The international federation of journalists represents 450 000 journalists in the world. It is the world’s largest organisation of journalists and it promotes international actions to defend press freedom and social justice through strong, free and independent trade unions of journalists.
Part of our activities includes the defence of strong authors ‘rights protection for journalists whereby the latter should be recognised as author of the work that they create. We therefore engage WIPO delegations not to compromise the rights of journalists over the works incorporated in the broadcast and on which journalists enjoy exclusive rights under the WIPO treaties.
Regarding…
On 17-18 November 2005, the OSCE organised a conference for South Caucasus journalists, focusing on public service broadcasting and the Internet. The event brought together over 60 media professionals from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
A joint declaration called for upholding the principle of editorial independence, which should be guaranteed by law. The document also said that Internet media should enjoy the same protection through press freedom provisions as traditional media and there should be no state regulation or registering of websites.
Full text: http://www.osce.org/item/17038.html
The International Federation of Journalists today warned governments that plans for an information society based on democratic values would fail if they did not put media and free expression rights at the heart of policy-making.
IFJ General Secretary Aidan White in a blunt speech to diplomats at the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society also roundly condemned Tunisian restrictions on access to the Internet and “heavy-handed policing and intimidation” of journalists and representatives of human rights groups earlier this week.
“It is not enough to come to this podium and speak, albeit with sincerity and conviction, about building an information…
Press Release from the Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG)
As the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS Tunis, 16-18 November 2005) is about to open, there has been a series of serious incidents against journalists and human rights activists. Most shocking was the attack against French journalist Christophe Boltanski on Friday, 11 November. Among other events, journalists and civil society activists planning a Citizens’ Summit on the Information Society were assaulted, abused and detained briefly yesterday as they attempted to hold a preparatory meeting at the Goethe Institute in Tunis.
Under these circumstances, International Freedom of Expression…
The International Federation of Journalists today welcomed the action by Tunisian journalists to intervene with the Government over a brutal attack on a French journalist for the French newspaper Liberation. Journalists in Tunisia and worldwide are demanding that the Tunisian government find those responsible and bring them to justice.
Christophe Boltanski was attacked by several men in a street of Tunis, where he was reporting on the repression of human rights activists. He had just written a story headlined Demonstrators Beaten by Police in Tunis. He was badly hurt and stabbed in the back by four unidentified assailants near his hotel.
“This appalling attack, in which we…
The Nepalese Attorney General, Professor Pawan Kumar Ohja, has defended the legality of the recent media ordinance, claiming that it is not unconstitutional-despite having been issued by the executive in the absence of parliament.
“As ordinances also hold legislative power, it can amend not only the ordinance itself, but also the existing laws and regulations made by the parliament,” Ohja said.
Government lawyers said that the ordinance adhered to the 1990 constitution, and was intended “to regulate the press, not control it.”
The ordinance, issued on October 9, prohibits FM stations from broadcasting news and also from criticising the king and the royal…
The International Federation of Journalists today warned that France’s imposition of a 12-day state of emergency and night-time curfews to curb street violence in major cities could lead to restrictions on press and media coverage of disturbances across the country.
“These draconian rules will undermine the work of journalists and make an already difficult reporting environment even worse,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary.
The IFJ’s French affiliate the Syndicat National des Journalistes has also expressed concern over the government’s announcement which brings into force a 1955 law emergency law last used when France was trying to curb…
The International Federation of Journalists today welcomed the initiative taken by its associate member Free Media Movement (FMM) in Sri Lanka to launch a web site - www.freemediasrilanka.org - to monitor attacks on press freedom and freedom of expression in this southasian country.
The move comes at a crucial time as media workers come under a series of attacks in the lead-up to the November 17 presidential election. In recent weeks a printing press has been set on fire, a news director has been assaulted, and TV crews have been roughed up while covering political rallies.
