27.09.2022. RUSSIA. UN Human Rights Council 51rst session. Joint Civil Society Letter to the HRC on Russia.

To Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council

Excellency,

Russian Federation: The Human Rights Council should take urgent action to address the dire human rights situation in Russia

We are writing to call on your delegation to stand with Russian human rights defenders, activists, and civil society organizations by supporting the resolution at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC51) on the establishment of a Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia.

Over the last several years, the Russian authorities have engaged in a systematic campaign of repression of human rights and restriction of civic space including by shutting down independent media, intimidating and harassing human rights defenders and activists, banning peaceful protest, and imposing impermissible restrictions on the operations of independent civil society organizations in the country, including those that seek justice and effective remedies for human rights violations.

Human rights defenders, activists, and civil society organizations targeted by the Russian authorities include those campaigning for free and fair elections, women’s human rights, and the rights of religious, ethnic, sexual, and gender minorities, as well as those fighting against politically motivated persecution and against corruption and environmental degradation. During the last months, the intimidation, harassment, and attacks have risen to a new level. Indeed, it has never been more difficult or dangerous for human rights defenders, activists, and civil society organisations to operate in the post-Soviet Russian Federation. Today, we stand in solidarity with a growing chorus of Russian human rights defenders, activists, and civil society organizations calling for the establishment of a Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia.

Since the adoption of the March 2022 censorship legislation criminalizing the spreading of supposed “fake news” and independent media reporting on Russia’s armed conflict with Ukraine, authorities blocked access to dozens of independent media and opened scores of criminal cases against human rights defenders, grass roots activists, prominent independent bloggers, journalists and opposition politicians, including Vladimir Kara-Murza, and over 1250 administrative cases throughout Russia. Bogus criminal cases against anti-war protesters are also being opened on various other charges, including criminal hooliganism. Over 15,000 anti-war protesters have been detained. The authorities have instrumentalized counter-extremism and counter-terrorism legislation to fabricate criminal cases against the dissenters. Scores of people, including political opposition figure Alexei Navalny, remain behind bars on politically motivated grounds.

The Russian Federation’s growing repressive policies, combined with the country’s exclusion from the Council of Europe – victims of new human rights violations committed by the Russian Federation from 17 September lost protection under the European Convention on Human Rights– and its diplomatic isolation from those States which have been supportive of human rights and civil society in Russia, make it increasingly difficult for Russian human rights defenders, activists, and civil society organizations to engage with the international community and there is no end in sight. Without robust and genuine international support, and a monitoring mechanism, independent Russian civil society organizations will continue to be left isolated and dangerously exposed.

Given the escalating repression, restrictions on the operations of independent civil society organizations and suppression of civic space, a rigorous monitoring of the human rights situation in Russia is imperative. A dedicated Special Rapporteur mandate would independently collect information and analyse the human rights situation in Russia, allowing Human Rights Council Members to be informed by in-depth and authoritative reports and to make recommendations on how to improve the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in the country. A Special Rapporteur could also serve as a point of contact for Russian human rights defenders, activists, and civil society organizations, within the UN human rights infrastructure at a time when such a role is critical. A Special Rapporteur would provide an important independent voice to speak up against deepening restrictions to human rights in Russia and on behalf of those facing intimidation, harassment, and reprisal for their activism or their human rights work.

While it is important that existing thematic Special Procedures continue to address the situation of the Russian Federation within the scope of their respective mandates, it is critical that there be a single expert that can tie the various strands together and address the situation in a holistic manner and who can more fully engage with Russian authorities, as well as with human rights defenders, activists, and civil society organizations.

We count on your delegation to show solidarity with Russian human rights defenders, activists, and independent civil society organizations by supporting a resolution establishing a Special Rapporteur mandate on the human rights situation in Russia.

19.09.2022. MALI. La PEC préoccupée par la détérioration de la liberté de la presse au Mali

Avec Hamidou El Hadji Touré, représentant de la PEC pour le Sahel

Genève, 19 septembre 2022 (PEC) La Presse Emblème Campagne (Press Emblem Campaign www.pressemblem.ch) est très préoccupée par la détérioration de la liberté de la presse au Mali. L’ONG basée à Genève demande que le sort des journalistes disparus soit éclairci et que le Conseil des droits de l’homme de l’ONU, lors de son débat sur les disparitions forcées, exhorte les autorités à respecter leurs engagements en matière de droits humains et à garantir la sécurité des journalistes.

La liberté d’expression est compromise par des menaces anonymes et des emprisonnements sans procès. «Soit on se tait, soit on fait la propagande des militaires et on s’aligne, soit on quitte le pays», résume un observateur ayant requis l’anonymat. Depuis le coup d’État ayant balayé le président légalement élu Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta le 18 août 2020, la liberté de la presse n’a cessé de se dégrader.

Multiples enlèvements

Les responsables des organisations de journalistes sont plus qu’inquiets et multiplient les appels. Ils ont vivement dénoncé les enlèvements de journalistes au centre et au nord du pays, notamment Olivier Dubois, Amadou Dicko et Hamadou Nialibouly. Le dossier n’avance toujours pas sur le cas de Birama Touré, disparu à Bamako le 29 janvier 2016. Selon une enquête de RSF, il est très probablement mort sous la torture dans les locaux des services de renseignement en 2016.

Le journaliste français Olivier Dubois a été enlevé à Gao le 8 avril 2021 et est l’otage du Groupe de soutien à l’islam et aux musulmans (GSIM). Né en 1974 à Paris, correspondant pour Le Point et Libération, c’est un spécialiste du Sahel qui vit au Mali depuis 2015.

Hamadoun Nialibouly, journaliste malien travaillant pour la radio Dande Douentza (la Voix de Douentza) a été descendu d’un car le 27 septembre 2020 à Mandjo, dans la région de Mopti, alors qu’il rentrait de Bamako après y avoir suivi un atelier de formation de journalistes dans le cadre du projet Mali Media. Ses ravisseurs ne seraient pas des djihadistes mais une milice de chasseurs traditionnels. Il est retenu depuis près de deux ans et l’on reste sans aucune nouvelle de son sort. Les enquêtes de police n’ont pas permis de retrouver les ravisseurs.

Moussa M’Bana Dicko, journaliste malien chef des programmes de la radio Dande Haire (La Voix de Hairé) a été enlevé chez lui à Boni (secteur de Douentza) le 18 avril 2021 par des présumés djihadistes. Ils ont expliqué à sa famille qu’il aurait tenu des propos critiques à leur encontre. Deouis son enlèvement seul un ex-codétenu a donné de ses nouvelles il y a plus de trois mois.

Recrudescence de la violence

Selon l’Expert indépendant sur le Mali, Alioune Tine, le pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest subit une grave recrudescence de la violence, perpétrée à la fois par les soldats djihadistes affiliés à Al-Qaïda et à l'État Islamique (EI), ainsi que les groupes communautaires et les forces maliennes. Les populations civiles sont les premières touchées, avec de nombreuses disparitions forcées et des allégations de torture. Un rapport de la mission de l'ONU au Mali (MINUSMA) avait déjà confirmé l'assassinat de 584 civils en 2021, un chiffre qui pourrait augmenter en 2022. « Le grand problème aujourd’hui, c’est l’impunité », affirme l’expert indépendant, qui soulignait, le 29 mars devant le Conseil des droits de l’homme, le manque d’enquêtes, la lenteur des procédures judiciaires et l’absence de juges d’instruction.

Le Mali, comme tout le Sahel, est devenu un pays encore plus dangereux après le départ des derniers soldats français de l’opération Barkhane le 15 août dernier. Deux reporters de RFI Ghislaine Dupont et Claude Verlon y ont été assassinés en 2013. Les journalistes espagnols Roberto Fraile et David Beriain, ont été tués lors d'une attaque au Burkina Faso le 26 avril 2021.

Les autorités maliennes se sont depuis tournées vers la Russie pour le soutien militaire, avec des instructeurs que Paris et Washington accusent d’être des mercenaires du groupe Wagner. Le président de la Maison de la presse au Mali place néanmoins toute sa confiance en la justice malienne et invite les autorités à œuvrer pour retrouver et libérer les journalistes détenus.

25.08.2022. AFGHANISTAN. AFJC Records 245 Cases of Media Violation During the First Year of Taliban Rule in Afghanistan

(Kabul) - Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) issued its report about the state of media freedom in Afghanistan during the first year of Taliban rule, which has noticed a significant increase in cases of violation of media freedom and the closure of almost half of media outlets in the country.

The report finds a deterioration in press freedom over the past year, marked by censorship, detentions, assaults, and restrictions on media outlets, journalists, and in particular women journalists.

The report which covers one year of Taliban’s rule (August 15, 2021, to August 15, 2022), underlines that a total of 245 cases of violations against media freedom in Afghanistan, including 130 cases of short-term detention of journalists, which lasted from one hour to several hours and even some months that often included physical violence, insults and even torture of journalists. Additionally, during this period, at least 80 cases of threats, 28 cases of physical harassment mostly by the Taliban security forces, and five cases of injuries by the Taliban were documented.

Meanwhile, AFJC recorded two cases of killings, including the death of Alireza Ahmadi a reporter for Raha News Agency, and Najma Sadeqi a former presenter of Jahan-e-Sehat TV channel in the deadly explosion at Kabul Airport, who were trying to flee the country following fall of Kabul in mid-August 2021.

The report indicates that over half of 600 media outlets, including radio and television, print and online, have ceased operations and over 60% of journalists and media employees have not been able to work after the Taliban took power. The findings suggest that over 30% of the remaining media outlets are on the verge of collapse for certain reasons which include a significant decrease in the media funds, absence of media professionals, lack of rights and business advertisements, and the increasing restrictions imposed on media. The restrictive directives have opened the way to censorship and persecution, and largely deprive journalists of their independence. Female journalists are largely banned from state-run media outlets, and those in the private sector can appear on TV only if their faces are covered.

Media outlets require to seek permission before publishing. With media no longer able to broadcast music and entertainment programs, sources of advertising revenue have shrunk and many outlets ceased work.

There are fears that the current environment of apprehension could be used to harass female journalists, many of whom have already fled the country in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover last year.

AFJC calls for press freedom to be respected in Afghanistan, as well as an end to all forms of violation of press freedoms. It calls on the Taliban to implement the Afghan media laws including mass media and access to information laws to ensure press freedom and to reinstate the joint media and government committee which was established in 2016 to address the security concerns and press freedom violations.

The AFJC calls on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan journalists and help ensure their safety and media freedom, given the role they play in a peaceful and democratic transition during and after the peace negotiations. AFJC also urges the international community to increase its support for Afghanistan’s media, which will help press freedom and freedom of expression to be maintained.

30.06.2022. PEC press release (French and Spanish after English) - The number of journalists killed has doubled

Geneva, June 30, 2022 (PEC) Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) is appalled by the large number of journalists killed in the first six months of 2022. The year-on-year increase is 100% with 72 victims in 18 countries since January compared to 36 deaths in the same period last year.

"The war in Ukraine and the rampant criminality in Mexico are the main reasons of this alarming deterioration", said PEC President Blaise Lempen.

In Ukraine, the conflict triggered by Russia has claimed in 4 months 30 victims among media workers, 16 in the line of duty and 14 journalists killed in fightings as soldiers or volunteers in the army. The circumstances of each death must be independently clarified and those responsible must be brought to justice. Russian and Ukrainian authorities must ensure that journalists are not targeted while covering the ongoing fighting and that they can work freely.

In six months, Mexico with 12 victims exceeded the figure for the whole of last year (10 killed).

With 4 killed, India comes after Ukraine and Mexico. Haiti, Pakistan and Yemen followed with 3 killed in each country.

PEC also recorded 2 victims in Bangladesh, Brazil, Honduras, Israel/Palestine, and Philippines, and 1 victim in each of the following countries: Chad, Chile, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Turkey and the United States.

There must be no impunity. All these crimes must be fully investigated without exception.

In light of this very worrying deterioration, PEC has renewed its call to the United Nations for the adoption of an international convention strengthening the protection of journalists with investigation and prosecution mechanisms. By 2021, 79 media workers had been killed and 92 by 2020 for the whole year.

List of victims on our page Casualties. For journalists killed in Ukraine, read below the report of the PEC correspondent

Le nombre des journalistes tués a doublé

Genève, 30 juin 2022 (PEC) La PEC (Presse Emblème Campagne) est consternée par le grand nombre de journalistes tués au cours des six premiers mois de 2022. La hausse d’une année sur l’autre atteint 100% avec 72 victimes dans 18 pays depuis janvier contre 36 morts pour la même période de l’an dernier.

«La guerre en Ukraine et la criminalité galopante au Mexique sont les principaux responsables de cette détérioration alarmante», a déclaré le président de la PEC Blaise Lempen.

En Ukraine, le conflit déclenché par la Russie a fait 30 victimes parmi les travailleurs des médias, dont 16 dans l’exercice de leurs fonctions et 14 comme soldats ou volontaires dans l’armée.

Les circonstances de chaque mort devront être élucidées de manière indépendante et leurs responsables jugés. Les autorités russes et ukrainiennes doivent s’assurer que les journalistes ne sont pas visés en couvrant les combats en cours et qu’ils peuvent travailler librement.

En six mois, le Mexique avec 12 victimes a dépassé le bilan de l’ensemble de l’année dernière (10 tués). L’inde vient après l’Ukraine et le Mexique avec quatre tués.

Haiti, le Pakistan et le Yémen déplorent trois tués dans chaque pays. La PEC a aussi recensé deux victimes au Bangladesh, Brésil, Honduras, Israel/Palestine, et aux Philippines, ainsi qu’une victime dans chacun de ces pays: Chili, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Tchad, Turquie et États-Unis.

Il ne doit pas y avoir d’impunité. Tous ces crimes doivent faire l’objet d’enquêtes complètes sans exception. Compte tenu de cette détérioration très préoccupante, la PEC a réitéré son appel à l’ONU pour l’adoption d’une convention internationale renforçant la protection des journalistes avec des mécanismes d’enquête et de poursuite. En 2021, 79 travailleurs des médias avaient été tués et 92 en 2020 sur l’ensemble de l’année.

Liste des victimes sur notre page Casualties. Pour le détail des journalistes tués en Ukraine, lire le rapport de notre correspondant ci-dessous

SE DUPLICA EL NÚMERO DE PERIODISTAS ASESINADOS

Ginebra, 30 de junio de 2022 (PEC).- La Campaña Emblema de Prensa (PEC, por sus siglas en inglés) está consternada por la gran cantidad de periodistas asesinados en los primeros seis meses de 2022. El aumento interanual es del 100% con 72 víctimas en 18 países desde enero, en comparación con 36 muertes en el mismo período del año pasado.

“La guerra en Ucrania y la criminalidad desenfrenada en México son las principales razones de este alarmante deterioro”, dijo el presidente de la PEC, Blaise Lempen.

En Ucrania, el conflicto desencadenado por Rusia se ha cobrado, en 4 meses, 30 víctimas entre los trabajadores de los medios (16 en el cumplimiento de su deber y 14 periodistas muertos en combates como soldados o voluntarios del ejército).

Las circunstancias de cada muerte deben esclarecerse de forma independiente y los responsables deben comparecer ante la justicia. Las autoridades rusas y ucranianas deben garantizar que los periodistas no sean atacados mientras cubren los combates en curso y que puedan trabajar libremente.

En seis meses, México, con 12 víctimas, superó la cifra de todo el año pasado (10 muertos).

Con 4 muertos, India viene detrás de Ucrania y México.

Le siguen Haití, Pakistán y Yemen con 3 muertos en cada país; la PEC también registró 2 víctimas en Bangladesh, Brasil, Honduras, Israel/Palestina y Filipinas, y 1 víctima en cada uno de los siguientes países: Chad, Chile, Guatemala, Kazajstán, Myanmar, Turquía y Estados Unidos.

No debe haber impunidad. Todos estos crímenes deben ser investigados a fondo sin excepción. Ante este preocupante deterioro, la PEC ha renovado su llamado a las Naciones Unidas para la adopción de una convención internacional que fortalezca la protección de los periodistas con mecanismos de investigación y enjuiciamiento.

Para 2021, 79 trabajadores de los medios habían sido asesinados y 92 para 2020 durante todo el año.

22.06.2022. INTERVIEW PARUE DANS EDITO, le magazine suisse des médias

« Lutter contre l’impunité est essentiel»

Début avril, l’ONG Presse Emblème Campagne (PEC) s’alarmait, de Genève, du grand nombre de

journalistes tués au cours des trois premiers mois de l’année. La hausse atteignait plus de 150% avec 38

victimes dans 15 pays par rapport à la même période de l’an dernier. Entretien avec le président de la PEC

(www.pressemblem.ch), Blaise Lempen.

PAR JEAN-LUC WENGER, rédacteur en chef d'EDITO

Journaliste et écrivain, Blaise Lempen nous reçoit chez lui, à Féchy, un village tranquille plus connu pour ses étiquettes de chasselas (et le contenu de ses bouteilles) que pour la géopolitique mondiale. Pas loin d’Aubonne, donc de Morges, entretien dans son paisible jardin.

EDITO : Nous venons de vivre deux crises mondiales affectant la sécurité des journalistes, la pandémie du Covid et la guerre en Ukraine. Qu’est-ce qui a changé pour les journalistes avec l’apparition du Covid ?

