The preliminary hearing of the US government's appeal against the decision not to extradite journalist Julian Assange started on 11 August at the High Court in London. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reiterates its call for the politically motivated charges to be dropped and for his immediate release.
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks and an IFJ press card holder, has been held since April 2019 in a maximum security prison in the United Kingdom. He was charged under the Espionage Act in the United States for disclosing classified documents in his work with WikiLeaks (notably documents on the US crimes during the war in Iraq and Afghanistan), he faces 175 years in…
Two Lahore-based journalists, Amir Mir and Imran Shafqat, were booked under the cybercrime act by the Pakistani Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) urge the government to withdraw the cases and release the journalists.
Both journalists were arrested by police in Lahore on the morning of August 7 . Shafqat Imran, who is a vlogger on YouTube, was arrested from his house at 10am. It was reported on that Amir Mir was abducted and that his laptop and phone have been snatched. Following strong protests by journalist unions that permeated into social media, the FIA confirmed the…
Con este número, el país sudamericano encabeza las estadísticas mundiales de trabajadorxs de prensa muertos durante la pandemia. Según el registro realizado por el departamento de Salud y Seguridad de la Federación Nacional de Periodistas de Brasil (FENAJ) de los 278, 199 fallecieron durante los primeros siete meses de 2021.
Los efectos de la falta de políticas de protección para la ciudadanía y lxs trabajadores de prensa en Brasil quedaron nuevamente evidenciados por la encuesta que lleva adelante FENAJ desde que comenzó la pandemia. Los números son lapidarios: entre enero y julio de 2021, falleció casi un periodista por día a causa de la enfermedad y hoy Brasil es el país con más…
El 28 de julio, Andrés Cardona se encontraba realizando la cobertura de las manifestaciones en Bogotá cuando recibió un disparo directo de un proyectil de gas lacrimógeno, a pesar de estar debidamente identificado como miembro de la prensa. Este hecho no es aislado, ya que el mismo reportero gráfico también fue golpeado con un arma por un agente del Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios (ESMAD), ataque por el cual sufrió una herida en su cabeza.
La violenta respuesta de las autoridades colombianas a las manifestaciones populares que comenzaron en abril no cesa y continúa afectando el trabajo de periodistas que se disponen a reportar los hechos. Ese es el caso de Andrés Cardona, fotógrafo y…
Ivan Safronov, a former journalist imprisoned since 7 July 2020 on charges of "high treason", has been facing harsher conditions since the publication of an article in which he criticised the state authorities for their handling of espionage investigations. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses its grave concerns and calls for Safronov's immediate release.
Through his lawyers, Ivan Safronov stated on 9 August that following the publication of the article, he was moved to another cell with higher security measures such as “an additional bar in front of the door and an alarm system by the window”. He also claims that searches became more frequent.
Ivan…
The correspondent for Urdu-language newspaper, Daily Khabrain and Daily Qomi Akhbar was found dead in his home with his throat slit in Wanike Tarrar, a small town in the District of Hafizabad in Punjab province.
Hussain had been living separately from the rest of his family. Colleagues in the media staged protests and demanded that authorities find the murderer and arrest them as quickly as they can.
Journalists' safety, Pakistan, IFJ, Impunity
Chennakeshavalu, a reporter who worked for local television news channel EV5, was killed in Nandyal, a city in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, on August 8 and died from his injuries later that night. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) call on authorities to bring Chennakeshavalu’s killers to justice.
News reports indicate Chennakeshavalu was stabbed with a screwdriver, allegedly by Venkata Subbaiah, a police constable and his brother, Nani. Police superintendent Sudheer Kumar Ready said the constable had asked Chennakeshavalu to meet and discuss his story on the constable’s involvement in the alleged illegal sale of Gutkha, a…
Turkey's Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has threatened broadcasters with sanctions if they are found to have covered wildfires raging across the country in a way that could cause fear among the public. Since the 3 August declaration, journalists claim they are facing obstacles and attacks preventing them from doing their job properly. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliates the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), Disk Basin-Is and the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) in denouncing the attacks, and urges the authorities to protect media workers.
UPDATED on 12.08.21
Since 28 July, Turkey has been facing massive wildfires, causing thousands of…
Cambodian journalists have expressed concern that a new ethics review mechanism launched by the Camboadian government on August 2 could be used to further intimidate journalists and stifle criticism in the country. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates the Cambodian Journalists Association (CamboJA) and Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ) urge the government to withdraw the mechanism and to ensure adequate representation of journalists in developing any ethics initiative in the country.
