Turkish Cypriot journalist and publisher Sener Levent is the target of a harassment campaign by the Turkish authorities for his critical reporting on the Turkish government policies on Cyprus. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) join their affiliates, the Union of Cyprus Journalists and the Turkish Cypriot Trade Union of Press Workers Basin Sen in condemning the Turkish attempts to shut down press freedom.
Journalist Sener Levent, the editor-in-chief of Afrika newspaper, has been targeted by official and unofficial means by the Turkish government and faces numerous court proceedings because of his reporting.
The Turkish government…
Desde el día 6 de enero, el sitio de Repórter Brasil ha sufrido distintos ataques cibernéticos que han hecho caer la web en sucesivas oportunidades, mientras lxs periodistas que trabajan para la organización recibieron distintas amenazas vía mail. Mediante presiones y chantajes, lxs atacantes exigieron la eliminación de reportajes publicados entre los años 2003 y 2005.
La organización no gubernamental Repórter Brasil, fundada en el año 2001 por periodistas, cientistas sociales y educadorxs con el objetivo de generar difusión y conciencia sobre los derechos fundamentales de lxs trabajadorxs y del pueblo brasileño, fue atacada cibernéticamente numerosas veces en los últimos años. Esta vez,…
Renowned journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested by police on 8 January after tweeting about a video allegedly showing a police officer hitting a woman carrying a baby - his third detention since July 2020. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the harassment of Chin'ono and other journalists and urges the authorities to release him immediately.
UPDATE / 27-01-2021: Hopewell Chin'ono was granted bail on January 27 by the country's High Court after nearly three weeks in pre-trial detention.
Chin’ono was sent to jail due to his tweets condemning the acts shown on a video circulated via Twitter four days before. The video…
Former Chinese journalist and renowned critic of internet censorship Zhang Jialong was sentenced to 18 months in prison on January 8 for his remarks on social media that were allegedly aimed at "spreading false information and provoking trouble". The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the assault on freedom of speech and calls on Chinese authorities to overturn the verdict and release Zhang immediately.
The 32-year-old former journalist with Caijing, a Beijing-based magazine, and Tencent was found guilty of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a broadly defined charge often levelled by the authorities against those who are critical of the Chinese…
A Jordanian parliamentarian has accused media and journalists in the country of spreading misleading rumors and "poisoned ideas", amongst other charges, during a speech on 8 January. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) join its affiliate, the Jordan Press Association (JPA) in condemning these accusations and calls on the newly elected parliament to take urgent measures to support the media sector.
Among the most serious accusations made by MP Razzouq against the media and journalists in his speech in Parliament were describing journalists as "prepaid pens", spreading "poisoned ideas" and "misleading rumors", according to media reports.
Razzouq…
The Hong Kong police served four media organisations with court warrants requiring the handing in of internal documents related to July's primary elections on January 6. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Hong Kong Journalists' Association (HKJA), expressed concern about the chilling effect that such acts will have on the press and called on Hong Kong authorities to stop harassing journalists and media organisations.
On January 6, the Hong Kong police’s national security department turned up at the offices of online news outlets StandNews and InMedia, as well as media group Next Digital and its subsidiary newspaper Apple Daily with court orders. The…
La Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP), desde su Oficina Regional para América Latina y el Caribe, y la Fundación Friedrich Ebert (FES) publicaron este lunes una investigación que recoge los testimonios y reflexiones de 16 dirigentes de organizaciones de trabajadorxs de prensa de la región, proponiendo un análisis sobre los impactos actuales y futuros de la situación de pandemia en las relaciones laborales.
La investigación Un análisis sobre las relaciones laborales…, llevada a cabo por Mg. Silvia Choconi y Dr. Mario Gambacorta con la colaboración de la Oficina Regional de la FIP, busca definir la situación coyuntural de la pandemia y sus posibles efectos estructurales para la…
Newspaper editor Aamer Abdel Moneim and photojournalist Hamdy Al Zaeim were arrested by police on 18 December and 6 January respectively for allegedly spreading fake news and joining terrorist groups, among other charges. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) denounces the arbitrary detentions and demands their immediate release.
Aamer Abdel Moneim was managing editor of the ‘Al Shaab’ newspaper, which was suspended in 2014, and a former Al-Jazeera independent columnist. He was arrested at his house for allegedly "spreading fake news and participating in terrorist activities". He has been detained for 15 days awaiting trial.