Blaise Lempen : Depuis le début de la crise sanitaire, les journalistes ont été particulièrement exposés. De par leur profession, certains d’entre eux ont dû rester au contact des gens, témoigner sur le terrain. Ils ne pouvaient évidemment pas pratiquer le télétravail ! Ils ont été au contact de personnes porteuses du virus et ont dû se rendre dans les hôpitaux. Or, ils manquaient souvent de protection dans plusieurs pays. Nous avons plaidé pour une vaccination prioritaire avec le soutien d’associations locales.

Où ces problèmes étaient-ils les plus aigus ?

En Amérique latine en général, au Brésil en particulier. Là, les difficultés ont été énormes, faute de politique de santé publique correcte. En 2 ans de pandémie, au moins 2000 journalistes ont succombé au virus dans le monde. Les pays avec la plus forte mortalité ont été le Brésil, l’Inde, le Pérou, le Mexique, la Colombie puis les Etats-Unis.

Comment jugez-vous la situation des journalistes aujourd’hui en Ukraine ?

L’Ukraine vit une situation dramatique. J’ai l’impression d’assister à une répétition de la situation en Syrie entre 2011 et 2019, avec ses nombreux journalistes tués. Dans les deux cas, les violations des Conventions de Genève qui protègent les travailleurs des médias en tant que civils se sont multipliées. Il suffit de penser à Boutcha ou à Irpin, au nord de Kyiv. Ailleurs aussi, des journalistes, des fixeurs, ont été attaqués et assassinés alors qu’ils affichaient clairement le badge « presse ».

Rappelez-nous ce qu’il s’est passé à Irpin.

Dans le cas d’Irpin, il s’agissait d’un professionnel expérimenté qui travaillait pour le New York Times et qui avait sur lui un matériel adéquat. Photographe et réalisateur indépendant, Brent Renaud restera comme le premier journaliste étranger tué depuis l’invasion russe de l’Ukraine le 24 février. Maks Levin, Pierre Zakrzewski et le journaliste français Frédéric Leclerc-Imhoff, correspondant de BFMTV, ont également payé de leur vie leur passion d’informer aux côtés de courageux journalistes ukrainiens.

Comment recueillez-vous les informations sur le terrain ?

Nous répertorions les victimes au jour le jour, grâce à nos correspondants sur place, aux réseaux sociaux, aux médias locaux. En Ukraine, nous collaborons par exemple avec un journaliste Andrii Ianitskyi qui publie une synthèse chaque semaine. C’est une forme de soutien. Aujourd’hui, à la différence d’il y a 20 ans, les sources d’informations sont multiples, grâce aux réseaux sociaux qui nous apportent directement des témoignages. Les images satellites (prises sans risques) sont également précieuses, tout comme celles prises avec des drones. Les photographes, qui sont souvent les plus visés, sont moins exposés grâce à l’utilisation d’images filmées avec des drones. Néanmoins, il faut aller sur le terrain. Le journaliste indépendant genevois Guillaume Briguet peut en témoigner. Attaqué par des soldats russes, il a été blessé et son matériel volé. Oui, les freelances prennent le plus de risques pour rentabiliser leur voyage.

Qu’en est-il de la possibilité d’informer en temps de guerre ?

Cette liberté est limitée, parce que des combattants ne respectent pas les Conventions de Genève. Outre les tués, il y a les blessés, par exemple victimes d’éclats d’obus. Dans les parties qu’elle occupe, la Russie a un total contrôle de l’information. Les journalistes sont embarqués, et leurs informations censurées. Certains professionnels russes indépendants doivent travailler depuis la Pologne. Le plus important est de lutter contre l’impunité. C’est la raison pour laquelle il faut faire connaître ces crimes. Leurs responsables doivent être identifiés et jugés.

Comment est organisée la PEC ?

J’en suis le cofondateur avec une Égyptienne Hedayat Abdel Nabi, malheureusement décédée en mars dernier au Caire. La PEC est née en 2004, en réaction à la guerre menée par les Américains en Irak, à l’initiative de journalistes de plusieurs nationalités accrédités à l’ONU à Genève. Nous militons pour une Convention internationale, renforçant la protection des journalistes, mais nous sommes confrontés aux résistances des États autoritaires. Même les Etats-Unis et la France, qui ont des troupes un peu partout dans le monde, ne se sont pas ralliés à cette idée jusqu’ici. Nous le regrettons. La Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ) défend le projet de Convention, les syndicats français aussi. A chaque conflit, la question se repose de manière aigue. Que cela soit au Yémen ou en Ukraine. Les témoignages de crimes de guerre ne suffisent pas comme preuves pour la Cour pénale internationale, il faut des enquêtes indépendantes. Mais nous restons confiants : la justice se mettra en marche.

Quel est le levier politique de la PEC ?

Nous avons soutenu à l’ONU une dizaine de résolutions sur la sécurité des journalistes, deux sont parvenues jusqu’au Conseil de sécurité. Grâce à ce travail d’information, avec d’autres ONG, comme la FIJ, RSF, le CPJ, l’IPI, le problème a gagné en visibilité. Il y a des avancées, au Mexique, où la criminalité est galopante, les autorités ont par exemple pris des mesures de protection, hélas insuffisantes.

Le 2 novembre a été déclaré « Journée internationale de la fin de l’impunité pour les crimes commis contre des journalistes ». Un petit pas. Il ne faut pas oublier l’Irak, la Syrie, le Yémen, l’Afghanistan, les territoires palestiniens occupés, où une journaliste très connue d’Al-Jazeera Shireen Abu Akleh vient d’être tuée d’une balle dans la tête…

Parlez-nous d’un livre qui décrirait votre engagement.

J’ai écrit « Massacres sans témoins » en 2007. Le livre relate la mort d’un cameraman sur le balcon de l’Hôtel Palestine à Bagdad en 2003. J’évrivais déjà alors : «Le journaliste a une mission essentielle dans l’exercice des droits démocratiques : il doit informer, quels que soient les pressions, les menaces ou les risques ».

Encadré :

Pour une convention internationale

La Presse Emblème Campagne (PEC) est une organisation non gouvernementale avec statut consultatif spécial à l’ONU. La PEC a été fondée en juin 2004 par un groupe de journalistes de plusieurs pays. Basée à Genève, l’organisation non gouvernementale est indépendante et à but non lucratif. Son objectif est de renforcer la protection et la sécurité des journalistes dans les zones de conflits. La PEC est en faveur de l’adoption d’une nouvelle convention internationale pour améliorer la protection des travailleurs des médias. Elle est soutenue par près de 60 ONG et associations de journalistes dans le monde. En 2021, 79 travailleurs des médias avaient été tués et 92 en 2020. Ils sont déjà près de 60 jusqu’au 31 mai de cette année.

Bio express

Blaise Lempen est né en 1950 à Berne. Il a grandi au gré des affectations de son père diplomate : Belgrade, Paris, Rome. Il est diplômé du Centre universitaire d’enseignement du journalisme à Strasbourg et docteur en sciences politiques de l’Université de Lausanne. Entre 1975 et 1990, il est journaliste de politique étrangère à La Tribune de Lausanne-Le Matin. Il travaille ensuite

quatre ans à La Suisse, puis est correspondant auprès des Nations unies à Genève pour l’Agence télégraphique suisse (ATS) entre 1994 et 2015. Son dernier ouvrage : « La dictature numérique en marche, société de l’hypersurveillance : un appel à la vigilance » est paru en 2021 aux Editions L’Harmattan. Il est par ailleurs l’auteur de quatorze autres essais.

Exergue :

« Il ne faut pas oublier l’Irak, la Syrie, l’Afghanistan, le Yémen, la Palestine… »

10.05.2022. UKRAINE. 6th report on the State of Media in Ukraine during the War (April 22 - May 10) – Pulitzer special citation for Ukrainian journalists amid rising death toll

by Andrii Ianitsky, PEC representative in Ukraine

Lviv (Ukraine), 10 May 2022. 

Key Ukrainian topics: fear of nuclear war, fuel shortage and life in Russian-occupied territories

We have identified three main topics in the Ukrainian media space, which caused the most attention during the observation period, empirically.

Fear of nuclear war. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the topic of nuclear war has been in the news. A few days after the invasion, when Vladimir Putin realized his failure, he put nuclear missiles on alert. Later, this topic was discussed by many experts and politicians, and recently the head of the Russian state-owned rocket company Roscosmos wrote on his Twitter that "in a nuclear war, we will destroy NATO in half an hour, but we must not allow it." The media began to write instructions on what to do during a nuclear explosion, which only heightened the concerns.

Economic problems during the war, in particular fuel shortages. After two months of active hostilities, Ukrainians in the rear began to feel the consequences. With rising prices and unemployment, the people of Ukraine have already reconciled. The exchange rate of the national currency hryvnia is fixed. But until recently, automobile fuel was in abundance. Russian bombing of oil storage facilities and oil refineries, coupled with an attempt by the authorities to regulate prices, led to fuel shortages. 

In 2014, Russian troops occupied 4 out of 27 administrative centers of Ukraine: Sevastopol, Simferopol, Donetsk, Luhansk. In 2022, the Russians captured the 5th administrative center, Kherson, and several other cities. Ukrainian media are closely following the life of the occupied regions, but this is not easy. The first thing Russians do in the territories they occupied is to turn off Ukrainian media, harass journalists, and often cut off communications and monitor Internet traffic.

More and more journalists die in the war in Ukraine

Already 26 journalists and media persons were killed (local and international both), dozens wounded. 

The list of killed journalists in the line of duty:

1. Yevhen Sakun, cameraman of LIVE TV channel (died on March 1 during the Russian rocket attack on the TV tower in Kyiv);

2. Brent Renaud, a former correspondent for The New York Times (shot dead by Russians on March 13 in Irpen at a checkpoint);

3. Pierre Zakrzewski, cameraman for Fox News, an Irish citizen (killed on March 14 during an artillery shelling by Russian troops in the village of Gorenka, Kyiv region).

4. Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Ukrainian producer, journalist (killed on March 14 together with Pierre Zakrzewski during an artillery shelling by Russian troops in the village of Gorenka, Kyiv region).

5. Oksana Baulina, a journalist for Russia's The Insider and Oleksiy Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (killed on March 23 during an Russian shelling in Kyiv while performing an editorial assignment).

6. Dilerbek Shakirov, a civilian journalist of the information weekly "Around You" (was shot dead by Russians at a blockpost in the suburbs of Kherson on February 26)

7. Viktor Diedov, cameraman of Sigma TV from Mariupol (died on March 11 as a result of shelling of his house)

8. Maks Levin, famous Ukrainian photojournalist, has not been heard from since 13 March, when he was reporting in the Vyshgorod district, north of Kyiv. On April 2 he was found dead in the Kyiv region in places of massacre of civilians.

9. Eugene Bal, 78 yo journalism veteran, died near Mariupol on April 2. He was kidnapped and tortured by the Russian military for three days in late March. After his release, his health deteriorated and he died.

10. Olexander Lytkin, journalist dtp.kiev.ua. The circumstances of his death are unknown. His name among the dead was published by the office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine without details. 

11. Roman Nezhyborets, video technician was killed in the Ukrainian village of Yahidne. His body was found by Ukrainian volunteers on 6 April after Russian troops withdrew from the area. Nezhyborets’ body had gunshot wounds in the knees and his hands were tied. 

12. Zoreslav Zamoysky, local residents in Bucha found his body on a street in the city in early April, according to statements by the Ukrainian National Union of Journalists (NUJU) and the Irpin city council. Those sources did not state the exact date his body was found. 

13. Oksana Gaydar, Ukrainian journalist and blogger died because of shelling on 11-12 April near Brovary city in Kyiv region, according to NUJU.

14. Vira Gyrych, journalist and produser of Radio Liberty local branch, was killed as result of Russian missile hitting building in Kyiv on April 29. 

Journalists who were killed not in the line of duty (as soldiers or volunteers).

15. Victor Dudar, who was a military journalist and served as a part of the Armed forces, was killed in battle on March 6, near Mykolaiv.

16. Oleg Yakunin, the editor of the Zaporizhia site Misto.zp.ua, was killed in battle on March 25 on military service. 

17. Yuriy Oliynyk, the operator of the 24th channel was killed in battle on March 23 in the Luhansk oblast, near Popasna. Yuriy was a volunteer in the 24 separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo.

18. Pasha Lee, Ukrainian actor and TV host, has been killed by shelling in the city of Irpin.

19. Serhyi Pushenko, graphic artist and painter who worked with media, killed by Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in Kyiv region on 2 March.

20. Sergey Zaikovsky, publicist and translator who worked with media, killed in Kyiv region on 24 March. 

21. Denis Kotenko, one of press-officers of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, killed in Kyiv region on 24 March.

22. Maxim Medinskiy, a local online journalist from Odesa region, died on May 6 in a fight.

23. Evgen Starinets, mediamanager of Cherkasy branch of the Ukrainian public Suspilne TV, died in the eastern front on Aplril 30.

24. Oleksandr Makhov, Ukrainian TV journalist from ‘Ukraine’ and ‘Ukraine24’ channels was killed by Russian shelling on May 4. 

Killed media persons (people who are connected with the media, but were not directly journalists):

25. Mantas Kvedaravičius, Lithuanian documentary filmmaker and director of the Mariupol film about the war in Donbass, died on April 3 in Mariupol.

26. Lilia Gumyanova, a journalism teacher was killed by Russian shelling in Mariupol on March 19.

The Pulitzer Board awards a special citation to the journalists of Ukraine

On May 10 the Pulitzer Board awarded a special citation to the journalists of Ukraine. They were awarded for their "courage, endurance, and commitment to truthful reporting during Vladimir Putin’s ruthless invasion of their country and his propaganda war in Russia". Journalists in Ukraine, especially in the war zone and in the zones of Russian occupation, are forced to work in conditions of constant risk to their lives and health.

Local media in Ukraine are in dire need of resources

In a recent study of the state of local media in Ukraine, the Media Development Foundation NGO writes that the hostilities exacerbated and highlighted all the problems that remained unresolved in Ukrainian regional newsrooms before the February 24 invasion.

Many teams have vague job descriptions and responsibilities, 29% of respondents said that each member of the team performs the duties of several specialists at the same time. 

38.4% of respondents indicated that one of the problems in their work is the inability to plan ahead. The vast majority of newsrooms now plan their work only a week in advance - 35.84%. These problems are compounded by a lack of resources: 69.12% of respondents noted a lack of funds to continue the normal functioning of newsrooms. 

The data was collected through surveys and in-depth interviews. 39 media organizations took part in the research.

Restrictions on freedom of speech in Ukraine remain

As we wrote in previous reports Ukrainian authorities have tightened control over the media during wartime. Three national news channels tied to former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko have been taken off the digital air. They continue to broadcast on satellite, cable networks, and online but have lost, according to our sources in management, from 20 to 40 percent of their audience.

(Disclosure: the report's author also works for a TV channel that has been taken offline from digital broadcasting)

Other national news channels (both private and public) work together and create the United News marathon. 

The reasons for the restrictions are still unclear, and their legality is questionable. However, the TV channels affected by the restriction have so far refrained from harsh statements and litigation due to the military situation.

Andrii Ianitsky is journalist now based in Lviv and PEC Representative in Ukraine (a.ianitskyi@gmail.com)

His first report was published on 19 March 2022, the second on 28 March 2022, the third on 5 April 2022, fourth on 11 April, fifth on 22 April (read below)

02.05.2022. Press Freedom Day 2022 - PEC press release: Brutal deterioration

(French and Spanish after English)

Geneva, 2 May 2022 (PEC) Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) is alarmed at the sharp deterioration of press freedom caused by the war in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the year, 52 media workers have paid with their lives for doing their job. In Russia, the Kremlin's controls have created a regression in media space unprecedented since the communist era.

On the occasion of Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the PEC is making an urgent appeal for a halt to hostilities in Ukraine and for the independence of the media in Russia to be respected.

"The year-on-year increase in the number of journalists affected by violence is 116%, a very worrying development," said PEC President Blaise Lempen. At least 21 media workers have been killed in the fighting in just over two months of war in Ukraine, many others were wounded, kidnapped, are missing, were threatened, hacked, forced to cease their work.

Access to the war zones in Ukraine is increasingly difficult and dangerous due to the volatile nature of the fighting. Some military units do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. PEC strongly condemns indiscriminate attacks targeting civilians.

"The war in Ukraine, as it was the case in Syria from 2011 to 2019, shows once again the difficulties of testifying for media representatives, in the absence of respect for humanitarian law," denounced Blaise Lempen. The PEC hopes that the investigations carried out by several bodies will shed light on these crimes and that the justice system will be able to do its work impartially.

Russian journalists have also been injured in the fighting, but they have no freedom to report on the situation in the Russian-controlled territories. The measures taken by the authorities in Moscow against independent reporting are a big step backwards. Russian authorities should stop persecuting members of the press for allegedly spreading false information on the war in Ukraine. It is necessary to help Russian journalists who have been able to redeploy abroad.

Support for local Ukrainian media is essential. Many of them do not have the necessary equipment and financial means to continue working in the war zone. They have lost employees who were recruited by the army or who left their home regions for security reasons.

Journée de la liberté de la presse 2022 -  Brutale détérioration

Genève, 2 mai 2022 (PEC) Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) s’alarme de la brutale détérioration de la liberté de la presse provoquée par la guerre en Ukraine. Depuis le début de l’année, 52 travailleurs des médias ont payé de leur vie l’exercice de leur métier. En Russie, les contrôles mis en place par le Kremlin ont créé une régression de l’espace médiatique sans précédent depuis l’ère communiste.