The Ministry of Information said it set up the ‘Monitoring Committee for Journalism Ethics Practice’ to review reports and complaints from the public…
The manager of Paktsia Ghag Radio who was also a leader of the local press freedom group was gunned down while traveling from Parwan province to Kaboul. His killing was condemned by UNESCO as a journalist’s killing.
Journalists' safety, Afghanistan, IFJ, Impunity
The 35-year-old journalist was killed in what authorities beleived to be ‘’ an act of revenge’’ by a policeman Kesavulu had denunced for his involvement in tobacco trafficking in his reporting. The policeman was subsequentely suspended by his superiors and he later organised an ambush with his brother and killed Chenna Kesavulu with a screwdriver, according to police sources quoted in media reports.
Journalists' safety, India, IFJ, Impunity
The journalist who worked for the public broadcaster the Congolese National Radio and Television (RTNC) was killed in the Bunyangula neighbourhood about 70 Km from Goma Town, in Rutshuru territory of North Kivu Province, by unidentified attackers who slit his throat.
According to local reports, 26-year-old had earlier received a call from someone asking to meet him and was killed after reaching the venue”. The killers took away his mobile phone. Heritier Magayane was the popular host of a youth programme which consistently called on the youth to embrace peace, in a region that has become so volatile with numerous armed groups.
Journalists' safety, Democratic Republic of Congo,…
Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 30 July and 6 August 2021.
English
UK offers visas to Afghans who worked with Brit journalists after cross-industry plea, Press Gazette
China: Foreign journalists covering flood disaster harassed, claims IFJ, India Blooms News Service
Journalists association release report on the deterioration of press freedom in Hong Kong, India Blooms News Service
Burnout Makes Journalists Quit Jobs and the Pandemic is Not the Only Reason,…
The health of Hisham Fouad, a journalist and activist detained for over 2 years is deteriorating after he staged a hunger strike. Fouad, who has been held since 25 June 2019, began a hunger strike on 10 July 2021. Placed in solitary confinement, his health is now in grave danger. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns his arbitrary detention and calls on the Egyptian authorities to immediately release him and 26 other journalists currently detained in the country.
Hisham Fouad, along with other opposition figures, was arrested on charges of “economic conspiracy”. He has never been brought to trial despite the fact that the maximum period of two years in pre-trial…
UK media organisations and the IFJ’s affiliate the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) have written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab asking them to offer assistance to Afghan media workers as Taliban violence intensifies. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) backs the call for urgent support for Afghan media workers in danger.
In the open letter, sent on 4 August, the organisations called for the introduction of a special visa programme to allow Afghan media workers working for UK news outlets and their families to leave Afghanistan and stay in the United Kingdom safely.
According to the letter, such a programme would concern “a few…
On July 29, a Chinese court sentenced Zhou Wilin, a reporter for the human rights news website Weiquanqwang, to three years and six months in prison for reporting on human rights abuses in articles and on Twitter. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the sentencing of Zhou and urges the government to release him at once.
Zhou was arrested on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” regarding his human rights articles and Twitter posts. This charge is commonly used against critics of the Chinese Communist Party. Zhou has already been arrested on the same charges on March 12, 2020, in Hefei city; he has been detained since then. He was also arrested on…
The United States’ government announced on August 2 that it will provide Afghan nationals working at US-based media outlets and NGOs an opportunity to resettle as refugees in America. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Afghan affiliate, the Afghanistan Independent Journalists' Association (AIJA) welcome the government’s decision and urge that this process start as soon as possible due to the tumultuous situation in Afghanistan.
On August 2, the Biden administration designated Afghan nationals working at US-based media and the US based NGOs as Priority 2 individuals under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This provides them with an opportunity to resettle as…
Journalists already under threat of military arrest, jail and torture in Myanmar are now fronting a Covid-19 national crisis as the virus rips through a country stripped bare, writes Phil Thornton.
It is six months since Myanmar’s military began dismantling the institutional framework supporting the country’s fledgling democracy by propelling a deadly coup to wrest parliamentary control away from the newly-elected National League of Democracy (NLD) government.
Soon after the coup in February 2021, the military swiftly targeted voices of dissent and launched a deadly campaign of violence to silence critics. Rooftop snipers were ordered to shoot to kill, police and army raided homes of…
Somali journalists deserve to work in an environment free of fear for their safety if they are to make a positive contribution to the development of democracy in the country. The call for greater respect for the rights of journalists, especially during the upcoming elections, came at the end of a two-day workshop on Safety, Access to information and Media Professionalism conducted by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in Mogadishu.
