The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly criticises the recent criminal charges against two journalists arrested during protests in the capital Male on April 3. The IFJ calls on the authorities to immediately review the charges.
Mohamad Wisam and Leevan Ali Naseer from the opposition-aligned Raajje TV have been served a summon notice to present themselves on criminal court on charges of obstructing the discharging of police duties last year. On November 2, 2015, they were arrested as they reported on the police and military attempts to defuse a bomb found near the Presidential Palace. Wisam was also arrested on March 25, 2015 during anti-government…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) condemn the murder of a secular online activist in Bangladesh. The IFJ urge the Bangladesh government to expedite investigation to punish the murderers and deploy adequate safety measures to protect online activists, bloggers and journalists.
Nazimuddin Samad, a 28-year-old online activist and secular blogger, was murdered by unidentified assailants in Dhaka on Wednesday, April 6. The assailants attacked Samad with a machete and shot him in the head at around 8 pm. He was rushed to Mitford Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival.
Motive for the attack remains unclear; however…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the National Union of Journalists (India) (NUJI) in expressing serious concerns over the restriction imposed on media in Srinagar, Kashmir after a clash between student groups. The IFJ and NUJ(I) call on the local government to immediately lift the restrictions.
On March 30, clashes between students groups erupted after India’s loss in the T20 World Cup semi-final. Media were not allowed access to the premises of the National Institute of Technology in Srinagar, where security forces were deployed after the clashes. According to reports, more incidents broke out on March 31, which led to the institute being closed until April 5.
Ras…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly criticizes the continued suppression and censorship of key news by the Chinese government, following the release of the ‘Panama Papers’. The IFJ calls on the government to end its restrictions on the media and speech, which continues to hinder press freedom in China.
In early April, more than 11 million documents, detailing the use of offshore holdings in tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands, were anonymously leaked to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The ICIJ launched an international investigation, now known as the Panama Papers. The documents revealed the offshore holdings of 12 current…
Over 400 journalists around the world have illustrated what our profession can and should bring to citizens. During 9 months journalists gathered in the International Consortium of investigative journalists (ICIJ) collected over 11.5 million documents from the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca specialised in the creation of offshore companies. 107 international media worked on these "Panama Papers".
The IFJ joins its affiliates around the world to applaud the exemplary work of investigation carried by colleagues across the globe setting an example for the whole profession.
Read the releases of our French affiliates SNJ and SNJ-CGT
For more information,…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the attack on two journalists working in Fuzhou, Fujian in south-eastern China. The IFJ calls for immediate action to end the culture of violence against the media community in China.
According to reports in The Mirror on April 3, a journalist and cameraman from Fujian Radio and Television Network were harassed and attacked by a group of several people on March 30 as they tried to report on a domestic complaint. The report said that local residents suspected a local developer was involved in fraud and made a complaint to local media. When the two journalists arrived, they were immediately surrounded by a group of people,…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) in condemning the arrests of a number of journalists during a peaceful demonstration outside the President’s Office in the capital Male on Sunday, April 3. The IFJ calls on the Maldivian government to immediately end its crackdown on the media and guarantee press freedom across the country.
On Sunday, local journalists from various media organisations staged a demonstration in Male against the recent crackdown on media freedom including the proposed criminal defamation law, the court-ordered closure of Haveeru newspaper, and the protracted investigation into the disappearance…
Veteran journalist Dmitry Tsilikin was found killed in his apartment in Saint Petersburg on 1 April. The IFJ/EFJ condemn the killing and ask Russian authorities for prompt investigation into the murder.
According to media reports, Dmitry Tsilikin, 54, received multiple stab wounds. He is said to have died at least two days earlier. A laptop and a mobile phone are missing from the apartment.
Tsilikin had returned from a business trip to Riga, Latvia’s capital, the week before his killing.
The St. Petersburg branch of the Investigative Committee has opened up a murder case and said in a statement that Tsilikin "could have become the victim of a mundane conflict," although…
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.