A l’occasion de la Journée de la liberté de la presse le 3 mai, la PEC lance un appel pressant à l’arrêt des hostilités en Ukraine et au respect de l’indépendance des médias en Russie.

«La hausse du nombre des journalistes victimes de violences d’une année sur l’autre est de 116 %, une évolution très inquiétante», a déclaré le président de la PEC Blaise Lempen. Au moins 21 travailleurs des médias ont été tués dans les combats en un peu plus de deux mois de guerre en Ukraine, beaucoup d’autres ont été blessés, kidnappés, sont portés disparus, ont été menacés, piratés, forcés à abandonner leur travail.

L’accès aux zones de guerre en Ukraine est de plus en plus difficile et dangereux, en raison de la nature volatile des affrontements. Certaines unités militaires ne font pas la différence entre civils et combattants. La PEC condamne fermement les attaques indiscriminées visant des civils.

«La guerre en Ukraine, comme ce fut le cas en Syrie de 2011 à 2019, montre encore une fois les difficultés de témoigner pour les représentants des médias, en l’absence de respect du droit humanitaire», a dénoncé Blaise Lempen. La PEC espère que les enquêtes diligentées par plusieurs organes feront toute la lumière sur ces crimes et que la justice pourra faire son travail de manière impartiale.

Des journalistes russes ont aussi été blessés dans les combats, toutefois ils n’ont aucune liberté de manœuvre pour décrire la situation dans les territoires sous contrôle russe. Les mesures prises par les autorités de Moscou à l’encontre de toute information indépendante sont un grand pas en arrière. Les autorités russes doivent mettre un terme à leurs persécutions des membres de la presse pour répandre prétendument de fausses informations sur la guerre en Ukraine. Il est nécessaire d’aider les journalistes russes qui ont pu se redéployer à l’étranger.

Le soutien aux médias locaux ukrainiens est indispensable. Beaucoup d’entre eux n’ont pas les équipements nécessaires et les moyens financiers pour continuer à travailler en zone de guerre. Ils ont perdu des employés recrutés par l’armée ou ayant quitté leur région d’origine pour des raisons de sécurité.

Ginebra, 2 de mayo de 2022 (PEC).- La Campaña del Emblema de Prensa (PEC, por sus siglas en inglés) está alarmada por el fuerte deterioro de la libertad de prensa causado por la guerra en Ucrania. Desde principios de año, 52 trabajadores de los medios de comunicación han pagado con su vida por hacer su trabajo. En Rusia, los controles del Kremlin han creado una regresión en el espacio mediático sin precedentes desde la época comunista.

Con motivo del Día de la Libertad de Prensa, que se celebra el 3 de mayo, la PEC hace un llamamiento urgente para que cesen las hostilidades en Ucrania y se respete la independencia de los medios de comunicación en Rusia.

"El aumento interanual del número de periodistas afectados por la violencia es del 116%, un hecho muy preocupante", ha declarado el presidente de la PEC, Blaise Lempen. Al menos 21 trabajadores de los medios de comunicación han muerto en los combates en poco más de dos meses de guerra en Ucrania, muchos más resultaron heridos, fueron secuestrados, han desaparecido, fueron amenazados, hackeados, obligados a abandonar sus trabajos.

El acceso a las zonas de guerra en Ucrania es cada vez más difícil y peligroso debido a la naturaleza volátil de los combates. Algunas unidades militares no distinguen entre civiles y combatientes. La PEC condena enérgicamente los ataques indiscriminados contra civiles.

"La guerra en Ucrania, al igual que ocurrió en Siria entre 2011 y 2019, muestra una vez más las dificultades de testificar para los representantes de los medios de comunicación, en ausencia de respeto al derecho humanitario", denunció Blaise Lempen. La PEC espera que las investigaciones llevadas a cabo por varios organismos arrojen luz sobre estos delitos y que la justicia pueda hacer su trabajo de forma imparcial.

Los periodistas rusos también han resultado heridos en los combates, pero no tienen libertad para informar sobre la situación en los territorios controlados por Rusia. Las medidas adoptadas por las autoridades de Moscú contra la información independiente son un gran paso atrás. Las autoridades rusas deben poner fin a la persecución de miembros de la prensa por la supuesta difusión de información falsa sobre la guerra en Ucrania. Es necesario ayudar a los periodistas rusos que han podido recolocarse en el extranjero.

El apoyo a los medios de comunicación locales ucranianos es esencial. Muchos de ellos no tienen el equipo ni los medios económicos necesarios para seguir trabajando en la zona de guerra. Han perdido empleados que fueron reclutados por el ejército o que abandonaron sus regiones de origen por razones de seguridad.

23.04.2022. UKRAINE. 5th report on the State of Media in Ukraine during the War (April 12-22) – The besieged and destroyed Ukrainian Mariupol in the spotlight

by Andrii Ianitsky, PEC representative in Ukraine

Lviv (Ukraine), 22 April 2022. 

Key Ukrainian topics in the media: Russian warship and Mariupol

The first big news story for both Ukrainian and world media was the death of the flagship of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea “Moskva" (literally "Moscow"), allegedly from Ukrainian missiles. Until now, neither the exact number of dead Russian sailors, nor the exact circumstances of the sinking of the warship are known. But the fact of the destruction of the craft is recognized by both sides of the war. 

The second dramatic line concerns the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol in the south of the country. Russian troops control almost the entire territory of the city, except for the industrial zone of the Azovstal metallurgical plant. According to the mayor of the city, Vadym Boychenko, there are still over 1,000 civilians and several hundred Ukrainian soldiers in the basements of the plant.

Both stories, as well as the lack of information about what is happening in the Russian-occupied territories in southern Ukraine, raise the difficult issue of access to truthful information during the war. Journalists often have to blindly rely on the words of their sources, since it is impossible to verify information under conditions of war or occupation. This makes journalists and their audiences vulnerable to propaganda.

Investigative journalists are the best at this challenge, thanks to their skills in analyzing social networks, satellite images, documents, databases, and previously verified sources. 

The death toll of media persons in the war is on the rise

Already 21 journalists and media persons were killed (local and international both), dozens wounded. 

The list of killed journalists in the line of duty:

1. Yevhen Sakun, cameraman of LIVE TV channel (died on March 1 during the Russian rocket attack on the TV tower in Kyiv);

2. Brent Renaud, a former correspondent for The New York Times (shot dead by Russians on March 13 in Irpen at a checkpoint);

3. Pierre Zakrzewski, cameraman for Fox News, an Irish citizen (killed on March 14 during an artillery shelling by Russian troops in the village of Gorenka, Kyiv region).

4. Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Ukrainian producer, journalist (killed on March 14 together with Pierre Zakrzewski during an artillery shelling by Russian troops in the village of Gorenka, Kyiv region).

5. Oksana Baulina, a journalist for Russia's The Insider and Oleksiy Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (killed on March 23 during an Russian shelling in Kyiv while performing an editorial assignment).

6. Dilerbek Shakirov, a civilian journalist of the information weekly "Around You" (was shot dead by Russians at a blockpost in the suburbs of Kherson on February 26)

7. Viktor Diedov, cameraman of Sigma TV from Mariupol (died on March 11 as a result of shelling of his house)

8. Maks Levin, famous Ukrainian photojournalist, has not been heard from since 13 March, when he was reporting in the Vyshgorod district, north of Kyiv. On April 2 he was found dead in the Kyiv region in places of massacre of civilians.

9. Eugene Bal, 78 yo journalism veteran, died near Mariupol on April 2. He was kidnapped and tortured by the Russian military for three days in late March. After his release, his health deteriorated and he died.

10. Olexander Lytkin, journalist dtp.kiev.ua. The circumstances of his death are unknown. His name among the dead was published by the office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine without details. 

11. Roman Nezhyborets, video technician was killed in the Ukrainian village of Yahidne. His body was found by Ukrainian volunteers on 6 April after Russian troops withdrew from the area. Nezhyborets’ body had gunshot wounds in the knees and his hands were tied. 

12. Zoreslav Zamoysky, local residents in Bucha found his body on a street in the city in early April, according to statements by the Ukrainian National Union of Journalists (NUJU) and the Irpin city council. Those sources did not state the exact date his body was found. 

Journalists who were killed not in the line of duty (as soldiers or volunteers).

13. Victor Dudar, who was a military journalist and served as a part of the Armed forces, was killed in battle on March 6, near Mykolaiv.

14. Oleg Yakunin, the editor of the Zaporizhia site Misto.zp.ua, was killed in battle on March 25 on military service. 

15. Yuriy Oliynyk,  the operator of the 24th channel was killed in battle on March 23 in the Luhansk oblast, near Popasna. Yuriy was a volunteer in the 24 separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo.

16. Pasha Lee, Ukrainian actor and TV host, has been killed by shelling in the city of Irpin.

17. Serhyi Pushenko, graphic artist and painter who worked with media, killed by Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups in Kyiv region on 2 March.

18. Sergey Zaikovsky, publicist and translator who worked with media, killed in Kyiv region on 24 March. 

19. Denis Kotenko, one of press-officers of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, killed in Kyiv region on 24 March.

Killed media persons (people who are connected with the media, but were not directly journalists):

20. Mantas Kvedaravičius, Lithuanian documentary filmmaker and director of the Mariupol film about the war in Donbass, died on April 3 in Mariupol.

21. Lilia Gumyanova, a journalism teacher was killed by Russian shelling in Mariupol on March 19.

Freedom of speech in Ukraine

In our last reports, we wrote how Ukrainian authorities have tightened control over the media in Ukraine during a war time.

Unfortunately, the situation remains the same. Three national news channels with varying ties to former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko have been taken off the digital air. They continue to broadcast on satellite, cable networks and online, but have lost, according to various estimates, from 20 to 40 percent of their audience.

(Disclosure: the report's author also works for a TV channel that has been taken offline from digital broadcasting)

Other national news channels (both private and public) work together and create the United News. These news are broadcast on the frequencies of at least six TV channels and at least one radio station, as well as on the public services digital platform Diia.

Thus, the Ukrainian authorities may be trying to reduce the intensity of criticism after possible truce agreements with Russia. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky limits the media influence of his political rival, former President Poroshenko.

Another problem is the crisis of local media in Ukraine. Because of the war, many local newsrooms from the east and south of the country were forced to leave for safer western regions. Some of the journalists went to defend their homeland in the army, the other part changed their profession or temporarily stopped working and solves everyday problems associated with relocation. 

According to Eugene Zaslavsky, executive director of the Media Development Foundation, a non-governmental organization, today local media need not only material support and help with relocation. Such editorial offices are losing contact with the communities that they wrote about earlier, they are losing access to sources and their qualified personnel. And new employees of such editorial offices often need intensive training.

It is especially difficult for publications from the territories occupied by Russia to work. But even after the liberation of such territories, the material and technical base of such media is destroyed, and their work is complicated for various reasons. For example, because of the mined lands in previously peaceful cities.

Andrii Ianitsky is journalist now based in Lviv and PEC Representative in Ukraine (a.ianitskyi@gmail.com)

His first report was published on 19 March 2022, the second on 28 March 2022, the third on 5 April 2022, fourth on 11 April (read below)

12.04.2022. UKRAINE. 4th report on the State of Media in Ukraine during the War (April 5-11) – Preparations for the upshot the Russian-Ukrainian war in the Donbass

by Andrii Ianitsky, PEC representative in Ukraine

Lviv (Ukraine), 12 April 2022. After Russian troops failed to capture Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, Russia is preparing to strike a second powerful blow against the neighboring country: an attack in the east in the Donbass region. Moscow has been controlling part of this region through a proxy since 2014, and now the Russians will try to expand the zone under their control as much as the Ukrainian army and the international community will allow them to. The battle for Donbass may be the final chord of this war, depending on its outcome.

Military experts expect large-scale battles in this region in the coming days. And, of course, foreign journalists will try to record this battle for history. If you are not a professional military reporter, do not know how to provide first aid, do not have a bulletproof vest and a helmet, then do not try to go to Donbass in the coming days. This is extremely dangerous.

It is dangerous to work not only in the east (Donetsk and Luhansk regions), but also in southern Ukraine (Kherson region, southern Zaporozhye region, eastern Mykolaiv region), where Russia controls large areas.

The most dangerous place today is Mariupol, a port city with a pre-war population of about 450,000 on the shores of the Sea of Azov, which Russian troops wiped off the map with artillery shelling. Active fighting is still going on in the city. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, tens of thousands of civilians have died in Mariupol. We cannot verify this claim, but people who managed to get out of Mariupol speak of numerous deaths of civilians there.

The death toll of journalists in the war is on the rise

47 days after the Russian invasion, 13 journalists (three into military service) were killed (local and international both), dozens wounded. One journalism teacher and one documentary filmmaker also were killed.

The list of killed journalists in the line of duty:

1. Yevhen Sakun, cameraman of LIVE TV channel (died on March 1 during the Russian rocket attack on the TV tower in Kyiv);

2. Brent Renaud, a former correspondent for The New York Times (shot dead by Russians on March 13 in Irpen at a checkpoint);

3. Pierre Zakrzewski, cameraman for Fox News, an Irish citizen (killed on March 14 during an artillery shelling by Russian troops in the village of Gorenka, Kyiv region).

4. Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Ukrainian producer, journalist (killed on March 14 together with Pierre Zakrzewski during an artillery shelling by Russian troops in the village of Gorenka, Kyiv region).

5. Oksana Baulina, a journalist for Russia's The Insider and Oleksiy Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (killed on March 23 during an Russian shelling in Kyiv while performing an editorial assignment).

6. Dilerbek Shakirov, a civilian journalist of the information weekly "Around You" (was shot dead by Russians at a blockpost in the suburbs of Kherson on February 26)

7. Viktor Diedov, cameraman of Sigma TV from Mariupol (died on March 11 as a result of shelling of his house)

8. Maks Levin, famous Ukrainian photojournalist, has not been heard from since 13 March, when he was reporting in the Vyshgorod district, north of Kyiv. On April 2 he was found dead in the Kyiv region in places of massacre of civilians.

9. Eugene Bal, 78 yo journalism veteran, died near Mariupol on April 2. He was kidnapped and tortured by the Russian military for three days in late March. After his release, his health deteriorated and he died.

Journalists who were killed not in the line of duty (as soldiers or volunteers).

10. Victor Dudar, who was a military journalist and served as a part of the Armed forces, was killed in battle on March 6, near Mykolaiv.

11. Oleg Yakunin, the editor of the Zaporizhia site Misto.zp.ua, was killed in battle on March 25 on military service. 

12. Yuriy Oliynyk,  the operator of the 24th channel was killed in battle on March 23 in the Luhansk oblast, near Popasna. Yuriy was a volunteer in the 24 separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo.

Other killed people who are connected with the media, but were not directly journalists:

• Mantas Kvedaravičius, Lithuanian documentary filmmaker and director of the Mariupol film about the war in Donbass, died on April 3 in Mariupol.

• Lilia Gumyanova, a journalism teacher was killed by Russian shelling in Mariupol on March 19.

PEC monitors the situation with freedom of speech in Ukraine

In our last reports dated March 28 and April 5, we wrote that the Ukrainian authorities have tightened control over the work of the media in Ukraine. In particular, they tried to unite all socio-political and news TV channels into one channel, United News. At the same time, the authorities did not grant such a privilege to several TV channels that are fully or partially associated with former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

These TV channels continued to broadcast via satellite, online and on cable networks. However, the authorities turned off their retransmission through amplifiers, which reduced their audience by 10-20% (data from the Espreso TV channel).

The attack on freedom of speech, even during the war, caused discontent among Ukrainian society. Representatives of the scientific and cultural spheres issued an open letter to the Ukrainian authorities with a demand to resume the rebroadcasting of Espreso, Pryamiy and Channel 5 TV channels. The Media Movement initiative and the local Commission on Journalistic Ethics also made a statement. Human rights activists and reformers made other appeals in defense of the TV channels.

The affected TV channels are planning to sue the State Concern for Radio and Television, which turned off the rebroadcasting of the TV signal.

Media for Ukrainian migrants appear in the European Union

The German TV channel RTL Television has launched news releases in Ukrainian, and many European newspapers have previously come out with publications in Ukrainian. Ukrainian TV channels are negotiating retransmission in the networks of cable operators in Europe, and the public Ukrainian radio has agreed on retransmission in Lithuania.

Since the massive Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, more than 4.5 million Ukrainians have left the country, according to the UN. In total, according to various estimates, from 37 to 42 million people lived in Ukraine before the war (a population census has not been conducted in the country since 2001).

Official Russian media denies the existence of the Ukrainian nation

A great resonance in Ukraine was caused by the publication on the state Russian website RIA Novosti an article "What Russia should do with Ukraine" from April, 3. In this text, the author writes that "denazification will inevitably also be de-Ukrainization" and that "the name Ukraine cannot be preserved," and new republics must appear in the place of present-day Ukraine.

Such an article on the mainstream Russian state resource leaves no room for doubt that the ultimate goal of the Russian military campaign is the destruction of Ukraine as a country and Ukrainians as a nation.

The article came out on the same day that the world learned about the Russian atrocities in Bucha near Kyiv.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called this article "one of the evidence at the future tribunal against Russian war criminals."

