Maharashtra journalist Sandeep Mahajan was assaulted by a group of men on August 9 after publishing statements online about Maharashtra’s chief minister, with the attack captured and shared online. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the India Journalist Union (IJU) in calling for action to be taken against the minister in line with the state’s journalist protection laws.
The assault on the Maharashtra Daily journalist in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon area was captured in a video that went viral the following day. In the video, Mahajan is seen being pulled from his motorbike and beaten up by at least three men. The men have since been alleged to be supporters of…
After a wave of media arrests in early August, a further three journalists were taken in by the Taliban government personnel in Kandahar province on August 14, while a radio station in Helmand province was ordered to stop the broadcast of women’s voices. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demands the Taliban authorities cease the campaign of harassment against media
workers in the country and respect the media’s duty and right to report.
Attaullah Omar, a reporter with TOLO News; Waheedur Rahman Afghanmal, a reporter with Daily Etilat-e Roz and Alive-in Afghanistan, and Shamsullah Omari, a freelance journalist were separately arrested in Kandahar province on August 14.…
Until two years ago, the news media in Afghanistan thrived. There were 160 television stations, 311 radio stations, 90 print newspapers and 26 news agencies jostling for attention. Nearly 12,000 people, most of them journalists, worked to create content. In a country of many tongues, it seemed there was space for everyone to make their voice heard.
The contrast today is stark; nearly 100 television stations have closed, a third of radio stations no longer broadcast, only 11 newspapers remain and half the news agencies have shut up shop. The fate of the journalists themselves is more troubling still.
A small proportion have found their way to Western countries – usually when…
Timor Leste’s newest government should defend the country’s public broadcaster Rádio e Televisão de Timor-Leste (RTTL) and its vital role as a voice of democracy in the region. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls on Timor Leste’s new political leaders to respect the hard-fought editorial independence of its media and, in particular, its public broadcaster which is driving a strong, sustainable model.
The future of South East Asia’s youngest democracy and its media industry was the focus on August 11 at a public forum in Dili, when Timor Leste’s President, Jose Ramos Horta, called on the country’s government to embed ideas of public broadcasting in the nation’s psyche in…
The South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN) today called for urgent international support to help Afghan journalists and media workers displaced and forced into exile in the two years since the fall of the country to the Taliban. SAMSN today described the situation as a humanitarian crisis and urged governments globally to expedite and open more resettlement pathways.
The Taliban’s ascent to power in August 2021 was catastrophic for Afghanistan’s media. A dramatic increase in media rights violations, the systematic targeting of women’s rights including the right to work, the introduction of repressive legislation targeting the media, and the economic collapse of the country’s once…
India’s parliament has passed legislation that threatens to increase government surveillance, undermine freedom of information, and impact press freedom. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU), in urging Indian authorities to review the new bills and ensure that press freedom is upheld in India.
On August 9, India’s Rajya Sabha, or Upper House, passed the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill 2023. Critics identify the bill’s potential for widening censorship, increasing surveillance of journalists and their sources, and undermining Right To Information (RTI) legislation.
The IJU says the DPDP Bill will…
The availability of news and information in Afghanistan has shrunk dramatically since the Taliban take over. Of more than 90 printed newspapers produced before 15 August 2021, only 11 remain. The number of television and radio stations has fallen by more than fifty percent, and the total number of media workers employed in the country has fallen by more than half. Two years ago, a quarter of Afghan journalists were women, today they make up only 15 per cent of the profession.
Those journalists who continue to work face the most daunting conditions. Since the Taliban take over, seven have died, 14 have been injured and 26 have been arrested. Legal challenges, harassment, and intimidation are…
Journalists in Afghanistan face some of the toughest conditions in the world. From the time of the Taliban take over, in August 2021, their situation has grown progressively worse. Thousands have left Afghanistan altogether. A fortunate few are building new lives in the United States, Canada, France, the UK and elsewhere. Far more live in precarious exile in neighbouring countries. Some have remained in Afghanistan and continue to try and serve their readers, listeners and viewers.
In August 2023, IFJ affiliate the Afghan National Journalists Union (ANJU) published a sobering survey of the country’s media.
From the moment that regime change seemed certain, in August 2021, the IFJ has…
Journalist Jose Rizal Pajares was arrested in Iriga City, Visayas on August 2 after allegedly accessing crime records without police permission. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of The Philippines (NUJP) condemn the arrest and subsequent detention.
