolution sur la sécurité des journalistes par le Conseil des droits de l'homme.

Il a ajouté que dans quelques pays, les meurtres et menaces à l'encontre des journalistes ont diminué et que des enquêtes sérieuses ont été lancées.

Blaise Lempen a en même temps déploré que la situation reste sombre dans d'autres pays. Les problèmes d'accès aux zones de conflit et d'impunité sont des défis majeurs.

La Syrie représente depuis deux ans un dilemme permanent pour les medias du monde entier: soit les journalistes prennent le risque d'aller y témoigner des terribles souffrances humaines endurées par la population, au risque de leur vie, soit ils observent l'évolution du conflit de l'autre côté de la frontière en renonçant à informer directement l'opinion publique.

Au moins 4 journalistes étrangers courageux sont portés disparus en Syrie. Le pire est à craindre. La PEC lance un appel pressant pour leur libération immédiate s'ils ont été enlevés..

La situation s'est gravement détériorée d'une année sur l'autre au Pakistan avant des élections générales. En Amérique latine, la situation des journalistes est très préoccupante dans des pays comme le Brésil, Cuba, l'Equateur, le Guatemala, le Honduras, le Mexique et le Paraguay.

La présidente de la PEC Hedayat Abdelnabi a souligné qu'il n'y a toujours pas d'action concrète efficace de la communauté internationale bien que beaucoup d'Etats déplorent la perte de leurs journalistes dans des zones de conflit.

Hedayat Abdelnabi a émis l'espoir que le rapport préparé par le Haut Commissariat aux droits de l'homme à la demande du Conseil pour le mois de septembre va établir de meilleures pratiques et que la communauté internationale va pouvoir utiliser cette base pour avancer sur la question de la protection des journalistes.

Selon le décompte de la PEC, 141 journalistes ont été tués l'an dernier dans le monde, un record.

 
قبيل يوم الصحافة العالمي: حملة الشارة الدولية تحي ذكري من سقطوا و هو يؤدون عملهم 

 
جنيف 2 مايو (حملة الشارة) – قبيل الاحتفال الجمعة بيوم الصحافة العالمي فإن حملة الشارة الدولية لحماية الصحفي تحي ذكرى من سقطوا من الصحفيين لأنهم يؤدون عملهم. 

طبقاً لأرقام حملة الشارة فإن عدد الصحفيين الذين قتلوا منذ بداية العام 39 صحفياً. 9 في باكستان، و 5 في الصومال و 4 في سوريا و 4 في البرازيل. 

و قتل صحفيان رمياً بالرصاص في جواتيمالا و 2 في المكسيك و 2 في باراجواي. 

كما قتل صحفي في كل من إكوادور و هايتي و الهند و كينيا و نيجيريا و بيرو و الفلبين و جمهورية افريقيا الوسطي و روسيا و تنزانيا و اليمن.

 أكد سكرتير عام الحملة بليز ليمبان أنه قد تحقق بعض التقدم بتبني برنامج عمل اليونسكو و كذلك تبني القرار الخاص بسلامة الصحفيين في مجلس حقوق الإنسان، مشيراً إلى أن التقدم انعكس أيضاً في خفض عدد القتلى من الصحفيين و من عمليات ترهيبهم، كما بدأت عمليات تحقيق جادة في مقتل البعض منهم. إلا أنه أضاف أن الوضع مازال رمادياً في دول أخرى كما تستمر مشاكل وجود الصحفي في بؤر النزاع كما تستمر ظاهرة الافلات من العقاب و كل هذه الأمور تمثل تحديات حقيقية. 
 
ظلت سوريا لمدة السنتين الماضيتين معضلة دائمة للإعلام في كل أنحاء العالم فبعض الصحفيين يخاطرون بالدخول من أجل تغطية معاناة إنسانية واسعة و من ثم تعريض حياتهم للخطر، أو يقومون بالتغطية من على الحدود و بالتالي يتخلون عن التغطية المباشرة لنقل المعلومات للرأي العام. 

حتى الآن يوجد على الأقل 4 صحفيين أجانب يتسمون بالشجاعة اختفوا و ما خفي كان أعظم. و تطالب حملة الشارة بالإفراج عنهم فوراً في حال تعرضهم للاختطاف. 
 
لقد تدهورت ظروف العمل الصحفي في باكستان سنة بعد أخرى و قبيل الانتخابات العامة. 

و تدعو الحالة في أمريكا اللاتينية إلى قلق شديد بالنسبة للعمل الصحفي في البرازيل و كوبا و المكسيك و باراجواي و إكوادور و جواتيمالا و هندوراس.
 
وقالت هدايت عبد النبي، رئيسة حملة الشارة الدولية، الأيام تمر و الشهور و السنوات و لا توجد خطوات ملموسة من قبل المجتمع الدولي على الرغم من أن صحفيين بارزين من دوله قد قتلوا في الميدان. 
 
و أضافت بأنها تأمل أن يؤدي تقرير مفوضية الأمم المتحدة لحقوق الإنسان و الذي يناقش في جلسة سبتمبر القادم من مجلس حقوق الإنسان في جنيف إلى التوصل لمبادئ لأفضل السبل للتعامل مع قضية حماية الصحفيين و أن يتمكن المجتمع الدولي من خلال نتائجه أن يحسن الموقف في قضية حماية الصحفيين. 

طبقاً لأرقام حملة الشارة فقد شهد العام الماضي أعلى رقم للقتلى بين الصحفيين و هو 141 صحفيا لعام 2012. 

 للاطلاع على قائمة الضحايا و أخر الأنباء برجاء الرجوع إلى 

***30.04.2013. Veteran Italian war correspondent missing in Syria

(PEC/Agencies) An Italian journalist has been missing in Syria for 20 days, his newspaper La Stampa says.
Domenico Quirico, 62, an experienced war reporter, entered Syria on 6 April.

The Turin newspaper's website on Tuesday said Domenico Quirico, an experienced war reporter, entered Syria on April 6 from Lebanon. La Stampa said it has been working with the Italian Foreign Ministry in an effort to find him, but so far with no results. Quirico planned to report on the Homs area. His last contact was a text message sent on April 9 to an Italian colleague from state TV, saying he was on the road to Homs.

Earlier this month, four Italian journalists were released after being detained in rebel-controlled northern Syria for about 10 days.

The conflict in Syria has made it one of the most dangerous places for journalists to work in.

La Stampa's editor-in-chief, Mario Calabresi, said the Turin-based paper decided to publicise Mr Quirico's disappearance after a search for the correspondent failed to turn up any leads.

"We had hoped that keeping quiet would help bring about a solution," said Mr Calabresi.

"Unfortunately this has not been the case, and for that reason we have decided to make his disappearance public."

The Italian foreign ministry has activated its crisis unit to try to trace Mr Quirico.

The journalist has reported on conflicts in Sudan, Uganda and Libya.

At least three other foreign journalists, including two Americans, are still missing in Syria. 

***29.04.2013. PAKISTAN. PEC worried by the death of a ninth journalist since January ahead of general polls

ISLAMABAD: The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) while condemning the killing of a Pakistani journalist Mr. Arif Shafi in a terrorists’ attack in Pakistan’s Northwestern city of Peshawar has expressed serious concern on the journalists’ poor safety in the country ahead of general polls scheduled on May 11.
 
In a motorbike blast on the busy University Road, at least 10 people including two afghan diplomats and the journalist killed while five dozens others sustained injuries on Monday morning. 

Arif Shafi, 35 hailing from Peshawar had been working on the English desk of the Afghan news agency ‘Pajhwok’ as assistant editor in Afghanistan capital Kabul for last several years. He was on leave and was to return in a few days to resume his duty.   

On April 29 in the morning, after dropping his son at school on 29 April, he was on his way to city cantonment area and as he stopped at University road to buy a newspaper from a stall in the meantime the incident occurred that took his life. He had three children including two daughters Maleeha (8), Yusra (3) and son Khizar (5).

Besides, Ayesha Ali, daughter of another Peshawar based journalist Gohar Ali and student of eleven-grade at a local college was among the injured, but now her condition is stable.

“As general polls are round the corner and scheduled to be held on 11th of May, in a situation when suicidal attacks on the political rallies are on the rise, in such a situation the government should take appropriate measures to provide security to journalists while covering these political activities” the PEC demanded. 

