The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called for intervention by the United Nations and other members of the international community to ensure protection for journalists in Iraq after Mohammad Abbas Al Hamad became the latest victim on a growing list of media staff killed during the three-year conflict there.
Al Hamad, 28, was shot in his house by gunmen earlier today in the Al Adel district of Baghdad, the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate (IJS) said. According to the IJS, Al Hamad was working as a journalist for the Iraqi newspaper Al Baiyenah Al Jadeda, which is critical of political corruption and the political parties in Iraq.
The death of Al Hamad…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today demanded the release of 20 journalists who have been jailed during the last nine months in Ethiopia for political reasons and called on other world leaders to pressure the Ethiopian government for their release as well.
Seventeen journalists were arrested during the violent suppression of anti-government riots that followed the November 2005 elections in Ethiopia. The journalists are charged with treason and could face possible death sentences or life imprisonment. The journalists have refused to be defended in court because of the political nature of their arrests and detentions.
“We strongly protest against the blind…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned by reports from the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) and the Committee to Protect Afghan Journalists (CPAJ) of recent violence against journalists and assaults on press freedom in Afghanistan.
The IFJ has fears for the safety of journalists in Afghanistan after three television journalists were beaten while covering a political demonstration on July 29, only a week after a cameramen was killed in a double suicide bombing in on July 22.
“These latest attacks are further indications that the safety situation for journalists in Afghanistan is rapidly deteriorating,” IFJ President…
The IFJ has called on media organisations to develop strategies that strengthen the role of media in providing information on all aspects of HIV and AIDS, and to institute wide ranging, regular and sustained training for journalists and editors on HIV and AIDS reporting.
Recommendations on reporting HIV/Aids were adopted at a two-day Africa-Asia cross regional meeting on reporting HIV/AIDS, “A Story a Day: The Media and Reporting HIV/AIDS”, which was held from July 25-26 in Phnom Penh.
The meeting brought together journalists and experts from Africa and Asia to share their experiences and discuss strategies for improving reporting HIV/AIDS.
Representatives from IFJ…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called for an immediate and urgent inquiry by Iraqi authorities into the reported killing of three journalists in the last two days.
Two of the deaths in this recent wave of attacks were what appeared to be targeted assassinations and the circumstances of the third, reported by the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate (IJS), are still unclear.
The IFJ says that these deaths bring to 134 the number of journalists and media staff killed in Iraq since the United States invasion three years ago.
The Iraqi Syndicate also said that police working for the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior today attacked and beat Ali Al Yassi, who…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned an Israeli army attack on a Palestinian television news team in Gaza in which a cameraman was wounded – the sixth attack on media staff in the region in the last three weeks.
“Israel needs to investigate all of the recent attacks on media and it must eliminate this pattern of targeting,” said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. “The appalling perception is of soldiers opening fire on unarmed journalists and of intimidation of Arab journalists to keep them from covering the news in the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon.”
Today, a Palestinian cameraman was wounded after Israeli forces…
Baidoa Declaration
NUSOJ General Assembly 2006
We, 68 journalists from various regions of Somalia, convened in Baidoa, Somalia, to partake the Constitutional General Assembly of the National Union of Somali Journalists on 20-21 July 2006 with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED);
Deliberated profoundly the freedom and responsibilities of the media in Somalia;
Recognised the difficulty situations facing journalists and media institutions;
Noted the twelve cases of violations of press freedom that happened in the country since January 2006;
Agreed to:
1. Call upon the transitional federal institutions of Somalia and other political systems in…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on authorities in The Gambia to stop their repression of the independent press after the government detained two journalists and two others disappeared.
"Today it is dangerous to be an independent journalist in The Gambia,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa Office. “The crackdown on press freedom is intensifying and we are seriously worried about it. The independent press is likely to disappear if this situation continues."
In the first few weeks of July, the IFJ has seen new threats to press freedom and the safety of journalists in The Gambia. At the new private newspaper Daily Express, Editor…
The International Federation of Journalists today condemned Israeli air raids on Saturday that hit transmission stations used by several Lebanese television channels and the reported killing of a media worker working for the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation.
Two others were wounded in the strikes when relay stations for Future TV, Hezbollah-run Al-Manar television and the nation's leading private network, Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, were attacked by Israeli bombs.