Jose Rizal Pajares, a reporter for private radio station Radyo Natin, was arrested on August 2 on the island of Camarines Sur in Visayas after he allegedly accessed the Iriga City Police Station’s blotter, a register of crime incidents or other significant events in the city. The broadcaster said Pajares had already requested access from an on-duty police officer.
According…
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 from August 5th 2023 to August 11th 2023.
ENGLISH
Russia accused of deliberately targeting journalists in Ukraine - Atlantic Council
Russia's war with Ukraine has generated its own fog, and mis- and disinformation are everywhere - ABC News
European journalists warn the Armenian government - Put an end to persecution of the press! - Azer News
Syria: TV journalist killed in roadside bomb in Daraa province - Euro Es Euro
Hong Kong’s homegrown security…
Senior journalist Jan Mohammad Mahar died after sustaining multiple shots fired from close range in a targeted attack in Sukkur, Sindh Province, on August 13. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), strongly condemns the brutal assassination and calls for an urgent investigation to bring his attackers to account.
According to reports, the senior journalist and Kawish Television Network (KTN) Sukkur bureau chief was shot several times after leaving the broadcaster’s offices after 9pm on August 13. A colleague said Mahar was inside his vehicle at the time he was fired upon by unidentified assailants who were…
Senior journalist Jan Mohammad Mahar died after sustaining multiple shots fired from close range in a targeted attack in Sukkur, Sindh Province, on 13 August. According to reports, the senior journalist and Kawish Television Network (KTN) Sukkur bureau chief was shot several times after leaving the broadcaster’s offices after 9PM. A colleague said Mahar was inside his vehicle at the time he was fired upon by unidentified assailants who were riding on a motorbike. Mehar was initially taken to Civil Hospital before being transferred to a private medical facility where is died from his injuries.
Pakistan, Pakistani, journalist, impunity, safety, killing, union, Jan…
Journalist Ahmed Hassan Al-Zoubi, sentenced to one year in jail on August 9, and journalist Hiba Abu Taha, arrested on August 8, are being prosecuted on charges of defamation under the current Internet Crimes Law. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the prosecution of journalists and calls on the Jordanian authorities to drop all charges against them. The crackdown on media is expected to worsen under new cybercrime law adopted by the Parliament on July 27, if it comes into force after signature by the King.
On August 9, prominent satirical journalist Ahmed Hassan Al-Zoubi was sentenced to one year in jail by a Jordanian court of appeal. His case is linked to a…
Twenty-eight women journalists successfully completed two safety training sessions in Ramallah from August 1 to 3, and Gaza from August 6 to 9. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in collaboration with the Marie Colvin Journalists’ Network (MCJN) and its affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS), organised the workshops with the valuable support of the Norwegian Union of Journalists and funds from the Norwegian government.
“It is essential that Palestinian women journalists, particularly those reporting from the Gaza Strip, are able to identify the extent and the nature of the risks they face in their daily journalistic work,” said the Palestinian safety…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has expressed its deepest concern at a sudden surge of journalists arrested in Afghanistan. The arrests have taken place in the provinces of Kundaz, Nangarhar and Paktia.
Habibullah Sarab, an independent reporter for Ariana TV in Paktia; Jan Agha Salah, and Faquir Mohammad Faqirzai, reporters from Kilid Radio in Nangarhar; and Haseeb Hasas, from Radio Salam Watandar are among those who have been detained in the past two weeks.
IFJ affiliate, the Afghan Independent Journalists Union (AIJA) has not yet established the reason for the arrests, but it believes that this action by the security forces will further weaken free expression in…
Two new solidarity centres, providing emergency accommodation and a range of support services for exiled Afghan journalists in Pakistan, have been launched by the International Federation of Journalists and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists with the support of UNESCO.
The two guest houses in Islamabad – one dedicated exclusively to women journalists – are opening their doors to Afghan journalists who are currently awaiting visa or resettlement decisions from third countries and will provide accommodation, meals and legal and psychological support among other services.
Growing numbers of exiled Afghan journalists have been forced to endure poverty and homelessness as they await visa or…
The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) and the undersigned media freedom, freedom of expression, human rights, and journalists’ organisations strongly condemn the latest incident of judicial harassment against journalist Barış Pehlivan and reiterate calls to the Turkish authorities to respect media freedom.
On August 2, journalist Barış Pehlivan was informed via an SMS from the Ministry of Justice that he was expected to turn himself over to the Marmara Low Security Correctional Institution (formerly Silivri) between August 1-15, 2023. Pehlivan has already been incarcerated four times due to his journalism, two of those being one day behind bars in February…
UPDATED 10.08.2023 A reporter from the privately owned Sama TV, Firas al-Ahmad, was killed on August 9 when a roadside bomb exploded in al-Shiah district in the southern province of Daraa. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) mourns the death of al-Ahmad and urges the Syrian government to launch a thorough investigation into the killing and hold those responsible accountable .