It is worth mentioning that this is the second journalist the provincial capital lost in last two-week time. Earlier on April 16, a journalist Tariq Aslam Durrani also lost his life in a suicide bomb attack on a political party rally in Peshawar.

In a statement, Peshawar Press Club (PCC) president Nasir Hussain and General Secretary Yousaf Ali condemned the attack and said that government fail to protect the life of journalist, adding that in Pakistan eight journalists were killed this year in which three journalist were from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA). They demanded of the government to provide security to the journalist and also announced Shaheed Package for the bereaved family of the journalist.

This was the 17th journalist from KP and FATA who fall victim to the ongoing wave of terrorism in the country.

A top police officer told the PEC that about five kilogram of explosives was used in this attack and which was planted on the back seat of the bike. The suicide bomber struck his motorbike into a police van, the moments after Police Commissioner Sahibzada Mohammad Anis drove past the road.

On the PEC ticking clock, this is the ninth Pakistani journalist killed since Jan 2013. This has jacked up the total casualties of journalists round the globe to 39.

Israr Khan, PEC Representative in Islamabad

***26.04.2013. PARAGUAY. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) is worried by the second murder of a journalist in the north-east of Paraguay this year - an alarming trend

The PEC joins the Journalists' Union of Paraguay (Sindicato de Periodistas del Paraguay, SPP) who condemns the murder of journalist Carlos Artaza (photo), in Pedro Juan Caballero. Artaza worked for the press department in the Amambay governor's office and was targeted in a premeditated attack during which he was shot six times. On the morning of 25 April 2013 he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

26 April is the national Day of the Journalist, commemorating the 1991 murder of journalist Santiago Leguizamón. SPP is saddened that on the eve of this day another journalist has been killed. The organisation offers its condolences to Artaza's family and calls for a rigorous investigation and exemplary punishment for those responsible for this terrible killing.

Artaza participated in a political event on the night of 24 April and when he returned home, was attacked by people driving a motorcycle.

This incident is the latest in a line of incidents, most recently the repeated death threats against journalist Aníbal Gómez Caballero. Cándido Figueredo, an ABC Color correspondent in Pedro Juan Caballero, has also received threats recently.

SPP calls on the local authorities to put more emphasis on the safety of journalists, with the aim of protecting them, especially in regions where there is unrest such as in towns near the border.

The organisation pledges that, for the sake of Artaza's wife and children, they will not let his murder go unpunished. To do this, SPP will take the necessary steps to punish those who are spreading this message of violence against journalists and the general population. SPP calls for an end to impunity and for justice for Carlos Artaza.

Carlos Artaza is the second journalist to be killed this year in Pedro Juan Caballero, a city on the Brazilian border that is the capital of Amambay department, following radio station owner and manager Marcelino Vazquez February 6.
Threats marked the campaign for the 21 April general election.

According to the PEC Ticking clock, 12 journalists were killed in Latin America since January this year, 5 only in April, an alarming trend.

***17.04.2013. PAKISTAN. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) CONDEMNED THE SUICIDE BOMB ATTACK IN PESHAWAR WHICH KILLED A PAKISTANI JOURNALIST AND INJURED TWO OTHERS

PAKISTAN: The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), which is fighting for the protection of journalists has strongly condemned the suicide bomb attack on a political party rally in Pakistan’s Northwestern city of Peshawar in which among others, a Pakistani print journalist was killed and two other media persons sustained injuries.

The incident took place on April 16 late evening in Yakatoot, a crowded neighbor of Peshawar city soon after the party senior leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour came to the gathering, however he escaped. In this happening, two children, and six police officials among 16 people killed and dozen more including women and children were injured.       
 
Mr. Tariq Aslam Durrani (photo), 46 a sub-editor with Urdu language ‘the Daily Pakistan’ was killed while covering the rally of the Awami National Party (ANP) along with other media persons. Besides, a news editor of the same newspaper Mr. Azhar Ali Shah and Mr. Ehtisham Khan a reporter with the Express television sustained injuries who were shifted to hospital, however they are out of danger now, doctors said. 

The deceased has left four kids, a widow and was living in rented house, his close relatives told the PEC. 

Amid the country is preparing to hold general polls on May 11, this is the fourth deadly attack on politicians or political parties in last three days which is much alarming. 

In such a situation, doing journalism is becoming much difficult not only in terrorists hit tribal areas of Pakistan, but even in major urban centers. 

Latter, the spokesman of the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Ehsanullah Ehsan while talking to a private television channel on phone claimed the responsibility of the blast. 

It is worth mentioning that according to the PEC record, during Jan-March 2013, Pakistan remained the most ‘dangerous country’ for journalists to do journalism. During this period seven journalists were been killed with impunity followed by Syria with four journalists’ casualties and Somalia and Brazil with three each.

This quarterly report for 2013, number of journalists killed in the first three months of the year clocked at 28 in 15 countries, has gone down to near 10 percent as compared with the same period last year, however the situation still grim in most parts of the world.
 
During April 2012, so far three journalists have been killed including Mr. Durrani of Pakistan. This has led the total number on the PEC ticking clock to 31. Earlier this month, one each journalist was killed in Guatemala and Russia. 

ISRAR KHAN
PEC representative in Pakistan

***08.04.2013. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) CONDEMNS EFFORT TO SILENCE NEWS COVERAGE IN SYRIA BY A SYRIAN BUSINESSMAN AND DETENTION OF FOUR ITALIAN JOURNALISTS BY A REBEL GROUP

(Agencies/PEC) A Kuwait-based Syrian businessman has announced a monetary reward for any individuals who capture and turn over to security forces journalists affiliated with the pan-Arab channels Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya, according to news reports. In a phone interview with Syrian state television on March 30, the pro-regime businessman Fahim Saqr accused international journalists of misleading the Syrian and Arab people and said he would offer 10 million Syrian liras (about US$95,000) to anyone who helped journalists from Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya get arrested, news reports said.

News accounts reported that Syrian rebels have also begun to demand that international journalists working in the country use translators and drivers provided by the rebels themselves. Local journalists said they have noticed increased attempts by the opposition to restrict unflattering coverage.

Al-Jazeera issued a statement (read below) in which it reported receiving increased threats in recent weeks, and filed a complaint to the Kuwaiti General Prosecutor's office accusing Saqr of "threatening and inciting against Al-Jazeera correspondents in Syria". Faisal Qenaei, secretary general of the Kuwaiti Journalists Association, expressed solidarity with Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya correspondents in Syria and urged Kuwaiti authorities to launch an investigation against the Syrian businessman.

Al Jazeera Media Network condemns threats against their staff posted on social media sites.
Doha – April 4, 2013
 
Al Jazeera Media Network denounces the threats made recently by some Syrian regime supporters against presenters and correspondents of Al Jazeera Channel and other Arab channels.
 
Threats levied against Al Jazeera staff on social media and other outlets in recent weeks were made to put pressure on the network to change its professional editorial line with regards to the conflict in Syria and other regions of conflicts. “Al Jazeera prides itself on honest and objective reporting, people who feel Al Jazeera does not reflect their point of view have no basis for any argument when they use threats of intimidation and violence through social media portals like Facebook and Twitter,” said Ibrahim Helal, Director of News for Al Jazeera Arabic.

“The fact that our staff have been targeted with messages of hate has no place in any plural society,” said Helal.

In the wake of recent incitement against its staff members, Al Jazeera Media Network emphasises that it has already initiated a legal case against those who made these threats. Furthermore, it will not save any efforts seeking all legitimate actions, regardless of the status of sources of threat, in order to protect its journalists, and correspondents, and employees.

Al Jazeera Media Network has stressed out that it stands behind all its employees in such confrontation to their personal and ethical wellbeing to these kinds of threats.

April 5. Four Italian journalists have been kidnapped in the north of Syria, on the border with Turkey, the Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed late Friday. 

The foreign ministry confirmed the report “indicating that it has followed the developments from the very beginning,” according to the ANSA news agency. It also called for “maximum discretion,” stressing that “the physical safety of the hostages remains the absolute priority.”

According to various reports, the abducted are three freelance journalists Andrea Vignali, Elio Colavolpe and Susan Dabbous and one reporter working for the Italian public broadcaster RAI Amedeo Ricucci.

