The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply
disturbed at the drastic erosion of the atmosphere for journalism, following
month-long civil disturbances in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Cities in
the Kashmir valley have been under curfew for
a number of days since widespread demonstrations began in the region early in
June. On July 7, as the army was summoned out of its barracks, the curfew was extended
to cover the movement of all civilians, and word was put out that press passes
would no longer be honoured.
The
situation resulted in all Kashmir’s media
personnel being confined to home. Photographers and news cameramen in…
The
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the European group of the
International Federation of Journalists, calls on European legislators today to
strengthen the journalists' rights by improving the balance between the
fundamental rights of freedom of expression and an individual's right to privacy
when reviewing European data protection legislation. The
call came after a recent ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) which
denied an applicant's right of access to a public document regarding
anti-competitive behaviour on personal privacy grounds that is protected under
current data protection regulation. "The
judgement of the Court on 30 June exposes the current…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is disturbed by reports that Molotov cocktails
were thrown at the Jakarta office of Tempo magazine in Indonesia.
The Alliance of Independent
Journalists (AJI), an IFJ affiliate, said that local media reported two
unidentified men on a motorcycle hurled three Molotov cocktails at the Tempo office in Menteng, South Jakarta, early yesterday morning.
The Jakarta Post said two of the petrol
bombs exploded but the resulting fire was quickly extinguished. One of the
magazine’s security guards said the two suspects threw the bombs about 2.40 am.
The Post noted that the attack followed
a Tempo cover story on alleged…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is shocked
at reports that a freelance journalist, Hem Chandra Pandey, was killed in an
armed encounter in which police in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
eliminated a leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), Cherukuri
Rajkumar, alias Azad.
The incident
reportedly took place late on the night of July 2 and was reported in the daily
newspapers of July 4.
A person
killed alongside Azad was identified by police as a Maoist cadre until his
picture was published in the press. Babita Pandey in Delhi identified the photo to be of her
husband, Hem Chandra Pandey.
At a…
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the European group of the
International Federation of Journalists, has deplored the manner of appointing
the President of the French public broadcaster. Yesterday French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced his nomination for the new
president of France Télévisions, Remy
Pflimlin. The EFJ deplores the implementation of the new broadcasting law
passed in March 2009 that allows the political executive to appoint the
chairmen of public broadcasters. Even if the appointment must be confirmed by the High Audiovisual Council (CSA)
and the Cultural Affairs Committee of the Assembly, the process "sends the
wrong signal and marks…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
partnering with WageIndicator,
a global wage survey that has measured wages of over 1,500 different
occupations and 400 industries in over 48 countries around the world to date,
to campaign for decent pay for journalists. "Too many journalists face wage discrimination in the
workplace," said Aidan White, IFJ
General Secretary. "Wages of women and young journalists are particularly at
stake. Unions need to take action so that journalists' salaries are, for the
first time, assessed on a global scale." In a letter addressed to its affiliates on 5th July, the IFJ called on all its members to participate in the global wage
survey…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
relieved to learn of the release of Keshav Bohara, a journalist who was abducted in Nepal on June
30, and applauds the role of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in
responding quickly to his disappearance.
Upon news of
Bohara’s disappearance in the mid-west, the FNJ regional chapter in
Pyuthan district immediately began a cooperative investigation with local
police, quickly dispatching a fact-finding mission from the Central Committee
of the FNJ, an IFJ affiliate.
“The IFJ is pleased
to learn that Keshav Bohara has returned from his ordeal safely, with no major
injuries,” IFJ…
The European Union's leading voice in the
struggle to defend citizen's rights, Commissioner Viviane Reding, gave her
backing to the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and its members in
their campaign against threats to press freedom across the continent. Mrs Reding, the Commissioner responsible
for Justice and Fundamental Rights, took the opportunity of a meeting
with EFJ leaders to underscore warnings about new threats to
press rights arising from EU and national anti-terrorism measures and
growing interference of governments to manipulate media content. "I share the concern of the EFJ that press
freedom in Europe faces a growing…
The International
Federation of Journalists is alarmed at reports that one of the Philippines’
largest broadcasters
ABS-CBN has terminated 31 employees who refused to accept retrograde
working conditions.
In
an attempt to undermine the rights of workers to fair conditions, ABS-CBN since
early this year has been offering permanent employment to staff in exchange for
the withdrawal of labour complaints against management. The agreement offered
by management also excluded any back-pay of employees who have been working for
up to 22 years at the broadcaster.
“ABS-CBN’s
demand that staff waive their rights and working conditions in exchange…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
concerned at the arrest of T.P. Nandakumar, a magazine editor in the southern
Indian state of Kerala, on charges of defamation. Nandakumar was taken into
custody on July 3 following a complaint lodged by an Indian businessman
resident in the Gulf emirate of Abu
Dhabi. He was released on bail the following day.
Nandakumar,
who edits a weekly magazine called Crime, was under court injunction not
to publish any material on the complainant. His arrest followed the posting of
an article pertaining to the same individual on the magazine website, www.crimenewsonline.com.
Crime magazine has earned a wide…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Federation of Nepali
Journalists (FNJ) in demanding an immediate government investigation into the
abduction of journalist Keshav Bohara in Nepal’s mid-west on June 30.
Bohara had reportedly received death threats in recent
weeks, in relation to his reporting for Mandavi Radio in the town of Tiram, Pyuthan district.