The reporter was travelling in a vehicle with two security officers of the Syrian armed forces, who were also killed in the bomb explosion, when returning from a counter narcotics operation in Daraa province, near the Jordanian border, Syrian News Agency reported.
Al-Ahmad is the first…
Malaysian online news portals UtusanTV and MalaysiaNow have been blocked by authorities ahead of critical state elections. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM) condemn the media controls and urge the country’s media authorities to respect press freedom.
On August 7, visitors to the online news portal UtusanTV were met with a notification message informing viewers the website was not accessible for domestic audiences due to a violation of ‘national law’. Data sourced from Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI) found UtusanTV.com was blocked from August 7, with users able to access the site…
Firas al-Ahmad, a reporter from the privately owned Sama TV, was killed on August 9 when a roadside bomb exploded in al-Shiah district in the southern province of Daraa, near the Jordanian border.
The journalist was travelling in a vehicle with two security officers of the Syrian armed forces, who were also killed in the bomb explosion, when returning from a counter narcotics operation in Daraa province, Syrian News Agency reported.
IFJ, journalists, impunity, Syria, safety, Firas al-Ahmad
On August 7, journalist Ghulam Asghar Khand was shot to death by unknown actors while travelling from a press club to his residence in Khairpur. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) call for an immediate and thorough investigation into his killing.
Ghulam Asghar Khand, associated with the Sindhi Daily Sobh, was reportedly attacked and killed near the northern Sindh city of Khairpur. Unknown men riding motorcycles approached the journalist while he was at his guest house in the locality of Ahmadpur, before firing at him. The journalist received at least nine gunshot wounds during the attack. Khand was taken to Pir Jo Goth…
Bangladeshi authorities have announced an intention to replace the nation’s much-criticised draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) with a revised Cyber Security Act due for introduction in September. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges Bangladesh’s leaders to ensure any future legislation respects and defends press freedom, not criminalises it.
On August 7, Law Minister Anisul Huq announced his government’s intention to replace the DSA with a revised Cyber Security Act (CSA) of 2023. Huq claimed the new law would revise or replace several sections of the DSA to address the ‘misuse’ of the law to target government critics and media workers.
Huq claims the law will…
The Turkish offices of the Russian news agency Sputnik, in Istanbul and Ankara, have just dismissed 24 unionised journalists who had decided to strike to obtain better working conditions. The strike was declared following the failure of negotiations on a new collective labor agreement, announced on August 7 the Trade Union of Journalists of Turkey (TGS), affiliated to the International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ).
“Sputnik is firing our members instead of respecting their trade union rights and responding to their legitimate demands,” said TGS President Gökhan Durmuş. “The agency even went so far as to dismiss a union delegate, in defiance of the law. We demand…
On August 7, Russian missile strikes damaged a hotel, which is popular among journalists covering the war, in the city of Pokrovsk in the eastern Donetsk region. It is the second time in recent weeks that facilities used by media workers have been hit by Russian fire in Ukrainian cities. The International and the European Federation of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) condemn the attack in the strongest terms and remind the Russian authorities that journalists and media workers operating in areas of armed conflict must be treated and protected as civilians and allowed to perform their work without interference.
Russian strikes destroyed a hotel and an apartment building in the eastern city of Pokrovsk…
Julian Assange recognises the harmful impact that his case will have on media freedom the world over, and is grateful for the support that journalists have given him since he was detained. He expressed concern that if the United States applies its domestic laws to prosecute an Australian journalist, publishing in Europe, nothing will stop China, or any other country, from doing the same.
Assange was speaking to Dominique Pradalié the president of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), who visited him in prison earlier today (Tuesday 8 August). She was able to tell him that journalists, and many others, around the world are campaigning each day for his release and that his…
Journalists Fortune Francis and Sunday George were assaulted and their mobile phones stolen while covering a political rally on July 22 in the capital Dar es Salaam. They were working for the media company Mwananchi Communications Limited, which publishes Mwananchi and Mwanaspoti newspapers, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Journalists Workers’ Union of Tanzania (JOWUTA) in condemning this act of brutality on journalists who were simply carrying out their job.