Read some of the news highlights from Friday 25th March to Friday 1st April:
1. Bare stand on media killings, bets dared
2. IFJ urges Maldives to withdraw controversial defamation bill
3. Pekín libera a familiares de exiliados chinos
4. Presse: chevalier du verbe ou mercenaire de la plume?
5. "Estamos en una situación de emergencia en RTVE"
For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 16
The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 139 countries
Follow the IFJ…
On 29 March the Latvian government shut down the local website of Russia's foreign news channel Sputnik, describing the state media outlet as a "propaganda tool" and questioning the credibility of its reporting on the Ukraine conflict. The IFJ warns that any forced closure of a media outlet is a breach of press freedom.
Sputnik describes itself as “a provider of alternative news content and a radio broadcaster” and produces news in multiple languages. Launched in 2014 it operates under Russian government control.
On 29 March, the Latvian Internet registry NIC suspended Sputnik's right to hold the ".lv" Latvian domain name to which it had been posting articles in both…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) in condemning the attacks on three television journalists in Chittagong in south-eastern Bangladesh on March 27. The IFJ demands the immediate arrest of the attackers.
According to reports, three journalists including assignment editor, Mithun Mostafiz, Mohsin Chowdhury, Chittagong bureau chief and photojournalist Ahadul Islam Babu, of the privately-run Boishakhi television channel were attacked. The trio were attacks as they were recording footage of an illegal hill cutting process in the city's Khulshi area. The process of hill cutting includes cutting into the hills around…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses strong concern for the safety and security of media workers at an online outlet and the extended harassment against exiled activists following the publication of a letter calling for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s resignation. The IFJ calls on the government to end its investigation and stop intimidating the staff.
On March 4, a letter calling for President Xi Jinping’s resignation was published on watching.cn, a state and private sector joint venture online media outlet. The letter, which watching claim was posted by hackers was immediately taken down; however since early March the authorities have conducted an extensive…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) in strongly criticising the proposed ‘Defamation and Freedom of Expression Act’ in the Maldives. The IFJ demands immediate withdrawal of the bill and urge the Maldivian government to review it with all stakeholders including the media and journalists to ensure it meets the international standards.
On March 22, the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives Parliamentary Group leader MP Ahmed Nihan presented the defamation and freedom of expression bill to the Maldives parliament.
The draft law, prescribes hefty fines of between MVR50, 000 (US$3,200) and MVR5 million (US$324,000) as…
The IFJ joins its affiliate the Syndicat national des journalistes (SNJ) and asks the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to set immediately Florence Hartmann free. The former spokesperson of the Tribunal is also a former correspondent for French Newspaper Le Monde in the Balkans.
Read story in French
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists (India) (NUJI) and the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) in strongly criticising the arrest of two journalists in less than a week in conflict-ridden Bastar, Chhattisgarh in central India. The IFJ demands the immediate release of the two journalists, and an end to the media crackdown in Chhattisgarh.
On March 26, Deepak Jaiswal, a journalist for local Hindi newspaper, Dainik Dainadini, was arrested while he covered the proceedings at the district court in Dantewada, Bastar. Jaiswal was covering the proceedings against another journalist, Prabhat Singh. Singh, a reporter with local Hindi…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in strongly condemning the targeted attack on the Karachi Press Club and journalists in Pakistan. The IFJ demands an immediate investigation into the attack, and punishment of those responsible to ensure such incidents are not repeated in future.
On Sunday, March 27, dozens of assailants stormed the Karachi Press Club (KPC), attacked journalists, grabbed cameras, and tried to set the KPC and a DSNG van of Jaag TV on fire with the petrol. The mob comprising of 60 to 70 people violently attacked media staff from Jaag TV and Channel 92, as journalists remained stuck…
IFJ/EFJ today condemned the decision to hold the trial of Can Dundar and Erdem Gul behind closed doors. All diplomats, journalists, members of the public were evacuated from the court room.
The ruling was made earlier today on the first day of the Dundar/Gul case charged with aiding a terrorist organisation, espionage and disclosure of classified documents, having reported on the supply of arms to Syrian fighters by the Turkish secret services.