According to media reports,…
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 1 and 8 January, 2021
English:
Mexico heads the list of countries with the most murdered journalists (YUCATAN TIMES)
WikiLeaks' Julian Assange cannot be extradited to the U.S. to face espionage charges, U.K. court rules (WRCBTV)
Geramm's 2021 New Year message (MALAYSIAKINI)
The Exclusives and Breaking News Exit Brought You in 2020 (EXIT NEWS)
'Murder the Media': Pro-Trump Insurrectionists Target Journalists Covering Attack on US Capitol…
The Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate (YJS) has documented 112 cases of violations of media and journalists’ rights in 2020, including killings, torture, kidnappings, arrests and bans. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) stands in solidarity with Yemeni media workers and joins its affiliate in warning warring parties against intolerable attacks against the media.
In its annual report on press freedom violations in Yemen, the YJS again identifies Yemen’s internationally recognized government of President Hadi and the Houthis who lead the de facto government in Sana as those mainly responsible for the attacks against media workers. The government committed 44% of all registered…
There were 138 violations of media and journalists' rights during 2020 in Iraqi Kurdistan, including arbitrary arrests and physical attacks, a new Kurdistan Journalists' Syndicate (KJS) report shows. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the KJS in condemning the attacks on media freedom and urges the authorities in the region to ensure journalists' safety.
The violations documented include 47 media coverage bans, 42 arrests, 32 attacks and insults, 8 beatings, 4 cases of threats, 3 shutdowns of media, among others. In total, these attacks against the media affected 315 organizations and journalists across the Iraqi Kurdistan.
In one of the most recent episodes of the…
UPDATED 11.01.2021. Violent protesters targeted and attacked media workers during the assault on the United States Capitol in Washington DC. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its American affiliates deplore these barbaric attacks against journalists and stand in solidarity with journalists protecting citizens’ right to know.
A violent mob assaulted a media crew when they were reporting on the attack on the US Capitol during the certification of the Presidential vote perpetrated by supporters of outgoing president Donald Trump.
Assailants destroyed media equipment and made a noose out of camera cables and hung it from a tree while screaming “get out of here” and “we are…
Three women journalists were detained and another was beaten by police on 5 January during a protest in the Turkish capital Ankara against the disappearance of a Kurdish student a year ago. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and their affiliate, the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) condemned the violence and demanded the immediate release of the imprisoned colleagues.
Habibe Eren and Oznur Deger, journalists from feminist news agency Jin News, and freelance journalist Eylul Deniz Yasar, were among the 18 women detained while covering the rally that marked the first anniversary of 22-year-old Kurdish student Gülistan…
A TV journalist was killed in a missile attack on Aden Airport on 30 December. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) condemn the attack and demand the opening of an investigation into the killing and all other deaths and rights violations affecting journalists and the media sector.
Journalist and BelqeesTV correspondent, Adeeb Al-Janani, was reporting on live TV the arrival of the Yemeni government plane, when the airport was hit by 4 missiles, leaving 25 casualties and 110 wounded. Among the wounded were the correspondent of the Yemeni channel ‘Al Fadhayia’, Sadok El Ritibi, who was…
As Judge Vanessa Baraitser started to deliver her ruling in the Old Bailey’s number two court yesterday, nothing felt right.
Proceedings started late. Julian Assange slumped in the dock, surrounded by bullet-proof glass, his clothes flapping slightly around his diminished frame. The ‘Don’t Extradite Assange’ campaign had decided against a rally outside the court building because of the risk of spreading covid. The very air tasted sour.
As Baraitser intoned her summary judgement, the atmosphere deteriorated. She dismissed the defence case unequivocally, point by point. The protection of those accused of political offences implied by the US/UK Extradition Treaty was worthless in this case.…
Bismillah Adil Aimaq, an Afghan journalist and human rights activist was killed by unidentified gunmen in Dara-e-Taimoor village in Ghor province of Afghanistan on the first day of 2021. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its local affiliate, the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association (AIJA) condemn the heinous assassination and urge the government to urgently set up an independent inquiry and punish the guilty.
The assailants opened fire at Adil Aimaq , 28, editor-in-chief of Voice of Ghor radio, while he was travelling by car to return to Feroz Koh, the provincial capital after visiting his family in a nearby village. Media reported the provincial governor's…
Judge Vanessa Baraitser today ruled against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange's extradition to the United States arguing it would be “oppressive by reason of Assange’s mental health”. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its UK and Australian affiliates, the NUJ and the MEAA welcome the decision and are urging the authorities to immediately release him.