According to a statement issued by JOWUTA, party militants “beat and stole the phones of the [mentioned] journalists”, who were reporting on the preparations for a public rally of the main…
On 7 August, journalist Ghulam Asghar Khand was shot to death by unknown actors while travelling from a press club to his residence in Khairpur. Khand, associated with the Sindhi Daily Sobh, was reportedly attacked and killed near the northern Sindh city of Khairpur. Unknown men riding motorcycles approached the journalist while he was at his guest house in the locality of Ahmadpur, before firing at him. The journalist received at least nine gunshot wounds during the attack. Khand was taken to Pir Jo Goth Taluka Hospital. The journalist died before receiving medical care.
Ghulam Asghar Khand, Pakistan, Pakistani, journalist, impunity, crime, union, IFJ, killing, safety,
Members of the Taliban forcibly closed a privately-owned station in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province after it held a mixed-gender journalism training course. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the closure of the outlet and calls on the Taliban to cease its gendered harassment and censorship of Afghanistan’s media.
On the afternoon of July 31, approximately 10 to 15 Taliban members entered the Jalalabad offices of private broadcaster Radio Hamisha Bahar, allegedly to disrupt a journalism course attended by both men and women. According to employees, the intruders were offensive and disparaging toward course attendees and staff, before forcibly escorting those…
Journalist and publisher Badri Seshadri was arrested by Tamil Nadu state authorities for allegedly provocative remarks about the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU), condemn his arrest.
Tamil Nadu journalist, political commentator, and publisher Badri Seshadri was taken in by police on the morning of July 29 after a local lawyer filed a First Information Report (FIR) related to comments made in an interview about the ongoing violence in Manipur state. The publisher was served with an arrest warrant, before being transported to Perambalur from his house in the…
UPDATE 09.08.2023 Senegalese journalist Pape Ale Niang was arrested by the police on July 29 following a live-streamed video on YouTube commenting on the detention of opposition leader Ousman Sonko, reported AFP. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned in the strongest terms the arbitrary arrest of Pape Ale Niang and called on the authorities to safeguard freedom of expression and media freedom as it is expected in a democratic state.
On 29 July, Pape Ale Niang, owner of online news outlet Dakar Matin and a government critic, was lifted from his home and placed under detention. On August 1, the journalist was brought before the Prosecutor, questioned and charged for…
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 from July 29th 2023 to August 4th 2023.
ENGLISH
Press Freedom in Asia Under Siege - Inter Peace Service
Sri Lankan police detain and beat Sinhala journalist - Tamil Guardian
What is Article 23? Hong Kong’s homegrown security law finds itself back in the spotlight - Hong Kong Free Press
Aussie leaders must raise their voice to free Assange - China Daily
FRENCH
Le gouvernement national-conservateur italien est accusé d’avoir poussé la Rai à…
On August 2, an armed man driving an ambulance in the northern occupied West Bank bearing the emblem of the national Israeli ambulance service, the Red Star of David, pointed his gun at Palestinian journalists Nasser and Ali Eshtayyeh and local activist Ayman Ghrayyeb, and threatened to shoot them, according to the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the PJS, in condemning the assault and calls on the Israeli authorities to halt violence against Palestinian journalists permeating all levels of the occupation system.
The armed man ordered the two journalists and the activist to evacuate the car in which they were…
Two media workers were shot by stray bullets fired by unknown assailants while attending a media tour of power stations outside Port Moresby. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls for an urgent investigation into the incident.
On August 2, a journalist and camera operator with Papua New Guinea’s National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) were injured after being shot in the village of 9-Mile, near the nation’s capital of Port Moresby. Witnesses said around six gunshots were fired in two bursts at approximately 1pm as the journalists took lunch. One of three initial shots grazed the NBC camera operator, before striking senior NBC journalist Gwendella Rea in her right forearm.…
A global anti-corruption investigation has claimed that a Solomon Islands newspaper accepted funding from Chinese authorities, allegedly in exchange for the publication of content favourable to China. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses grave concerns at foreign interference in Pacific media outlets’ editorial independence and calls for stronger efforts to protect and sustain media integrity in the Solomon Islands media industry.
In a leaked funding proposal from July 2022, an investigation from the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) alleged that the management of Solomon Star newspaper requested SBD 1,150,000 (approximately USD 140,000) from…
UPDATED 02.08.23. Former Russian journalist Ivan Safronov who has been imprisoned for alleged "high treason" since 7th July 2020, was sentenced to a 22-year jail term on 5th September. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Journalists and Media Workers Union (JMWU) in strongly condemning the decision of the Moscow City Court.
Ivan Safronov was a prominent journalist reporting until May 2020 on defence issues for Russian newspapers Kommersant and Vedomosti, before becoming an adviser for the Russian space agency Roscosmos.