Gul and Dundar had previously been held for 92 days until the constitutional court set them free, 25 February, claiming their imprisonment was a breach of Article 19 (“right to personal liberty and security”), Article 26 (freedom of expression)…
Deux journalistes de l’Agence France Presse (AFP) et un journaliste du quotidien français « Le Monde » ont été agressés mercredi 23 mars dans la capitale congolaise, Brazzaville, par des hommes se présentant comme des policiers à l’occasion de l’élection présidentielle.
Les Fédérations internationale et européenne des journalistes, (FIJ et FEJ), et leurs affiliés français (SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalistes) condamnent l’agression et demandent au gouvernement d’assurer la sécurité des journalistes sur le terrain pour garantir une couverture transparente des élections.
L’envoyé spécial du « Monde », Christophe Châtelot, et deux journalistes de l’AFP,…
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.
Read some of the news highlights from Friday 18th to Friday 25th March:
1. Los sindicatos de periodistas denuncian a RTVE y TV3 ante el Consejo de Europa
2. Zaman seizure threatens press and economic freedom
3. Croatie: Démission de la présidente du Conseil audiovisuel en raison de "pressions" politiques
4. Media leaders meet to address dangers facing journalists
5. Croatia's e-media regulator quits over political pressure
6. Solidaridad de la FeSP con el pueblo belga
7. Periodistas asesinados
For more information,…
IFJ and EFJ joined other media organisations in Istanbul yesterday for an international press conference in solidarity with Turkish journalists and media workers. One day before the hearing of Cumhuriyet journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, the organisations gathered to back the campaign to set free imprisoned journalists that has been launched by the Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC), the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS), the Progressive Journalists Association (CGD), the DISK-Basin Is trade union, the Haber Sen trade union and the National Press Institute.
The IFJ and the EFJ were represented by Barry White and Mehmet Koksal.
The campaign has launched a petition which…
This year the IFJ will mark World Copyright Day on 23 April by denouncing how today’s journalists are forced to sacrifice their authors’ rights and sign unfair contracts just to keep their job.
Get involved!
We are looking for examples of unfair contractual clauses from all over the world that deprive journalists from their authors' rights. Such clauses can include a full assignment of the exclusive rights (reproduction, adaptation, making available) on any media of the same group, an assignment for future uses that remain unknown or to be discovered in the future, or a waiver of moral rights.
Send your unfair clauses samples including the name of the media using them…
The freelance cameraman who contributed to several media outlets in Yemen was killed by a sniper in Taiz, the country’s second most populated city on 21 March, according to the IFJ affiliated Yemeni Journalists' Syndicate (YJS). Three other cameramen, Naef Wafi, Haikal al-Uraiki and Abdulqawi al-Azzani, were also wounded in the incident, the YJS added.
The freelance cameraman who contributed to several media outlets in Yemen was killed by a sniper in Taiz, the country’s second most populated city, according to the IFJ affiliated Yemeni Journalists' Syndicate (YJS). Three other cameramen, Naef Wafi, Haikal al-Uraiki and Abdulqawi al-Azzani, were also wounded in the incident, the YJS added.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliates Minpororen (JFCBWU – Japan Federation of Commercial Broadcast Workers Union) and Shinbunroren (Japan Federation of Newspaper Workers’ Union) in calling for the immediate release of Japanese journalist Jumpei Yasuda, who has been held captive in Syria since June 2015. The IFJ and Minpororen call on the Japanese government to take necessary steps to assist with Mr Yasuda’s release.
On March 16, 2016, a video was released on Facebook and Twitter showing missing Japanese journalist, Jumpei Yasuda, a 42-year-old, freelance journalist. In the video Mr Yasuda is seen in sending a message to his family and making an…
A freelance cameraman was shot dead on 21 March in Taiz city, southern Yemen, while covering clashes, the Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate (YJS), an IFJ affiliate, reported. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), representing 600,000 journalists in the world, backs the YJS' demand for the perpetrator to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
According to the YJS, Mohammed al-Yemeni, a freelancer for several media outlets in Yemen, was killed by a sniper on Monday 21 March in Taiz, the country’s second most populated city. Three other cameramen, Naef Wafi, Haikal al-Uraiki and Abdulqawi al-Azzani, were also wounded in the gunfire, the YJS added.