The newspaper said the journalists were kidnapped “by a rebel group” while out filming.

In February, an Italian citizen and two Russians kidnapped on December 12 in the west of Syria were freed as part of an exchange for militants.

Last month, a Ukrainian journalist escaped from her kidnappers in Syria. Abductions for religious, political or purely financial reasons are becoming increasingly frequent in war-torn Syria.

PEC strongly condemns the kidnapping by any group in Syria and calls for the immediated release of the four italian journalists.

***03.04.2013. PEC report for the first 3 months of 2013: 28 journalists killed in 15 countries // rapport de la PEC pour les trois premiers mois de 2013: 28 journalistes tués dans 15 pays // desde el primero de enero, 28 periodistas fueron asesinados en 15 países (English, French, Spanish, Arabic)

Number of journalists killed down by near 10 percent in 3 months
 
Geneva, April 3 (PEC) – According to the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) quarterly report for 2013 published Wednesday the number of journalists killed in the first three months of the year, 28 in 15 countries, has gone down to near 10 percent as compared with the same period last year.

Pakistan leads the tally with 7 journalists killed in three months, followed by Syria 4 killed, Somalia 3 killed and three in Brazil.

One journalist was killed in the following countries: Guatemala, India, Haiti, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, Central African Republic, Tanzania and Yemen.

The difference between 2012 and 2013 is that in Syria 5 journalists less were killed in 2013.

PEC Secretary-General Blaise Lempen noted that unfortunately this improved statistics does not reflect a better security situation in the field for the media, but could be traced to less journalists taking the risk to go to Syria to witness the ongoing violence. Lempen adds that Syria is in agony in a massive indifference.

The latest from Syria is that Jörg Armbruster, a correspondent for the German public broadcaster ARD, was seriously injured by gunfire during a military clash in Aleppo on March 29, 2013. After emergency surgery inside Syria on the same day, Armbruster was transferred by ambulance to Turkey, where he was treated by an emergency medical team, he was evacuated to Stuttgart on Monday April 1.

The situation in Pakistan has deteriorated from one year to the other. Three of the killed journalists lost their lives in a bomb attack in Baluchistan and the others were targeted in the tribal zones where they are particularly threatened by secessionist groups and extreme militants.

The situation remained dangerous in Somalia and Brazil. They still are in the group of the four most dangerous countries for media work as they were last year.

PEC President Hedayat Abdelnabi, said that though this decrease is welcome yet a lot has to be done. The PEC reiterates its call to UN member states to start the process of negotiations on new binding guidelines to protect journalists in conflict zones and dangerous situations. Last year, journalists were killed in a record number, 141 for the whole year. 

Baisse de 10% du nombre de journalistes tués en 3 mois en 2013

Genève, 3 avril 2013 (PEC) Le nombre de journalistes tués les trois premiers mois de 2013 a baissé de près de 10% par rapport à la même période de l'an dernier. Depuis le 1er janvier, 28 journalistes ont été tués dans 15 pays, a affirmé mercredi la Presse Emblème Campagne (PEC).

Le Pakistan arrive en tête des pays les plus dangereux avec 7 journalistes tués en trois mois. Suivent la Syrie avec 4 journalistes tués, la Somalie (3 tués) et le Brésil (3 tués également).

Un journaliste a été tué dans chacun des pays suivants: Guatemala, Haïti, Inde, Kenya, Mexique, Nigeria, Paraguay, Pérou, République centrafricaine, Tanzanie et Yémen.

La différence entre 2012 et 2013 vient de la Syrie, où cinq journalistes de moins ont été tués cette année par rapport aux trois premiers mois de 2012.

"Malheureusement, cette embellie statistique ne vient pas d'une amélioration des conditions de sécurité sur le terrain quant à la protection des medias, mais probablement résulte du fait que beaucoup moins de journalistes ont pris le risque de se rendre en Syrie pour y témoigner des violences", a déclaré le secrétaire général de la PEC Blaise Lempen. "La Syrie agonise dans une indifférence croissante", a-t-il ajouté. Dernier épisode en date, le 29 mars, un reporter expérimenté de la chaîne publique allemande ARD Jörg Armbruster a été grièvement blessé par des tirs à Alep, opéré en urgence, puis évacué en Turquie et à Stuttgart le 1er avril. 

La situation s'est détériorée d'une année sur l'autre au Pakistan. Trois journalistes sont morts lors d'une attaque à la bombe au Baloutchistan et les autres ont été visés dans les zones tribales, où ils sont particulièrement menacés par des groupes sécessionnistes et militants extrémistes.

La situation est restée également périlleuse en Somalie et au Brésil, qui figurent parmi les quatre premiers pays les plus dangereux, comme l'an dernier.

Pour la présidente de la PEC, Hedayat Abdelnabi, la baisse du nombre de journalistes tués au premier trimestre est bienvenue, mais il y a encore beaucoup à faire avec en moyenne 2 journalistes tués chaque semaine. La PEC réitère son appel aux Etats membres de l’ONU d’entamer le processus de négociations sur des principes contraignants afin de mieux protéger les journalistes dans les zones dangereuses. L'an dernier, un record de 141 journalistes a été tué dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions.


Baja un 10% el número de periodistas asesinados en primer trimestre de 2013

Ginebra, 3 abril 2013 (PEC) El número de periodistas asesinados durante los tres primeros meses de 2013 se ha reducido en un 10% en relación con el mismo período del año anterior. Desde el primero de enero, 28 periodistas fueron asesinados en 15 países, ha afirmado el miércoles la Campaña Emblema de Prensa (PEC).

El monitoreo realizado por la PEC refleja que en este primer trimestre Pakistán encabeza el grupo de países de mayor peligrosidad, con 7 periodistas asesinados en tres meses, seguido de Siria con cuatro, Somalia (3) y Brasil (igualmente tres).

En cada uno de los siguientes países, la PEC ha tenido conocimiento del asesinato de un periodista, a saber Guatemala, Haiti, India, Kenya, México, Nigeria, Paragua, Peru, República Centroafricana, Tanzania y Yemen.

La diferencia entre 2012 y 2013 está dada por la situación en Siria, donde se reportaron cinco periodistas menos en este trimestre en comparación con igual período del año 2012.

« Desafortunadamente, esta mejora en las estadísticas no corresponde a una mejoría de las condiciones de seguridad sobre el terreno en cuanto a la protección de los medios, pero probablemente sea la resultante del hecho de que muchos menos periodistas han corrido el riesgo de trasladarse a Siria para dar testimonio de las violencias”, ha declarado el secretario general de la PEC, Blaise Lempen. “Siria agoniza en una creciente indiferencia », ha agregado Lempen.

La situación se ha deteriorado considerablemente de un año al otro en Pakistán. Tres periodistas han muerto durante un ataque con bombas en Balotchistan y otros fueron atacados en zonas tribales, donde son particularmente amenazados por grupos secesionistas y militantes extremistas.

En Somalia y en Brasil la situación e mantiene igualmente peligrosa, por lo que ambos países figuran entre los cuatro primeros más peligrosos para el ejercicio de la profesión, al igual que en el año precedente.

Para la presidente de la PEC, Hedayat Abdelnabi, la cifra de 28 periodistas asesinados en tres meses, aún cuando sea inferior a la de 2012, es todavía sumamente elevada. Esto corresponde a un promedio de dos por semana. El año pasado, se llegó a la cifra de 141 periodistas asesinados en el ejercicio de sus funciones.

انخفاض مقتل الصحفيين بنسبة تقترب من 10 بالمائة

جنيف 3 إبريل (حملة الشارة) – أعلنت حملة الشارة الدولية لحماية الصحفي في تقريرها الربع السنوي عن انخفاض عدد القتلى بين الصحفيين بنسبة تقترب من 10 بالمائة في الفترة من أول يناير إلى 31 مارس 2013 حيث قتل 28 صحفياً في 15 دولة.

باكستان تتصدر الدول بمقتل 7 صحفيين، ثم سوريا 4، فالصومال 3 و 3 في البرازيل.

و قتل صحفي في كل من جواتيمالا و الهند و المكسيك و نيجيريا و باراجواي و بيرو و جمهورية إفريقيا الوسطى و تنزانيا و اليمن و هايتي و كينيا. 