Safronov is accused of “high treason” for allegedly providing state secrets related to arms sales to the Czech Republic, which…
Daily press workers in many newsrooms are wearing black on Wednesdays to demand pay rises and improved working conditions, after more than a decade of wage freezes and, in some cases, substantial cuts. The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ), together with their Spanish affiliates, fully support journalists’ and media workers’ calls for decent salaries and the broader fight against precarity in the sector.
Journalists, media workers and staff from the economic newspaper Expansión reached a pre-agreement with the media company Unidad Editorial – amongst the largests media groups in Spain – to be voted on 3 August, which includes pay rises and the possibility…
Australia’s media worker union has made a submission to an Australian Government inquiry raising concerns over potential impacts of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology on the sustainability, working conditions, and creative agency of its members. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), in calling for a framework to address the risks posed by AI technology and urges authorities to centre protections on audiences, creative workers and their industries.
On July 31, MEAA made an official submission to the Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources, in response to a June 1 invitation…
Mónica Velázques y Andersson Boscán se vieron forzados a abandonar el país luego de recibir amenazas e información que afirmaba que lxs periodistas del medio digital La Posta eran blanco de integrantes de la mafia albanesa. Ambxs comunicadorxs forman parte del equipo que investigó el caso denominado El Gran Padrino, que involucra al presidente Guillermo Lasso en hechos de corrupción. La Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) condena junto a la Federación Nacional de Periodistas del Ecuador (FENAPE) estos hechos que lamentablemente no son aislados y espera una profunda investigación que dé con lxs responsables.
Lxs periodistas Mónica Velázques y Andersson Boscán afirman que las…
The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join its affiliate in Armenia, the Union of Armenian journalists (UAJ), in condemning the campaign of insults and harassment launched by government supporters on social networks and in certain online media following Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's press conference in Yerevan on 25 July, in a climate of tension following the events in Karabakh. We call on the Armenian authorities to publicly denounce these threats and to prosecute and punish the perpetrators.
Among others, journalists Ani Gevorgyan and Hripsime Jebejyan have been the target of death threats and threats of physical violence. The…
The promise to keep confidential the source of sensitive information is a journalists’ defining undertaking. That solemn assurance is what empowers witnesses to wrongdoing to seek out reporters and tip them off – be that to reveal corners that have been cut, bribes paid or laws ignored. But for so long as reporters have promised that their contacts identities’ are sacrosanct, the corner-cutters, bribers and criminals have tried to identify those who would expose them.
Revelations that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) snooped on the phone of Barry McCaffrey underlines just how vulnerable journalists are to surveillance.
McCaffrey was one of the Belfast-based team who made the…
Freelance journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara was detained and assaulted by police while reporting on a union-led protest in Colombo on July 28. The IFJ and its affiliates, the Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU), the Free Media Movement (FMM), and the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SWLJA) condemn Uduwaragedara’s detention and assault and urge Sri Lankan authorities and human rights bodies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
In a video posted online, Sri Lankan police officers can be seen forcibly removing freelance journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara from an auto rickshaw, pulling at his hair and shirt in the process. Uduwaragedara can be heard…
Following statements against the Italian Vice President of the Council of Ministers Matteo Salvini (far right), journalist Roberto Saviano saw the program he was due to present in the autumn on public television abruptly canceled by the directors of Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI), appointed in the spring. Italy’s far-right government has been accused of leaning on the public broadcaster to axe his anti-mafia television programme. In the name of freedom of expression and in defence of the public interest, the International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) call on RAI to reverse its decision.
Four episodes of Saviano’s programme, "Insider, Face to Face With Crime", had…
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 from July 22nd 2023 to July 28th 2023.
English
Journalists Should Take A Leaf From Hollywood's Book - Public Now
80-year-old woman injured by petal mine in Donetsk - Al Mayadeen English
IFJ calls for prompt investigation into death of RIA Novostic correspondent Zhuravlev - Urdu Point
International Federation of Journalists expresses concern over PEMRA Amendment Bill - ARY News
Spanish
La Federación Internacional de Periodistas pide investigar…
On 26 July, the Grodno Regional Court sentenced journalist Pavel Mazheyka to 6 years in a prison under the strict regime, reports the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ). The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) join their affiliate BAJ in denouncing this outrageous verdict and the indiscriminate repression of journalists and media workers by dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko‘s regime.