The judge argued Assange suffers from depression and that there is a high risk of suicide. If extradited, she considered it likely the US would send him to prison under special administrative measures (SAMs) and wouldn’t prevent Assange from committing suicide. Therefore, she considered…
Bismillah Adil Aimaq, an Afghan journalist and human rights activist was killed by unidentified gunmen in Dara-e-Taimoor village in Ghor province of Afghanistan on the first day of 2021. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its local affiliate, the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association (AIJA) condemn the heinous assassination and urge the government to urgently set up an independent inquiry and punish the guilty.
The assailants opened fire at Adil Aimaq , 28, editor-in-chief of Voice of Ghor radio, while he was travelling by car to return to Feroz Koh, the provincial capital after visiting his family in a nearby village. Media reported the provincial governor's…
On Monday 4 January at 10am GMT in London, Judge Vanessa Baraitser of the Old Bailey Court will issue the court's decision on the extradition or not to the United States of Julian Assange, founder and editor of Wikileaks.
On 4 January 2021, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is calling on all its affiliates to mobilise to ensure that all charges against Julian Assange are dropped immediately.
This 4 January 2021 is also an opportunity for the IFJ and its affiliates to demand the release of the other 234 journalists who are in prison because they have fulfilled their duty to inform.
JOURNALISM IS NOT A CRIME.
The manager of local radio station Sada-e-Ghor , was killed on 1 January 2021 after receiving threats and his home had come under attacks. The journalist was killed while driving his car with other passengers. The gunmen later tried in vain to attack his family.
Bismillah Adil Aimaq, an Afghan journalist and human rights activist was killed by unidentified gunmen in Dara-e-Taimoor village in Ghor province of Afghanistan on the first day of 2021.
Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who covered the coronavirus outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan earlier this year, was convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” on December 28 and sentenced to four years in prison. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has strongly condemned Beijing’s attempt to quash critical voices while calling on Chinese authorities to overturn the verdict and release Zhang immediately.
Zhang, 37, was found guilty of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, a broadly defined charge often levelled by the authorities against those who are critical of the Chinese Communist Party, the BBC and other news outlets reported
Tight security was…
The correspondent for Belqees TV was killed in a missile attack on Aden Airport while he was reporting live TV about the arrival of the Yemeni government plane, when the airport was hit by 4 missiles, leaving 25 casualties and 110 wounded. Among the wounded were the correspondent of the Yemeni channel ‘Al Fadhayia’, Sadok El Ritibi, who was also reporting the government’s arrival.
Journalists' safety, Yemen, IFJ, Impunity
UPDATED 4.02.2021 The year 2020 will go down in history as the year of an unprecedented global pandemic crisis, but also as the year of the resurgence of murders of journalists and media staff around the world. With 66 murders in 2020, the macabre statistics are on the rise again compared to 2019 (49).
The year 2020 will go down in history as the year of an unprecedented global pandemic crisis, but also as the year of the resurgence of murders of journalists and media staff around the world. With 66 murders in 2020, the macabre statistics are on the rise again compared to 2019 (49).
IFJ records show that the current number of killings of media professionals are at the same levels as…
An Algerian court condemned journalist Abdelkrim Zeghileche to two years in prison over a Facebook post on August 24, but he was released from prison on 23 December to return directly to court for hearings in two other cases. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) deplored the ruling as a blatant attack against freedom of expression and expressed its grave concerns over the growing media crackdown in Algeria.
Updated: December 23, 2020
On 23 December, Abdelkrim Zeghileche, head of the independent web-based radio station ‘Radio Sarbacane’, was released from prison to be taken to court again for hearings in two other cases.
In one case, he is accused of insulting the…
El periodista Felipe Guevara Henao falleció el 23 de diciembre luego de un ataque a balazos por sujetos no identificados en la ciudad de Cali, ubicada al suroeste de Colombia. La Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) y su afiliada, la Federación Colombiana de Periodistas (FECOLPER), rechazan este atentado y exigen una investigación que traiga a los atacantes ante la justicia.
Guevara, que se desempeñaba como periodista judicial del Diario Q’hubo desde hace tres años, falleció dos días después del atentado en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) de una clínica de Cali tras dos cirugías de urgencia por los impactos de bala que recibió, según comunicó el periódico al conocerse…
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 18 and 24 December, 2020.