و يذكر أن الفارق الوحيد بين أرقام السنة الماضية و الحالية هي انخفاض عدد الصحفيين القتلى في سوريا بـ 5 في 2013.
 
و صرح سكرتير عام الحملة بليز ليمبان بأنه و للأسف فإن التحسن في الإحصائيات لا يعكس وضع أمني أفضل في الميدان للصحفيين و لكنه يرجع إلى أنه ربما إلى صحفيين أقل يواجهون مخاطر الذهاب إلى سوريا و تغطية العنف الدامي هناك. و شدد ليبمان على أن سوريا تمثل ألماً بسبب الصمت و لامبالاة ضخمة.

 و طبقاً لأخر أنباء سوريا فقد أصيب الصحفي الالماني يورج أرمبروستر خلال تغطية للأحداث في حلب في 29 مارس و بعد جراحة في سوريا رحل إلى تركيا و بعد استقرار حالته عاد إلى شتوتجارت بألمانيا في أول إبريل.

و قالت حملة الشارة أن الوضع في باكستان قد تدهور من سنة إلى أخرى. فقد قتل ثلاثة صحفيين في تفجير في بالوشيستان و تم استهداف أخرين في المناطق القبلية حيث المخاطر و بصفة خاصة من قبل المجموعات الانفصالية و متطرفين. 
 
و ظلت الحالة خطرة في الصومال و البرازيل، و لازالوا في مجموعة الدول الأربع الأكثر خطراً للعمل الصحفي كما كان الحال في العام الماضي. 

و ترى حملة الشارة أن مقتل 28 صحفياً في 15 دولة - رغم أنه أقل عن العام الماضي في نفس الفترة - لكنه مازال مرتفعاً للغاية و هو بمعدل مقتل صحفيين في الأسبوع، بالمقارنة بـ 2011 التي قتل فيها 21 صحفياً أي أقل بخمسة عن العام الحالي، و وصل إجمالي الصحفيين الذين قتلوا في العام الماضي إلى 141 صحفيا و هم يقومون بمهام مهنتهم. 

أكدت رئيسة حملة الشارة الدولية هدايت عبد النبي بأننا نرحب بهذا الخفض إلا أن علينا أن ننجز الكثير و أعادت اطلاق نداء حملة الشارة الذي أطلق مراراً و تكراراً من قبل بأن تقوم الدول الأعضاء في الأمم المتحدة ببدء عملية صياغة خطوط عريضة ملزمة لحماية الصحفيين في مناطق النزاع المسلح و الأحداث و المناطق الخطرة. 

Twitter: PRESSEMBLEMCAMPAIGN

Facebook: Press Emblem Campaign 

***27.03.2013. RWANDA. Rwandan editor, jailed for opinion piece, fails in appeal - the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condemns targeting journalists in Rwanda

An appellate court judge in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, on Monday upheld the criminal conviction of an editor who is serving a one-year prison sentence in connection with an opinion column, according to local journalists.
A judge presiding in the Gasabo Intermediate Court said Stanley Gatera, (photo) editor of Kinyarwanda-language independent weekly Umusingi, should be held accountable for a June 2012 opinion piece that suggested that men might regret marrying an ethnic Tutsi woman solely for her beauty, according to local journalists.

Police arrested Gatera, 22, in August 2012 after they said they received complaints from Tutsi women's groups. In November 2012, a lower court convicted Gatera on charges of "inciting divisionism" and "gender discrimination." The author of the piece fled the country amid the controversy and was never charged.

Gatera's defense argued that the journalist should not be punished for a column he did not write, local journalists said. The defense also noted the journalist had published an apology in the following issue. It was not immediately clear whether Gatera's defense team will pursue its appeal to the Supreme Court, local journalists said.
"This opinion piece might have offended readers, but that should not constitute a criminal offense," . "This ruling sends the message that Rwandan journalists must censor opinions if they want to stay out of jail."

ISLAMABAD (8 March 2013) - The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) while fully endorsing the outcomes of the two-day international media conference in Islamabad, appreciated the effort of forming an ‘alliance’ by more than a dozen international media development and support organizations including itself to coordinate their efforts on media safety and protection in Pakistan. It also strongly resolved to do all our efforts for the protection and safety of journalists in Pakistan which is one of the most dangerous countries on the globe for journalists. 

The United Nations Action Plan Against Impunity in Pakistan was also launched, which seeks to support efforts to promote security and safety of journalists in the country. Pakistan is one of five pilot countries of the UN Action Plan with the objective of building the country’s capacity to deal with safety of journalists.

PEC is also one of its major advocators with the hope that it will definitely have an impact on the Pakistani society, political parties and governments in ending impunity against journalists. 

The organizations who established ‘the International Friends of Media Alliance on Safety’ at the end of the two-day international conference comprised of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI), Article IX, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Freedom House (FH), International News Safety Institute (INSI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), International Media Support (IMS), UNESCO, International Press Institute (IPI), Internews Network, International Federation of Freedom of Expression (IFEX), Amnesty International (AI), World Association of Newspapers (WAN-IFRA), Fojo Institute and Press Emblem Campaign (PEC).

The PEC which participated in this conference has also pledged for playing its vibrant role to support this international Alliance and the UN action plan to promote security and safety of journalists in Pakistan.

Guy Berger, the Head of the Freedom of Expression Division at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris launched the UN Action Plan elaborated by Director UNESCO-Pakistan Kozue Kay Nagata. The Action Plan will serve to support existing efforts to promote actions against impunity in Pakistan by facilitating coordination and collaborative actions by various national and international media support and defence groups.

The conference also resulted in launching the ‘Pakistan Coalition of Media on Safety (PCOMS)’, an alliance of media stakeholders in the country seeking to promote a unified agenda of safety for journalists, media workers and media establishments in the country to take advantage of global UN plan against impunity in Pakistan. Key associations representing media workers, managers and owners, as well as media development groups will be members of the Coalition. 

The PCOMS will develop a “National Charter on Media Safety”, adopting the outcomes of the national consultation conducted by UNESCO and national conference on impunity against journalists conducted by Intermedia Pakistan – both in November 2012 – to outline priorities, collaborative and individual actions, develop resources, tools and mechanisms, to promote a unified agenda of safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments of Pakistan. 

Head of Asia Programs of IMS Lars Bestle said while the state of impunity against journalists in Pakistan is high, it is also significant that there exist wide support within the media, government, political parties and civil society in the country representing a consensus that can deliver dividends by way of collaborative responses to threats. 

Head of Media Program for Open Society Foundation Asad Baig said that coordination among media defence groups can help improve the response to threats and reduce the framework of risks that exist. 

Executive Director Intermedia Pakistan Adnan Rehmat said democracy is not safe when journalists are unsafe, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to strengthen media defence strategies. He also said that we will also take the cases of journalists to the court of law and follow them to get justice. We also demand of the government for the appointment of a special prosecutor who will follow and investigate the attacks and killing of journalists.

Israr Khan
PEC Representative in Islamabad
Sr, Staff Reporter
+92 346 9322611
International The News

FYI, documents of the conference:

UN Action Plan on Impunity Against Journalists and international alliance of media groups launched to reduce threats to journalists in Pakistan

PRESS RELEASE

ISLAMABAD (March 7, 2013): A two-day international conference concluded in Islamabad on Thursday launching the United Nations Action Plan Against Impunity, in Pakistan, which seeks to support efforts to promote security and safety of journalists in the country. Pakistan is one of five pilot countries of the UN Action Plan Against Impunity. 
 
The UN Action Plan was launched by Guy Berger, the Head of the Freedom of Expression Division at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and elaborated by Director UNESCO-Pakistan Kozue Kay Nagata. The Action Plan will serve to support existing efforts to promote actions against impunity against journalists in Pakistan by facilitating coordination and collaborative actions by various national and international media support and defence groups. 

The conference highlighted and raised awareness about the UN Action Plan Against Impunity in five pilot countries, including Pakistan, with the objective of building the country’s capacity to deal with safety of journalists.
 
The international conference was conducted by Intermedia Pakistan, a national media support and development group – with support from Open Society Foundation-Pakistan (OSF), International Media Support (IMS) and United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

Significantly, the conference resulted in setting up of the Pakistan Coalition of Media on Safety (PCOMS), an alliance of media stakeholders in the country seeking to promote a unified agenda of safety for journalists, media workers and media establishments in the country. Key associations representing media workers, managers and owners, as well as media development groups will be members of the Coalition.   