Andrii Ianitsky is journalist now based in Lviv and PEC Representative in Ukraine (a.ianitskyi@gmail.com)

His first report was published on 19 March 2022, the second on 28 March 2022, the third on 5 April 2022 (read below)

05.04.2022. UKRAINE. 3^rd PEC report on the State of Media in Ukraine during the War (March 28 - April 4) – Collection of evidence on the massacre in Bucha

by Andrii Ianitsky, PEC representative in Ukraine

Lviv (Ukraine), 5 April 2022. After the Russian military left the Kyiv region, Ukrainian troops discovered mass graves there. Massacre in Bucha city attracted a lot of attention from journalists. On April 3 and 4, hundreds of foreign journalists arrived in Kyiv to record these crimes for the world community. On April 4, President Volodymyr Zelenski met with journalists.

Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) stresses that journalists are key players, they are witnesses. They can contribute to the collection of evidence, which may be used in court at a later stage. Documentation of the crimes on the ground can help the justice efforts under way to identify the perpetrators. To do their job independently they need protection.

Foreign journalists should be careful while working in areas that have recently been liberated from Russian occupiers. All the forests and roadsides there are mined, the sappers and deminers must first do their job.

It is also unsafe to work in the east of Ukraine in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions. Russian troops are starting a new offensive in this area and the front can move very quickly to where there are still no Russians today. As we already wrote, many Ukrainian journalists ended up in Russian-occupied territories. The usual practice in such cases for Russians is to ban all Ukrainian media. However, journalists continue to write about the situation in the occupation on an anonymous basis for independent Ukrainian and international media.

PEC condemns the killing of Maks Levin

40 days after the Russian invasion, 9 journalists (one into military service) were killed (local and international both), dozens wounded, two were kidnapped by the occupiers. One journalism teacher and one documentary filmmaker also were killed.

Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condemns the killing of Ukrainian photojournalist, documentary photographer Maks Levin (40) found dead near the village of Huta Mezhyhirska in Kyiv region on Friday. He left four minor sons, a wife, and elderly parents.

According to the preliminary information released by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office, unarmed Levin was killed with two shots from small arms by servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces. The case over violation of laws and customs of war (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) was opened. The pre-trial investigation is underway, measures are being taken to establish all the circumstances of the crime.

Maks Levin also contributed for Reuters, BBC, TRT World, Associated Press, Hromadske. His photos were published by the Wall Street Journal, TIME, Breaking news Poland, EU AGENDA, World news, The Moscow Time, Korrespondent.net, ELLE, TV-24, Radio Bulgaria, Ukraine Crisis Media center, Vatican news, RFE/RL. In addition to journalism, Levin created dozens of photo and video projects for humanitarian organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UN, UNICEF, OSCE, UN Women.

Ukrainian authorities continue pressure on uncontrolled media

In our last report dated March 28, we wrote that the Ukrainian authorities have tightened control over the work of journalists in Ukraine. In particular, they imposed restrictions on filming the results of missile strikes, infrastructure facilities and military installations. They also tried to unite all socio-political and news TV channels into one channel, United News.

However, such actions of the Ukrainian authorities caused rejection on the part of journalists and specialized organizations that protect the media. 

On March 30, a closed meeting of journalists and representatives of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine was held in Kyiv. Following this discussion, both ministries issued a joint statement in support of journalists. And although there is little specificity in the statement itself, journalists note an improvement in communication with the military last week.

On April 4, the authorities cut off digital air broadcasting from Espreso, Pryamiy and Channel 5, which had been critical of President Volodymyr Zelensky before the war. The channels continue to broadcast on cable networks and vis satellite, as well as on the Internet.

Ukraine expelled a Dutch journalist

On April 3, the Security Service of Ukraine forcibly expelled Dutch journalist Robert Dulmers from Ukraine. The journalist was deprived of his accreditation and expelled for violating the requirements for publishing photos and videos of the results of the rocket attack on Odessa. Robert Dulmers posted videos and photos of the shelling on his Twitter account immediately after the missile strikes.

His publications contained information that makes it possible to identify the exact location of the missile strikes. This allows the Russian artillery to adjust their sights and strike again or report a successful hit.

Earlier the Security Service of Ukraine urged journalists not to take photos and videos of the explosions, not to disseminate information about the places of shelling and where enemy missiles are flying until the official sources said it.

Andrii Ianitsky is journalist now based in Lviv and PEC Representative in Ukraine (a.ianitskyi@gmail.com)

His first report was published on 19 March 2022, his second on 28 March 2022 (read below)

04.04.2022. Sharp rise in journalists killed in three months

(French and Spanish after English) (List of victims on Casualties)

Geneva, April 4, 2022 (PEC) Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) is alarmed by the large number of journalists killed in the first three months of 2022. The year-on-year increase is 153% with 38 victims in 15 countries since January (3 per week) compared to 15 deaths in the same period last year.

"This dramatic rise is very worrying, while the number of journalists killed had decreased in previous years. The war in Ukraine and the rampant criminality in Mexico are the main reasons of this appalling deterioration", said PEC President Blaise Lempen.

In Ukraine, the conflict triggered by Russia has already claimed 9 victims among media workers, and nearly 20 journalists have been injured. In addition at least 10 others were detained. "We urge the belligerents to put an immediate end to the war, to avoid a Syrian-style scenario with dozens of casualties in a protracted conflict," said PEC president. 

Russian and Ukrainian authorities must ensure that journalists are not targeted while covering the ongoing fighting and that they can work freely. The circumstances of each death must be independently clarified and those responsible must be brought to justice.

In three months, Mexico with 9 victims has almost reached its toll for the whole of last year (10 killed). "The authorities must fight much harder against impunity and search more actively for those responsible for these murders and their sponsors", stressed Blaise Lempen.

Haiti has seen an increase in violence with 3 journalists killed. India and Pakistan followed with 3 victims in each country. Two media workers were killed in Yemen.

PEC also recorded one victim in each of the following countries: Brazil, Chad, Guatemala, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Philippines, Turkey and the United States.

In light of this very worrying deterioration, PEC has renewed its call to the United Nations for the adoption of an international convention strengthening the protection of journalists with investigation and prosecution mechanisms. By 2021, 79 media workers had been killed and 92 by 2020.

Forte hausse des journalistes tués en trois mois

Genève, 4 avril 2022 (PEC) La PEC (Presse Emblème Campagne) est alarmée par le grand nombre de journalistes tués au cours des trois premiers mois de 2022. La hausse atteint 153% d’une année sur l’autre avec 38 victimes dans 15 pays depuis janvier (3 par semaine) contre 15 morts pour la même période de l’an dernier.

«Cette augmentation dramatique est très préoccupante, alors que le nombre de journalistes tués avait diminué les années précédentes. La guerre en Ukraine et la criminalité galopante au Mexique sont les principaux responsables de cette détérioration consternante», a déclaré le président de la PEC Blaise Lempen.

En Ukraine, le conflit déclenché par la Russie a déjà fait 9 victimes parmi les travailleurs des médias, et près de 20 journalistes ont été blessés. En outre, au moins dix autres ont été détenus. «Nous exhortons les belligérants à mettre un terme immédiatement à la guerre, pour éviter un scénario à la syrienne avec des dizaines de victimes dans un conflit prolongé», a affirmé le président de la PEC Blaise Lempen.

Les autorités russes et ukrainiennes doivent s’assurer que les journalistes ne sont pas visés en couvrant les combats en cours et qu’ils peuvent travailler librement. Les circonstances de chaque mort devront être élucidées de manière indépendante et leurs responsables jugés.

En trois mois, le Mexique avec 9 victimes a presque atteint le bilan de l’ensemble de l’année dernière (10 tués). «Les autorités doivent lutter avec beaucoup plus de fermeté contre l’impunité et rechercher plus activement les responsables de ces meurtres et leurs commanditaires», a affirmé Blaise Lempen.

Haïti a connu une augmentation de la violence avec 3 morts parmi les journalistes. L’Inde et le Pakistan suivent avec 3 victimes dans chaque pays. Deux travailleurs des médias ont été tués au Yémen.

La PEC a aussi recensé une victime dans chacun de ces pays : Brésil, États-Unis, Guatemala, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Philippines, Tchad, Turquie.

Compte tenu de cette détérioration très préoccupante, la PEC a lancé à l’ONU un nouvel appel à l’adoption d’une convention internationale renforçant la protection des journalistes avec des mécanismes d’enquête et de poursuite. En 2021, 79 travailleurs des médias avaient été tués et 92 en 2020.

Fuerte aumento de periodistas asesinados en tres meses

Ginebra, 4 de abril de 2022 (PEC).- La PEC (Press Emblem Campaign) está alarmada por la gran cantidad de periodistas asesinados en los tres primeros meses de 2022. La subida alcanza el 153% interanual con 38 víctimas en 15 países desde enero (tres a la semana), frente a 15 muertos por el mismo período del año anterior.

“Este aumento dramático es muy preocupante, ya que el número de periodistas asesinados había disminuido en años anteriores. La guerra en Ucrania y el crimen rampante en México son los principales culpables de este espantoso deterioro”, declaró el presidente de la PEC Blaise Lempen.

En Ucrania, el conflicto desatado por Rusia ya se ha cobrado 9 víctimas, y cerca de 20 periodistas han resultado heridos. Además, al menos otras diez han sido detenidas.“Instamos a los beligerantes a poner fin de inmediato a la guerra, para evitar un escenario al estilo sirio con decenas de víctimas en un conflicto prolongado”, pidió el presidente de la PEC.

Las autoridades rusas y ucranianas deben garantizar que los periodistas no sean atacados al cubrir los combates en curso y que puedan trabajar libremente. Hay que aclarar las circunstancias de cada muerte independientemente y llevar a los responsables ante la justicia.

En tres meses, México, con 9 víctimas casi llega al balance de todo el año pasado (10 muertos). "Las autoridades deben luchar con mucha más firmeza contra la impunidad y buscar más activamente a los responsables de estos asesinatos y a sus patrocinadores", dijo Lempen.

Haití ha visto un aumento de la violencia con 3 periodistas asesinados. Le siguen India y Pakistán con 3 víctimas en cada país. Dos trabajadores de los medios han sido asesinados en Yemen.

La PEC también identificó una víctima en cada uno de estos países : Brasil, Chad, Estados Unidos, Filipinas, Guatemala, Honduras, Kazajstán, Myanmar, Turquía.

Ante este preocupante deterioro, la PEC ha lanzado un nuevo llamado a la ONU para la adopción de una convención internacional que refuerce la protección de los periodistas con mecanismos de investigación y enjuiciamiento. En 2021, 79 trabajadores de los medios fueron asesinados y 92 en 2020.

01.04.2022. PEC condemns the continuing violence targeting the media in Yemen

French and Arabic after English

By Suzanne Halal, PEC Representative for the Middle East

Geneva, April 1, 2022 (PEC) Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condemns the continuing violence targeting the media in Yemen. In Yemen, journalists face the dangers of war and air strikes, they are also targeted by the ruling parties and suffer attacks from the Houthis, Al Qaeda, and the government. Since 2014, between 38 and 45 journalists have been killed (identified and including war photographers, media professionals and journalists), according to PEC research. At least 16 journalists are currently in detention/kidnapped.

According to the Human Rights Office of the High Commissionner, the number of abuses and human rights violations against journalists reaches 357, including 45 physical assaults and 184 arbitrary arrests.

Recently, the conflict in Yemen has again appeared in the press, with the Houthi attack Friday, March 25 in Saudi Arabia on several oil locations of Saudi Aramco, and the response of the Kingdom with an air strike in southern Yemen, on Ras Eissa, also on the Hodiedah province, and on military sites in the capital Sana'a, according to Al-Masirah TV, a channel run by the Houthis.

And yet, we rarely hear what is happening in Yemen, the Forgotten War. We dare to ask ourselves why such an oversight? This war, heavy with consequences, human dramas, civil war since 2011 following the Arab Spring revolutions, has become a regional conflict involving Yemen, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar and some international powers including the United States.

Where are the journalists reporting on Yemen ?

All this would lend itself to media coverage of a humanitarian and diplomatic crisis. Where are the journalists who are reporting on this? This war is one of a systematic aggression against journalists, most of whom have left their jobs. Both the Houthis and the government are using methods of aggression against the media on the ground.

PEC is particularly worried about the situation of four journalists detained since 2015 for spying and false reporting: Abdul Khaleq Amran, Tawfiq Al-Mansouri, Harith Hamid and Akram Al- Walidi.

Deprived of care, visits, tortured, without the right to express their position behind bars and very weakened psychologically and physically, these four journalists saw last Sunday their accusation in court and their possible sentence of execution modified thanks to the fact that they did not carry weapons on them and were not affiliated to a political movement. Their sentence was therefore sent to a different court with an exchange of prisoners, without details on their exact fate after this transfer. Recently, the family of journalist Tawfiq Al-Mansoori had appealed to international organizations to press for his immediate release and to save his life after signs of kidney failure in addition to his asthma, shortness of breath, rheumatism and diabetes.

Most recently, on March 23, 2022, local residents found the body of photojournalist Fawaz Al- Wafi. Al-Wafi had worked as a journalist in local institutions and as a photojournalist in Taiz governorate during the years of war. He was stabbed to death by unknown assailants, in "Wadi Al-Qadi" neighborhood of Taiz city, in southern Yemen.

Sixteen journalists have been kidnapped since 2015 in the country, ten of them "on the absurd grounds that they could potentially provide information that could be used by the Arab coalition for its aerial bombardments." Charged with "collaboration with the enemy," they were tried by the Houthi Special Criminal Court, a body not recognized by the international community.

Others are being held without charge or trial in provinces controlled by the so-called "legitimate" government, such as Muhammad Ali Al-Moqri or in separatist-controlled areas, such as Saleh Musawa (now released).

Online access to media sites has been blocked by the Houthis who have taken control of the Ministry of Telecommunications. Throughout the country, journalists are monitored and can be arrested for posting on social networks.

The situation has worsened

According to two Yemeni journalists in the country and a foreign journalist who visits regularly, who remain anonymous for security reasons, the situation has worsened as the danger is not only from acts of war, but from harassment, arrests, enforced disappearances, killings, physical attacks, psychological attacks, restrictions on livelihoods, exclusions from work, bans on visits by imprisoned journalists, and conflicting authorities that create difficulties in practicing the profession. This includes the difficulty for the press to receive protective tools.

Some foreign journalists continue to visit and cover the conflict, often through press trips organized particularly with the Sana'a Center. The New York Times, BBC and AFP have made separate trips. However, their presence is rare and short-lived, and foreign media delegations rarely reach Houthi-controlled areas, as entry permits come from the coalition and pass through the Houthi-controlled city of Aden. However, there are delegations of journalists belonging to Saudi and Emirati media that arrive in the governorates of Aden, Marib, Hadramout, because the coalition is the one that grants them the permits. There is also the problem of affiliation of many journalists to local militias. The information relayed in the newspapers is therefore very unreliable.

According to the three journalists interviewed by PEC, there is an apparent lack of training in covering hostile events and a discussion with the authorities to press for the protection of journalists and to promote their consideration as members of the community rather than enemies. There is also a need for physical and psychological protection of journalists, which is even more necessary since the suspension of the Yemeni Journalists' Union and the division of the Ministry of Information and its institutions.

Camera, pen and smartphones more dangerous than weapons

«The camera and the pen have become more dangerous than weapons for all sides. The conflict in Yemen has pushed dozens of journalists, and I know many of them, into other occupations such as selling qat, collecting plastic bottles in the streets, carrying stones, farming and other occupations that make their living. Some of them have suffered heart attacks because of their financial situation and lack of access to food», said one journalist interviewed by PEC.

The whole of Yemen, from one end to the other, is dangerous for journalists. When you travel from one governorate to another, the checkpoints search the phones of travelers, including journalists, and they have programs that restore everything that has been deleted, and many have been arrested because of this. Smartphones are the first enemy of the journalist through it, they rank you among all the parties to the conflict you are affiliated with, imprisoned or executed under the charge of treason, even if you joined an anti-WhatsApp group, you don't even know who joined it... and no one will believe that you didn't know about it, he added.

Smartphones have involved reporters, and many have resorted to old non-smartphones, deleted many apps because friend inquiry messages are an unintentional trap, while some resort to deleting any direct conversation after talking to their friend about any topic.

Some of their Yemeni colleagues abroad also report psychological pressure and threats from outside Yemen.

Employees of the Yemen Digital Media agency, which provides media services to television stations, were surprised by security guards and representatives of the Sana'a Specialized Criminal Court of First Instance who arrived at the company's building with a judicial seizure notice that was undated and not marked with a name or seal.

According to Media Landscapes, a joint venture between the Centre for European Journalism and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, increased shortages of gasoline, electricity, and printing paper have made it more difficult to publish and distribute newspapers. Some websites have had to close down. Journalists' salaries are very low and this reduces the possibility of journalists being able to make a living from their work. Some news bureaus have had to move (after facing direct attacks), or close permanently, especially independent media.

Some names of journalists killed: Awab al-Zubiry; Mubarak al-Abadi from Nabaa media Foundation; freelance Mohammed Ghalib al-Majidi; Ahmed al-Shaibani from Yemen News; Hashim al-Hamran from al-Masirah TV; freelance Almigdad Mojalli; Bilal Sharaf al-Deen from al Masirah TV; Abdullah Qabil from Yemen Youth TV; Youssef al-Ayzari from Suhai TV; Mohamed Shamsan from Yemen Today; Khaled al-Washli from al-Masirah TV; freelance Luke Somers (the only American listed); Hassan al-Wadhaf from Arabic Media Agency; Jamal al- Sharabi from Al-Masdar; Muhammad al-Rabou'e from Al-Qahira.