The training, financed by the Lord Deedes of Aldington Charitable Trust, focused on essential survival skills for journalists working in dangerous environments, professional…
Opposition members of Malaysia’s parliament who marched to the parliamentary building on August 2 were met by a police blockade and threatened with arrests as they tried to enter the building to protest the parliament’s sudden closure. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the Malaysian government to resume parliament.
Opposition members protested the two-week lockdown of Malaysia’s parliament in Kuala Lumpur, which postponed the final day of the “special session”. The session commenced on July 26 and was scheduled to end on August 2. Protestors faced a wall of riot police, water cannons and threats of arrests from police who blocked the road to enter…
Taliban militants shot at a car carrying journalists Shakib Shams and Storio Karimi on August 1 in the Pol-e Malan area of Herat Province. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates the Afghan Independent Journalist Association (AIJA) and Afghanistan's National Journalists Union (ANJU) remain gravely concerned by the increased security threat on journalists in the country and call for both government forces and the Taliban to cease targeting civilians.
According to AIJA, on August 1, Taliban militants fired on the car of Shams and Karimi as they reported on fighting between Afghan National Security Forces and Taliban militants. Shams is a reporter with Salam…
Durante la noche del viernes 30 de julio el comunicador fue baleado en el departamento de Chiquimula. Al momento no hay detenidos pero el Ministerio Público ya se encuentra investigando las circunstancias del crimen, al que diversas organizaciones vinculan con su labor periodística.
El comunicador era administrador de una página de Facebook de noticias locales que tenía casi cuarenta mil seguidorxs. Según informan organizaciones como la Red de Periodistas y la Asociación de Periodistas de Guatemala, el joven de 30 años había denunciado ante la Policía Nacional Civil que habría recibido amenazas por el contenido que publicaba en su plataforma, pero las mismas no fueron…
Tras la publicación del informe #PegasusProject, quedó evidenciado que lxs trabajadorxs de prensa están en riesgo de ser víctimas de espionaje ya que 180 periodistas figuraron en la primera lista difundida. Esta situación implica nuevos desafíos, para los cuales es necesario contar con herramientas que ayuden a comprender el alcance de lo sucedido y el impacto que las nuevas tecnologías tienen sobre la vida cotidiana.
Hace pocos días, una investigación realizada por un consorcio de medios y organizaciones reveló el uso que estados nacionales y locales le dieron al software de espionaje Pegasus, creado por la compañía israelí NSO. En este informe, se reveló que al menos 180 periodistas del…
Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 23 and 30 July 2021.
English
International journalist federation condemns attacks on foreign scribes in China, Ani News
Hong Kong court denies bail to 4 former employees of pro-democracy tabloid, Jurist
India: Tax raids expose government’s media intimidation, Deutsche Welle
Jailed Belarus journalist needs urgent hospital care, says press union, Euronews
The shrinking space for journalistic rights and freedoms in Palestine, Equal Times
Jailed…
An independent inquiry into the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia published on 29 July found that the Maltese state bears responsibility for creating a culture of impunity as it failed to take action in protecting the journalist. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the findings and now calls for accountability and concrete reforms to protect all media professionals.
According to the public inquiry conducted by three judges, the Maltese state created a “culture of impunity”, but also “failed to recognise the real and immediate risks” to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s life and “failed to take reasonable steps to avoid them”.
Daphne Caruana Galizia, a well-known…
Thailand’s government has implemented a new regulation under Section 9 of the Royal Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations which prohibits any supposed distortion of information that causes misunderstanding during an emergency situation. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the new regulation and urges the Thai government to repeal it immediately as it restricts freedom of expression.
The introduction of the new set of measures became effective on July 12 and criminalised the “distortion of information and news…that contains messages that incite fear in the public, or intentionally distort information to create misunderstandings in emergency situations…
La periodista y defensora de los derechos humanos Lydia Cacho fue víctima de torturas en 2005 luego de exponer a una red de prostitución y pornografía infantil que involucraba a empresarios y funcionarios públicos. Este martes se dio a conocer la decisión de un tribunal que exoneró a uno de los principales acusados, y de esta manera abre las puertas a que se desligue de responsabilidades a otros involucrados en su secuestro seguido de vejaciones. Esta semana también se hicieron públicas las amenazas contra el periodista Erick Manzanilla y su familia, hechos que estarían perpetrados por agentes de la Secretaría de Seguridad Pública (SPP) del Estado de Yucatán. Ambos casos exponen la…
Several sources, including dozens of Iranian journalists reported internet connection shutdowns and interruptions across the country amid protests in several major cities against the government’s decision to cut electricity and water supply. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Journalists Union of Iran urge the Iranian authorities to restore internet access.