The conference also resulted in the establishment of the International Friends of Media Alliance on Safety, a group of over a dozen international media development and support organizations aiming to coordinate their efforts on media safety in Pakistan. The Alliance includes Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI), Article IX, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Freedom House (FH), International News Safety Institute (INSI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), International Media Support (IMS), UNESCO, International Press Institute (IPI), Internews Network, International Federation of Freedom of Expression (IFEX), Amnesty International (AI), World Association of Newspapers (WAN-IFRA), Fojo Institute, Press Emblem Campaign (PEC).

Head of Asia Programs of IMS Lars Bestle said while the state of impunity against journalists in Pakistan is high, it is also significant that there exist wide support within the media, government, political parties and civil society in the country representing a consensus that can deliver dividends by way of collaborative responses to threats. 

Head of Media Program for Open Society Foundation Asad Baig said that coordination among media defence groups can help improve the response to threats and reduce the framework of risks that exist. 

Executive Director Intermedia Pakistan Adnan Rehmat said democracy is not safe when journalists are unsafe, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to strengthen media defence strategies. 

The conference was extended support by the Government of Pakistan, key political parties including Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N, Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Awami National Party, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf. 

The conference brought together all key stakeholders from within Pakistan and key international media defence groups to discuss ways of combating the violence against media and journalists in the country and what best lessons from the world Pakistan can partly adopt. 

The conference noted with concern that over 90 journalists have been killed in Pakistan since 2000 and at least 70 journalists in the last five years alone and hundreds attacked, injured, kidnapped, arrested and intimidated in a variety of ways. From 2007 to 2013 the average of journalists killed every year is 13 – one every 28 days. There has been no prosecution and conviction of any attacker – the prevalence of impunity is huge. Despite recent efforts by a variety of actors to combat this trend, the scale of impunity hasn’t been dented. 

The international conference extended support to local efforts to raise the public profile of impunity against journalists by bringing together all key stakeholders from within Pakistan and key international media defence groups to discuss ways of combating the violence against media and journalists in the country and what best lessons from the world Pakistan can adopt. 

PAKISTAN COALITION ON MEDIA SAFETY (PCOMS)

Declaration by Media Stakeholders on Combating Impunity

International Conference on Safety & Security of Pakistani Journalists

Islamabad, March 7, 2013 

The “International Conference on Safety and Security of Pakistani Journalists: Promoting Collaborative Approaches to Combat Impunity”, held in Islamabad on March 6-7, 2013 by Intermedia Pakistan with support of International Media Support (IMS), Open Society Foundations (OSF) and UNESCO, attended by representatives of leading national and international media houses, associations, platforms and media development organizations, and which expressed solidarity with the Pakistani media on the issue of impunity against Pakistani journalists, declared the following:
 
1.     The level of threats facing Pakistani media and its practitioners is unacceptable that have, according to Intermedia Pakistan and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, killed over 90 journalists since 2000 and resulted in injuries, assaults, arrests, kidnapping and other forms of serious intimidation faced by over 2,000 journalists in the same period.
 
2.     Urgent and extraordinary measures need to be coordinated, endorsed and adopted by all stakeholders of the media sector in Pakistan, including media owners, managers, practitioners and workers, as well as the other various stakeholders of the media stakeholders, to reduce the range of threats that journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan face. 

3.     The “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” (PCOMS) is set up, in pursuance of the Declaration of the National Conference on Impunity Against Journalists held on November 8, 2012, that recommended setting up of such an alliance, to serve as a platform for key stakeholders of the media sector in Pakistan to promote collaborative approaches, mechanisms and actions aimed at reducing risks, threats and attacks against the media and promoting safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments in the country.

4.     “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” (PCOMS) welcomes and supports the UN Action Plan Against Impunity and its focus on Pakistan as one of the pilot countries of the Plan – and seeks to both benefit and contribute to it in the interests of safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan. 
 
5.     A ‘Working Group’ was set up to approach key media stakeholders in Pakistan to create a Steering Committee for the “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” (PCOMS) that can take ownership of the Coalition. The conference proposed Hamid Mir, Adnan Rehmat, Owais Aslam Ali, Iqbal Khattak and Mazhar Abbas as members of the Working Group.
 
6.     The “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” will develop a “National Charter on Media Safety”, adopting the outcomes of the national consultation conducted by UNESCO and national conference on impunity against journalists conducted by Intermedia Pakistan – both in November 2012 – to outline priorities, collaborative and individual actions, develop resources, tools and mechanisms, to promote a unified agenda of safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments of Pakistan.   

7.     The “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” welcomes the establishment of the “International Friends of Pakistan Media Alliance on Safety”, and seeks to interact with it in the interest of pushing forward an agenda of safety of journalists, media workers and media establishments in the country. 

8.     The “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” will seek to promote membership by all key stakeholders of the media sector in Pakistan to lend support to the cause of promoting safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan.

9.     The “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” will seek to establish networking, partnerships and collaborations with the international media community, including media development and support organizations, on the issue of promoting safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan. 

10. The “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” will develop a “Roadmap of Safety and Security” that outline a series of prioritised actions aimed at promoting safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan. 

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS OF PAKISTAN MEDIA
ALLIANCE ON SAFETY

Declaration by International Media Groups on Combating Impunity Against Journalists in Pakistan

International Conference on Safety & Security of Pakistani Journalists
Islamabad, March 7, 2013 

The “International Conference on Safety and Security of Pakistani Journalists: Promoting Collaborative Approaches to Combat Impunity”, held in Islamabad on March 6-7, 2013 by Intermedia Pakistan with support of International Media Support (IMS), Open Society Foundations (OSF) and UNESCO, attended by representatives of leading national and international media houses, associations, platforms and media development organizations, and which expressed solidarity with the Pakistani media on the issue of impunity against Pakistani journalists, declared the following:
 
1.     A free media and open communications policies are central to promoting a democratic Pakistan.
 
2.     The level of threats facing Pakistani media and its practitioners is unacceptable that have, according to Intermedia Pakistan and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, killed over 90 journalists since 2000 and have resulted in injuries, assaults, arrests, kidnapping and other forms of serious intimidation faced by over 2,000 journalists in the same period.
 
3.     Urgent and extraordinary measures need to be coordinated, endorsed and adopted by all stakeholders of the media sector in Pakistan, including support to these measures by their international counterparts, to reduce the range of threats that journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan face. 

4.     An “International Friends of Pakistan Media Alliance on Safety” is hereby set up to serve as a platform for international media support and development actors to promote collaborative approaches, mechanisms and actions aimed at reducing risks, threats and attacks against the media and promoting safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan. 

5.     The “International Friends of Pakistan Media Alliance on Safety” welcomes and supports the UN Action Plan Against Impunity and its focus on Pakistan as one of the pilot countries of the Plan – and seeks to both benefit and contribute to it in the interests of safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan. 
 
6.     The “International Friends of Pakistan Media Alliance on Safety” welcomes the establishment of the “Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety” (PCOMS) and supports its objectives of promoting a unified agenda of safety for journalists, media workers and media establishments in the country. 

7.     The “International Friends of Pakistan Media Alliance on Safety” agreed to coordinate and collaborate with groups and actors in Pakistan, including the Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety, collaboratively and individually, to support actions, development of resources, tools and mechanisms, to promote a unified agenda of safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments of Pakistan.   

8.     The “International Friends of Pakistan Media Alliance on Safety” will seek to coordinate networking, partnerships and collaborations, wherever possible, on their work in Pakistan to share support, experiences and resources, on the issue of promoting safety and security of journalists, media workers and media establishments in Pakistan, including among other things, sharing advocacy, research and trainings materials online, a strategy for which will be worked out later. 
 
9.     The “International Friends of Pakistan Media Alliance on Safety” will initially include as members Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI), Article IX, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Freedom House (FH), International News Safety Institute (INSI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), International Media Support (IMS), UNESCO, International Press Institute (IPI), Internews Network, International Federation of Freedom of Expression (IFEX), Amnesty International (AI), World Association of Newspapers (WAN-IFRA), Fojo Institute, Press Emblem Campaign (PEC). Membership will be open to any media support organization or group working in Pakistan or seeking to work here. 