The FMM site documents the assaults as well as media institution’s attempts to gain access to…
The International Federation of Journalists today welcomed an announcement action by the Association of Tunisian Journalists pledging support for journalists and media visiting the country for the World Summit on the Information Society which opens next week.
The AJT, which is a member of the IFJ, has called on the Tunisian authorities to ensure all journalists can freely report on the event. The Association issued a press statement this week calling on the Tunisian government to guarantee free access to the Internet for all journalists. The Association has also set up a “hotline” for journalists participating in the summit to provide advice and assistance. The…
The European Federation of Journalists today called on the European Union institutions and national governments to recognise, protect, and enforce journalists’ authors’ rights throughout the union.
An EFJ seminar on ownership of authors’ rights and collective management in the European Union -- held in Lisbon on 5-6th November -- brought together representatives of EFJ-affiliated unions.
The aims of the seminar – organised with the support of the EU Commission -- were to bring journalists up to date with latest developments in the field of authors’ rights, to address current concerns over the lack of authors’ rights protection in Europe and to…
SOURCE: IFEX Tunisia Monitoring Group (IFEX-TMG)
(IFEX-TMG) - The following is a joint declaration by members of the IFEX-TMG:
On 7 November, members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) will call on Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to intervene to end the persecution of journalists and Internet users in advance of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). In particular, the group is concerned over the official response to the continuing hunger strike by human rights defenders and journalists and says the date of 7 November, the anniversary of the day President Ben Ali took power, is traditionally marked with…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the Taiwanese Government’s decision to retract its threats to shut down cable news network TVBS.
The Taiwanese president backed down from earlier threats to close the network after public outcry over the decision.
The Government Information Office (GIO) said the network, which has a large Hong Kong-based investor, has violated a law barring foreigners from controlling more than 50 per cent of a domestic television station.
However, according to IFJ sources, the government has always known about the network’s investors, and only took action after TVBS’s prime-time talk show criticised top politicians.…
The International Federation of Journalists and its regional organisation the European Federation of Journalists today condemned the authorities over a “targeted political” attack on an independent newspaper in Greece.
On 26 October, Greek Defense Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos filed charges against three journalists from a new daily newspaper, Presstime, following an article published on 17 October which criticized the Minister over irregular political activities.
“This has all the hallmarks of a targeted attack on journalism for ruthless political motives,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “If this assault is successful it will be an act of…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing more than 500,000 journalists in over 110 countries, has welcomed recent support for journalists combating the unconstitutional media ordinance in Nepal.
“The IFJ congratulates the courage of Nepalese journalists, and acknowledges the hard work of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) in combating King Gyanendra’s repressive media laws,” said IFJ president Christopher Warren.
“In such a dark time, it is inspiring to see such strong solidarity among journalists in Nepal and support from the international community in the fight against the government’s…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries, has sent a letter to King Sihanouk of Cambodia demanding an end to the violence and unlawful arrests of journalists in Cambodia. “This repeated violence against journalists is shocking and must be stopped immediately. We ask the Cambodian Government to respect the right of its citizens to free speech and freedom of expression without fear of violence or arrest,” said IFJ president Christopher Warren. Rong Chhun, a member of the Cambodia Watchdog Council, and Beehive Radio director Mam Sonando are both being held in Peysar prison after police…
The International Federation of Journalists today warned that the BBC World Service decision to launch an Arabic television channel could undermine the global reputation of the world’s leading public broadcaster. The IFJ says the BBC appears to be following the lead of the United States government which last year committed more than 60,000,000$ to launch Al Hurra, an American-based Arabic satellite television network. Although the station claims to be editorially independent, the explicit intention was to counter the success of satellite channels like Al-Jazeera and Al- Arabiya and their distinctly Arab perspective in coverage of the Iraq conflict and the…
The International Federation of Journalists today called upon its global network of unions to support its affiliate in Israel over political interference and staff cuts of up to 1,000 journalists and media staff at the Israeli public broadcaster. The IFJ is supporting its affiliate in Israel, the National Federation of Israeli Journalists, in protests over government plans to privatize up to 50% of the production budget of the Israeli Broadcasting Authority which would lead to a reduction of almost 1000 employees out of 1800 within the public media. “These changes are being brought in under the political smokescreen of the newly approved State Economic Arrangements Law,” said…
The International Federation of Journalists today warned that the BBC World Service decision to launch an Arabic television channel could undermine the global reputation of the world’s leading public broadcaster.