According to Netblocks, which monitors internet restrictions globally, mobile phone internet services in Iran are being disrupted in some cities a week into protests in the country’s southwest over water and electricity shortages.
The effects represent “a near-total internet shutdown that is likely to limit…
A court in Gomel, Belarus, declared on 27 July that the news website and social networks of the independent Polish channel Belsat TV were to be considered as “extremist”. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Belarussian affiliate, the Belarussian Association of Journalists (BAJ), urge the international community to take action against the Belarussian government’s repressive policy against the media.
According to news reports, the court’s ruling was based on inspections from Gomel’s Main Department for Combating Organised Crime and Corruption (HUBAZiK).
Belsat TV is the only Belarussian language-independent television broadcaster in the country. Despite the…
Four Afghan journalists, Bismillah Watandoost, Qudrat Soltani, Mujib Obaidi, and Sanaullah Siam were arrested by Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) on July 26 following their reporting trip to Spin Boldak, a district captured by the Taliban earlier this month. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Afghanistan affiliates, the Afghanistan Independent Journalists' Association (AIJA) and the Afghanistan's National Journalists Union (ANJU) urge the authorities to release the journalists immediately.
Soltani, Watandoost and Obaidi, reporters of Kandahar-based radio station Millat Zagh Radio, and Siam, a cameraperson affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, were…
Según un informe publicado por la Asociación Nacional de Periodistas del Perú (ANP), la polarización en la que se enmarcaron los últimos comicios elevó el nivel de hostilidad hacia trabajadorxs de prensa, que recibieron amenazas por redes sociales, agresiones en las coberturas de calle, presiones, despidos y campañas de desprestigio. Ante la inminente asunción de las nuevas autoridades, a realizarse hoy, desde la Federación Internacional de Periodistas instamos al nuevo gobierno a que trabaje para garantizar la seguridad de lxs periodistas y el libre ejercicio de su profesión.
Durante los últimos seis meses, período en el que se desarrollaron la campaña y las Elecciones Generales de Perú,…
The Local Journalism Sustainability Act seeks to keep the local media in the United States financially viable and turn around a struggling industry. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Newsguild-CWA in fully supporting the bill’s adoption.
The Local Journalism Sustainability Act, a bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on 22 July, aims at supporting and paving the way for local journalism in the future by providing a series of three tax credits. These tax credits are respectively intended to encourage the employment of local journalists, encourage subscriptions to local media and boost advertising through local media.
Firstly, the bill provides…
At the heart of much important journalism is the ability to guarantee sources that they may share information in confidence. It is by this means that reporters uncover inefficient bureaucracy, undetected criminality, and the corruption that undermines good governance.
Sophisticated tools of surveillance have the potential to undermine this, either by design or accident.
Digital technology provides multiplying possibilities for state agencies and others to undermine bonds of trust between journalists and their sources. Telephone records may be accessed. Electronic communications can be monitored. Historic information stored on digital platforms can be copied. Facial recognition technology…
The Hong Kong police force’s national security unit searched a journalist’s home on July 26 and confiscated her travel documents, mobile phone and computer following the reporter recording a person attacking a police officer with a knife in Causeway Bay on July 1. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) demand the police to explain why the reporter’s home was searched and travel documents confiscated.
The 56-year-old reporter for Secret China, a Chinese-language American media outlet, was asked to give a statement at Wan Chai police station as a witness on July 1 when the attack occurred. HKJA arranged for a…
Foreign journalists reporting on the recent floods in Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan province on July 22 were harassed and threatened by citizens in Zhengzhou and on social media platforms. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is disturbed by the attacks on foreign journalists in China and urges authorities to ensure that journalists can report safely and independently.
According to the Guardian, journalists from the BBC, Los Angeles Times, Deutsche Welle, Al Jazeera, CNN, Agence France-Presse and the Associated Press have been harassed and threatened by angry crowds of citizens. Reports from international media outlets state that the BBC, in particular, has been…
Police in Tunisia on Monday closed the office of Al Jazeera television in the capital Tunis amid political tensions in the country. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Tunisian affiliate, the Syndicat National des Journalistes tunisiens (SNJT) strongly condemn this blatant attack on freedom of information and urge the Tunisian president to comply with national and international law and respect press freedom.
On 26 July, around 20 Tunisian security agents stormed the headquarters of Qatar-based Al-Jazeera broadcaster in Tunis and forced out the entire staff of seven media workers, before closing the office.