Media Defense groups voiced concern on the Pakistani government's weak resolve to combat impunity against journalists 

ISLAMABAD, March 6: International media support groups, representative from the UN organizations, Journalists unions and associations working on journalists’ safety and media freedom Wednesday gathered here in Islamabad and call upon Pakistani government for greater journalist’s protection and investigation and prosecution of the murderers of Journalists who had so far taken lives of more than 91 journalists in the country and hundreds are still under constant threats.
 
They also voiced concern on the government's weak resolve to combat impunity against journalists and urged it to act decisively to protect journalist, fight impunity and achieve justice. It was also noted that the high level of Impunity is the main cause encouraging crimes against media and putting the messengers’ lives in dangers. Unfortunately, so far, not a single journalist’s killer has been trialed and punished in Pakistan.

These were the apprehensions expressed by the media defense groups at the first day of the a two-day international conference conducted by Intermedia Pakistan, a national media support and development group—with the support from Foundation Open Society Foundation-Pakistan, International Media Support and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

The conference that was designed to highlight and raise awareness about a new UN Action Plan Against Impunity in five pilot countries including Pakistan, call for having a comprehensive approach towards safety, protection and combating impunity against journalists and also underlined the importance of safety trainings that focus on counter surveillance, movement and safety issues of journalists, especially in conflict areas.

Key international media support groups attended the conference include Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI), Article 19, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Freedom House (FH), International News Safety Institute (INSI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), International Media Support (IMS), UNESCO, International Press Institute (IPI), Internews Network, International Federation of Freedom of Expression (IFEX), Amnesty International (AI),World Association of Newspapers (WAN), Freedom of the Press Foundation (FLIP), Fojo Institute, Press Emblem Campaign (PEC).

Writing and reporting about the warring groups in Balochistan, tribal areas and parts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has almost impaired journalism due to certain serious threats pose to media persons and where the enemy is always unknown, said a speaker.

Weaknesses among the Pakistani journalists unions were pinpointed by the former secretary general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Mazhar Abbas. He said, “We unions don’t follow the cases. Journalist Unions’ pressure on the government is also required, as most murder cases end up with the release of suspects.” He further said that militants in parts of Pakistan dictate what to cover and where to place the story even. We feel insecure in newsrooms and press clubs, because press cards are not being controlled. Citing a case, Abbas said that last year a terrorist was killed and a press card was recovered out of his pocket.

In Pakistan, prosecution failed to follow and solve the cases in which the suspects had been arrested, but latter freed due to weak prosecution.

Participants call for the systematic and long-term investigation into the journalists’ murder cases, as to bring the killers to task. The government should also put serious efforts behind this cause and also bring amendments to terrorism Act to protect media persons and address crimes against journalists. 

Completion among journalists for the breaking of the news is also one of the main reasons for the journalists’ deaths in Pakistan. Political parties having militant groups are also been termed as one of the major enemies of journalists. It was feared that in coming elections, we may see such incidents of party workers attacks on media.

Criminal Justice system is not strong enough in Pakistan to go with impunity; because of the impunity problem journalists are vulnerable as the criminals think that the law will not reach them.     
       
Guy Berger, Director for Freedom of Expression and Media Development at UNESCO said, “If a Journalist is killed, it is a very visible sign that rule of law is not there.” In Pakistan a staggering number of journalists and media workers killed while performing their professional duties.
 
According to the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) and other bodies striving for protecting journalists, Pakistan has been ranked third most dangerous place on the globe. This year three journalists killed in Quetta in January, another three in Sind, Balochistan and tribal areas very recently. Between 2007 and 2012, at least one journalist targeted every 28 days in Pakistan. 

Pakistani representative associations of media workers, owners and professionals and media defence groups such as Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Pakistan Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE), All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Radio Broadcasters Association (RBA), Pakistan News Agencies Council (PNAC), among others; the government; security agencies and civil society representatives, etc.

For the PEC Israr Khan
 

***01.03.2013. PAKISTAN: PEC ALARMED - THREE JOURNALISTS KILLED IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS IN ONE WEEK

Pakistani journalists hold placards and banners during a protest rally against the killing of Mehmood Jan Afridi, who worked for the Urdu-language Intekhab daily in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar, on March 2, 2013. Unidentified gunmen shot dead a journalist on Friday in Balochistan - the third journalist killed in one week, PEC Representative in Islamabad Israr Khan reported

Un quatrième journaliste français a trouvé la mort sur le front syrien. Le reporter-photographe français indépendant, Olivier Voisin (photo), grièvement blessé en Syrie jeudi, a succombé à ses blessures dans un hôpital en Turquie, a indiqué dimanche une porte-parole du ministère des Affaires étrangères. Il avait 38 ans. Olivier Voisin avait été grièvement blessé à la tête et au bras droit par des éclats d'obus jeudi alors qu'il couvrait les opérations d'une katiba (groupe armé d'opposition) dans la région d'Idlib (nord de la Syrie). Transféré à l'hôpital international d'Antakya puis à Istanbul, son état était jugé critique malgré une intervention chirurgicale.

Né en mars 1974 en Corée, Olivier Voisin a été adopté par une famille française. Outre la Syrie, il avait réalisé de nombreux reportages en Libye, en Somalie ou encore au Brésil. Le photographe travaillait pour de nombreux journaux parmi lesquels Libération, Le Monde ou The Guardian. Il avait publié des photos pour l'AFP en janvier sur les combats dans la ville d'Alep et sur le camp de réfugiés syriens à Azaz, près de la frontière turque.

Le Huffingtonpost.fr publie le dernier mail d'Olivier voisin envoyé à une amie italienne, Mimosa Martini, la veille du jour où il a été blessé. Cette dernière a publié ces écrits sur le profil Facebook d'Olivier Voisin. Ce mail en dit long sur la guerre qui sévit en Syrie mais également sur les conditions du métier de photographe : "Putain, j'ai eu la trouille de me faire pincer et de faire le mauvais pas. Et puis d'un coup le copain syrien qui m'attend et que je retrouve comme une libération". Le photographe continue : "Les conditions de vie ici sont plus que précaires. C'est un peu dur!", avant d'ajouter : "Aujourd'hui je suis tombé sur des familles qui viennent de Hamah et qui ont perdu leur maison. Ils vivent sous terre ou dans des grottes. Ils ont tout perdu. Du coup ça relativise de suite les conditions de vie que j'ai au sein de cette compagnie".

Après Gilles Jacquier et Rémi Ochlik en 2012 puis Yves Debay le mois dernier, Olivier Voisin est le quatrième journaliste français à périr sur le sol syrien. La PEC rend hommage à son courage professionnel et adresse ses condoléances à la famille de la victime. Elle appelle encore une fois la communauté internationale, et en particulier dans ce cas la France, à prendre les mesures nécessaires pour faire en sorte que le droit à l'information du public soit respecté dans les situations de conflit et que les travailleurs des médias puissent informer, sans risquer leur vie, des terribles souffrances endurées par les civils.

La PEC, inquiète des conditions de travail des photographes dans les zones de guerre, partage le point de vue du SNJ-CGT et reproduit son communiqué ci-dessous pour information:

Olivier Voisin : mort pour vivre (SNJ-CGT)

Le reporter-photographe Olivier Voisin, grièvement blessé en Syrie, est décédé en Turquie où il avait été transporté.

Sa mort va allonger la trop longue liste des journalistes morts pour informer ; notamment dans les zones de conflit.

Mais, au-delà de la profonde émotion suscitée par la perte d’un collègue, soucieux d’aller au plus près de l’actualité pour informer complètement, ne faudrait-il pas s’interroger sur les conditions d’exercice de la profession, surtout en zone de guerre.

En effet, Olivier Voisin était indépendant. Pourquoi ?

Parce que les éditeurs n’embauchent plus de reporters-photographes permanents, s’en remettant de plus en plus à des journalistes dits indépendants parce que les employeurs se refusent à leur appliquer le statut, dont ils prétendent qu’il est exorbitant du droit commun. La réduction des frais rédactionnels et, corollaire, l’augmentation des profits sont à ce prix.