“The union holds…
On March 24, 2016 at 17:00, a press conference in support for “freedom of information and freedom for journalists” in Turkey will be held in the district of Cağaloğlu in Istanbul, where representative of national and international professional media organisations will gather together.
The conference is the result of a joint ongoing campaign launched by the Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC), the Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS), the Progressive Journalists Association (CGD), DISK-Basin Is trade union, Haber Sen trade union and the Turkish national press institute to set imprisoned journalists free.
International media organisations.…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate Minpororen (JFCBWU – Japan Federation of Commercial Broadcast Workers Union) and Shinbunroroen (Japan Federation of Newspaprer Workers’ Union) in calling for the immediate release of Japanese journalist Jumpei Yasuda, who has been held captive in Syria since June 2015. The IFJ and Minpororen call on the Japanese government to take necessary steps to assist with Mr Yasuda’s release.
On March 16, 2016, a video was released on Facebook and Twitter showing missing Japanese journalist, Jumpei Yasuda. Mr Yasuda, a 42-year-old, freelance journalist, is seen in the video sending a message to his family and making an…
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.
Read some of the news highlights from Friday 11th to Friday 18th March:
1. Journalists, human rights defenders attacked in Russia
2. Israël veut "museler la presse palestinienne", dénonce la FIJ
3. FIP denuncia que Israel amordaza a la prensa palestina
4. Zaman Editor: “Turkey is hell for journalists”
5. EFJ, IFJ and AEJ alert Council of Europe on the threat to the Independence of the Romanian Public Broadcaster
6. Asociaciones Internacionales de Periodistas protestan al Consejo de Europa por los nombramientos en TVE Y…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its Australian affiliate, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), in strongly condemning the recent announcement by Fairfax media of impending jobs cuts. The IFJ and MEAA are outraged by the announcement which they jointly describe as an “attack on quality journalism” in Australia.
On March 17, Fairfax media editorial director Sean Aylmer informed staff of The Age in Melbourne by email offices and by direct announcement to Sydney Morning Herald staff that they would “shortly enter a consultation period with staff and the MEAA on a proposal to reduce costs across news and business in Sydney and Melbourne newsrooms by the…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) raises serious concerns over actions by the Chinese government this week, which lead to one journalist been suspended from duty and a second disappearing while travelling. The IFJ calls on the Chinese government to end its control over the media and dissent across the country.
On March 13, Li Kai, the editor of Xinhua was suspended following the publication of an article which said that President Xi was the ‘last leader of China’ instead of the ‘highest leader of China’. On March 16, The Strait Times, a Singapore-based outlet reported that Li was suspended from his role and cancelled his application to become a member of the Community…
Prominent Azeri journalist Rauf Mirkadyrov has today been released following a suspended sentence of five years handed down by the appeals court in the capital, Baku. The International and the European Federations of Journalists, (IFJ) and (EFJ), while welcoming this development, insist on the full acquittal of the journalist, who has been in jail since April 2014 and accused of high treason for spying for Armenia.
The political correspondent in Turkey for the independent Russian-language newspaper Zerkalo, (Mirror), Rauf Mirkadyrov, has today received a suspended sentence of five years after the court threw out the initial six-year jail conviction, his lawyer Fuad Agayev told media.
…
The 51-year-old presenter at Radio Difusora AM in Sao Jorge do Oeste, a town in the southern state of Parana around 140 kilometers (87 miles) from the border with Argentina, was shot dead by gunmen live on air. In a statement, the station said that the attackers had knocked on the door and been allowed in before shooting Joao Valdecir de Borba in the abdomen after locking one of the presenter's colleagues in the restroom.