Pavel Mazheika was detained on 30 August 2022 together with former lawyer Yuliya Yurgilevich. They were accused of transmitting information to the Belsat TV channel in February-March 2022, which was considered as “promoting extremist activities.” (the Belarusian…
Croatia’s draft media law poses a significant threat to free expression. If adopted, it would ban journalists from criticising actions by the country’s courts, or the state attorney’s office, proscribe how state advertising money can be spent, require journalists to disclose their sources, and create a council for the media whose composition is in the gift of the government. It would also maintain a register of journalists, entry on which would be in Government control. All these measures would undermine media freedom and damage Croatia’s international standing.
The Croatian Journalists Association (HND) did not learn of these proposals until 5 July. The task force that had been working on…
Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, two women journalists who were among the first to report about Mahsa Amini’s death, stood for the final round of closed-door trials on 25 and 26 July, respectively. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Tehran Province Journalists Association (TPJA), in demanding that the court drop all charges against them and renews its call on the Iranian authorities to release all imprisoned journalists and media workers.
The separate trials of Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, who have been imprisoned since September 2022, were held in branch 15 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court earlier this week. As happened with the first…
The repression of journalism continues in Azerbaijan. Journalist Vugar Mammadov was sentenced to one month in prison on 24 July for simply doing his job. The International and the European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) call on the authorities to immediately release him.
On 24 July, the Narimanov district court, presided over by judge Vusal Gurbanov, sentenced Vugar Mammadov, editor-in-chief of the Hurriyyet newspaper, the Youtube channel Hurriyyet TV and the news portal Hurriyyet.az, to one month in prison. The sentence is based on Article 388.1.1.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
According to Hurriyyet, Mammadov was accused of broadcasting a critical interview about…
The implications of generative AI on Pakistan’s complex media landscape must be fully understood through changes in journalism, media ownership, and state interference. In a conversation with journalist Haroon Ur Rasheed Baloch, media development expert Adnan Rehmat stresses the need for a human-focused use of AI technologies in media, transcribed by Aisha Khan.
Adnan Rehmat: My name is Adnan Rehmat. I have a journalism and media development background and work mostly on media professionalisation issues such as the promotion of public interest journalism and greater public interest narratives in the media and diversity and pluralism in media. Currently, I am working as a program manager for…
La comunicadora María Luisa Estrada viajaba con su sobrina en su vehículo cuando desde una camioneta abrieron fuego contra ella. Afortunadamente no fueron heridas en el ataque y gracias a la ayuda de otros conductores que les abrieron paso, pudieron huir de la zona. Estrada denunció demoras en el accionar de las autoridades y blindaje mediático para que el caso no tomara estado publico. La Federación Internacional de Periodistas se solidariza con la colega y demanda medidas de protección y una investigación urgente que permita dar con los responsables de este atentado. La impunidad pone en riesgo la integridad física de la periodista y la seguridad de todxs lxs trabajadorxs de prensa del…
Namibia’s Kavango region encompasses some of southern Africa’s most productive farmland. Its crops are critical to the region’s food supply. So when drought struck in 2018 and 2019, it resulted in the worst famine for 90 years. Few doubt that changing weather patterns caused by global warming are to blame. When surveyed by their union, however, Namibian journalists said that that they lacked the knowledge or resources to do the story justice. So, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) facilitated a training event to plug that gap using charitable funds from Europe. Doing so brought full circle an improbable chain of events linking colonial war, inept reporting and fiction’s most…
Police violence, restricted freedom of movement, repression of freedom of expression, over-regulation by the new state media agency... Azerbaijani journalists face a particularly hostile working environment. The subject was addressed during the Shusha Global Media Forum, on 22-23 July, in the Karabakh region. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) took part in the Forum to support the work of independent Azerbaijani journalists and to back their affiliate, the Azerbaijan Union of Journalists, (JuHI).
During the session of the Forum dedicated to the safety of journalists, IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger, recalled the absolute necessity for the United…
Broadcast journalist Irfanullah Bidar has been released following his arrest by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) in Jalalabad, Nangarhar on July 12. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the journalist’s arbitrary arrest and urges his captors to ensure that journalists can operate without fear of harassment, violence or detention.
A family member of Radio Safa reporter Irfanullah Bidar confirmed that the journalist was abducted on July 12, with unknown persons placing a bag over his head and forcing Bidar into a vehicle outside a mosque in Jalalabad. Bidar was released on July 24 following nearly 13 days in detention, with his captors believed to…
El hecho sucedió el viernes 21 de julio en el barrio Delmas 33, Port-au-Prince, cuando la periodista estaba ingresando a su hogar. La Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) exige la liberación incondicional de la colega y demanda a las autoridades acciones para proteger su integridad física. También alerta sobre el contexto de extrema violencia que atraviesa el país, por el cual numerosxs trabajadorxs de prensa han sido víctimas de secuestros extorsivos y ataques armados.