Assurance et achat d’un matériel de plus en plus sophistiqué (et donc cher) supportés par le reporter, rémunération (de plus en plus chiche) à la photo publiée, acquis sociaux non servis (le reporter n’étant pas reconnu comme salarié), mais exigences inouïes en matière de fourniture de photos de grande qualité et selon les besoins, etc., bref le quotidien du reporter-photographe est de plus en plus précaire. Aussi, pour s’assurer que les « clients » prendront les photos, le journaliste est amené à prendre de plus en plus de risque ; il ne va pas seulement là où sa conscience professionnelle lui dicte d’aller pour traquer l’information : il franchit fréquemment les limites.

La dernière lettre électronique d’Olivier Voisin à une amie italienne est, à cet égard, terriblement accusatrice ; il écrit, en effet :

« Je fais les photos et je suis même pas sûr que l'AFP les prennent. »

Puis, il ajoute :

« Je ne suis que le petit Olivier, qui crève la dalle avec eux (les insurgés, NDLR) et qui les emmerde car les combats directs se font attendre. Le problème, c'est ce que demande l'AFP. Moins j'en fais, moins je gagne aussi et ce que je gagne c'est déjà pas fabuleux et plus les jours passent c'est autant de photos qu'on me demande de faire que je ne fais pas. »

Le SNJ-CGT salue la mémoire d’Olivier Voisin.

Pour honorer sa mémoire et celle des autres journalistes morts en zone de conflit (et notamment, les reporters-photographes), le SNJ-CGT continuera à œuvrer pour la résorption de la précarité et l’application du statut de journaliste à tous, sans exception.

SNJ CGT
Montreuil le 24/2/2013

***21.02.2013. SYRIA. REMEMBER - Mazen Darwish detained over a year - Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik killed at Homs one year ago - PEC renews its call for the release of Mazen Darwish and his colleagues with immediate effect

The Press Emblem Campaign PEC condemns the methods of the Syrian regime curbing freedom of opinion and expression by killing journalists, abducting activists and torturing them, and calls for the release of Mazen Darwish and his colleagues with immediate effect.

Syria media and human rights activist Mazen Darwish has spent more than one year in solitary confinement by the Syrian regime with other members of his Center the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of expression.
16 February 2012, Mazen and 14 of his colleagues were abducted by Syrian security forces from the Center to Prison.

Two foreign journalists: Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik were killed at Homs coincidental with the abduction of Mazen and his colleagues. 

Reports confirm that Mazen has been subjected to torture. Two other activists still remain abducted Hani Al Zeitani and Hussein Al Ghari. Twelve others were released. Another activist was killed under torture Moustafa Ghazoul.

Others activists were subject to arbitrary detention: Syrian writer Hussein Eissawi, media activist Shebl Ibrahim, film writer Adnan Zerai, and activist Ibrahim Hegi Al Halabi. All detained over a year ago except for Al Halabi who was detained on 12 May 2012.

Mazen Darwish was honored by the PEC Prize for the protection of journalists June 2012.

On the anniversary of Marie Colvin’s death, PEC supports a new campaign launched by journalists - please visit: www.adaywithoutnews.com

The purpose of this campaign is to draw sharper attention to the growing numbers of journalists who have been killed and injured in armed conflict, in some cases as a result of direct targeting by the belligerents; to develop a public diplomacy, institutional and legal agenda to combat this more effectively; and to investigate and collect evidence in support of prosecutable cases in this area.

***20.02.2013. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) submitted two written statements to the attention of the 22nd session of HRC, under agenda item 4 and agenda item 8

Press Emblem Campaign calls on the Human Rights Council’s attention to the situation of journalists’ rights, and the freedom of press and information in Turkey. Our organization already alerted the Council at its 21st session, during the general debate on Agenda item 4, on the severe conditions Kurdish journalists have to face in this country.

According to different sources, as of December 2012, Turkey is the world's worst jailer of journalists with 49 journalists imprisoned. Freedom of expression, and rights of journalists to freely investigate, report and criticize government policies, have declined significantly during the last years.

In addition, the Human Rights Association in Diyarbakir reported about 33 legal cases against Kurdish journalists, carried out under the Koma Civakên Kurdistan[1] (KCK) operations file. Dozens of other journalists and columnists remain in pre-trial detention all around the country.

Most journalists are arrested and brought to trail under sweeping anti-terrorism laws by which they risk long imprisonment sentences. A number of court indictments against detained journalists, reviewed by civil society organizations, confirm state prosecutors regularly and systematically accuse journalists who express dissenting political views of being directed by, and linked to, terrorist groups. High government officials even accused international non-governmental organizations of having links to “terrorist activists”, when they released alarming reports on press freedom in Turkey.

The Commission on Human Rights, in its resolution 2003/42 on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, adopted without a vote, « mindful of the need to ensure that unjustified invocation of national security, including counter-terrorism, to restrict the right to freedom of expression and information does not take place », urged States « to refrain from using counter-terrorism as a pretext to restrict the right to freedom of expression in ways which are contrary to their obligations under international law. »

The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Mr. Martin Scheinin, in his report on the visit to Turkey[2] (16 to 23 February 2006), among other recommendations, already stressed «… that only full definitional clarity with regard to what acts constitute terrorist crimes can ensure that the crimes of membership, aiding and abetting and what certain authorities referred to as “crimes of opinion” are not abused for other purposes than fighting terrorism…»

In his Addendum[3] to the report, the Special Rapporteur underlined that «…journalists and publishers continue to be prosecuted under articles related to terrorism. In the view of the Special Rapporteur, this large caseload related to terrorism may be a sign of the notion of terrorism having lost its distinctive force. » and added «Prosecutions against journalists, writers and publishers who publish information related to investigations linked to alleged terrorist crimes or who write material referring to the situation of various ethnic groups in Turkey also run a significant risk of being prosecuted. »

The Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression (Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo), in his report[4] to the Commission on Human Rights in 2002 expressed his concern about «the recent trend among Governments to adopt, or to contemplate the adoption of, counter-terrorism and national security legislative or other measures that may infringe upon the effective exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. As highlighted above, the arguments of national security and anti-terrorism are being increasingly resorted to in many countries all over the world, with the intended or indirect effect of restricting the right to freedom of opinion and expression, in particular for media professionals,… »In his report to the Human Rights Council[5], Mr. Ligabo underscored that «…Counter-terrorism and national security legislation approved in recent years have on many instances exceeded the bounds of what is permissible under international law and resulted in human rights violations. In this context, the right to freedom of opinion and expression is particularly vulnerable to legislation that de facto legitimates

limitations on the free circulation and expression of ideas and opinions, directly affecting the work of media professionals, human rights defenders, political groups and civil society more broadly. Journalists and media professionals have become common targets of unlawful attempts to restrict freedom of expression. »

Furthermore he highlighted the fact that «The restrictions brought about by counter-terrorism legislation on human rights in general, and the right to freedom of opinion and expression in particular, have taken many forms…banning the publication of information that is, without justification, defined as being threatening to national security;…»

The Human Rights Council, in adopting, by consensus, its resolution on “Safety of journalists” acknowledged the particular role played by journalists in matters of public interest, including by raising awareness of human rights and recognized that the work of journalists often puts them at specific risk of intimidation, harassment and violence. At the same time, the Human Rights Council condemned in the strongest term all attacks and violence against journalists, such as arbitrary detention, as well as intimidation and harassment.

In light of the above elements, the Press Emblem Campaign calls on the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers to monitor the proceedings of the collective trial against the Kurdish journalists in Turkey and to report to Human Rights Council.

[1] Union of Communities in Kurdistan[2] E/CN.4/2006/98/Add.2[3] A/HRC/4/26/Add.2[4] E/CN.4/2003/67[5] A/HRC/7/14

PEC WRITTEN STATEMENT SUBMITTED TO HRC UNDER AGENDA ITEM 8

In paragraph 39 of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action[1], the World Conference on Human Rights encouraged the increased involvement of the media, for whom freedom and protection should be guaranteed.

The World Conference also reaffirmed that the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms is the first responsibility of Governments.

Today, in too many countries, notably those experiencing a war or troubled situation, journalists and media workers not only they do not enjoy the security and protection they should be entitled to, but they have to face a climate of suspicion, intimidation, repression and even violence created by the State authorities which is fundamentally inconsistent with the international commitments.