Par Suzanne Halal, représentante de la PEC pour le Moyen-Orient

Genève, 1^er avril 2022 (PEC) La PEC condamne la poursuite des violences visant les médias au Yémen. Les journalistes font face aux dangers de la guerre et des frappes aériennes, ils sont également la cible des partis en place et subissent des attaques des Houthis, d’Al Qaeda, et du gouvernement. Depuis 2014, entre 38 et 45 journalistes ont été tués (identifiés and incluant les photographes de guerre, les professionnels de la presse et les journalistes). Au moins 16 sont actuellement en détention ou kidnappés.

Selon le Haut Commissariat aux droits de l’homme, 357 abus et violations des droits humains à l’encontre des journalistes ont été recensés, dont 45 agressions physiques et 184 arrestations arbitraires.

Ces derniers jours, le conflit au Yémen est de nouveau apparu dans la presse, avec l’attaque Houthi Vendredi 25 Mars en Arabie Saoudite sur plusieurs emplacements pétroliers de Saudi Aramco, et la réponse du royaume avec une frappe aérienne au Sud du Yémen, sur Ras Eissa, également sur la province Hodiedah, et sur des sites militaires de la capitale Sanaa, d’après Al-Masirah TV, chaîne dirigée par les Houthis.

Et pourtant, on n’entend que trop rarement ce qui se passe au sein du Yémen, la guerre oubliée. Pourquoi un tel oubli? Cette guerre, lourde de conséquences, drames humains, guerre civile depuis 2011 à l’issue des révolutions du printemps arabe, est devenue un conflit régional avec comme acteurs: le Yémen, l’Iran, l’Arabie, les Émirats, le Qatar et certaines puissances internationales dont les États-Unis. Tout cela prêterait donc bien à la couverture médiatique d’une crise humanitaire et diplomatique.

Où sont les journalistes ?

Cette guerre est celle de l’agression systématique des journalistes, qui, pour la plupart, ont quitté leur fonction. Les Houthis comme le gouvernement emploient des méthodes d’agression sur les médias sur place.

La PEC est particulièrement préoccupée par le sort de quatre journalistes détenus depuis 2015 pour espionnages et fausses informations: Abdul Khaleq Amran, Tawfiq Al-Mansouri, Harith Hamid et Akram Al-Walidi. Privés de soins, de visites, torturés, sans le droit à exprimer leur position derrière les barreaux et très affaiblis psychologiquement et physiquement, ces quatre journalistes ont vu dimanche dernier leur accusation au tribunal et leur possible sentence d’exécution modifiées grâce au fait qu’ils ne portaient pas d’armes sur eux et n’étaient pas affiliés à un mouvement politique. Leur jugement a donc été expédié à un tribunal différent avec un échange de prisonniers, sans détail sur leur sort exact après ce transfert.

Récemment, la famille du journaliste Tawfiq Al-Mansoori a lancé un appel aux organisations internationales pour qu'elles fassent pression pour sa libération immédiate et pour lui sauver la vie après des signes d'insuffisance rénale en plus de son asthme, de son essoufflement, de ses rhumatismes et de son diabète.

Tout dernièrement, le 23 mars 2022, des résidents locaux ont retrouvé le corps du photojournaliste Fawaz Al-Wafi. Al-Wafi avait travaillé comme journaliste dans des institutions locales et comme photojournaliste dans le gouvernorat de Taïz pendant les années de guerre. Il a été poignardé à mort par des assaillants inconnus, dans le quartier "Wadi Al-Qadi" de la ville de Taïz, au sud du Yémen.

Quinze journalistes ont été enlevés, depuis 2015 dans le pays, dix d’entre eux “au motif absurde qu’ils pouvaient potentiellement fournir des informations qui pourraient servir à la coalition arabe pour ses bombardements aériens”. Accusés de “collaboration avec l’ennemi”, ils ont été jugés par le Tribunal Pénal Spécial houthi, une instance non reconnue par la communauté internationale.

D’autres sont détenus sans charge ni jugement dans des provinces contrôlées par le gouvernement dit “légitime”, comme Muhammad Ali Al-Moqri, ou dans les zones contrôlées par les séparatistes, comme Saleh Musawa (aujourd’hui libéré).

L’accès en ligne des sites de media ont été bloqués par les Houthis qui ont pris contrôle du ministère des télécommunications. Partout dans le pays, les journalistes sont surveillés et peuvent être arrêtés pour une publication sur les réseaux sociaux.

La situation s’est encore détériorée

D’après deux journalistes Yéménites dans le pays et un journaliste étranger qui se rend sur place régulièrement, ayant demandé l’anonymat pour des raisons de sécurité, la situation a empiré, car le danger n’est pas seulement celui des actes de guerre, mais le harcèlement, les arrestations, disparitions forcées, assassinats, agressions physiques, agressions psychologiques, restrictions des moyens de subsistance, exclusions du travail, interdiction de visites des journalistes emprisonnés et des autorités conflictuelles qui créent des difficultés pour exercer la profession. Cela inclue la difficulté pour la presse de recevoir des moyens de protection.

Quelqes journalistes étrangers continuent de couvrir le conflit, souvent à travers des voyages de presse organisés particulièrement avec le Centre Sanaa. Le New York Times, la BBC et l’AFP ont effectué des déplacements séparément. Toutefois, leur présence est rare et de courte durée, et les délégations des médias étrangers atteignent rarement les zones sous le contrôle des Houthis, car les permis d'entrée proviennent de la coalition et traversent la ville d'Aden, qui est sous le contrôle des Houthis.

Cependant, il y a des délégations de journalistes appartenant à des médias saoudiens et émiratis qui arrivent dans les gouvernorats d'Aden, Marib, Hadramout, car la coalition est celle qui leur accorde les autorisations. Il y a aussi le problème d’affiliation de beaucoup de journalistes aux milices locales. L’information relayée dans les journaux est donc très peu fiable.

D'après les trois journalistes interrogés, il y a un manque apparent de formation pour la couverture des évènements hostiles et des difficultés dans la discussion avec les autorités pour faire pression sur la protection des journalistes et les considérer comme membres de la communauté et non comme ennemis. Il faudrait également une protection physique et psychologique des journalistes, plus nécessaire encore depuis la suspension du Syndicat des journalistes du Yémen et de la division du ministère de l'Information et de ses institutions.

Appareil photo, stylo et smartphones plus dangereux que les armes

“L'appareil photo et le stylo sont devenus plus dangereux que les armes pour toutes les parties. Le conflit au Yémen a poussé des dizaines de journalistes, et j'en connais beaucoup, à exercer d'autres métiers comme vendre du qat, ramasser des bouteilles en plastique dans les rues, transporter des pierres, cultiver leur champ et autres occupations qui leur font gagner leur vie. Certains d'entre eux ont subi des crises cardiaques en raison de leur situation financière et du manque d'accès à la nourriture”, a déclaré un des journalistes interrogés par la PEC.

“Tout le Yémen, d'un bout à l'autre, est dangereux pour les journalistes. Lorsque vous voyagez d'un gouvernorat à l'autre, les points de contrôle fouillent les téléphones des voyageurs, notamment des journalistes, et ils ont des programmes qui restaurent tout ce qui a été supprimé, et beaucoup ont été arrêtés à cause de cela. Les smartphones sont le premier ennemi du journaliste : à travers lui, ils vous classent parmi les parties au conflit auxquelles vous êtes affilié, vous emprisonnent ou exécutent sous l'inculpation de trahison. Même si vous avez rejoint un groupe anti-WhatsApp, vous ne savez même pas qui l'a rejoint... et personne ne croira que vous n'en saviez rien », a-t-il ajouté.

Beaucoup ont recours à de vieux téléphones non intelligents, ont supprimé de nombreuses applications parce que les messages d'amis sont un piège involontaire, tandis que certains ont recours à la suppression de toute conversation directe après avoir parlé à leur ami de n'importe quel sujet.

Certains de leurs collègues Yéménites à l’étranger leur rapportent également subir des pressions psychologiques et menaces depuis l’extérieur du Yémen.

Des employés de l’agence Yémen Digital Media, qui fournit des services médiatiques aux chaînes de télévision, ont été surpris par des agents de sécurité et des représentants du tribunal pénal spécialisé de première instance de Sanaa qui sont arrivés dans le bâtiment de l'entreprise avec un avis de saisie judiciaire non daté et non marqué d'un nom ou d'un sceau.

D’après Media Landscapes, née d’une association entre le Centre de Journalisme Européen et le Ministère néerlandais de l’éducation, de la Culture et de la Science, un manque accru d’essence, d’électricité et de papier pour impression ont rendu la publication et la distribution des journaux plus difficiles. Certains sites web ont dû fermer. Les salaires des journalistes sont très réduits et cela réduit la possibilité des journalistes à pouvoir vivre de leur métier. Certains bureaux de presse ont dû changer d’endroits (après avoir fait face à des attaques directes), ou fermer de manière permanente, notamment les médias indépendants.

Des noms de journalistes tués: Awab al-Zubiry; Mubarak al-Abadi from Nabaa media Foundation; freelance Mohammed Ghalib al-Majidi; Ahmed al-Shaibani from Yemen News; Hashim al-Hamran from al-Masirah TV; freelance Almigdad Mojalli; Bilal Sharaf al-Deen from al Masirah TV; Abdullah Qabil from Yemen Youth TV; Youssef al-Ayzari from Suhai TV; Mohamed Shamsan from Yemen Today; Khaled al-Washli from al-Masirah TV; freelance Luke Somers (the only American listed); Hassan al-Wadhaf from Arabic Media Agency; Jamal al-Sharabi from Al-Masdar; Muhammad al-Rabou’e from Al-Qahira.

حملة الشارة لحماية الصحفيين تدين استمرار الانتهاكات التي تستهدف وسائل الإعلام في اليمن

تحرير: سوازان حلال، ممثلة حملة الشارة لحماية الصحفيين لمنطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال افريقيا.

جنيف، 1 ابريل 2022(PEC)

أدانت حملة الشارة لحماية الصحفيين استمرار الانتهاكات التي تستهدف وسائل الإعلام في اليمن. إذ يواجه الصحفيون في اليمن مخاطر الحرب وعمليات القصف الجوي، كما يتعرضون لاستهداف من قبل الأطراف المتصارعة: الحوثيين والقاعدة والحكومة اليمنية. فقد قتل ما بين 38 و45 صحفيا منذ عام 2014، ممن تم التعرف عليهم بما في ذلك مصورين مختصين في الحروب، ومهنيين عاملين في وسائل الإعلام وصحفيين. ويوجد حاليا حوالي 16 معتقلا او مختطفا.

وتشير المفوضية السامية لحقوق الإنسان الى أنه قد تم إحصاء 357 حالة انتهاك لحقوق الإنسان في حق صحفيين من بينها 45 حالة اعتداء جسدي و184 حالة اعتقال تعسفي.

وقد عاد الصراع في اليمن للظهور في الآونة الأخيرة من جديد في وسائل الإعلام بعد الهجوم الحوثي يوم الجمعة 25 مارس على عدة مواقع بترولية لشركة آرامكو في العربية السعودية، وبعد الهجمات الجوية التي ردت بها السعودية والتي استهدفت، جنوب اليمن، ورأس عيسى ومحافظة الحديدية والمواقع العسكرية في العاصمة صنعاء، وفقا لما أوردته قناة المسيرة التلفزيونية التي يديرها الحوثيون.

ومع ذلك نلاحظ أننا لا نسمع إلا القليل عما يحدث في داخل اليمن في هذه الحرب المنسية. لماذا هذا التجاهل؟ إن هذه الحرب التي خلفت الكثير من الدمار والمآسي الإنسانية، هذه الحرب الأهلية التي اشتعلت نارها بعد ثورات الربيع العربي تحولت اليوم الى حرب إقليمية يشارك فيها كل من اليمن وإيران والعربية السعودية والإمارات العربية المتحدة وقطر وبعض القوى الدولية من بينها الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

أين هم الصحفيون؟

كل هذه العوامل التي أشرنا إليها سابقا، من المفروض أن تشجع على حدوث تغطية إعلامية لأزمة إنسانية ودبلوماسية. لكم أين هم الصحفيون؟

إن هذه الحرب هي بمثابة اعتداء منهجي يستهدف الصحفيين بالخصوص، والذين اضطرت غالبيتهم الى التخلي عن مزاولة هذه المهنة. فالحوثيون وكذلك الحكومة يستخدم كل منهما أساليب اعتداء ضد وسائل الإعلام.

وقد أعربت حملة الشارة لحماية الصحفيين عن قلقها بالخصوص فيما يتعلق بمصير أربعة صحفيين معتقلين منذ عام 2015 بتهمة التجسس وترويج معلومات خاطئة: عبد الخالق عمران، توفيق المنصوري، حارث حميد وأكرم الوليدي.

فهؤلاء الصحفيين الأربعة تم حرمانهم من تلقي العلاج وتم تعريضهم للتعذيب، ولم يسمح لهم بعرض وجهة نظرهم أمام المحكمة، وهم يوجدون في وضعية صحية ونفسية متدهورة. وقد تعرفوا يوم الأحد الماضي على محتوى التهم الموجهة لهم وعلى إمكانية تغيير حكم الإعدام المحتمل في حقهم وهذا بسبب كونهم لم يكونوا يحملون أسلحة ولم يكونوا ينتمون الى أي حركة سياسية. وقد تم تحويل محاكمتهم الى محكمة أخرى ضمن عملية تبادل للأسرى بدون تقديم أية تفاصيل عن مصيرهم بعد هذا التحويل.

وكانت عائلة توفيق المنصوري قد وجهت في الآونة الأخيرة نداء للمنظمات الدولية لممارسة بعض الضغوط من أجل الإفراج الفوري عنه ومن أجل انقاذ حياته بعد معاناته من نقص كلوي إضافة الى معاناته من مرض الربو وضيق التنفس ومرض المفاصل ومرض السكري.

وقد عثر مواطنون مؤخرا في 23 مارس 2022 على جثة الصحفي فواز الوافي. وكان الوافي يشتغل كصحفي في مؤسسات إعلامية محلية وكمصور صحفي في محافظة تعز خلال سنوات الحرب. وقد تعرض للطعن حتى الموت من قبل مهاجمين مجهولي الهوية في حي "وادي القاضي" في مدينة تعز بجنوب اليمن.

و قد تم اختطاف 15 صحفي في كامل البلاد منذ 2015، عشرة من بينهم بتهمة سخيفة وهي أنه بإمكانهم تقديم معلومات قد يستفيد منها التحالف العربي في عمليات القصف الجوي التي يقوم بها. وبعد اتهامهم بتهمة "التعاون مع العدو" تمت محاكمتهم من قبل محكمة خاصة تابعة للحوثيين وهي محكمة غير معترف بها من قبل المجموعة الدولية.

وهناك صحفيون آخرون معتقلون بدون محاكمة في المحافظات التي تقع تحت سيطرة الحكومة المسماة ب "الحكومة الشرعية"، مثل محمد علي المقري، او في المناطق الواقعة تحت سيطرة الانفصاليين مثل صالح موسوى (الذي تم الإفراج عنه).

وقد قام الحوثيون بعد استيلائهم على وزارة الاتصالات بقطع إمكانية متابعة وسائل الإعلام عبر شبكة الإنترنت. ويتعرض الصحفيون في كامل أنحاء البلاد للمراقبة وقد يتعرضون للاعتقال بسبب نشر خبر على صفحات وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي.

مزيد من التدهور في الأوضاع

لقد عرفت الأوضاع مزيدا من التدهور، وفقا لشهادة اثنين من الصحفيين اليمنيين في الداخل وصحفي يتردد من حين لآخر على اليمن فضل عدم الإفصاح عن هويته لأسباب امنية، وهذا ليس فقط بسبب مخاطر الحرب بل بسبب المضايقات والاعتقال والاختفاء القسري والقتل والاعتداء الجسدي والاعتداء النفسي والتضييق في مجال الحصول على وسائل العيش ومنع زيارة الصحفيين المعتقلين والطرد من العمل وبسبب السلطات المتصارعة فيما بينها الأمر الذي يعقد إمكانية مزاولة مهنة الصحافة بما في إمكانية الحصول على وسائل الحماية.

هناك بعض الصحفيين الأجانب الذين يواصلون تغطية الصراع في اليمن غالبا من خلال زيارات صحفية يتم تنظيمها بالخصوص مع مركز صنعاء. وقد قامت صحيفة نيويورك تايمز وإذاعة بي بي سي ووكالة الصحافة الفرنسية ببعض الزيارات المتفرقة. ولكن تواجدها في البلد أصبح قليلا ولفترات قصيرة جدا. كما أن بعثات وسائل الإعلام الأجنبية لا تستطيع الوصول الى المناطق التي تقع تحت سيطرة الحوثيين لأن تراخيص الدخول تقدمها قوات التحالف ويجب المرور عبر مدينة عدن التي تقع تحت سيطرة الحوثيين.

ولكن مع ذلك نجد ان بعثات صحفية تابعة لوسائل إعلام سعودية وإماراتية وصلت الى محافظات عدن ومأرب وحضرموت لأن سلطات التحالف هي التي تقدم لها التراخيص. وهناك أيضا مشكلة انتماء العديد من الصحفيين الى الميليشيات المحلية، وهو ما يجعل الأخبار المنقولة عبر الجرائد ليست ذات مصداقية كبيرة.