“These attacks once again put media in the front line of the conflict,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “They represent an appalling threat to press freedom and to the safety of media…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said it was outraged by the dismissal of the case against the man believed to have killed prominent Burkina Faso journalist Norbert Zongo in 1998 and it called on the government to bring his killer to justice.
"It is inconceivable that the only person accused in this case was set free without charges so easily,” said Gabriel Baglo Director of IFJ Africa Office. “We are deeply disappointed by the lack of gravity with which justice Burkinabé treated this trial.”
Marcel Kafando, former adjutant of the presidential guard, was accused in February 2001 of assassinating Norbert Zongo and destroying property.…
The International Federation of Journalists today joined calls for a new and transparent appointments procedure for Croatian public media after the government named a veterinarian, recent law school graduate and a political public relations executive to the committee that is responsible for maintaining the HINA news agency’s independence and impartial public role. Protests are being led by the Croatian Journalists Association (CJA) and Trade Union of Croatian Journalists (TUCJ), who accuse the government of selecting unsuitable candidates and fear that the new board is made up of political appointees who will be instructed to select government friendly editors. “The…
The International Federation of Journalists today joined calls for a new and transparent appointments procedure for Croatian public media after the government named a veterinarian, recent law school graduate and a political public relations executive to the committee that is responsible for maintaining the HINA news agency’s independence and impartial public role.
Protests are being led by the Croatian Journalists Association (CJA) and Trade Union of Croatian Journalists (TUCJ), who accuse the government of selecting unsuitable candidates and fear that the new board is made up of political appointees who will be instructed to select government friendly editors.
“The…
The International Federation of Journalists today called on all sides in the Middle East conflict to halt attacks on journalists and media following new reports of injuries to reporters on the spot.
“As violence intensifies it is clear that media are coming under fire from all sides,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary.
Reuters cameraman Rami Amichai was wounded in the leg by shrapnel in a Hezbollah rocket attack while filming in the Israeli coastal city.
Last week Israel attacked the Hezbollah television station Al-Manar and three journalists working for the Lebanese satellite television channel New TV were seriously wounded when their car was struck during…
Third delegation of Indian Women Journalists Visits Europe
Bishakha De Sarkar
It was a mixed group of 16 women journalists that gathered at the Delhi airport for a seven-day tour of the European Union on June 25. In a way, the group represented different facets of India: there were women from the southern states, from western and central India and from the north. Some of us wrote in English, some in Hindi, and quite a few in regional languages. Some were young, and a few were in the profession for two decades or more. What united us, among other things, was an interest in journalism, journalists and gender issues. The visit was organised by the International Federation of…
EC consultation
The European Federation of Journalists is Europe’s largest organization of journalists, representing about 260.000 journalists in over thirty countries. It defends press freedom and social justice through strong, free and independent trade unions of journalists.
The EFJ aims in particular at strengthening authors’ rights for journalists and photographers throughout the EU and calls for journalists and photographers to be recognised as authors of the work they create, control further use of their work and receive an equitable remuneration for it. The collection and distribution of levies to journalists is essential to compensate them for secondary use of…
Blank Noise: The Clothes Campaign Against Sexual Harassment
For some months now the Bangalore-based Blank Noise project team has been working on the clothes campaign. They are attempting to collect a minimum of 1,000 clothes that women were wearing when they were sexually harassed and string these together in an installation at a public site and will eventually take it across to many cities. The variety of the clothes coming in (salwar kameezes to tank tops) defies the notion that by wearing a particular kind of clothing, a woman "asks for it". Sexual harassment is a universal phenomenon. Whenever an incident of 'eve teasing' or sexual harassment takes place, the first thing most women…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said a new Egyptian media law does not do enough to protect journalists from prosecution for reporting stories that are critical of the government.
“Even after last minutes changes were made by President Mubarak, this law falls short of full protection for journalists,” said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. “The President has pledged to protect journalists but this legislation still makes it dangerous for Egyptian media to take its rightful role as a government watchdog without fear of retaliation.”
On Monday, Parliament passed the law after President Hosni Mubarak made changes that lessen the number…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the shooting of Palestinian photographer Mohammad Az Zanoun, who was shot by Israeli forces as he took photographs in Gaza.
