The IFJ general secretary, Anthony Bellanger, who was in Australia for the launch said: “There are many ways journalists are being targeted, often removed from the war theatre, many of whom are victims of organised crime and corrupt officials. It is a recurring finding of our reports that there are many more killed in peace time situations than in war-stricken countries.”The launch also included perspectives on journalist safety from MEAA CEO, Paul Murphy, and Australian freelance journalist, Mark Davis who has reported from many of the Asia Pacific’s most dangerous regions.While the struggle for democracy and freedom of expression has witnessed a massive expansion of independent media and unions in the region, the killings have also spiked. The worst year on record was 2009 with 152 killings, following the horrific Ampatuan Massacre in the Philippines, which included 32 media workers who were slaughtered in an ambush of a political convoy.The IFJ said a key issue is the scant consideration to the levels of violence against journalists around the world, with just one of ten killings being investigated. The lack of action to eradicate the impunity for killings and other attacks on media professionals continues to fuel violence targeting them.Paul Murphy, MEAA CEO, highlighted the growing challenges to journalism in the region, noting: “When governments show disdain for press freedom, when they grant impunity for the killers of journalists, when they create laws to imprison journalists and their sources for telling the truth, when they put up barriers to the public’s right to know – then governments not only undermine democracy but they send a signal that it is ok to target journalists. That is what is happening around the world. It’s also happening in Australia.”“We have seen a lack of investigation into the murder of our colleagues such as Roger East, the Balibo Five and Paul Moran. Laws have been created in the past 18 months that criminalise journalists and their journalism. Journalists face lengthy sentences for publishing legitimate news stories in the public interest. Some 21 government agencies can secretly access journalists’ telecommunications data to persecute and prosecute whistleblowers. Increasingly, the Australian government is cloaking its activities in secrecy, punishing whistleblowers with prison, and denying the public the right to be informed of what the government is doing in our name.”The IFJ and MEAA continue to work together, along with affiliates across the globe to fight for press freedom, journalist safety and better working conditions, including through the Media Safety and Solidarity Fund, which has provided emergency financial support and press freedom advocacy to journalists and their families in our region. Journalists and media workers should not fear going to work every day.“Everyone who comes into contact with journalists need to respect their independence. It requires governments to comply with their international obligations by investigating journalists’ killings and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Anthony Bellanger.
For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0946
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