ووفقا لأقوال الصحفيين الثلاثة الذين استجوتهم حملة شارة حماية الصحفيين، هناك نقص كبير في التكوين في مجال تغطية الصراعات المسلحة وصعوبة النقاش مع السلطات من أجل تقديم حماية للصحفيين واعتبارهم جزءا من المجتمع وليس النظر لهم على أنهم أعداء. وهناك حاجة ماسة الى تقديم حماية جسدية ونفسية للصحفيين أصبحت أكثر إلحاحا منذ حل نقابة الصحفيين في اليمن ومنذ تقسيم وزارة الإعلام ومؤسساتها (بين طرفي النزاع).

آلة التصوير، والقلم، والهاتف النقال أكثر خطورة من الأسلحة

يقول أحد الصحفيين الذين استجوبتهم حملة شارة حماية الصحفيين  " إن آلة التصوير والقلم أصبحا أكثر خطورة من الأسلحة بالنسبة لكل أطراف النزاع. فقد أدى الصراع في اليمن بعشرات الصحفيين، واعرف الكثير منهم، الى تغيير مهنتهم الى بائعي القات او جمع القوارير البلاستيكية في الشوارع أو حمل الأحجار أو زراعة حقولهم او مزاولة اية نشاطات تسمح لهم بـتأمين معيشتهم. وهناك البعض منهم ممن تعرض لسكتة قلبية بسبب أوضاعهم المالية وتعذر الحصول على الغداء".

وأضاف المتحدث "لقد أصبح اليمن بكامله خطيرا بالنسبة للصحفيين. فعندما تسافر من محافظة الى أخرى يقوم الساهرون على حراسة مناطق المراقبة بتفتيش هواتف المسافرين وبالأخص الصحفيين منهم. ويملكون برامج تسمح لهم باستعادة كل ما تم حذفه من الهاتف. وهناك العديد ممن تم اعتقالهم لهذا السبب. فقد اصح الهاتف الذكي من أكبر أعداء الصحفي: من خلال هذا الهاتف يتم تصنيفك وفقا لطرف النزاع الذي تنتمي إليه، فإما يتم توقيفك او إعدامك بتهمة الخيانة. وحتى لو كنت منظما لمجموعة مناهضة "لواتساب" فإنك لا تدري من أنظم إلى المجموعة ومع ذلك سوف لم يصدقوا بأنك لا تعرف.

لقد أدت الهواتف الذكية الى توريط العديد من الصحفيين. وقد لجأ العديد منهم الى استعمال هواتف غير ذكية قديمة والى حذف العديد من التطبيقات لأن رسائل الأصدقاء أصبحت بمثابة فخ غير مقصود. وهناك من يلجأ لإلغاء اية مكالمات مباشرة بعد التحدث مع الأصدقاء حول موضوع من الموضوعات «.

وقد تحدث بعض الزملاء اليمنيين في الخارج عن تعرضهم لضغوط نفسية وتهديدات من خارج اليمن.

وقد أعرب عمال الوكالة اليمنية للوسائل الرقمية التي تقدم خدمات إعلامية للقنوات التلفزيونية عن دهشتهم لرؤية أعوان أمن وممثلين عن المحكمة الجنائية الابتدائية المختصة في صنعاء يقتحمون مبنى الوكالة وهم يحملون أمرا قضائيا بحجز الممتلكات لا يحمل لا تاريخ ولا إسم ولا ختم.

ووفقا لما أوردته مؤسسة "ميديا لاندسكيب" التي رأت النور من تحالف بين كل من مركز الصحافة الأوروبي ووزارة التربية والثقافة والعلوم الهولندية، فإن النقص الحاد في الوقود والكهرباء والورق أدى الى تعذر طبع وتوزيع الصحف. وقد اضطرت بعض المواقع الإعلامية على غلق صفحاتها. وقد تراجعت أجور الصحفيين وهو ما جعل العديد من الصحفيين يصبحون غير قادرين على تامين معيشتهم. وقد غيرت عدة مكاتب إعلامية مكان تواجدها ( بعد تعرضها لهجمات مباشرة) او لتوقيف نهائي لنشاطاتها خصوصا وسائل الإعلام المستقلة.

أسماء الصحفيين الذين قتلوا: عواد الزبيري، مبارك العبدي من مؤسسة نبأ الإعلامية، الصحفي المستقل محمد غالب الماجدي، أحمد الشيباني من يمن نيوز، هاشم الحمران من قناة المسيرة، الصحفي المستقل المقداد مجلي، بلال شرف الدين من قناة المسيرة، عبد الله قابيل من قناة الشباب اليمنية، يوسف العيزري من قناة صحي، محمد شمسان من اليمن اليوم، خالد الوشلي من قناة المسيرة، الصحفي المستقل لوك سومرس( الأمريكي الوحيد )، حسن الودحاف من وكالة الأنباء العربية، جمال الشرابي من المصدر، محمد الربوع من القاهرة

28.03.2022. The State of Media in Ukraine during the War – second report (March 20-27) prepared by Andrii Ianitskyi at the request of Press Emblem Campaign 

Lviv (Ukraine), 28 March 2022. Short brief. 32 days after the Russian invasion in Ukraine:

• Ukrainian authorities have tightened control over the media

• Ukrainian journalists work under Russian occupation

• 7 journalists killed (local and international both), dozens wounded, 1 missing 

• Media development organizations advise using the correct terms about the war in Ukraine and raises money to support the Ukrainian media

• President of Ukraine gave an interview to Russian media

• Russian journalists work in Ukraine

1. The work of Ukrainian media during martial law
   

On March 20, the National Defense Council of Ukraine subjugated the operator of digital broadcasting for the duration of martial law. In another decision, the Council ordered the operator to "take measures" to pursue a unified information policy under martial law. Thus, the National Defense Council wanted to unite all news and socio-political TV channels into a common telethon "United News", that is, to create the only source of news for viewers. After this decision, two channels Pryamiy and Channel 5 joined the single television marathon. These channels are owned by the country's former president, Petro Poroshenko, and have often criticized President Volodymyr Zelensky.

At the same time, the Espreso channel did not join United News, but began rebroadcasting it for several hours a day on its own frequencies. Espreso also began to rebroadcast the programs of the Voice of America, the BBC, Radio Liberty, France 24 and the local Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR. Thus, the TV channel is trying to maintain editorial independence in its author's programs.

The tightening of control over the media in Ukraine may be associated with truce talks with Russia. Ukrainian authorities may make unpopular compromises, such as abandoning NATO membership attempts, and seek to limit public criticism of their actions in local media.

On March 21, the Armed forces of Ukraine also banned video and photo shooting of public roads, general purpose facilities, infrastructure facilities, checkpoints, fortifications, concentration or movement of military units of the defense forces.

In addition, on March 24, the Ukrainian Parliament toughened the punishment for photographing and video filming the movement of Ukrainian troops during wartime. Earlier, one of the random photos of a local blogger could have provoked a Russian missile attack on a shopping center in Kyiv, in the parking lot of which several Ukrainian military vehicles were based.

2. Media under Russian occupation
   

Many Ukrainian journalists ended up in Russian-occupied territories in southern Ukraine. The usual practice in such cases for Russians is a ban on the work of Ukrainian media, replacing them with Russian state broadcasters. The Russians took several Ukrainian journalists in Kherson, Mykolaiv and Energodar (cities in southern Ukraine) and released them after interrogation. 

One example is the journalist of the Novy Den newspaper Olekh Baturin, who spent eight days in Russian captivity in the Kherson region. The invaders released him after they subjected him to physical and psychological pressure. The Russians ask the captive journalists for the names of pro-Ukrainian activists who are organizing peaceful protests against the occupation.

3. Killed and missing journalists
   

Already 7 journalists were killed (local and international both), 1 was missing since the February 24th of Russian invasion. Several more journalists who went into military service died in the fighting. That is why the Prosecutor General of Ukraine gives a different figure of 12 killed journalists. They include in this sad list those journalists who left their profession for a while and signed up for the army. One journalism teacher also died. 

According to the local Institute of Mass Information and open sources:

Killed:

• Yevhen Sakun, cameraman of LIVE TV channel (died on March 1 during the Russian rocket attack on the TV tower in Kyiv);

• Brent Renaud, a former correspondent for The New York Times (shot dead by Russians on March 13 in Irpen at a checkpoint);

• Pierre Zakrzewski, cameraman for Fox News, an Irish citizen (killed on March 14 during an artillery shelling by Russian troops in the village of Gorenka, Kyiv region).

• Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Ukrainian producer, journalist (killed on March 14 together with Pierre Zakrzewski during an artillery shelling by Russian troops in the village of Gorenka, Kyiv region).

• Oksana Baulina, a journalist for Russia's The Insider and Oleksiy Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (killed on March 23 during an Russian shelling in Kyiv while performing an editorial assignment).

• Dilerbek Shakirov, a civilian journalist of the information weekly "Around You" (was shot dead by Russians at a blockpost in the suburbs of Kherson on February 26)

• Viktor Dedov, cameraman of Sigma TV from Mariupol (died on March 11 as a result of shelling of his house)

Missing:

• Maks Levin, famous Ukrainian photojournalist, has not been heard from since 13 March, when he was reporting in the Vyshgorod district, north of Kyiv.

4. Media development organizations advise using the correct terms about the war in Ukraine and raises money to support the Ukrainian media
   

Ukrainian media organizations encourage journalists to use the correct terms when describing the war in Ukraine (for example, use the word war instead of the word conflict).

Other Ukrainian organizations raise money to support local newsrooms. Publishers and readers from all over the world have already transferred more than $4 million to support the Ukrainian media.

5. President of Ukraine gave an interview to Russian media
   

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky gave an interview to independent Russian media via Zoom. Official Russian authorities banned the publication of this interview, but at least the newspaper Meduza, which operates in exile from Latvia, published the text and video of the interview.

6. Russian journalists work in Ukraine
   

Journalists from independent Russian media (Novaya Gazeta, Meduza, Insider and others) work freely in Ukraine, although they often face prejudice from Ukrainians for obvious reasons.

Propagandists from state Russian media work only in the occupied territories under the cover of Russian troops and often spread fakes and make staged videos.

Andrii Ianitsky is journalist now based in Lviv and PEC Representative in Ukraine (a.ianitskyi@gmail.com)

His first report was published on 19 March 2022 (read below)

22.03.2022. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL 49th session item 4 General Debate. PEC seriously concerned by two country situations, Mexico and Ukraine, strongly condemns war crimes in Ukraine

General Assembly

Human Rights Council 49th session

General Debate item 4

Mr President,

Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) is very worried by the high number of deaths among journalists since the beginning of this year. Ar least 33 media workers have been killed so far, it is an increase of more than 100 % over the same period of 2021.

We are specially concerned by two country situations, Mexico and Ukraine. In Mexico, criminal gangs have been responsible for the assassination of nine journalists since January. We call upon the Mexican authorities to reinforce their mechanisms of protection and to fight with greater firmness against impunity.

Since February 24th and the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, 6 journalists have been killed in fighting and dozens of others injured. This is unacceptable. We strongly condemn these war crimes. Journalists are not combatants and should never be targeted by military forces. We call on the Russian and Ukrainian authorities to respect the independence of journalists on the ground and to ensure their safety.

The war in Ukraine is a new example of the need to reinforce the protection of media in conflict zones. We launch a new urgent call to Member States to adopt a binding international convention for the protection of journalists with mechanisms of accountability and inquiry. It would be useful for journalists of all countries.

Thank you for your attention

Geneva 22 March 2022

19.03.2022. UKRAINE. The new PEC Representative in Ukraine Andrii Ianitskyi send us his report on the

state of media in Ukraine during the first weeks of the war (february 24 – March 19).

By Andrii Ianitskyi, PEC Representative in Ukraine

Lviv, 19 March 2022 - The main needs of journalists in Ukraine are body armor and helmets, satellite phones, first aid kits. We also

need training on safety and first aid for both Ukrainian and foreign journalists who travel to Ukraine. Journalists also need shelters

in safe regions where they can stop along the way for several days on their way from one location to another. There is a shortage

of local fixers, translators, drivers with cars. Many journalists are out of work or in need of part-time jobs to support their families.

24 days after the Russian invasion in Ukraine:

● Ukrainian media are moving their offices out of active war zones, collaborate and tightening their rhetoric

● Media organizations open press centers, help relocate journalists and newsrooms, purchase body armor and first aid kits

● About 3,000 foreign journalists are working in Ukraine

● 6 journalists killed, 8 wounded, 2 kidnapped by Russian invaders

● Russian hackers attack websites of Ukrainian media

1) The reaction of Ukrainian media

Even before the Russian invasion on February 24, the Ukrainian office of Radio Liberty moved part of their office from Kyiv to

western Ukraine - after the very first statements by US officials that a war was imminent (for security reasons, we do not

name a specific city). In the wake of the US-sponsored media, other newsrooms, in whole or in part, began to move their staff and

equipment to safe zones. But not all Ukrainian journalists leave, some newsrooms have decided to stay in unsafe areas. For

example, the investigative media Slidstvo.Info is now filming videos from the front line near Kyiv.

The relocation of Ukrainian publications continues along with the expansion of the war zone. If the first to leave were employees of

national and local media with an office in Kyiv, now regional publications from Kharkiv, Sumy, Kherson, Mykolaiv and

other regions are leaving.

The hardest hit were printed media, which literally lost their audience: many subscribers also evacuated. For example, the Forbes

Ukraine has suspended the publication of a paper magazine, but continues to update the site.

National TV channels launched information marathons and began to openly broadcast their signal, without encoding. Some of

them have joined forces, the largest collaboration is United News, which includes the largest commercial TV groups and media,

which are financed from the state budget. Second-tier TV channels created their own associations or continued to broadcast

independently.

Public radio allowed commercial radio stations to use its signal. The largest political online media Ukrayinska Pravda has launched

an English version. And the UNIAN news agency allowed the free use of its photo bank with images of the war.

Most of the Ukrainian media have toughened up their rhetoric towards the enemy, especially after Russian rocket attacks on

civilian targets.

2) The reaction of Ukrainian media development organizations

Media development organizations have also responded strongly. The Lviv Media Forum launched a relocation program for

journalists and provided them with asylum. The Institute of Mass Information launched a program to support journalists who

remained in Kyiv. Media Development Foundation NGO also assists in the relocation of newsrooms, financially supports

newsrooms, provides legal support and assistance in the field of cybersecurity.

3) Foreign journalists in Ukraine

About 3,000 foreign journalists are currently working in Ukraine, according to the local Office of the President. Often these people

are not prepared to work in conditions of hostilities, do not know how to provide first aid, do not have protective

ammunition and first aid kits.

Often these people do not know the local culture, history and language and therefore must work with fixers. Unfortunately, there

are not enough fixers for everyone, journalists are regularly looking for them.

All foreign journalists who work in Ukraine must obtain free digital accreditation online on the website of the Ministry of Defense of

Ukraine. In theory, this press card should make it easier for them to work both in the war zone and after the curfew.

However, in practice, this accreditation alone is not enough and a lot depends on the personal connections of the fixer and the

ability to negotiate on the spot.

4) Killed and injured journalists

During the first 24 days of the war, 6 journalists were killed, 8 wounded, 2 kidnapped by Russian invaders. The journalists were

killed under various circumstances, from shrapnel after a rocket attack to a bullet wound. Half of the dead journalists covered

the battles near Kiev near the city of Irpin. Both kidnapped journalists worked in the south of the country, where Russia occupied

territories.

5) Russian hacker attacks

On March 2, 3, 17, Russian hackers attacked several Ukrainian media outlets (from hyperlocal Rayon.in.ua to all Ukrainian NV.ua

or DT.ua). Hackers blocked websites or posted symbols of the invaders on the front pages, as well as a deepfake with a

video in which President Volodymyr Zelensky allegedly calls on Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms. However, the forgery

was of such low quality that it is unlikely that it had a serious impact on Ukrainian society. The media quickly regained control

of the sites.

6) The Russians rocket attacks on TV towers

On March 1, 2, 14, 16 the Russians destroyed TV-towers in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lisichansk, Rivne, Vinnitsa and Korosten. The Russians

captured TV towers in Kherson, Starobelsk, Melitopol, as well as a radio station in Berdyansk.

A. I.

Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) mourns the death of its president Hedayat Abdel Nabi who died in Cairo on Monday.

Born on 10 November 1948 in Cairo, Hedayat was a co-founder of our organization in 2004 along with other correspondents at the United Nations Office in Geneva. Indefatigable, she supported the struggle for better protection of journalists when covering conflicts and crises.

It was in reaction to the ever greater number of journalists killed in the war carried on by the United States in Iraq that we created the PEC. It is an irony of history that Hedayat has taken leave of us just when another major conflict, in Ukraine this time, is demanding all our energy, whereas we were devastated by the massacres committed in the interim in Syria over more than ten years.

I should like to pay tribute to Hedayat’s unwavering work in the course of our 18 years of common struggle.

In 2004, we launched the idea of a single press emblem, recognized internationally, that journalists, photographers, cameramen and technical support staff in the field could choose to wear to distinguish themselves from other civilians. Unfortunately, this idea encountered opposition within the corporate media, yet for more than two weeks we have been seeing in Ukraine that all the journalists on the scene are identifying themselves as such, in contrast to other civilians. However, what we see is a great diversity of PRESS inscriptions, whereas a single internationally recognized emblem would provide substantially greater visibility. Wearing this emblem, as we have constantly insisted, should be optional in every case, leaving up to the individual journalist to decide according to the circumstances.