The suspects subsequently fled in a dark-colored Fiat Strada, according to witnesses quoted in the local daily Gazeta do Povo. The journalist had worked at Radio Difusora AM for a decade, where he hosted several music programs, according to the station's…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in welcoming the conviction in the 2013 murder case of a journalist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northwest Pakistan.
Today, March 16, the District and Sessions Court in Karak district of Pakistan convicted Aminullah of the murder of Jang Group journalist Ayub Khattak. Aminullah was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined 5 million rupees (USD50,000) for the 2013 murder. Aminullah’s brother, Khood Niaz, was acquitted after he was accused of being an accomplice.
Khattak was killed on October 11, 2013 when Aminullah fired shots at the journalist near his residence in Takht Nusrati area. The…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliates the Timor Leste Press Union (TLPU), the Timor Leste Journalists Association (TLJA) and the South East Asia Journalists’ Unions (SEAJU) in strongly criticize the defamation lawsuit filed by the Timor Leste Prime Minister, Rui Maria de Araujo, against a local journalist, January 22, 2016. The IFJ, TLPU, TLJA and SEAJU call for the lawsuit to be dropped and for an end to criminal defamation across the region.
On January 22, Raimundo Oki from the Timor Post was presented with a defamation lawsuit from Timor Leste Prime Minister Rui Maris de Araujo. The lawsuit related to an article published on November 10, about the…
The International and European Federation of Journalists, (IFJ and EFJ), together with their affiliate Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS), demanded today the European Union’s leaders to react to the media oppression imposed by the Turkish authorities. The press briefing, organised by both Federations at the Press Club Brussels, followed the seizure of one of Turkey’s leading newspapers, Zaman, on 4 March in Istanbul, and had two of the newspaper’s leading journalists as participants.
Today’s “When is the EU-Turkey summit on press freedom?” press briefing speakers were Sevgi Akarcesme, Editor of Today’s Zaman newspaper, Selçuk Gültasli, Zaman’s Brussels Bureau Chief, and Oliver…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), together with the Journalists Union of Turkey (Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikasi – TGS), an affiliate of them both, sent today a letter to the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, asking to ensure all conditions for a fair and independent trial for journalists Füsun Erdogan, Ibrahim Cicek and Ziya Ulusoy.
The judicial case of the three journalists will be on the agenda during the upcoming hearing of 23th of March of the Turkish court of appeal in the capital, Ankara.
You can find the letter here.
Read the case of the Turkish journalist Füsun Erdogan,…
An open public consultation led by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) was launched today to gather views from key stakeholders on the establishment of a Special Mechanism for Media Freedom in the Arab World.
The consultation is part of a regional initiative to improve the performance and the commitment of Arab States to media freedom. It responds to rising concerns in the region, where the temptation to revert to authoritarian practices is strong and where media face greater risks than ever before.
The initiative is based on joint efforts by human rights bodies, the journalists’ trade-union movement, media organisations, civil society groups and international…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly criticizes the recent actions of the Cyberspace Administration Office, in deleting a number of media websites and social media accounts, including those on Weibo and WeChat. The IFJ calls on the Chinese government to end its attack on the media.
On March 8, a prominent and relatively outspoken Mainland media outlet, Caixin, reported via its Twitter account that the Cyberspace Administration Office (CAO) had deleted a series of its articles that included interviews with Jiang Hong, a professor at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), during a meeting in…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly criticizes the recent actions of the Cyberspace Administration Office, in deleting a number of media websites and social media accounts, including those on Weibo and WeChat. The IFJ calls on the Chinese government to end its attack on the media.
On March 8, a prominent and relatively outspoken Mainland media outlet, Caixin, reported via its Twitter account that the Cyberspace Administration Office (CAO) had deleted a series of its articles that included interviews with Jiang Hong, a professor at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), during a meeting in…
The International Federation of Journalists backed the call today by its member union, the National Union of Journalists in the UK and Ireland, to all members of the British parliament to vote against the Investigatory Powers Bill (IPB) to be debated in parliament on Tuesday 15 March.