In Chile, throughout the year 2012, a wave of intimidation and violent acts falls on journalists investigating on the police and intelligence services role during the military dictatorship.

In Guatemala, the General Telecommunications Law adopted on 19th November 2012, creates a discriminatory system that penalize small radio stations, notably those of the indigenous communities, which fear to be confiscated or forced to close.

In Uganda, the recent crackdown on radio stations and newspapers due to an alleged excess of criticism to the governmental activities is worrying. The Minister in charge of the presidency, Frank Tumwebaze, argued that the government was out to monitor and restore sanity within the media. At the end of January, two journalists (Sulaiman Kakaire and David Tash Lumu) covering the Parliament debates were suspended by the Speaker of Parliament (Mrs.Rebecca Kadaga) who found “inaccurate and annoying” the stories the journalists wrote.

In Somalia, where journalists and media workers are too often targeted and killed, at the beginning of February a freelance journalist (Mr. Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim) was sentenced to one year imprisonment because he interviewed an alleged raped woman, although he even did not publish the interview.

In Eritrea, the Government issued a decree on 1st February 2013 in order to forbid anyone to access to the Qatari TV Channel Al-Jazeera; public places, such as hotels and restaurants were particularly targeted. This governmental decision followed the broadcasting of reportage on the manifestation of Eritrean opponents in front of several Eritrean diplomatic missions around the world.

In Sudan, since 2012, the security and intelligence services have targeted media which have to face a disturbing practice leading to the seizure or the closure of the newspapers that are politically motivated.

In Libya, since the access to power of the new authorities last July, journalists and media workers are confronted with several barriers to the smooth running of their mission such as difficulties in obtaining entrance visa, filming bans, arbitrary arrest and deportation. The behaviour of the Supreme Security Committee it is certainly not adequate to a country that wishes to build a democratic society.

The incident occurred last February 1st in front of the National Congress, when a reporter (Salah Abu Za’tar), his cameraman (Mus’ab Ali Al-Harari) and his driver (Abdelfatah Mansour Mohammad Al-Danouni) were physically brutalized by some guards is just another example of the State sponsored climate of threat and violence against journalists and media workers. As of the submitting of this contribution, no concrete action has been taken to punish those responsible.

TERROR IN MEXICO: Martínez' body was found in her home in Xalapa, the capital of the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, on 28 April 2012. She had been badly beaten around the face and ribs and had been strangled to death. Martínez (photo) had worked for the national magazine Proceso for more than 10 years and was known for her in-depth reporting on drug cartels and the links between organized crime and government officials. PEC welcomed the naming of “Regina Martinez Perez” to a street in Oviedo, Spain, on February 6 2013.

ISLAMABAD: The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), which fights for the protection of journalists, has strongly condemned the twin successive terrorists’ bomb attacks in Southwestern Pakistan that have killed at least 69 people including a private television channel cameraman, a journalist and a photographer of a news agency.

Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan province on Thursday evening rocked with two bomb blasts in which besides killings, 120 people also injured.

The first suicide bomber detonated his device inside a crowded snooker club and after receiving information about this happening, soon police and rescue team and media rushed to the blast site. As rescue work was underway and media persons were covering this event then another bomb planted outside the building went off which was sever than the first one, police sources said. The interval between these blasts was about 10 minutes. 

In this incident a SAMAA television cameraman Imran Sheikh and photographer Mohammad Iqbal of News Network International (NNI) a private news agency were killed, while photographer of another news agency Independent News Pakistan (INP) and Saifur Rehman, a senior reporter with SAMAA TV (photo), were seriously injured and the engineer of the same channel Jamil Ahmad also sustained minor injuries. Besides, a cameraman of another popular private channel GEO TV was also injured. Saifur Rehman then died at a local hospital. 

These are the three first casualties of Pakistani journalists in 2013, which has raised the total casualties in entire world during this New Year to seven. 

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) president Pervaiz Shaukat in a statement said the ongoing violence in Balochistan was a matter of concern. The journalists were particularly at risk in the province and a number of journalists and media persons have lost their lives in the line of duty.

“We have particularly been focusing on training journalists in performing their duties during blasts. The aim of our trainings has always been how to report and cover disasters, blasts and conflicts,” Shaukat added.

PFUJ Secretary-General Amin Yousuf also condemned the twin blasts saying, “We will tolerate government’s continued apathy to the loss of precious lives. We demand immediate protection of journalists,” he added.

Independent media experts have term this incident as another terrorists attack on Pakistani media in the province, as earlier many journalists have been killed here in the line of their duties. 

It is worth mentioning that according to the latest PEC database, Pakistan has been the third most dangerous place for journalists on this planet. During last five years (Jan 2008 to Dec 2012) 571 journalists have been killed, with highest casualties in Philippines 62, followed by Mexico 59, Pakistan 53, Iraq 39, Syria 39, Somalia 37, Honduras 26, Brazil 22, Russia 20, India 17. 

Last year (2012), 141 journalists killed in which Syria was again most dangerous country for Journalists where 37 journalists killed, followed by Somalia 19 and Pakistan with 12 casualties.

This underlining the need for special safety precautions by media professionals in the light of this incident wants for safety training for journalists which should focus on the whole range of insurgent and extremist strategies and seek to impart the skills and knowledge to counteract all these.

(Israr Khan, PEC Representative in Pakistan)

***03.01.2013. UPDATE PEC report - Two more journalists killed, one in Syria, one in India - Record number of journalists killed in 2012: 141 in 29 countries - a fourth journalist missing in Syria

Most dangerous countries in 2012: Syria (37 journalists killed), Somalia (19), Pakistan (12), Mexico (11), Brazil (11), Philippines (6), Honduras (6), Bangladesh (4) and India (4). By region, the Middle East was severely hit in 2012 with 45 journalists killed, Latin America in second position with 35 victims. Asia 32, Africa 28. Only one casualty was registered in Europe.
Click left on our page Ticking Clock for the list of casualties with names and dates.

Geneva, January 3rd (PEC) -- According to the last figures compiled by the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) until December 31, 141 journalists in 29 countries were killed during the course of 2012, a record number. This figure represents a 31 percent increase as compared to the 2011 figures. 

At least 37 journalists, among them 13 working for foreign media, were killed since January of this year in Syria. This figure does not include media activists, pro-opposition citizens who occasionally inform the world of current developments. Four journalists are reported missing or detained: Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva, Jordanian-Palestinian correspondent Bashar Fahmi, freelance U.S. reporter Austin Tice and another American reporter James Foley.

The situation in Somalia has deteriorated dramatically, where 19 were killed when targeted by military groups that oppose criticism. 

Pakistan comes third in the PEC ranking of most dangerous countries for media work, with 12 journalists killed. The tensions in Baluchistan and the tribal zones explain those numbers. 

Three Latin American countries follow among the most dangerous countries:

Mexico where 11 journalists were killed, due to clashes between the military and drug dealers. There are cases still unclear and therefore the figure could rise. 

Never before have so many journalists been killed in Brazil, 11, and 6 were killed in Honduras. 

The Philippines ranks number 7 with 6 killed, followed by Bangladesh with 4 killed and India (4). 

Three journalists were killed in the following countries: Eritrea (3 killed in prison), Iraq, Nigeria, and Gaza during the Israeli attacks. Two journalists were killed in each of the following countries: Afghanistan, Bolivia and Colombia. 

One journalist was killed in Bahrain, Cambodia, Ecuador, Egypt, Haiti, Indonesia, Nepal, Uganda, Panama, Russia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Thailand. 

By region, the Middle East was severely hit in 2012 with 45 journalists killed, Latin America in second position with 35 victims, Asia 32, Africa 28. Only one casualty was registered in Europe. 

Over five years, more than 2 journalists killed every week 

Since January 2008 the number of journalists killed reached 571, on average 114 annually, or more than 2 per week.

The most ten dangerous countries for media work during the period 2008-2012 are in the following ranking: The Philippines 62 where 32 were killed in one shot in the Ampatuan massacre 23 November 2009, Mexico 59, Pakistan 53, Iraq 39, Syria 39, Somalia 37, Honduras 26, Brazil 22, Russia 20, and number 10,  India where 17 journalists were killed. In those ten countries journalists killed represent two thirds of the total during the period 2008-2012.