With Hedayat we then developed the idea of an international Convention for the protection of journalists and undertook diplomatic consultations with various ambassadors in Geneva. Another irony of history is that it was the Mexican ambassador and first president of the new Human Rights Council, Luis Alfonso de Alba, who firmly supported our efforts, whereas Mexico has become one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists. However, the consultations did not bear fruit, some governments did not wish to undertake any new obligations. The International Federation of Journalists subsequently supported the project of a new Convention, but it nonetheless remains without results at present. Among other things, the Convention would set up international investigative mechanisms, compensation for the victims’ families and a follow-up by an expert commission.

Hedayat also played a preponderant role in mobilizing her contacts so that in 2010 we were able to obtain consultative status with the United Nations, which has permitted us to intervene regularly at the Human Rights Council and to participate in UNESCO’s work in reinforcing the safety of journalists. Our work has been rewarded by adoption of several resolutions by the United Nations General Assembly and by the Human Rights Council regarding the safety of journalists, in particular with the support of Austria. These resolutions, adopted by consensus, are not the equivalent of a convention; nonetheless, over the years they have resulted in significant legal clarifications and now form a corpus of principles that journalists can cite in cases of abuse.

In 2009, we also launched the Journalists Protection Award, which every year honors individuals or associations that have distinguished themselves in their struggle against impunity. We have thus honored in Geneva journalists and associations from origins as divers as Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Guatemala, Honduras, Russia, Mexico, Turkey, Afghanistan and India – and already Ukraine in 2015, the Swiss Hirondelle Foundation in 2014, and the family of Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2018.

Since 2006, we have been steadfast in our work of documenting the murder of journalists, with semi-annual reports, and we have at the disposal of researchers, media and diplomats an exhaustive data bank on our internet site. We have also tracked various legal proceedings aiming to prosecute perpetrators of murders, with particular focus on 2 November, the World Day against Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. We have also mobilized to denounce the extended detention of Julian Assange. The pandemic was a new challenge, and the PEC was the only organization operating on a world-wide level documenting the deaths of journalists from Covid-19, while the profession had to continue its work, with a toll of almost 2,000 journalists’ deaths.

During all these years, Hedayat provided unwavering support, at first in addition to her work as a correspondent in Geneva for the Kuna Agency (1999-2010), then after her retirement in Cairo, from where she diffused the PEC’s statements and declarations throughout the Arab world. She was a four-time president of the United Nations Correspondents Association (ACANU). I recall her extraordinary commitment as a journalist: she was always in the first row at press conferences and the first to ask questions. She wrote with impressive speed and received several awards, already as a journalist for the major Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram in the 1980s. She had acquired a master of the workings of the United Nations, having worked at the United Nations Information Center in Cairo (1993-1996) and at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva (1997-1999).

Last November, at the time of the death of our vice-president, Daniel Favre, she demonstrated an immense empathy, organizing a vibrant tribute to our colleague. She was always available and responded immediately to my WhatsApp alerts about one or another attack on a journalist, attacks whose numbers – alas! – have been steadily increasing since the beginning of 2022.

Our struggle continues, beyond our sorrow after her sudden death. The greatest tribute that we can pay to her is to show her that the cause she defended with passion survives and that we are ready and willing to pursue it as long as necessary so that impartial, independent and dispassionate information may emerge in all circumstances and that the machinations of dictators and criminal gangs will never muzzle the press.

Blaise Lempen - PEC Secretary General

16.02.2022. La PEC consternée par l’assassinat du journaliste Evariste Djaï-Loramadji au Tchad.

Avec Touré Hamidou Elhadji, Représentant Afrique Subsaharienne de la PEC

Genève, 16 février 2022 (PEC) - Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) est consternée par l'assassinat du journaliste Evariste Djaï-

Loramadji, correspondant de la radio chrétienne "Lotiko", dans un massacre suite à un affrontement intercommunautaire qui a fait

plus d'une dizaine de morts dans le village de Sandana (Moyen-Chari), le mercredi 9 février 2022.

La PEC dénonce et condamne cet assassinat barbare, salue la mémoire du disparu et présente ses sincères condoléances à sa

famille et à celles de toutes les victimes. L’ONG de défense des journalistes basée à Genève exhorte les autorités à diligenter une

enquête complète et rapide et à punir le ou les coupables.

Selon Abbas Mahamoud Tahir, président de l'Union des Journalistes tchadiens (UJT), «c’est un combattant de l’information que ce

jour-là, les assassins de Sandana ont délibérément visé. En effet, alors que Djaï-Loramadji Evariste donnait les informations en

direct à sa station, Radio Lotiko, un tireur embusqué, à bout portant, lui a explosé la tête». Sa disparition a causé à toute la famille

de la presse tchadienne un profond chagrin.

« Evariste Djaï-Loramadji n’a fait que son métier de journaliste en informant de la situation jusqu’au dernier moment. Nous saluons

le courage de ces journalistes de terrain», a déclaré le secrétaire général de la PEC Blaise Lempen.

Evariste Djaï-Loramadji est le premier journaliste tué en Afrique cette année, dans un contexte global alarmant avec déjà 19

journalistes tués dans le monde en six semaines, selon le décompte de la PEC sur son site : www.pressemblem.ch

Genève, le 10 février 2022. Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condamne la violente attaque ciblée, contre le personnel et les installations de la radio privée Capital FM, en Guinée Bissau, perpétrée le 7 février 2022, par des des hommes en uniforme militaire, lourdement armés. Elle appelle à des enquêtes pour identifier et sanctionner les auteurs de cette agression.

Selon le témoignage recueilli par PEC auprès de Mme Indira Correia Balde, présidente du Syndicat des Journalistes et Techniciens de la Communication sociale de Guinée Bissau (SINJOTECS) : « Un groupe d’hommes armés a attaqué la radio, en tirant avec des armes AK à l’intérieur de l’édifice et détruisant tous les équipements. Il y a eu cinq blessées parmi les journalistes, techniciens et personnels administratifs qui essayaient d’échapper aux tirs.  Une journaliste qui a dû sauter du premier étage est hospitalisée, dans un état grave, et doit être évacuée au Portugal, le vendredi 11 février, pour des soins appropriés ». En effet, blessée à la colonne vertébrale et aux côtes la journaliste Maimuna Bari est dans le coma.

Exprimant sa vive réprobation après cette attaque, le secrétaire général de la PEC, Blaise Lempen a déclaré: « Un tel déferlement de violence contre les professionnels des médias est inadmissible, dans un système démocratique, de la part d’éléments de l’armée. Press Emblem Campaign insiste auprès des autorités de Guinée Bissau pour que les responsables et auteurs de cette agression soient identifiés et sanctionnés par la justice ».

« C'est la deuxième fois, souligne, pour sa part, la présidente du Synjotecs,  que cette radio est attaquée par des hommes armés. La première fois, c’était une nuit, en juillet 2020. Jusqu'à maintenant nous ne connaissons pas les résultats des enquêtes. Dans une rencontre avec l'ancien directeur de la police judiciaire, il nous avait dit que le processus était complexe, à cause des personnes impliquées ». Mme Indira Correia Balde s’interroge : « Nous ne savons pas comment les autorités vont traiter ce deuxième cas. En fait, nous  n’espérons pas grand chose. Il y a actuellement beaucoup de menaces sur les journalistes et les organes de presse ».

05.02.2022. La PEC nomme un nouveau représentant pour l'Afrique subsaharienne

English after French

Genève, le 5 février 2022 (PEC) Le comité directeur de la Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) a désigné son nouveau Représentant

Régional pour l’Afrique Subsaharienne, M. Touré Hamidou Elhadji. Journaliste, expert Médias et Sécurité, directeur de publication

du journal en ligne malimedias.com, M. Touré est aussi Coordinateur des journalistes du G5 Sahel, Président du Réseau

International des Journalistes Francophones pour l’Etat Civil et la Citoyenneté et membre de l’Union International de la Presse

Francophone (UPF).

Le choix n’a pas été facile au vue de la qualité des postulants. Les membres du comité ont fini par porter leur choix sur M. Touré,

l’expérience, l’indépendance, la disponibilité et la réactivité étant parmi les critères exigés. M. Touré mettra à profit son carnet

d’adresses, ses relations avec ses confrères des pays africains et ses contacts sur les réseaux sociaux dans le but de renforcer la

protection des journalistes en Afrique subsaharienne. La PEC attend du Représentant Régional qu’il suive de près l’actualité des

médias dans la région, alerte la direction et réagisse très rapidement si nécessaire afin de dénoncer d’éventuels abus.

«Nous félicitons Hamidou Touré et nous nous réjouissons de pouvoir coopérer avec le directeur de malimedias.com afin de mieux

couvrir l’actualité africaine, comme nous le faisons pour l’Amérique latine, l’Asie et le Moyen-orient», a déclaré le secrétaire

général de la PEC Blaise Lempen. «L’an dernier, 12 journalistes ont été tués en Afrique, un chiffre en hausse, et il faut stopper

cette tendance alarmante», a-t-il ajouté.

La PEC est une organisation non gouvernementale internationale, indépendante, à but non lucratif. Elle a pour but de renforcer la

protection des journalistes dans le monde. Elle été fondée en 2004 à Genève par un groupe de journalistes professionnels, la

plupart correspondants à l’ONU. Depuis 2010, elle dispose du statut consultatif spécial à l’ONU. Elle est dirigée par un comité

directeur de dix membres de plusieurs nationalités.

La PEC fait des rapports réguliers sur les journalistes tués dans le monde et des communiqués pour les Journées de la liberté de

la presse le 3 mai et contre l’impunité le 2 novembre. Elle intervient au Conseil des droits de l’homme pour alerter la communauté

internationale et soutenir les efforts diplomatiques à l’ONU en vue de l’adoption de résolutions sur la sécurité des journalistes.

Depuis 2020, la PEC suit également l’évolution de la mortalité due à la Covid-19 parmi les journalistes. Elle décerne un prix annuel

à un individu ou organisation ayant œuvré à la protection des travailleurs des médias.

Pour plus d’infos : www.pressemblem.ch, www.malimedias.com

PEC appoints new Representative for Africa

Geneva, February 5, 2022 (PEC) The Steering Committee of the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) has appointed its new Regional Representative

for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr. Touré Hamidou Elhadji. Journalist, Media and Security expert, director of the online newspaper malimedias.com,

Mr. Touré is also Coordinator of journalists of G5 Sahel, President of the International Network of Francophone Journalists for Civil Status and

Citizenship and member of the International Union of the Francophone Press (UPF).

The choice was not easy in view of the quality of the applicants. The members of the committee ended up choosing Mr. Touré, experience,

independence, availability and responsiveness being among the criteria required. Mr. Touré will use his address book, his relations with his

colleagues in African countries and his contacts on social networks with the aim of strengthening the protection of journalists in sub-Saharan

Africa. The PEC expects that the Regional Representative closely follows media news in the region, alerts the PEC board in Geneva and reacts

very quickly if necessary to denounce possible abuses.

"We congratulate Hamidou Touré and look forward to working with the director of malimedias.com to better cover African news, as we do for

Latin America, Asia and the Middle East," said PEC Secretary General Blaise Lempen. "Last year, 12 journalists were killed in Africa, a rising

figure, and this alarming trend must be stopped," he added.

The PEC is an international, independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization. It aims to strengthen the protection of journalists around

the world. It was founded in 2004 in Geneva by a group of professional journalists, most of them UN correspondents. Since 2010, it has had

special consultative status at the UN. It is managed by a steering committee of ten members of several nationalities.

The PEC makes regular reports on journalists killed around the world and press releases for Press Freedom Day on May 3 and Day against

Impunity on November 2. It intervenes at the Human Rights Council to alert the international community and support diplomatic efforts at the

UN with a view to adopting resolutions on the safety of journalists. Since 2020, the PEC has also been monitoring the evolution of mortality

due to Covid-19 among journalists. It awards an annual prize to an individual or organization that has worked to protect media workers.

01.02.2022. 12 journalistes tués en un mois, la PEC demande justice

Genève, le 1er février 2022 (PEC) - Se déclarant choquée par le meurtre d'un nombre record de 12 journalistes au cours du premier mois de 2022,
 la Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) demande justice et une indemnisation adéquate aux personnes endeuillées des familles.

La PEC déplore qu'un autre journaliste ait été lâchement assassiné au Mexique. Le journaliste assassiné est Roberto Toledo, âgé de 55 ans, 
abattu le lundi 31 janvier 2022, dans la municipalité de Zitacuaro, Michoacan. Il a travaillé pour le média Monitor Michoacan. Toledo est 
le 4e journaliste tué en moins d'un mois au Mexique. Si cette tendance continue, nous pourrions avoir un journaliste par semaine tué dans le pays.

La PEC condamne également le meurtre d'un autre journaliste au Pakistan en une semaine et exhorte le Premier ministre pakistanais Imran 
Khan à punir ses auteurs. Ghulam Murtaza Shar (32), qui travaillait pour la chaîne privée Ummat, a re4u des balles d’hommes conduisant 
un deux-roues dans la ville de Jhol, dans la province du Sindh, dans l'ouest du Pakistan, le 30 janvier. Shar a subi de multiples blessures lors 
de l'attaque et y a ensuite succombé en se rendant à l'hôpital. L'autorité locale a affirmé que Shar avait été tué à cause de disputes de mariage.

Auparavant, le journaliste de Lahore Hasnain Shah (45 ans) avait été tué le 24 janvier par deux cyclistes devant le club de la presse locale à 
Simla Pahari Point. Le meurtre de Shah, qui était un éminent journaliste spécialisé dans la criminalité travaillant pour une chaîne d'information
 locale, a été l’occasion de manifestations d'indignation massives de la part des journalistes à travers la nation sud-asiatique et nombre d'entre 
eux ont exprimé leur colère dans les rues.

« Le premier mois de 2022 a apporté des nouvelles déprimantes puisque douze travailleurs des médias ont perdu la vie aux mains d'assaillants. 
Le Mexique a été témoin du meurtre de quatre journalistes (à savoir Jose Luis Gamboa, Margarito Martinez, Lourdes Maldonado et Roberto 
Toledo), suivi du Pakistan (Hasnain Shah et Murtaza Shar), d'Haïti (Amady John Wesley et Wilguens Louissaint), du Kazakhstan (Muratkhan 
Bazarbayev), du Myanmar (Pu Tui Dim), du Honduras (Pablo Isabel Hernandez Rivera) et des Philippines (Jaynard Angeles) », a souligné 
Blaise Lempen, secrétaire général de la PEC.

En 2021, 79 journalistes ont été tués dans 29 pays. L'Afghanistan a été le pays le plus dangereux avec 12 victimes, suivi du Mexique (10 morts),
 du Pakistan (7), de l'Inde (6), des Philippines (4), etc.

07.01.2022. Nearly 2000 journalists died with Covid-19 in 94 countries

French, Spanish and Arabic after English, list of victims on COVID-19

Geneva, January 7, 2022 (PEC) Nearly 2000 journalists died of Covid-19 in 94 countries since March 2020. Last year, in 2021, at least 1400
 media workers succumbed to the virus, that is to say 116 par month or some 4 per day on average, announced Friday in Geneva the Press 
Emblem Campaign (PEC).

No continent is spared by the pandemic. Of the 1940 journalists dead registered by the PEC since March 1, 2020, Latin America leads with half 
of the victims, or 954 deaths. Asia follows with 556 dead, ahead of Europe 263, then Africa 98 and North America 69.

More than 50 casualties are still under investigation. The actual number of victims is certainly higher, as the cause of journalists' deaths is 
sometimes not specified or their deaths not announced. In some countries, there is no reliable information. The 2000 figure is a low estimate. 
According to PEC India representative Nava Thakuria, the vast south-Asian country might have lost over 400 media workers to the pandemic, 
but a hundred of them are yet to be authenticated.

Slowdown in the number of victims

After a spike in deadly infections in the first half of 2021, the death toll thankfully slowed in the second half thanks to advances in vaccination,
said PEC Secretary-General Blaise Lempen.

For the second half of 2021, 225 deaths were registered, with an increase in Europe, ans a sharp decrease in Latin America and Asia (in 
December 25 journalists died, in November 28, in October 27, in September 33, in August 42 and in July 70). In the first half of 2021, 1175 
journalists were killed by the virus.

The PEC hopes that this slowdown will continue in 2022 but is worried by the high number of infections caused by the Omicron variant. It calls 
all media workers to take the necessary precautions including the booster vaccine.

Brazil, India and Peru with the heaviest death toll

Since March 2020, Brazil is the country with the heaviest death toll with 295 media workers who died from the coronavirus. India is second with
at least 279 victims, ahead of Peru 199, then Mexico 122, Colombia 79, Bangladesh 68.

In the United States of America at least 67 journalists died with Covid-19. Italy is the first european country with 61 dead, followed by 
Venezuela 59, Ecuador 51, Argentina 46, Indonesia 42, Russia 42, Iran 34, United Kingdom 33, Turkey 29, Dominican Republic 29, Pakistan 27,
 Nepal 23, Egypt 22, Bolivia 20, Honduras 19, South Africa 19, Spain 19 and Ukraine 19.

Next are Panama 17, Poland 14, France 11, Guatemala 11, Nigeria 11, Afghanistan 10, Nicaragua 10, Zimbabwe 10, Algeria 9, Cuba 9, 
Paraguay 8, Philippines 7, Uruguay 7, Kazakhstan 5, Kenya 5, Romania 5, Morocco 4, Cameroon 4, Iraq 4.