Al-Jazeera media workers reportedly…
Covering the Covid-19 pandemic has been a real challenge for journalists. The surge of new virus variants, such as Delta, and the lack of clear information about them, are adds-on to an already complex and challenging coverage. Journalists play a valuable role in informing people accurately about these variants by describing their features and scientific-based evidence without exaggerating their impact.
This article seeks to answer commonly asked questions about the delta variant and offers tips and reliable sources for journalists covering stories related to the Delta variant.
First of all, what is a Covid-19 variant?
All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19,…
El comunicador fue acribillado ayer en el estado de Sonora. En una conferencia de prensa realizada en marzo, el periodista denunció estar recibiendo amenazas y luego se presentó ante la Fiscalía General de la República para solicitar que se las investigue. Con este crimen, ya se contabilizan seis asesinatos de trabajadorxs de prensa en México en lo que va del año.
A solo tres días del asesinato Abraham Mendoza, durante la tarde de ayer fue baleado el periodista Ricardo Domínguez López en un estacionamiento en el municipio de Guaymas. Al momento de su muerte, el comunicador estaba celebrando su cumpleaños número 47.
El periodista era propietario y director del portal InfoGuaymas, y…
Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 16 and 23 July 2021.
English
Global targeting of journalists with state spyware revealed by international investigation, Press Gazette
It’s Time for Georgia to Choose Its Future, The Moscow Times
Belarus authorities move to shut top journalist association, The Seattle Times
Canada getting a new refugee stream for journalists and people who defend human rights, CBC
Pegasus used to target 180 journalists: IFJ, Kashmir Reader
Why tracking…
Radio commentator, was shot dead on July 22 outside radio station, DyRB, in Barangay Mambaling in central Philippines. Cortes was leaving the DyRB radio station at around 9.10am after finishing his program, when a gunman drove past on a motorcycle and shot him in the stomach and arm. Cortes was pronounced dead at around 9:55am after being taken to hospital.
On his program, Cortes was known for his criticism of members of the local elite who instigated tense arguments with local politicians. It is reported that authorities are currently reviewing Cortes’ commentaries to find possible links to his killings.
DyRB admin associate, Nova Banawan, told Rappler that…
The correspondent for Televisa in Sonora and director of InfoGuaymas, a news website, was gunned down by unidentified attackers in a parking lot in Guaymas town where he had gone to celebrate his 47th birthday.
López who was also the general secretary of the Delegation 11 of the National Union of Press Writers (SNRP), an IFJ affiliate. In March 2021, he had called a press conference to denounce threats he had received because of his work and asked the Attorney General’s Office to investigate them.
Journalists' safety, Mexico, IFJ, Impunity
Broadcasts from Radio Najarab, a radio station in Najrab district of Kapisa Province, ceased from July 20 after staffers fled to save their lives amid fighting between government security forces and Taliban militants. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Afghanistan affiliate, the Afghanistan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) said freedom of press must be respected amid the escalating conflict in the country.
The regular broadcast of the Radio Najrab ceased after fighting started between Taliban and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) some five kilometres from the radio station. “As the war started, the radio staffers ran away to Kabul, the capital city of…
Radio commentator, Renante “Rey” Cortes, was shot dead on July 22 outside radio station, DyRB, in Barangay Mambaling in central Philippines . The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) calls on the Philippine government to increase protections for journalists in the Philippines in the wake of this latest attack.
Cortes was leaving the DyRB radio station at around 9.10am after finishing his program, when a gunman drove past on a motorcycle and shot him in the stomach and arm. Cortes was pronounced dead at around 9:55am after being taken to hospital.
On his program, Cortes was known for his criticism of members…
Hong Kong’s national security police have arrested two senior editors and two editorial writers at Apple Daily on July 21, weeks after the media outlet ceased publication. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the arrest of these journalists and urges Hong Kong authorities to release them instantly.
Executive Editor-in-Chief, Lam Man-chung, was among the four arrested on July 21. Associate Publisher and Deputry Chief Editor, Chan Pui-man and editorial writers, Fung Wai-kong and Yeung Ching-kee, were also arrested after their bail was revoked.
Pui-man was among the executives and editors who had previously been arrested on June 17. Wai-kong and Ching-kee were arrested a…
Cambodian journalist Kouv Piseth is facing a possible five year sentence after he posted criticisms on Facebook about the Cambodian government’s decision to use China’s Sinopharm and Sinovac vaccines on June 27. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Cambodian Journalists Association (CamboJA) urge the Cambodian government to release Kouv Piseth.
Kouv Piseth, a correspondent for news website Reap Tannhektar, was placed in pre-trial detention after his arrest on July 14 in Battambang city.