“The IFJ is calling on the Israeli government to protect all media staff covering the conflict in the region,” said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. “Palestinian photographers and journalists should not be the targets of the military or anyone else in the region and we are urging the Israeli and Palestinian governments to make sure they are protected.”
Az Zanoun, a photographer for Palestine’s Ma’an News Agency, was shot while taking photographs on…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the murder of freelance journalist Bapuwa Muamba, who was shot by unknown assailants in his home in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and called for a full investigation to bring his killers to justice.
"We are deeply afflicted by this odious killing that we condemn with utmost firmness,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa Office. “We call on President Joseph Kabila and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to launch the inquest they promised, in order to identify and punish the murderers of Bapuwa Muamba."
The journalist was killed 48 hours after the release of an…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the adoption of a repressive media law in Kazakhstan, which will gravely injure freedom of expression by giving the government more conditions under which they can shut down print and broadcast media outlets.
Earlier this week, the IFJ sent a letter to Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev, calling on him to veto amendments to the country’s media law. President Nazarbaev, however, has signed the amendments into law and now Kazakhstan’s journalists will face tight restrictions on what they can write and the constant threat of government intervention.
For more information, click here:…
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today condemned attacks by the French government on journalists’ right to protect their sources after authorities recently made promises to uphold those rights.
“The French government has announced several times that it would include the protection of sources in the French law on press from 1881,” said Philippe Leruth, Vice-President of the EFJ. “Yesterday, however, judges and policemen again searched the files of a journalist. This double-dealing confirms the urgent need for legal reforms and respect for the principle of press freedom.”
On 5 July, French police raided the office of daily Midi Libre to look…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the expulsion of Ghislaine Dupont, special correspondent of Radio International France (RFI), by authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
"We firmly condemn this action, which constitutes another violation of press freedom at a time when the country should be protecting journalists’ rights,” said Gabriel Baglo, director of the IFJ Africa office. “Journalists need to be able to report freely in this critical period leading up to the national elections. "
On 3 July, agents of the Congolese intelligence agency escorted Ms. Dupont to the airport in Kinshasa and put her on a plane bound for…
The International Federation of Journalists said today it is alarmed by mounting attacks on media and whistleblowers by Western governments trying to hide potentially illegal or damaging actions and statements.
“It is unacceptable to see countries like the United States, Great Britain, and Denmark trying to intimidate and stifle independent journalism,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary, “while others, like Germany and the Netherlands, are caught out snooping on media and tapping the telephones of journalists.”
The IFJ says that a global crackdown on investigative journalism led by countries that are supposed to be models of democracy is repressive and…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the raid and shutdown of the office of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) in Mogadishu by armed militiamen.
“After the executive committee meeting today, three armed militia members entered the NUSOJ office and forcibility ordered members of the executive committee to go out in five seconds or, the armed men threatened, if they did not leave, their dead bodies would be taken from the office” the NUSOJ said.
On Friday, June 30th 2006, the office was broken into and the union's seal, financial documents, alerts' archive and other documents were taken away, the NUSOJ added.
After the raid…
The European Federation of Journalists, the largest organisation of journalists across the European Union, representing unions and associations of journalists in all member countries, welcomes the opportunity to comment on the White Paper on a European Communication policy.
As we do so, we applaud the aspirations of the Commission as set out in the introduction to broaden its commitment to inform citizens and to put communication at the service of all people across the European Union.
Equally, the EFJ believes that the desire to strengthen communication work and to raise awareness among Europeans of the activities and work of the European Union institutions is a shared objective of…
In an historic move, the Government of Sri Lanka and two of the country’s leading political parties have offered broad support to reforming the country’s media in moves aimed to have all media institutions embrace public service values.
Public service values in media are an essential part of the peace-building and reconciliation process and for reconstruction and rehabilitation after the destruction of the 2004 tsunami. Public service values acknowledge the respect for truth, respect for the public’s right to know, and respect for the rights of others.
The changes are the culmination of a year-long process first suggested by Sri Lanka’s five leading journalists associations, the Sri…
In an historic move, the Government of Sri Lanka and two of the country’s leading political parties have offered broad support to reforming the country’s media in moves aimed to have all media institutions embrace public service values.