At least 3 journalists died of complications with Covid-19 in 6 countries : Albania, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica, Portugal, Salvador, and Sweden.

Two victims were registered in 14 countries : Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, 
Sri Lanka, Switzerland, and Uganda.

At least one in 30 countries : Angola, Barbados, Bosnia, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, 
Kirghizstan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mozambique, Myanmar, New Zealand, Norway, Palestine, 
Saudi Arabia,  South Korea, Thailand, Togo, Tajikistan, Tunisia, UAE, and Yemen.

The PEC tally is based on information from local media, national associations of journalists and regional PEC correspondents.

Communiqué de presse PEC

Près de 2000 journalistes sont morts du Covid-19 dans 94 pays

Genève, 7 janvier 2022 (PEC) Près de 2000 journalistes sont morts du Covid-19 dans 94 pays depuis mars 2020. L’an dernier, au moins 1400 travailleurs des médias ont succombé au virus, soit 116 par mois ou près de 4 par jour en moyenne, a annoncé vendredi à Genève la Press Emblem Campaign (Presse Emblème Campagne, PEC).

Aucun continent n’a été épargné par la pandémie. Sur les 1940 journalistes décédés recensés par la PEC depuis le 1^er mars 2020, l’Amérique latine compte la moitié des victimes, avec 954 morts. L’Asie suit avec 556 morts, devant l’Europe 263, ensuite l’Afrique 98 et l’Amérique du Nord 69.

Une cinquantaine de décès supplémentaires sont encore en cours d’investigation. Le nombre réel des victimes est certainement plus élevé, alors que la cause des décès de journalistes n’est parfois pas précisée ou leur mort pas annoncée. Dans plusieurs pays, il n’y a pas d’information fiable.

Le chiffre de 2000 victimes est une estimation basse. Selon le représentant de la PEC pour l’Asie du sud, Nava Thakuria, l’Inde pourrait avoir perdu jusqu’ici plus de 400 travailleurs des médias en raison de la pandémie, mais une centaine doit encore être confirmée.

Ralentissement du nombre des victimes

Après un pic des infections mortelles dans la première moitié de 2021, le nombre des victimes a heureusement baissé dans la seconde moitié de l’année, grâce aux progrès de la vaccination, a souligné le secrétaire général de la PEC Blaise Lempen.

Pour la seconde moitié de 2021, 225 morts ont été enregistrés, avec une hausse en Europe et une forte baisse en Amérique latine et en Asie (en décembre 25 journalistes sont décédés du virus, en novembre, 28, en octobre 27, en septembre 33, en août 42 et en juillet 70). Au cours du premier semestre de 2021, 1175 journalistes ont succombé au terrible virus.

La PEC espère que ce ralentissement va se poursuivre en 2022, mais elle s’inquiète du nombre élevé d’infections par le variant Omicron. Elle appelle tous les travailleurs des médias à prendre les précautions nécessaires dont la vaccination de rappel («booster»).

Le Brésil, l’Inde et le Pérou avec le bilan le plus lourd

Depuis mars 2020, le Brésil est le pays avec le bilan le plus élevé, soit 295 travailleurs des médias morts du coronavirus. L’Inde vient au deuxième rang avec 279 victimes, devant le Pérou 199, ensuite le Mexique 122, la Colombie 79, et le Bangladesh 68.

Aux États-Unis, au moins 67 journalistes sont décédés des suites du Covid-19. L’Italie est le premier pays européen avec 61 morts, suivi par le Venezuela 59, l’Équateur 51, l’Argentine 46, l’Indonésie 42, la Russie 42, l’Iran 34, la Grande-Bretagne 33, la Turquie 29, la République dominicaine 29, le Pakistan 27, le Népal 23, l’Égypte 22,la Bolivie 20, le Honduras 19, l’Afrique du Sud 19, l’Espagne 19 et l’Ukraine 19.

Suivent le Panama avec 17 victimes, la Pologne 14, la France 11, le Guatemala 11, le Nigeria 11 également, l’Afghanistan 10, le Nicaragua 10, le Zimbabwe 10, l’Algérie 9, Cuba 9, le Paraguay 8, les Philippines 7, l’Uruguay 7, le Kazakhstan 5, le Kenya 5, la Roumanie 5, le Maroc 4, le Cameroun 4 et l’Irak 4 également.

Au moins trois journalistes sont morts avec le Covid-19 dans six pays : Albanie, Azerbaïdjan, Costa Rica, Portugal, Salvador et Suède.

Deux victimes ont été recensées dans les 14 pays suivants : Allemagne, Autriche, Belarus, Belgique, Bénin, Bulgarie, Canada, Chili, Ghana, Grèce, Guyana, Ouganda, Sri Lanka et Suisse.

Enfin, au moins une victime est à déplorer dans ces 30 pays : Angola, Arabie saoudite, Barbade, Bosnie, Corée du Sud, Émirats arabes unis, Israël, Jamaïque, Japon, Jordanie, Kirghizstan, Kosovo, Liban, Lituanie, Malaisie, Malawi, Mali, Moldavie, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nouvelle-Zélande, Norvège, Palestine, République démocratique du Congo, République tchèque, Thaïlande, Togo, Tadjikistan, Tunisie, et Yémen.

Le bilan de la PEC est basé sur les informations des médias locaux, des associations nationales de journalistes et des correspondants régionaux de la PEC.

Comunicado de prensa de PEC

Casi 2000 periodistas murieron por la Covid-19 en 94 países.

Ginebra, 7 de enero de 2022 (PEC).- Casi 2,000 periodistas murieron por la Covid-19 en 94 países desde marzo de 2020. El año pasado, en 2021, al menos 1400 trabajadores de los medios de comunicación murieron por el virus, es decir 116 por mes, o cerca de 4 por día en promedio, anunció el viernes en Ginebra la Campaña Emblema de Prensa (PEC, por sus siglas en inglés).

Ningún continente se salva de la pandemia. De los 1940 periodistas muertos registrados por la PEC desde el 1 de marzo de 2020, América Latina lidera con la mitad de las víctimas, es decir, con 954 muertes. Le sigue Asia con 556 muertos, por delante de Europa, 263 ; luego África, 98 ; y América del Norte, 69.

Aún se están investigando más de 50 víctimas. Su número real es ciertamente mayor, ya que a veces no se especifica la causa de la muerte o, en el peor de los casos, no se anuncia. Por otro lado, en algunos países, no existe información confiable.

La cifra de 2000 es una estimación baja. Según el representante de PEC para el sur de Asia, Nava Thakuria, India puede haber perdido a más de 400 trabajadores de los medios a causa de la pandemia hasta ahora, pero alrededor de 100 aún no se han autenticados.

Desaceleración del número de víctimas

Después de un aumento en las infecciones mortales en la primera mitad de 2021, afortunadamente el número de muertos disminuyó en la segunda mitad gracias a los avances en la vacunación, dijo el secretario general de la PEC, Blaise Lempen.

Para el segundo semestre de 2021, se totalizaron 225 muertes, con un aumento en Europa y una fuerte disminución en América Latina y Asia (en diciembre, 25 periodistas fallecieron, en noviembre, la PEC contó 28 víctimas ; en octobre, 27 ; en septembre, 33 ; en agosto, 42 y, en julio, 70). En la primera mitad de 2021, 1,175 periodistas fallecieron por complicaciones debidas a la Covid-19.

La PEC espera que esta desaceleración continúe en 2022, pero está preocupada por el alto número de infecciones causadas por la variante Omicron. Llama a todos los trabajadores de los medios de comunicación a tomar las precauciones necesarias, incluida la vacuna de refuerzo.

Brasil, India y Perú con el mayor número de muertos

Desde marzo de 2020, Brasil es el país con el mayor número de muertos con 295 trabajadores de los medios de comunicación que murieron a causa del coronavirus. India ocupa el segundo lugar con 279 víctimas, por delante de Perú 199, luego México 122, Colombia 79, Bangladesh 68.

En los Estados Unidos de América, al menos 67 periodistas murieron con Covid-19. Italia es el primer país europeo con 61 muertos, seguido por 59 en Venezuela ; 51 fallecidos en Ecuador ; 46 en Argentina ; 42 en Indonesia ; 42 en Rusia ; 34 en Irán ; 33 en el Reino Unido ; 29 en Turquía ; 29 en la República Dominicana ; 27 en Pakistán ; 23 en Nepal ; 22 en Egipto ; 20 en Bolivia ; 19 en Honduras ; y 19 muertos en los siguientes países : Sudáfrica, España y Ucrania.

Los siguientes son Panamá, 17 ; Polonia, 14 ; Francia, 11 ; Guatemala, 11 ; Nigeria, 11 ; Afganistán, 10 ; Nicaragua, 10 ; Zimbabwe, 10 ; Argelia, 9 ; Cuba, 9 ; Paraguay, 8 ; Filipinas, 7 ; Uruguay, 7 ; Kazajstán, 5 ; Kenia, 5 ; Rumania, 5 ; Marruecos, 4 ; Camerún, 4 ; e Irak, 4.

Al menos 3 periodistas murieron por complicaciones con Covid-19 en 6 países: Albania, Azerbaiyán, Costa Rica, Portugal, Salvador y Suecia.

Se registraron dos víctimas en 14 países: Alemania, Austria, Bielorrusia, Bélgica, Benin, Bulgaria, Canadá, Chile, Ghana, Grecia, Guyana, Uganda, Sri Lanka, y Suiza.

Al menos un periodista muerto en los siguientes 30 países: Angola, Arabia Saudita, Barbados, Bosnia, Corea del Sur, Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Israel, Jamaica, Japón, Jordania, Kirguistán, Kosovo, Líbano, Lituania, Malasia, Malawi, Malí, Moldavia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nueva Zelanda, Noruega, Palestina, República Checa, República Democrática del Congo, Tailandia, Togo, Tayikistán, Túnez, y Yemen.

El recuento de la PEC se basa en información de los medios locales, asociaciones nacionales de periodistas y corresponsales regionales de la PEC.

نحو 2000 من الصحفيين قتلوا من كورونا

حنيف 7 يناير 2022 (حملة الشارة) – أعلنت حملة الشارة الدولية من مقرها في جنيف عن وفاة 2000 صحفي من وباء كورونا منذ مارس 2020 في 94 دولة. وأنه خلال العام الماضي 2021 توفى من كورونا 1400 صحفي على الأقل أي بمعدل 116 شهرياً و4 كل شهر. 

وأكدت حملة الشارة في بيانها في مستهل العام الجديد أنه لم تسلم قارة من الوباء وأن من بين الـ 1940 صحفي قتلوا من الوباء طبقاً لأرقام الحملة منذ 1 مارس 2020 فإن أمريكا اللاتينية شهدت وفاة نصف العدد: 955، تليها آسيا: 556، ثم أوروبا: 263، ثم إفريقيا: 98

فأمريكا الشمالية: 68

وأضافت الحملة أن التحقيق مازال قائماً في وفاة 50 حالة ومصدر الوفاة. وطبقاً لها فإن عدد 2000 صحفي قتلوا هو رقم لا يعكس الواقع فقد صرح ممثل الحملة في الهند

Nava Thakuria

 فقد فقدت الهند نحو 400 صحفي بسبب الوباء ولكن اسباب وفاة مائة منهم ما زالت محل بحث.

وصرح سكرتير عام الحملة بليز ليمبان أنه من حسن الطالع أن الوباء بدأ في التخفيف من شراسته في النصف الثاني من 2021 بسبب استخدام التطعيمات على مدى واسع.

في النصف الثاني من 2021 تم تسجيل 225 حالة وفاة من كورونا بزيادة كبيرة في أوروبا وأنخفاض حاد في أمريكا اللاتينية وآسيا: في ديسمبر قتل 25، وفي نوفمبر 28، وفي أكتوبر 27، وفي ستمبر 33، وفي أغسطس 42 وفي يوليو 70. في النصف الأول من 2021 توفى بسبب كورونا 1175.

وتأمل حملة الشارة استمرار انخفاض الأعداد إلا أنها تعرب عن قلقها بسبب زيادة الاصابات من أوميكرون، وتطالب كل العاملين في الاعلام بأخذ الجرعات الاضافية من التطعيم. 

ومنذ مارس 2020 تتصدر البرازيل الدول بوفاة 295 من الصحفيين، ثم الهند: 279، ثم بيرو: 199، ثم المكسيك: 122، فكولومبيا: 79، فبنجلاديش: 68

وتوفى من كورونا في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية 66، وإيطاليا 61، ففنزويلا: 59، الايكوادور: 51، الأرجنتين 46، إندونيسيا 42، روسيا: 42، إيران: 34، المملكة المتحدة: 33، تركيا: 29، جمهورية الدومينيكان: 29، باكستان: 27، نيبال: 23، مصر: 22، بوليفيا 20، هندوراس: 19، جنوب إفريقيا: 19، أسبانيا: 19، أوكرانيا: 19.

ثم بنما: 17، بولنده: 14، فرنسا: 11، جواتيمالا: 11، نيجيريا: 11، أفغانستان: 10، نيكاراجوا: 10، زيمبابوي: 10، الجزائر: 9، كوبا: 9، باراجواي: 8، الفلبين: 7، أوروجواي: 7، كازاخستان: 5، كينيا: 5، رومانيا: 5، المغرب: 4، الكاميرون: 4، العراق: 4.  

وقتل على الأقل 3 صحفيين في 6 دول هي البانيا وأذربيجان وكوستا ريكا، والبرتغال، والسلفادور، والسويد. .

وتوفى 2 في كل من النمسا وبيلاروس وبنين وبلغاريا، وكندا، وشيلي، وألمانيا، وغانا، واليونان، وجويانا، وسريلانكا، وسويسرا، وأوغندا.

كما توفى صحفي واحد في 30 دولة هي: أنجولا، باربادوس، البوسنة، جمهورية التشيك، جمهورية الكونغو الديمقراطية، إسرائيل، جامايكا، اليابان، الأردن، كيرغيستان، كوسوفو، لبنان، ليثوانيا، ماليزيا، مالاوي، مالي، مولدوفا، موزامبيق، ماينمار، نيوزيلاند، النرويج، فلسطين، المملكة العربية السعودية، كوريا الجنوبية، تايلاند، توجو، تاجيكستان، تونس، الإمارات العربية المتحدة، واليمن..

برجاء تصفح موقع الحملة لمزيد من المعلومات

L'année 2021 enregistre une baisse de 14% des meurtres de journalistes dans le monde.

Genève – L'ONG internationale de défense des droits et de la sécurité des médias, Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), souhaite à

tous les professionnels des médias dans le monde une nouvelle année 2022 heureuse, sûre et prospère. Au cours de l'année

écoulée, 79 personnes employées par des médias ont été tuées dans 29 pays, ce qui représente une diminution de 14% du

nombre de meurtres de journalistes par rapport à l'année précédente, où 92 personnes avaient été

tuées.

La PEC a récemment confirmé la mort du journaliste birman A Kay Sai (également connu sous le nom de Sai Win Aung),

gravement blessé à la tête par un obus tiré le 25 décembre par la junte militaire du Myanmar dans le village de Maekheewar, dans

l'État Karen. Sai (38 ans) a été pris au piège dans des tirs croisés entre les forces de la junte et les rebelles de la KNLA.

« Nous condamnons fermement le meurtre de journalistes par les militaires birmans. Avant lui, le photojournaliste indépendant Ko

Soe Naing, basé à Yangon, était mort en détention le 14 décembre. La PEC présente ses condoléances aux familles des deux

victimes et demande instamment au dictateur militaire Min Aung Hlaing de rendre justice aux familles endeuillées », a déclaré

Blaise Lempen, secrétaire général de la PEC.

Le Myanmar (également connu sous le nom de Birmanie) est le témoin d'une série d'incidents regrettables survenus depuis le

coup d'État militaire du 1er février 2021 qui a renversé le gouvernement démocratiquement élu d'Aung San Suu Kyi à Naypyidaw,

où la communauté des médias est confrontée à des atrocités sans précédent. Les militaires putchistes ont arrêté quelque 125

journalistes au cours des onze derniers mois et près de 30 sont toujours derrière les barreaux.

C’est l'Afghanistan qui s’est révélé être le pays le plus dangereux pour les journalistes en 2021, avec 12 victimes. Il est suivi par le

Mexique (10 morts), le Pakistan (7), l'Inde (6), les Philippines, le Yémen (4 chacun), la République démocratique du Congo (3), le

Myanmar, le Bangladesh, le Brésil, la Colombie, le Kenya, le Nigeria, la Somalie, l'Azerbaïdjan et la Turquie (2 chacun), etc..

Un lourd tribut au Covid-19

« L'Inde a par ailleurs perdu un nombre considérable de journalistes depuis mars 2020 (279) à cause des complications liées au

Covid-19, n’étant précédé que par le Brésil (294 victimes). Viennent ensuite le Pérou (199), le Mexique (122), la Colombie (79), le

Bangladesh (68), les États-Unis (66), l'Italie (60), l'Indonésie (42), le Pakistan (27), le Népal (23), etc… », a déclaré Nava Thakuria,

représentant de la PEC pour l'Asie.

09.12.2021. PEC annual report. Afghanistan and Mexico most dangerous countries in 2021 for journalists -

French, Spanish and Arabic after English - List of victims on our page Casualties