Piseth’s potential five year sentence comes due to charges of incitement under article 495 of Cambodia’s Criminal Code and for “obstructing an enforcement measure” under…
In an unprecedented attack on the independent representative organisation of journalists in Belarus, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), an IFJ/EFJ affiliate, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice has filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court to liquidate BAJ. The issue was reported by BAJ on 21 July.
BAJ is accused of violating the legislation on associations. The Ministry of Justice suspects irregularities in rental contracts related to BAJ’s regional branches. If the ministry’s request is not answered within a three-day deadline, BAJ could be dissolved by a court decision of the Supreme Court.
In reality, BAJ is unable to produce the documents required by the Ministry of…
The Olympic Games will begin in Tokyo, Japan, on July 23, bringing together world athletes and sports reporters. Ahead of the opening ceremony, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is calling on sports federations, media organisations, journalists and trade unions to eradicate sexism in sports.
"Women journalists are willing to report on sports, but many are subject to discrimination, and few have access to leading roles in this sector,” said Maria Angeles Samperio, chair of the IFJ’s Gender Council. “The treatment of women sports journalists by media reflects the one of female athletes by sports federations, and it has to stop. We need inclusive sports reporting, equal…
A group of U.S. news and press freedom organisation have sent joint letters to President Joseph Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Congressional leadership urging for humanitarian aid and emergency visas for Afghans who have worked with US media outlets. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the move and urges other international media to lobby governments to assist journalist under threat.
The move follows the recent death of Reuters photographer Danish Siddiqui on July 16 and a rapidly deteriorating climate in Afghanistan for media workers with increasing threats against media and occupation of media outlets in the country as US troops withdraw from the…
Dear Secretary Cheng,
We, a group of 71 international non-governmental organizations and individuals, are writing to call on your government to drop the charge of “inciting unauthorized assembly” against Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤) and unconditionally release her. Ms. Chow is a barrister and vice president of the civil society group Hong Kong Alliance, which organizes the annual Victoria Park vigil to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre. Police arrested Chow on June 4, 2021, released her on bail on June 5, but detained her again on June 30.
The charge against Chow is based on alleged violations of Hong Kong’s Public Order Ordinance, which requires organizers to notify police of…
Abraham Mendoza falleció ayer luego de ser atacado en la puerta de un gimnasio en Morelia, Michoacán. Según información de la Fiscalía local, por este hecho fueron detenidas tres personas que presuntamente habrían participado y que se encontraban huyendo del lugar. Con este crimen, México suma cinco asesinatos de trabajadores de prensa en 2021.
El periodista se desempeñaba como conductor en Revista Informativa VocesRadio y en la emisora EXA 91.5. Durante muchos años había sido conductor de Panorama Informativo Michoacán, noticiarios de TV Azteca y Central TV. También era colaborador de la casa de estudios en la que se formó, la Universidad Vasco de Quiroga.
Las autoridades ya detuvieron…
The Luxembourg Parliament approved on 8 July a new aid scheme that aims at fostering media pluralism and offers support to digital and emerging media, including subsidies to accredited journalists working in their newsroom. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the reform and encourages other governments to follow its example.
The new plan provides for an annual grant of 30,000 euros per professional journalist working in the newsroom and an annual budget of 200,000 euros will be made available to support innovation.
The bill reforms a regime established in the 1970s, under which aid was calculated according to the number of printed pages. This meant that…
The Belarusian regime is intensifying its crackdown on journalists and their representative organisation, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ). After searching and sealing BAJ’s offices on 14 July, the authorities blocked the organisation’s bank accounts on Tuesday 20 July. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) denounce the regime’s repeated actions to paralyse their affiliate in Belarus.
By the decision of the Investigative Committee, BAJ’s bank accounts have been completely blocked: it is no longer possible to make any payment or register any payment, which paralyses the activity of the independent representative organisation of journalists in…
La FIJ, première organisation mondiale de la profession représentant 600.000 journalistes dans 150 pays, et son affilié, le Syndicat de la presse marocaine (SNPM), ont pris note des condamnations des journalistes Souleymane Raissouni (9 juillet), Omar Radi et Imad Stitou (19 juillet).
Le premier a été condamné à 5 ans de prison pour agressions sexuelles sur un militant LGBT, Adam Mohammed; le second est condamné à 6 ans de prison et reconnu coupable de viol et d'attentat à la pudeur sur une de ses consoeurs journalistes, Hafsa Boutahar; et le troisième est condamné à 6 mois de prison pour complicité de viol.