English
IFJ demands release of Chinese journalist and filmmaker detained by China (INDIA BLOOMS)
IFJ demands release of filmmaker Du Bin, asks China to cease suppression of press freedom (BW BUSINESS WORLD)
Journalist murders double in 2020, press freedom group says (VOICE OF AMERICA)
International Federation of Journalists condemns killing of mexican journalist (URDUPOINT NEWS)
Int'l Federation…
2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic have had a brutal impact on journalism: media closures, layoffs, loss of income and job insecurity have been headline news in our communications. However, there have also been positive initiatives and trends, ‘green shoots’ that could turn into effective solutions to the crisis unleashed in the media. The IFJ and its affiliates all over the world are determined to fight for such a future for our profession.
Solidarity among media workers in times of crisis
The pandemic has triggered a wave of solidarity among trade unions, media workers and civil society organizations without precedents in recent history. If unity and solidarity are essential to expand and…
Can Dündar, the former editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Cumhuriyet was sentenced to over 27 years in prison on 23 December 2020. The charges against him are espionage and terrorism. Dündar is exiled in Germany since 2016. The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) joined international human rights and press freedom groups to condemn the politically motivated verdict.
A court in Istanbul reportedly sentenced Dundar to 18 years and nine months for “obtaining state secrets for the purpose of political or military espionage” and to eight years and nine months for “supporting an armed terrorist organisation without being a member”. The verdict was…
Global Unions have expressed alarm and strong indignation at Saudi Arabia’s State Prosecutor’s decision to seek the maximum jail sentence for women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul. She has been imprisoned on alledged charges of terrorism for advocating for women’s rights.
If convicted, Hathloul, one of Saudi Arabia’s most outspoken human rights activists, faces up to 20 years in prison.
Ms. Loujain Al-Hathloul has been engaged in promoting women’s rights in her country for several years, including in the movements to allow women to drive and to claim freedom of movement.
On 15 May 2018, Ms. Al-Hathloul was arrested and has since been detained on national security grounds,…
Truong Chau Huu Danh, a former state media reporter and a founder of the Facebook news page Bao Sach or ‘Clean Newspaper’, was arrested on December 17 after criticising a contentious infrastructure program in the country. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns Truong’s arrest and demands his immediate release.
Truong was detained after posting his criticism of the country's build-operate-transfer (BOT) highways to his Bao Sach page. The project was implemented in recent years as a funding mechanism for Vietnam and involved the construction of toll booths and new methods of toll collection that sparked public protest. Truong had previously reported on the protests against…
At a time when the media is already under pressure from the ongoing financial crisis in Pakistan, Covid-19 pandemic intensifies the difficulties and worries to journalists and media workers in Pakistan, writes Lubna Naqvi.
With the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic underway in Pakistan, many media workers are bracing for more infections and more issues. At a time when the media is already under pressure from the ongoing financial crisis, this second wave will cause many more difficulties for media employees.
Several journalists and media workers in Pakistan have been infected and recovered from the virus since the beginning of the pandemic. Karachi Union of Journalists’ (KUJ)…
Rahmatullah Nikzad, a reporter, photographer and chief of the Ghazni Journalists’ Union, was assassinated in the first district of Ghazni province by unknown assailants on December 21. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Afghanistan affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association (AIJA) condemn the heinous assassination and call for swift action to locate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Nikzad, a respected Afghan journalist who has worked for Al Jazeera and Associated Press, was shot three times in the chest with a silencer pistol as he left home to visit a local mosque in the evening of December 21. The gunmen are yet to be identified. No group has…
Sok Oudom, the owner of Rihysen Radio Station, was sentenced on 22 December, 2020 by Kampong Chhnang court to 20 months in jail for reporting on a land conflict between villagers and the military. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) backedits affiliate, the Cambodian Journalists Alliance (CamboJA) in condemning the ruling and the judicial persecution of journalists in the country.
The case began in May 2020, when Nou Samreth, deputy commander of Kampong Chhnang military operations area, sued Sok Oudom after the journalist reported and live-streamed on Facebook an ongoing land dispute between provincial residents and the military in Chieb commune, Teuk Phos district, Kampong…
El comunicador y empresario radial Pedro Arcángel Canelas murió el sábado tras ser acribillado en el municipio Dulce Nombre de Culmí, estado de Olancho. Tanto la Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) como la Asociación de la Prensa Hondureña (APH) y el Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Industria de la Prensa (SITINPRES) exigen una investigación que termine con el castigo de lxs autores materiales e intelectuales del hecho.