The IFJ says the BBC appears to be following the lead of the United States government which last year committed more than 60,000,000$ to launch Al Hurra, an American-based Arabic satellite television network. Although the station claims to be editorially independent, the explicit intention was to counter the success of satellite channels like Al-Jazeera and Al- Arabiya and their distinctly Arab perspective in coverage of the Iraq conflict and the Middle East.…
Egalité des genres dans les médias, Rabat, 23-24 / 08/ 2005
Rapport du Syndicat National de Presse Marocaine (SNPM)
Le programme sur l’égalité des genres au Maghreb initié par la Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ), et financé par l’union européenne dans le Cadre du programme MFD-MED (Media pour la démocratie dans la région de la Méditerranée), s’est clôturé par la tenue en collaboration avec le Syndicat National de Presse Marocaine (SNPM), d’un séminaire à Rabat les 23 – 24/ 08/ 2005.
Des représentant(e)s des…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the jailing of Afghan magazine editor Ali Muhaqiq Nasab after an investigation by the Afghan Media Commission found him not guilty.
Nasab, who was arrested on October 1 following complaints that he intentionally published anti-Islamic articles, was sentenced to two years in prison by the primary court in Kabul on October 22.
When arresting Nasab, the chief editor of Hoqoq-e-Zan (Women’s Rights) magazine, authorities bypassed Afghan legislation that states journalists cannot be arrested until the government-appointed Media Commission for Investigating Media-Related Offences has considered their case.
The media…
The following programme is on based demands set out journalists’ unions from South East Europe at the IFJ’s regional meeting on ‘The Role of Journalists’ Unions in Defending the Social and Professional Rights of Journalists’ organised in Istria in October 2002.
Objectives
to strengthen the capacity of independent journalists’ unions to defend their members’ rights. Stronger unions will improve the working conditions of journalists vital for the long-term improvement in professional standards.
to strengthen regional co-ordination between unions within media owned by the same multinational companies, to develop common strategies to…
The International Federation of Journalists this week called upon its global network of unions to give their full support to journalists and media trades unionists in Japan who are planning to launch a campaign in defence of public broadcasting.
The IFJ says that crisis-hit NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster, which is facing a drop in public confidence after a series of internal scandals this year, must be transformed and protected from attempts to privatise the service.
“This is a moment of truth for Japanese broadcasting,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “The public broadcaster must be reformed into a credible and dynamic defender of public service values providing high…
The International Federation of Journalists today welcomed comments from the British Ambassador to Nepal, who has declared that the new media ordinance introduced by the Nepalese Government is a threat to democracy.
Ambassador Keith G. Bloomfield said the British Government had always been in favour of democracy and press freedom around the world, and could not support any move to control the press.
Bloomfield has been summoned by the Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs twice before for his outspoken remarks about democracy and human rights.
“The IFJ applauds the British Ambassador for his supportive comments, and urges more officials to publicly object to these laws…
The tragic events of April 8th 2003 when three journalists were killed by American military in Baghdad will haunt the United States until it carries out independent inquiries into the deaths, says the International Federation of Journalists today following the news that Spain has issued warrants for the arrest of three soldiers.
The IFJ says that there are 18 deaths of journalists and media staff at the hands of US soldiers since the invasion of Iraq that still require proper investigation. One of those cases involves ITN Cameraman Fred Nérac who was killed almost three years ago, but whose body was never found and whose death was confirmed yesterday by French authorities.…