The NUJ argues that this bill poses a severe threat to press freedom in the UK as it waters down existing standards or protections for journalism enshrined in legal domestic legislation -- the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) and the Terrorism Act.
“The right to protect journalistic sources is recognised by international and European law, and the European Court of Human Rights issued several rulings…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today joined its affiliates the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), Australia, and the National Union of Journalists, Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM) in condemning the detention and arrest of an Australian TV crew in Kuching, Malaysia on Saturday March 12. The IFJ, MEAA and NUJM have called for all charges to be dropped against the crew and any bans on movement lifted.
Reporter Linton Besser and camera operator Louie Eroglu were detained on Saturday evening and then later released by local police after an attempt to question the Malaysian Prime Minister, Nabij Razak, earlier in the day regarding a corruption scandal. The two media…
Israeli forces closed West Bank Ramallah-based TV station Palestine Today and arrested its manager as well as 2 media professionals on 11 March over allegations of inciting violence. The International Federation of journalists (IFJ), which represents 600 000 journalists across the globe, stands by its affiliate the Palestinian Journalists Union (PJS) in condemning this brutal attack against free press and ask for UN immediate reaction to the escalation of attacks against the press in the occupied territories.
On Friday, Israeli forces raided the offices of Palestine Today in Ramallah over allegations of inciting violence against Israel and its citizens and ordered its closure.…
David Natera Febres, director del diario Correo del Caroní, fue condenado a 4 años de prisión tras afrontar un juicio impulsado por el presidente de la empresa estatal Ferrominera Orinoco, luego de que el medio bolivarense denunciara casos de corrupción en dicha empresa en el año 2013.
Tras la publicación de presuntos hechos de corrupción en la empresa estatal, las denuncias fueron investigadas por el Ministerio Público y un tribunal sentenció las irregularidades observadas, destituyendo de su cargo al presidente estatal. Posteriormente, el presidente de Ferromineras fue sobreseído y demandó al medio por los cargos de calumnias e injurias. Mientras duró el proceso judicial, el…
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.
Read some of the news highlights from Friday 4th to Friday 11th March:
1. Gov’t takeover of critical media group draws international backlash
2. IFJ Reports About Violence Against Women in the Media
3. IFJ criticises high levels of gender discrimination, violence in media
4. Liberté de la presse : en Croatie, le grand bond en arrière
5. Día mujer. Organizaciones de periodistas denuncian discriminación salarial y falta de mujeres directivas en los medios
6. East Timor leader files suit over contract reporting
7. IFJ report…
Journalist Joseph Afandy was found abandoned to die in Juba, the South Sudan capital, on 7 March. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) representing 600,000 journalists across the world condemns this inhumane and brutal act meted out on a journalist who was simply doing his work.
Media report that Joseph Afandy was kidnapped on 4 March by “unknown men”, tortured and abandoned to die on the roadside near the Hai Malakal Cemetery, east of the capital, Juba. Afendy was found by a colleague in “a very bad condition, with wounds on his body and his legs burned”.
According to the Africa Review, journalist Joseph Afendy, who works for the Al- Tabeer Arabic newspaper…
A violent attack by unknown assailants against a group of eight journalists and human rights activists occurred on 9 March at the border between Chechnya and Ingushetia, in Russia.
The International and European Federations of journalists (IFJ/EFJ) joined their affiliate, the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), in condemning the beating of journalists and human rights defenders and called on the Russian authorities to investigate the case and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
About 50 kilometers from Grozny, on the main road to Baku, a press tour organised by the Russian Committee on Prevention of Torture was forced to stop by a group of armed and masked men. The group shouted:…
From upper left to right:
Claudia Duque
Colombian journalist Claudia Duque was kidnapped and still lives under state protection for her investigations into the murder of her fellow journalist Jaime Garzón Forero, killed in 1999. She testified against a former DAS Deputy Director for his alleged part in psychological torture she suffered for many years under the regime of ex-President Alvaro Uribe Velez.