Canelas era dueño de la FM Radio Bambi, emisora del mencionado municipio de Culmí y había trabajado en distintas radios de su región. Según las versiones de testigos, una persona a bordo de una motocicleta se acercó hasta Canelas en la vía pública y le…
Rahmatullah Nikzad, a reporter, photographer and chief of the Ghazni Journalists’ Union, was assassinated in the first district of Ghazni province by unknown assailants on December 21. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Afghanistan affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association (AIJA) condemn the heinous assassination and call for swift action to locate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Nikzad, a respected Afghan journalist who has worked for Al Jazeera and Associated Press, was shot three times in the chest with a silencer pistol as he left home to visit a local mosque in the evening of December 21. The gunmen are yet to be identified. No group has…
A group of assailants attacked two Abb Takk television journalists on December 18, allegedly in retaliation for stories exposing local mafia operations. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Pakistan affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemn the attack.
Imdad Pholphoto, Abb Takk’s Sukkur bureau chief, and television journalist Altaf Kalorr were the subject of the attacks in Sindh province. According to the PFUJ, nearly a dozen assailants from local mafia involved with land grabbing and robberies entered the Abb Takk office and attacked the two journalists with batons. The bureau chief received serious head injuries while Kalorr had his arm…
China has warned against foreign interference in what it calls an ‘internal affair’ after foreign parties expressed concerns over the detention of Haze Fan, a Bloomberg staff member in Beijing. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) rejects this is an internal matter and says international calls for information on Fan’s condition and the charges against her do not constitute as interference.
Haze Fan, a Chinese citizen who has worked for the Bloomberg News Beijing bureau since 2017, has been under detention by Chinese authorities on suspicion of endangering national security since December 7. She was last seen being escorted out of her apartment by plain clothes officials,…
Chinese journalist and filmmaker Du Bin has been detained by authorities for allegedly “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” on December 16. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls on the Chinese government to release Du immediately and respect Chinese citizens’ right to freedom of expression.
Du, 48, is a Chinese documentary filmmaker and journalist who has previously worked for The New York Times as a freelance photographer. According to Du’s sister Du Jirong, Du was arrested and detained by Beijing police on December 16 over vague allegations he was ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’.
The journalist’s detention may have been linked to his recent writing,…
La periodista dominicana Dulce García Robles, fue acusada ayer de intentar “atacar un destacamento de la Policía” por parte de esa fuerza pública. El Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de Prensa (SNTP) y la Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) repudian esta acusación infundada y exigen que la Justicia aclare rápidamente la situación.
Robles, que se desempeña en FM La Kalle, se había acercado al destacamento de San Pedro de Macorís para cubrir una manifestación y terminó agredida por un agente de la fuerza de seguridad. Lejos de velar por los derechos de la comunicadora, la Policía la denunció ante la Justicia en un proceso que se extendió por semanas hasta la presentación del…
El reportero gráfico Bienvenido Velasco fue golpeado por efectivos policiales, ayer, mientras cubría una manifestación estudiantil en la ciudad de Panamá, según denunciaron desde el Sindicato de Periodistas (SPP) de ese país. Tanto esta entidad, como la Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP), rechazan este accionar violento y exigen una investigación que castigue a lxs agresores del fotógrafo.
Según las imágenes y testimonios recabados por la prensa durante las marchas por la exclusión de jóvenes del denominado “Bono Solidario” por la pandemia, Velasco, que trabaja para la agencia española EFE, estaba documentando la movilización cuando fue agredido y estuvo cerca de ser…
Ethical media coverage of migrant issues is essential to erase stigmatization, xenophobia and racism from our societies. On the International Day of Migrants, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reaffirms its commitment to ethical, factual, and rigorous reporting over migration and the role of media towards inclusive and hate speech-free societies.
One year ago the IFJ participated in the elaboration of the “Ethical Charter for media coverage of Migration”, drafted by journalists from Africa, America, Asia and Europe and IFJ and other journalists' organisations representatives. The charter, which is inspired by its Global Charter of the Ethics of Journalism,…
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 11 and 18 December, 2020.
English:
Journalists federation says 42 media workers killed in 2020 (ABC NEWS)
138 journalists killed in Pakistan since 1990: IFJ (DAWN)
No, covid-19 vaccines didn’t kill any trial participants — and more parsing of latest disinformation on the shots (WASHINGTON POST)
Mexican photojournalist killed after taking photos of bodies along a road (THE GUARDIAN)
Journalists targeted (DAWN)
Reporter's Notebook:…
Executive Committee meeting by videoconference on December 16 and 17, 2020.