Compte tenu des nombreuses zones d'ombre de ces…
The Union of Journalists and Social Communication Technicians in Guinea Bissau (SINJOTECS) in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) under the UTU Project 2021 held a two – day workshop on climate change reporting from 15 – 16 July, 2021 in Bissau.
The workshop was aimed to enhance the capacities of journalists to report effectively on climate change and to have a better understanding of climate change and other environmental issues. Twenty journalists from various media houses in Bissau including the national radio, community radio stations as well newspapers and online media attended the workshop.
The workshop dilated on a wide range of climate change…
Police arrested Md Akhtaruzzaman on July 18 under the Digital Security Act (DSA) for a Facebook post accusing a health official and his office assistant of corruption. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the police to drop the case against Md Akhtaruzzaman.
Akhtaruzzaman is a Bogura district correspondent for the Bengali-language daily newspaper Banijjo Pratidin and was arrested following a complaint filed by Shamima Akter with Bogura Sadar Police Station on July 17. The complaint was made over a Facebook Post uploaded on July 17 from the Facebook name, Aftab Ahmed accusing Md Samir Hossain Mishu, the Bogura Sadar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer and his…
Entre los 180 trabajadorxs de prensa de todo el mundo espiados con el software israelí se encuentra Cecilio Pineda, periodista freelance que fue asesinado en 2017 en Tierra Caliente, México. La posibilidad de que Pegasus haya facilitado la información necesaria para concretar el crimen debe ser investigada para avanzar en el esclarecimiento del mismo, que al día de hoy se encuentra impune.
Tal como lo reveló una investigación divulgada en las últimas horas, el programa Pegasus, creado por la empresa israelí NSO y vendido a varios gobiernos nacionales y locales, fue utilizado para espiar a más de 180 periodistas de todo el planeta. La administración de Enrique Peña Nieto, que ocupó la…
The radio host for VocesRadio and EXA 91.5 was fatally attacked by three individuals at the gym in Morelia, Michoacán. His attackers fled the scene but police said that they had arrested three people in connection with the attack.
Journalists' safety, Mexico, IFJ, Impunity
At least 180 journalists across the world have been spied on using Pegasus software, a tool developed by the Israeli cybersurveillance company NSO and sold to a number of clients, including states across the world, a report by Forbidden Stories - a worldwide collaborative journalism investigation- revealed on 18 July.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns all attempts to interfere with journalists’ private communications, encourages journalists to use extra vigilance to protect their data and calls on governments to enshrine in domestic law the inviolability of journalists’ communications.
Among those who have been the targets of the global spying…
On July 15, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) published their 2021 annual report on the effects of a repressive government on the media. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) supports its affiliate HKJA and the report’s findings.
The report entitled ‘Freedom in Tatters’ outlines the erosion of the rule of law and the introduction of media regulations adversely affecting journalists in Hong Kong over the last 12 months. The report documents the National Security Law (NSL) implementation and the resulting impacts on press freedom and democracy.
The report highlights the uses of the NSL through the arrest of Jimmy Lai, the forced closure of Lai’s pro-democracy media…
Danish Siddiqui, an Indian photojournalist with Reuters news agency, was killed in crossfire while covering a fierce battle between Afghan security forces and Taliban militants in Kandahar province on Friday, July 16. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates the Afghan Independent Journalists' Association (AIJA) and the Afghanistan's National Journalists Union (ANJU) condemn the killing and urge for support for media in the deteriorating climate in Afghanistan as US troops withdraw and fighting between the Afghan army and Taliban militants intensifies.
Siddiqui was a veteran photojournalists and a member of the Reuters photography team that won a Pulitzer Prize…
Police have arrested three people in connection to an attack on Bahannor Alo correspondent Selim Shamrat, who was attacked while investigating an illegal land seizure on July 11. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the attack on the journalist and calls on police to ensure the investigation is followed through.
Shamrat was attacked when he went to investigate a land grabbing incident in the Barakhata area. Locals told the Daily Star that Shamrat was pushed to the ground and then was forcefully beaten. Shamrat said, “At one point the land grabbers attacked me without any reason, pushed me to the ground, and started beating me mercilessly."
After the attack, local…
The Ethiopian media regulator suspended the license of popular English-language online news website, the Addis Standard, on Thursday, 15 July, for allegedly “advancing the agenda of a terrorist group”. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the suspension as a grave threat to media freedom and called on the Ethiopian authorities to revoke the decision.
According to a statement issued by the Ethiopia Media Authority (EMA) “the media has been a platform to advance the terrorist group’s agenda” in what is considered to be a likely reference to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The Ethiopian Government designated the TPLF as a terrorist…
Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 9 and 16 July 2021.