Public service values in media are an essential part of the peace-building and reconciliation process and for reconstruction and rehabilitation after the destruction of the 2004 tsunami. Public service values acknowledge the respect for truth, respect for the public’s right to know, and respect for the rights of others.
The changes are the culmination of a year-long process first suggested by Sri Lanka’s five leading…
The European Federation of Journalists today expressed its full solidarity for journalists working in the Greek Public Broadcasting station, who will go on strike from June 29 to June 30th.
The strike demands all journalists working in ERT under short-term contracts expiring on 30 June 2006 will continue to be employed. In January this year the EFJ had welcomed the decision of the Greek public broadcaster ERT to provide journalists with permanent job contracts, following negotiations that came to an end at the end of 2005.
"We are even more surprised and disappointed to see that their promise and obligation to stick to this decision has not been applied," said IFJ and EFJ…
The European Federation of Journalists today expressed its full solidarity for journalists working in the Greek Public Broadcasting station, who will go on strike from June 29 to June 30th.
The strike demands all journalists working in ERT under short-term contracts expiring on 30 June 2006 will continue to be employed. In January this year the EFJ had welcomed the decision of the Greek public broadcaster ERT to provide journalists with permanent job contracts, following negotiations that came to an end at the end of 2005.
"We are even more surprised and disappointed to see that their promise and obligation to stick to this decision has not been applied," said IFJ and EFJ General…
Law on Sexual Harassment at the Workplace to be Enacted in India
The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has released a draft Bill to tackle sexual harassment at the workplace. The Bill is a product of intensive consultations with women’s organisations across the country.
The Bill recognises that sexual harassment infringes the fundamental right of a woman to gender equality under Article 14 of the Constitution of India and her right to live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution which includes a right to a safe environment free from sexual harassment.
It also acknowledges that the right to protection from sexual harassment and the…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has received reports from an affiliate of a draft censorship bill being considered by the Chinese government.
The proposed bill imposes fines of up to 100,000 yuan (nearly US$12,500) on media outlets who do not conform to China’s vague censorship laws when covering emergencies.
“Covering up emergencies to save face, at the expense of human life, has long been a favoured practice of the Chinese government,” said IFJ President Christopher Warren.
“There has been talk of reform, but these laws are simply regressive and counterproductive to that aim.”
According to local news reports, media outlets…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the contents of an Afghanistan government document as a thinly veiled attempt to intimidate the media into compliance.
Afghani intelligence officials reportedly summoned executives and editors from more than 10 of Afghanistan’s leading media outlets to a meeting in their Kabul headquarters on June 12, and presented them with a list of directives, including the banning or restricting materials against the “national interest”, signed by the director of the National Security Directive, Amrullah Saleh.
“This is a blatant attempt to influence editorial content and stifle criticism of the government,…
The International Federation of Journalist (IFJ) vigorously condemned today the brutal killing of a freelance Swedish cameraman during a demonstration organised by the Islamic Courts Union in Mogadishu, the Somali capital.
According to the Mogadishu based news group, Shabelle Media Network, the cameraman was shot in the heart and instantly died. The same source added that the perpetrators of this heinous crime and the reason of this killing are not yet known.
After three months of fighting against the warlords, the Islamic Courts militia seized much of southern Somalia, including the capital Mogadishu this month.
“We vigorously condemn this senseless and brutal killing”…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned at news of another Pakistani journalist’s disappearance, as rallies to protest the murder of journalist Hayatullah Khan were held across the country on June 19.
“The situation for journalists in Pakistan, particularly in the area of Sindh, seems to be deteriorating and the IFJ urges authorities to firmly address the dangers by providing security for journalists and harsh penalties for those who attack media workers,” IFJ president Christopher Warren said.
Geo News reporter Mukesh Rupeta, and correspondent for Jacobabad, Sindh, has reportedly been missing since March 6 and his whereabouts are…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has denounced caretaker Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s continued use of criminal defamation charges to silence media criticism of his government.
“In a step backwards for press freedom in Thailand, Thaksin, despite his caretaker position, is clearly attempting to silence all and any criticism of him by his repeated use of criminal defamation laws and unreasonable civil defamation claims,” IFJ president Christopher Warren said.
“Thaksin is veering out of control with his obsession with silencing dissent in Thailand,” said Warren.
On June 14, Thaksin filed one criminal and one civil…