The Executive Committee of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which represents 600,000 members in 150 countries, is appalled by the assassination of Jaïme Daniel Castano Zacarias, a photojournalist from Jerez (Mexico) on Wednesday, December 9, 2020. This colleague was previously threatened and was under state protection. He was killed after he had exercised his profession by photographing corpses on the side of a road. The Executive Committee recalls that Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for press freedom, where more than 100 journalists have died since the beginning…
Le Comité exécutif de la Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ), première organisation mondiale de la profession dans le monde représentant 600.000 journalistes dans 150 pays, réuni en visioconférence les 16 et 17 décembre 2020, constate que la France traverse une période de fortes turbulences, les pouvoirs en place profitent de la crise sanitaire pour tenter de légiférer à toute vitesse contre les libertés fondamentales. Plusieurs textes sont contraires à la Constitution française, à la Convention européenne des droits de l’Homme et à la Déclaration universelle des droits de l’Homme des Nations Unies.
- La Proposition de loi (PPL) sur la « Sécurité globale », déjà…
Four journalists were arrested on 11 December and 12 December while covering protests against the murder of Klodjan Rasha, a 25 years-old Albanian citizen, in Tirana. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its affiliate, the Association of Professional Journalists of Albania (APJA) strongly condemn the harassment and arbitrary arrest of media workers who are reporting on a public event.
The protests began on 9 December after a police officer shot and killed 25 years-old citizen, Klodjan Rasha, who refused to stop when he was spotted outside his home during the Covid-19 curfew, according to media reports. Due to the pandemic,…
S V Pradeep, a Thiruvananthapuram based broadcast journalist, was killed in a hit-and–run road accident in suspicious circumstances on December 14. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls for a thorough investigation into his death.
According to police and onlookers, a Swaraj Mazda truck hit Pradeep’s two-wheeled vehicle which was travelling in the same direction near a Karakkamandapam traffic signal at 4pm. The driver did not stop the truck and sped from the scene. Pradeep was severely injured before later dying from the injuries he sustained. His body was taken to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Local police said they are assessing all possibilities, including a…
S V Pradeep, a Thiruvananthapuram based broadcast journalist, was killed in a hit-and–run road accident in suspicious circumstances on December 14. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls for a thorough investigation into his death.
According to police and onlookers, a Swaraj Mazda truck hit Pradeep’s two-wheeled vehicle which was travelling in the same direction near a Karakkamandapam traffic signal at 4pm. The driver did not stop the truck and sped from the scene. Pradeep was severely injured before later dying from the injuries he sustained. His body was taken to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Local police said they are assessing all possibilities, including a…
El pasado lunes dos tubos de dinamita sin encender fueron hallados por un trabajador en la casa del periodista ecuatoriano Mario Pinto, en la ciudad de Machala, provincia de El Oro. Tanto la Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) como la Federación Nacional de Periodistas de Ecuador (FENAPE) repudian este hecho y exigen una investigación que dé con los responsables.
Según reportaron los medios locales, el comunicador, que se desempeña actualmente en el portal MPNoticias, fue alertado sobre los explosivos por una persona que hacía reparaciones en su casa. Cuando la Policía revisó el lugar, se encontró con que la dinamita estaba armada y lista para explotar, pero la mecha no había sido…
The National Writers Union (NWU) has joined forces with the subscription-based online publication Defector to agree a set of shared principles for their freelance workers. The IFJ welcomes the agreement which will ensure guaranteed standards and enhanced rights for the company's freelance workforce.
The principles, developed as part of the NWU's Freelance Solidarity project, will deliver guaranteed base pay rates, transparent conditions and the right of freelances to be represented by the NWU under a new grievance procedure.
These principles, which were announced on 14 December, cover any media worker providing information services to Defector, among writers, researchers,…
On 10 December, 84 journalists of the state National Authority of Radio and TV were dismissed due to alleged loyalty to the regime of former president Omar Al-Bashir and administrative irregularities in their hiring process. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Sudanese Journalists Union (SJU) condemn this decision and demand the immediate re-integration of all the media workers.
According to media reports, 60 TV employees, 19 radio workers and 5 broadcasting journalists received their dismissal letters by Sudan’s Empowerment Removal Committee on 10 December. Many of them claimed that the decision had no basis and that they were given no opportunity to…
Hussein Khattab, a reporter for Turkish state broadcaster TRT World, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on 12 December in Al Bab city, in Aleppo’s northwestern neighborhood. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Syrian Journalists Association (SYJA) strongly condemned the killing and demanded urgent measures to ensure journalists' safety in the field.
Khattab was working on a photographic report about displaced people in Al Bab and the dangers surrounding their living conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the middle of his work, two masked men on a motorbike shot him 10 times near the city’s cemetery, killing him instantly.