Füsun Erdogan
Füsun Erdogan was first arrested and given a life sentence and convicted in November 2013 on charges that she was a leading member of a Marxist organisation banned under the Turkish Anti-Terror Law. Released in May 2014 pending trial, she is now living in the…
Here is a compilation of some of the activities IFJ affiliates are carrying out to mark International Women's Day 2016.
Australia: MEAA publishes Mates over Merit? The Women in Media Report – A study of gender differences in Australian media
Germany: DJV holds conference Women make the news „Frau Macht Medien“ on 12-13 March in Köln.
Peru: The ANPP is holding a conference for women journalists on 11 March. The conference will commemorate journalist Bárbara D'Achille (murdered in the Huancavelica province by a group of armed terrorists because she had published a report about teh head of the terroriste group)
Turkey: members of TGS Women and LGBTI commission prepared…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in welcoming the breakthrough in the murder case of veteran Filipino journalist, Gerry ‘Doc’ Ortega, after the conviction of a key player involved in the murder on March 7. The IFJ and NUJP call of the government to continue its work in ending impunity in the Philippines and ultimately bringing the masterminds behind Gerry Ortega’s murder to full justice.
On Monday, March 7, Arturo ‘Nonoy’ Regalado, the former aide of Palawan governor Joel Reyes was found ‘guilty beyond reasonable doubt’ for Ortega’s murder by the Palawan Regional Trial Court Branch 52.…
The 13th issue of the IFJ Focus on Safety, a blog which provides highlights, news and in-depth analysis of safety-related events of concern to journalists is now available. The new issue feature a digest of key stories related to the safety of journalists which broke since January 2016. They include the launch of the IFJ's 25th report on journalists and media staff killed since 1990, the one-day conference on the safety of journalists jointly convened by the IFJ and WAN -IFRA with the support of the UNESCO's IPDC on 5 February in Paris as well as a round up of news on safety in media from around the world. Read all about it here.
Welcome to the 13th issue of the IFJ Focus on Safety, a monthly blog which provides highlights, news and in-depth analysis of safety-related events of concerns to journalists.
The blog is part of the IFJ strategy to promote the safety of journalists and to combat the issue of impunity.
Please check out the IFJ International Code of Practice for the Safe Conduct of Journalism at the end of this issue.
We value your feedback and would like to hear about your safety experience in the field as well as any safety-related stories you would like to share with members of the IFJ family, the global journalists’ community.
The issue covers the following safety-related events and activities…
In a report to be released on International Women’ s day (8 March), the Gender Council (GC) of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) highlights high levels of gender discrimination and violence against women in the media across the globe.
“We have hit a plateau, a place where movement and change appear non-existent,” states the report, pointing at the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), which indicates every five years the place women hold in the news. Its 2015 report starkly concludes that “Progress for women in news media has grinded to a halt.” The GMMP 2015 report, which was conducted in 114 countries with the help of some IFJ affiliates,…
Turkish police raided the offices of Zaman, the country’s biggest newspaper, on 4 March in Istanbul, hours after a court ruling placed it under state control. The day after, Turkish riot police fired plastic bullets and tear gas to disperse around 500 protesters who gathered outside the newspaper to show their solidarity at the shout of “Free press cannot be silenced”, media reported. The International and European Federation of Journalists, (IFJ) and (EFJ), strongly condemn the ongoing media crackdown against Zaman media group and press freedom in Turkey.
According to local media reports, an İstanbul court appointed trustees on March 4 to take over management of Zaman-Today’s Zaman…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) and the Nepal International Media Partnership (NIMP) in launching the Report of the International Mission to Nepal for Promoting Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalist. The IFJ joins FNJ and NIMP in calling on the Nepali government to take effective steps to resolve all serious cases of attacks and killings of journalists as well as introducing a journalist safety mechanism at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The report came ten months after the NIMP including members from the IFJ, AMARC, Article 19, Centre for Law and Democracy, Committee to Protect…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in strongly condemning the attacks against the media at the Hyderabad Press Club, and other attacks in Lahore and Karachi on Friday, March 4. The IFJ demands an investigation into the incidents and swift action from the Pakistani government to secure the media environment in Pakistan.