Blondine Tanis, periodista y presentadora de Radio Rénovation FM (107.1FM), fue raptada el pasado viernes cuando se disponía a ingresar a su casa luego de trabajar. Los hechos sucedieron en un barrio de la capital…
A media amendment bill, that significantly expands the country’s existing media regulatory legislation, was unanimously tabled by the country’s National Assembly on July 21 despite serious concerns from the sector. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), said the bill violates current labour laws for media workers and included definitions of disinformation and misinformation that are both concerning and dangerous.
Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb, introduced the regulation bill in the national parliament, recommending adjustments to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory…
RIA journalist Rostislav Zhuravlev was reportedly killed and three other journalists were injured during a Ukrainian attack in the Zaporizhzhia occupied region of Ukraine on 22 July. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) join their Russian affiliate the Journalists and Media Workers' Union (JMWU) in calling for a swift investigation into Zhuravlev's death.
Rostislav Zhuravlev, a war correspondent working for the Russian state agency RIA Novosti, was hit in a Ukrainian strike in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian military announced on 22 July. Rostislav Zhuravlev died from his wounds during his evacuation to medical facilities, the…
A Channel 13 media worker and Sangu News journalist have been physically assaulted by Maldivian police while covering an opposition protest in Malé’s Republic Square on July 20. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA), in condemning the assault and urging authorities to conduct an immediate investigation into the incident.
In a video posted to Twitter, a Maldives Police Service (MPS) officer can be seen forcibly grabbing Channel 13 cameraperson Misbah, pushing him away from a protest attended by leaders of the Maldivian opposition ‘Progressive Congress’ coalition held in Male’s Jumhooree Maidhaan, or Republic Square…
Rostislav Zhuravlev, a war correspondent working for the Russian state agency RIA Novosti, was hit in a Ukrainian strike in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian military announced on 22 July. Rostislav Zhuravlev died from his wounds during his evacuation to medical facilities, the military said.
RIA also reported his death, saying he was killed near the frontline village of Pytikhatki.
IFJ, journalists, impunity, Russia, Ukraine, war, journalist, Rostislav Zhuravlev,
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 from July 14th 2023 to July 21st 2023.
English
Actors on strike - Why all workers should take a leaf from Hollywood’s book - The Morning Star
Student journalists in Indonesia face backlash after reporting on sexual harassment - The Guardian
BBC workers in Cairo conclude 2nd strike over low wages with plans to escalate - Mada Masr
The Palestinian photographer who’s been shot 11 times: ‘I hate blood and war’ - The Middle East Eye
The…
A number of Cambodia’s few remaining independent media outlets have been restricted and journalists reporting in the country are facing credible dangers, harassment and threats as the nation heads to the polls on July 23. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) stands with its affiliate, the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA), in condemning the continued attacks on the media and calling on the state to respect the rights of media workers to report safely and freely.
A document produced by the Telecommunications Regulator of Cambodia on July 12, revealed the intentions of authorities to restrict internet access for media outlets Radio Free Asia (RFA) and the…
What campaigner could fail to envy the cast of A-listers that SAG-AFTRA has recruited to its cause? Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon and George Clooney have been picketing film studios or showing support for the US screenwriters and actors union. Writers such as Lucy Prebble are able to interrupt prime-time interviews about their work (in her case the final episode of Succession) to voice their support for the strike. Trouble in Tinsel Town is news the world over.
So dazzling is the Hollywood stardust, however, that the real conflict propelling this dispute is easily obscured. Grasp its outlines, and it is clear that SAG-AFTRA’S strike has the potential to be one of…
La cour de Cassation marocaine a rejeté le 18 juillet le pourvoi des journalistes Omar Radi et Soulaimane Raissouni, confirmant leur condamnation en appel à des peines de prison. La Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ) dénonce un procès inéquitable.
La Cour de Cassation de Rabat a rejeté le 18 juillet le pourvoi en cassation interjeté par les journalistes Omar Radi et Soulaimane Raissouni et confirmé leurs peines de prison. Radi et Souleimane devront purger des peines de respectivement 6 et 5 ans d'emprisonnement.
Omar Radi, journaliste connu pour ses engagements pour les droits humains, était poursuivi dans une double affaire "d’attentat à la pudeur avec…
Three San Juanico TV reporters were harassed by two off-duty police officers and allegedly shot at by an unknown party while covering a land dispute involving the officers in Leyte, Visayas, on July 14. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), in condemning the harassment and attempted attack by the journalists and urging the authorities to continue its investigation transparently.