Al…
The photojournalist Jaime Daniel Castaño Zacarías was gunned down in Jerez, Zacatecas state, while he was covering the discovery of two bodies.
According to local news reports, the reporter was shot after he took photographs of the bodies that appeared on the public highway as a result of a clashes between the Jalisco Nueva Generación and Sinaloa cartels. Castaño Zacarías worked as a photojournalist and editor of the digital news outlet PrensaLibreMx.
Journalists' safety, Mexico, IFJ, Impunity
Police manhandled three Kashmiri journalists as they covered election polling in South Kashmir on December 10. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Indian affiliates the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and the National Union of Journalists India (NUJ-I) condemn the journalists’ arbitrary attack and the ongoing persecution of media workers in the region.
Fayaz Lolu, a stringer with ETV Bharat; Mudasir Qadri, a stringer with News 18 Urdu; and Junaid Rafiq, of V9; were beaten by the senior superintendent of police (SSP), Anantnag Sandip Chowdary, in the Srigugwara area of South Kashmir. The journalists were all covering the District Development Council elections in the…
El miércoles último el fotoperiodista mexicano Jaime Daniel Castaño Zacarías fue asesinado en Jerez, estado de Zacatecas, tras cubrir el hallazgo de dos cuerpos. La Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) y su afiliada mexicana, el Sindicato Nacional de Redactores de la Prensa (SNRP), exigen que las medidas previstas por el Estado para este tipo de crímenes se apliquen con rigor para juzgar a los asesinos.
Según se desprende de los informes periodísticos locales, el reportero fue baleado luego de que tomara fotografías de cadáveres que aparecieron en la vía pública como resultado de un enfrentamiento entre los carteles Jalisco Nueva Generación y Sinaloa. Castaño Zacarías se…
60 000 personnes ont marché ce samedi 12 décembre à travers la France pour dénoncer la proposition de loi « Sécurité globale » . Plus de 150 villes, des métropoles jusqu'aux localités plus modestes, ont déjà connu au moins un rassemblement depuis le 28 novembre, grâce au tissu associatif, syndical et politique sur lequel repose encore la vitalité démocratique de ce pays. Dans un communiqué joint daté du 13 décembre une vingtaine d'associations, dont les affiliés de la FIJ SNJ et SNJ-CGT, dénoncent les dérives policières autour des manifestations.
Nombre d'observateurs ont constaté ce samedi 12 décembre dans la capitale des dérives inadmissibles liées à un déploiement policier et militaire…
The reporter for Turkish state broadcaster TRT World, was shot dead by unidentified in Al Bab city, in Aleppo’s northwestern neighborhood.
Khattab was working on a photographic report about displaced people in Al Bab and the dangers surrounding their living conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In the middle of his work, two masked men on a motorbike shot him 10 times near the city’s cemetery, killing him instantly.
Al Bab is controlled by Ankara-backed Syrian armed groups and the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). Khattab, also known as ‘Kara Al-Safrani’, had earlier warned on his Facebook account about an assassination attempt against…
Associacao Dos Jornalistas de Cabo Verde (AJOC) in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) under the UTU Project 2020 held a two –day seminar on Digital Organising, Youth Recruitment and Trade Union Reform from 4- 5 December in Praia.
The seminar brought together 26 young journalists who work online and in other media sectors as well as final year journalist student.
The objective of the seminar was to create awareness on trade union issues among young journalists especially those working online and to develop strategies to recruit journalists working online into the union.
The seminar deliberated extensively on issues concerning the working…
On December 11, media tycoon Jimmy Lai was reportedly charged with “collusion with foreign forces” under the national security laws, while he remained detained by authorities for other charges. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns the groundless charges against Lai and calls on the Hong Kong authorities to release Lai immediately and drop all charges against him.
Lai, the founder of Next Digital, which manages the newspaper Apple Daily, was charged with “collusion with foreign forces” under the national security laws, Apple Daily and other news outlets reported on December 11. He attended a court mention on December 12 at West Kowloon Courts.
Local…
Haze Fan, a Chinese citizen who has worked for the Bloomberg News Beijing bureau since 2017, has been detained by Chinese authorities on suspicion of endangering national security. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the Chinese authorities to release Fan immediately and drop any imminent charges against her.
On December 7, Fan was detained by plain clothes officials from her apartment in Beijing, according to Bloomberg. The news organization later learnt that Fan is alleged to have participated in activities endangering national security.
“We are deeply concerned for her well-being,” Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait said in an interview. “We…
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 5 and 11 December, 2020.