English
IFJ calls for wider representation of women in media, United News of India
Worldwide Condemnations Of Iran’s Plot To Abduct Journalist In NY, Iran International
Maldives: Parliamentary committee intervenes in media council case, IFEX
Photo Agency Argues Photojournalists Do Not Have Copyright Protections, PetaPixel
Condemning Syrian Regime Forces’ Arrest of Writer and Journalist Bassam Safar for the Second Time in a…
Trabajadorxs de prensa que se encontraban realizando la cobertura de manifestaciones de simpatizantes fujimoristas, fueron agredidxs por miembrxs de un grupo denominado “La Resistencia”. La Asociación Nacional de Periodistas del Perú (ANP) repudió estos hechos y exigió a “todos los actores políticos, con o sin responsabilidad de gobierno, el cese de discursos de odio contra de periodistas y medios”.
Lxs periodistas Fátima Chávez de Canal N; Anghela Torres, Karina Reynafarge Herrada, Ronald Monsefú Rojas, Javier Marín de ATV; y John Reyes de La República fueron atacados en las inmediaciones del Palacio de Gobierno durante la jornada de protesta convocada el miércoles por sectores que…
The award- winning Indian photojournalist working for Reuters news agency was killed in crossfire while covering a fierce battle between Afghan security forces and Taliban militants in Kandahar province.
Siddiqui was a veteran photojournalist and a member of the Reuters photography team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2018 for their images of the Myanmar Rohingya crisis. The 41-year-old, who was chief photographer for Reuters in India, was on a reporting assignment ahead of the US force withdrawal from Afghanistan on September 11. in a statement, Reuters said that Siddiqui was embedded with a convoy of Afghan forces that was ambushed by Taliban militants near a key border post…
Aung Mya Than, a reporter for the Ayeyarwady Times, was arrested at 11:00pm on July 10 at his home in Maubin following his reporting of a bombing by unidentified perpetrators in his home town. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the military junta’s continuous abuse of the media and calls on the military to release Than immediately.
Than was one of 14 journalists released on June 30 from detention across Myanmar. He was arrested on May 25 on charges under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code and held for 36 days. He is currently being held at the Maubin City Police State, according to the Ayeyarwady Times’ editor-in-chief, Salai Thant Sin.
On the morning of his arrest on…
On July 10, Bangladesh authorities launched investigations into journalists, Tanvir Hasan Tanu, Rahim Shuvo, and Adbudl Latif Latu, under the Digital Security Act (DSA). The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the government’s investigations into these journalists and urges them to repeal the DSA as it restricts media freedom.
A case was filed against the three journalists in Thakurgan after they published reports on the Sadar Hospital for alleged irregularities and corruption concerning the food for COVID-19 patients. The reports were published on Jago News, NewsBangla24.com, and Jugantor, the three news outlets the journalists work for. They claimed that the hospital…
El medio de comunicación será multado por haber reemplazado trabajadorxs durante una huelga en 2019 que se desarrolló durante 15 días. Según la jueza que atendió el proceso legal, la empresa “afectó concretamente la libertad sindical, debilitando el movimiento sindical y especialmente la huelga legalmente votada en un proceso de negociación colectiva reglado”. El Sindicato de Radio Bío Bío celebró este fallo histórico, que sienta un precedente importante para una empresa que “tiene un largo historial de denuncias por prácticas antisindicales y vulneración de derechos fundamentales”.
Tras la sentencia, la empresa dirigida por la familia Mosciatti deberá pagar una multa de más de cinco…
The well-known Dutch investigative journalist who had covered high-profile criminal investigations died nine days after being shot five times in the street in Amsterdam in a targeted shooting on 6 July 2021.
On the day of the shooting, Peter R. de Vries was a guest on daily television programme RTL Boulevard. After leaving the building, he was shot several times at close range, including in the head, in a side street near the studio.
The police arrested three suspects, one of whom was later released, according to media reports.
In his long career, 64-year-old Peter R. de Vries worked for De Telegraaf, Panorama magazine, Algemeen Dagblad and ran his own crime programme on…
Successful unionisation campaigns among journalists in the US have seen record numbers of media workers win new rights in newsrooms across the industry over recent years. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has congratulated US unions on the wave of new union agreements won and the formation of dozens of new workplace branches - and urged unions across the world to redouble efforts to build stronger journalists unions.
Union organising and securing rights to collective bargaining are the best way to defend jobs and guarantee media workers’ rights. Official figures from across the world show that workers in unionised workplaces earn higher salaries, have better working…