On the morning of July 14, three reporters from San Juanico TV, Lito Bagunas, Noel Sianosa and Ted Tomas, were conducting interviews with farmers in Leyte’s Municipality of Pastrana while preparing a story on a land…
El 15 de julio por la tarde, el comunicador se dirigía a su vehículo en el estacionamiento de un comercio en la colonia Zapata cuando fue abordado por personas que abrieron fuego contra él. A pesar de que al lugar llegaron los servicios de emergencias, Nelson Matus ya había fallecido. Este es el segundo crimen contra un trabajador de los medios de comunicación en el país en una semana, lo cual habla de que la situación de emergencia que enfrentan lxs periodistas está lejos de ser resuelta y debe ser abordada con urgencia. La Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP), junto al Sindicato Nacional de Redactores de la Prensa (SNRP), exige a las autoridades locales y federales una…
Myanmar’s military has threatened legal action against independent media outlets Democratic Voice of Burma and Mizzima, demanding the shuttered organisations pay broadcasting fees incurred before military rule, and charging seven Mizzima employees under Section 505(a) of the country’s penal code. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Myanmar Journalists Network (MJN), in condemning the junta's farcical legal action and demanding it cease its attacks on the media.
On July 9, the military junta’s Ministry of Information announced its intention to pursue legal action against independent news organisations, Mizzima Television and the Democratic Voice of…
Members of the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Hollywood’s largest union, commenced a strike on 14 July demanding better working conditions and safeguards in respect of streaming services and artificial intelligence. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) fully backs SAG-AFTRA’s actors and performers, who joined screenwriters from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) picketing since 2 May. This historic industrial action threatens to paralyse the Hollywood industry.
“The eyes of the world, and particularly the eyes of labour, are upon us. What happens here is important because what's happening to us is happening across all…
El 15 de julio por la tarde, comunicador Nelson Matus Peña se dirigía a su vehículo en el estacionamiento de un comercio en la colonia Zapata cuando fue abordado por personas que abrieron fuego contra él. A pesar de que al lugar llegaron los servicios de emergencias, el comunicador no logró sobrevivir a las heridas y falleció.
Nelson Matus era periodista de nota roja y director del medio especializado en información policíaca Lo Real de Guerrero. Dicho portal se destaca por cubrir la violencia que se vive en Acapulco y se convirtió en un portal de referencia en temas de inseguridad, dado que contaba con reportes de casi todos los crímenes que ocurrían en la zona.
Nelson Matus, Mexico,…
UPDATED 17.07.2023. Palestinian security forces arrested local journalist Aqil Awawdeh in Ramallah on 13 July in connection with social media posts critical of political arrests allegedly carried out by the security services in the occupied West Bank. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Palestinian Syndicate of Journalists (PJS) condemning Awawdeh’s detention and calls on the Palestinian authorities to allow freedom of expression and the professional rights of journalists.
On 13 July the Palestinian Authority denied accusations of having launched a campaign of political arrests in the occupied West Bank. “There is no truth to the rumours circulating…
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 from July 7th 2023 to July 14th 2023.
English
Assange is the excuse for all who jail journalists - Press Gazette
Myanmar’s Media Fight for Survival of Independent Journalism - VOA
Myanmar’s Media Fight for Survival of Independent Journalism - Newsgram
After 13 Months Behind Bars, Kurdish Journalists to Stand Trial - Newsgram
BBC's Cairo-Office Staff Announce New Strike Next Week - See News
Kosovo: Lift suspension of Klan Kosova and protect…
Forty cases of media and journalists’ rights violations have been registered during the first half of 2023, according to a new report published by the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS). The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the YJS, in condemning the attacks on media freedom and calls on the Yemeni government and other armed groups to release all journalists and media workers in jail.
The violations recorded in the report include eight arrests of journalists, eight cases of media workers that have received threats, seven judicial proceedings opened against media professionals and three physical attacks on journalists, among other breaches. The publication…
On July 1, journalist Shivam Arya was abducted, stabbed, and shot twice by unknown assailants before managing to escape in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemn the kidnapping, assault, and attempted murder of Shivam Arya, and call on authorities to ensure that a thorough investigation into the incident is conducted and that the perpetrators do not escape with impunity.
According to reports, Arya received a call on June 30 from a group of unknown people who requested a meeting with him. After refusing their invitation, the journalist was stabbed several times by his assailants outside…