English
42 journalists killed over their work in 2020 (THE GUARDIAN)
Israeli impunity: Seeking justice over Israel’s targeting of Palestinian journalists (IFEX)
Iraq ranks world's most dangerous country for journalists over 30-year period: press rights group (RUDAW)
Int'l journalism body to take French bill to UN (ANADOLU AGENCY)
Int’l journalism body to take French bill to…
Lady Ann Salem, an editor from alternative news site Manila Today, was arrested during a string of police operations in Manila on December 10, coinciding with international Human Rights Day. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists Philippines (NUJP) in condemning the arrest and demands her release.
According to the Philippine chapter of the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT), Lady Ann Salem, known as ‘Icy’ among colleagues, was seized from her home in Mandaluyong City, Manila, around 9am. Salem is a communication officer for the Philippine chapter of the IAWRT and founding member of Altermidya, a…
Malala Maiwand, 25, a female TV anchor for Enkaas TV and Radio, was killed by gunmen in a targeted attack in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan on December 10. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Afghanistan affiliate, the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association (AIJA) condemn the brutal killing and urge authorities to take swift and meaningful action to ensure the safety of journalists in Afghanistan.
The assailants opened fire on Malala Maiwand's car as she left to travel to work in Jalalabad from her home in eastern Nangarhar province. Both Malala and her driver, Mohammad Tahir, were killed. Following the shooting, the assailants fled the scene. The…
Après une grève massive le 26 novembre dernier, le Syndicat des journalistes tunisiens (SNJT) a décidé de suspendre son mouvement de contestation après avoir obtenu satisfaction sur l’essentiel de ses revendications. La Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ) salue le travail collectif de son affilié et se réjouit de la solidarité internationale.
Dans la rue et dans les rédactions, on les reconnaissait à leur brassard rouge. Les grévistes du « Jour de la colère » - nom de leur mouvement de grève du 26 novembre piloté par le Syndicat national des journalistes tunisiens (SNJT) – auront finalement obtenu gain de cause
Alors que le SNJT, l’affilié de la FIJ en Tunisie,…
Veteran editor-in-chief of Iran-e-Farda magazine, Kayvan Samimi, began his three-year prison term on 8 December, after being jailed for "inflaming citizens and taking part in illegal public meetings", among other charges. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Association of Iranian Journalists (AIJ), condemned his illegal imprisonment, just one day after he was arrested, and demanded his immediate release from the notorious Evin prison.
Samimi, 72, was convicted in absentia on 20 April by Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges that included having founded the socialist movement ‘People's Liberation Party’ 22 years ago,…
Health care and other essential workers have been in the front line fighting the pandemic and its effects for the past 12 months. But so too have media workers, upholding Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which protects the people’s right to receive and impart information. The journalist’s job has been particularly vital in 2020, a year when accessing high quality and verified information about the Covid-19 pandemic has, literally, saved lives.
Regrettably, these efforts had a dramatic human cost for our profession. Since the pandemic began, journalists all over the world risked their lives to report on the field without proper protection equipment or safety…
The 25-year -old female TV anchor for Enkaas TV and Radio, was killed by gunmen in a targeted attack in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan.
The assailants opened fire on Malala Maiwand's car as she left to travel to work in Jalalabad from her home in eastern Nangarhar province. Both Malala and her driver, Mohammad Tahir, were killed. Following the shooting, the assailants fled the scene. The Islamic State (IS) subsequently claimed responsibility for the shooting, accusing her of being a “pro-regime” journalist. Nangarhar is for IS militant activity and the group claimed responsibility for most of the recent attacks on civilians in the area.…
To mark the International Day for Human Rights on 10 December 2020, the IFJ, the largest organisation of professional journalists with 600,000 members in 150 countries, publishes a reference document: the White Paper on Global Journalism. In addition to studies on freedom of expression, working conditions, youth or gender equality, the IFJ reports in this 62-page document that 2658 journalists have been murdered since 1990, 42 of them in 2020, and 235 are currently in prison.
2658 journalists killed in the last thirty years
When the International Federation of Journalists published its first annual report of killed journalists in 1990, very few anticipated that the “journalists killed…
Qais Javed, a journalist affiliated with Ehadnama media news, was shot dead in front of his home on the night of December 7 in the north western city of Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Pakistan affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemn the gruesome murder and urge the authorities to conduct impartial investigation and punish the guilty.
Unidentified gunmen riding on a motorcycle shot Qais Javed multiple times around his stomach before decamping from the scene. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in Dera Ismail Khan but died on the way. Police are yet to make any arrests.
Javed, 37,…