On Friday, protests, rallies and sit-ins were held across Pakistan against the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Pubjan governor Salman Taseer. In Hyderabad, Jamiat-i-Ulema Pakistan (JUP) and Pakistan Sunni Tehreek organised rallies outside the Hyderabad Press Club. During the…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in strongly condemning the attacks against the media at the Hyderabad Press Club, and other attacks in Lahore and Karachi on Friday, March 4. The IFJ demands an investigation into the incidents and swift action from the Pakistani government to secure the media environment in Pakistan.
On Friday, protests, rallies and sit-ins were held across Pakistan against the execution of Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Pubjan governor Salman Taseer. In Hyderabad, Jamiat-i-Ulema Pakistan (JUP) and Pakistan Sunni Tehreek organised rallies outside the Hyderabad Press Club. During the…
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.
Read some of the news highlights from Friday 26th February to Friday 4th March:
1. Turkey: freed journalists’ rallying call for press freedom
2. Turkey: Pair who exposed terror aid go free
3. El Sindicato de Periodistas denuncia ante el Consejo de Europa el control político de TV3
4. FIP denuncia que Marruecos persigue al presidente del Sindicato de Prensa por denunciar corrupción
5. Le gouvernement japonais menace de resserrer son emprise sur le secteur audiovisuel
6. Maroc : Le président…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) raises serious concerns regarding recent developments in the case of five media workers from Causeway Bay Bookstore and Mighty Current Publishers. The IFJ calls on the Hong Kong and Chinese governments to immediately release the five media workers.
On February 29, a new development in the case of the five media workers was revealed, when Phoenix TV aired exclusive interviews with the media workers. In the interviews, Lee Bo, who went missing from Hong Kong in December said he hoped that people would stop voicing concerns about his sudden disappearance and that he had returned to China on his own accord.
In the interview, Lee said: “I…
Ukrainian journalist Maria Varfolomeyeva was released today after spending more than a year behind bars.
The journalist was held under arbitrary detention since 9 January 2015 in Luhansk, Eastern Ukraine, by the authorities of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR). She had been accused of spying for the Ukrainian nationalist movement (Right Sector).
Varfolomeyeva, working for local news website Svobodny Reporter and as a fixer for various national media, was taking photos of an apartment block in Luhansk on 9 January 2015 when she was detained by representatives of the LPR and later threatened with a 15-year jail sentence. See more information here.
The IFJ…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), in strongly opposing the Government of Hong Kong’s continuous discrimination against online media and student newspapers. The IFJ urges the Hong Kong government to recognize online and student media as legitimate media outlets.
On 28 February, the constituency by-election for the Hong Kong Legislative Council New Territories East was held in the Tiu Keng Leng Sports Centre. A number of online media outlets including Stand News, InMedia, Initium Media, Kinliu as well as a number of student newspapers were barred entry to the center as the government does not recognize them as…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Indian Union of Journalists (IJU) in strongly condemning the continued harassment of a news anchor of Malayalam TV channel in Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala, India. The IFJ reiterates its calls on the Indian government to take immediate steps to end the culture of violence against the media.
Sindhu Sooryakumar, a news anchor with Malayalam-language news channel, Asianet, hosted a discussion about the celebration of Mahishasura Jayanti on February 26. The discussion focused on whether Mahisasura Jayanti, a martyrdom day marking the killing of the demon Mahishasur by Goddess Durga in the Hindu mythology, which is…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate Timor Lorosa’e Journalists’ Association (AJTL) in strongly criticizing the defamation suit filed by the Timor Leste Prime Minister against a journalist. The IFJ joins AJTL is calling on the Prime Minister to immediately withdraw the charges and guarantee the Press Law.
Following a report published in November 2015, Prime Minister Rui Maria de Araujo filed a defamation lawsuit against Raimundo Oki from the Timor Post on January 22, 2016. The lawsuit relates to a report published by Oki on November 10, which said that Prime Minister Araujo, in his previous capacity as advisor to the Minister for Finance recommended…