The FNJ reports that Bohara’s comments on May 27 about a Maoist cadre’s involvement in a land
dispute and subsequent delays to a housing project had attracted threats
from an unknown group.
Bohara then alerted his colleagues,
local authorities, the…
30 June Two Portuguese Newspapers Face Closure The Portuguese media group Controlinveste
announced plans to close its free newspaper Global Notícias and the
national daily 24 Horas as a result of "a deep structural change". It
was reported recently that this year's circulation of Global Notícias had dropped by over 50%. The management of the group explained that the closure
is a strategic decision to maintain the group's business. http://www.sfnblog.com/launches_and_closures/2010/06/two_portuguese_free_dailies_close.php 28 June Global: Yahoo! to Introduce "Ultimate" Style Guide Competing with traditional media or universities, Yahoo! announced plans
to publish…
The International
Federation of Journalists today demanded action to secure the immediate release
of two French journalists and their three Afghan assistants who have been held
hostage since their abduction six months ago and a Japanese journalist missing
for three months. Stéphane Taponier,
Hervé Ghesquière, and their three Afghan assistants, working for France 3, were
taken hostage in the Kapinsa region on 30th December 2009. Japanese journalist, Kosuke Tsuneoka, who
went missing believed kidnapped on 31st March in the Taliban
controlled city of Kunduz,
has not been heard of for three months. "It is an outrage that the Afghan
authorities have failed,…
The
International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned about two separate incidents perpetrated
against journalists in China
in recent days, one which left a journalist seriously injured.
On
June 24, Fang Xuen Chang, scientific editor of the Beijing-based Caijing Magazine, was beaten over the
head with an iron rod by two unidentified assailants, after he left work. Fang‘s
head and back were seriously injured in the attack, which occurred near Fang’s
home, according to Phoenix Satellite TV.
Reports
said Fang claimed to have no knowledge of why he was attacked and he denied experiencing
tension or animosity with other people.…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the new media decree imposed by the
military regime of Commodore Frank Bainimarama in Fiji as erasing the right of journalists
to report freely and fairly.
The Media Industry Development Decree 2010, which the administration
announced yesterday had been gazetted on June 25, permanently installs the
sweeping censorship that has been in force in Fiji since “temporary” emergency
regulations were imposed in April 2009.
The decree is little changed from a
draft that met with international condemnation when it was announced in April.
“The Bainimarama regime claims it
has revised many…
The
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today backed a massive mobilisation
organised by its Italian affiliate, the Federazione Nazionale della Stampa
Italiana (FNSI) in opposition
to an Italian law over wiretapping which the union claims will hamper legitimate
journalistic work. The
law proposed by the Italian Minister of Justice, Angelino Alfano and also called
the "gagging law" (legge bavaglio) was adopted on 10 June in the Italian Senate and
covers telephone tapping ordered by judges. It is still to be discussed in the
Lower House. The
EFJ and the FNSI warn that this draft
law is an attempt to censor…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today expressed deep concern over the arrest on Saturday, 26th June ,2010 of Hadis Mohemed Hadis, editor of the online paper Baadiyenews.com, an independent website published in Somaliland. Hadis is charged with “serious crimes”.“The criminal charges slammed on our colleague are fabricated with the intention to intimidate and muzzle the independent media. Hadis is charged with a “criminal offence” for simply doing his duty in a professional way” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of IFJ Africa Office.
According to the National Union of Somali Journalists, (NUSOJ)an IFJ affiliate, uniformed officers of…
Greece's journalists and media
workers are to take part in the 24-hour nationwide strike declared by the
country's trade unions, which is set to start on Tuesday, June 29, at 6 am and
end on Wednesday, June 30, at 6 am. The journalists' unions of Macedonia, Athens Daily Newspaper (JUADN) and Thrace Daily
Newspapers (ESIEMTH), under the auspices of the Panhellenic Federation of
Journalists' Unions (POESY), is taking part in the strike protesting against:
- The abolishment of
fundamental labor and pension rights.
- The
undermining of collective labor agreements, the dissolution of the
Organization for Mediation and Arbitration (O.ME.D.), and the efforts…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is shocked and saddened to learn of the
gruesome killing of journalist Faiz Mohammad Khan Sasoli in Pakistan’s
Balochistan province yesterday.
Faiz, a former president of the Khuzdar Press Club and correspondent
for Aaj Kal and Independent News of Pakistan, was killed instantly when
unidentified assailants opened fire on his car as he was driving near Faisal Hotel in Khuzdar District,
according to the Pakistan Federal Union of
Journalists, an IFJ affiliate. Faiz’s car hit a nearby shop, where two people were
injured.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the killing,
the PFUJ reported that…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
deeply concerned over the arrest, mistreatment and possible torture of Mahmudur
Rahman publisher and editor of the daily Amar Desh by authorities in Bangladesh.
On June 1,
the Bangladesh Government cancelled registration of Amar Desh, saying it
was in breach of the law as it had no authorised or identifiable publisher.
Rahman was arrested the same day despite protests by the staff of his newspaper.
He has
since been produced before a magistrate three times and committed successively
to police remand. Human rights groups in Bangladesh believe that he has
suffered serious mistreatment and possible torture while…
The
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the regional group of the
International federation of Journalists, today expressed its great concern
about the recent announcement of 22 job cuts of journalists working at the
major public Spanish Press agency EFE. The
EFJ together with its Spanish affiliates, FAPE, FeSP and CCOO appeal to the
management of the agency and its public state shareholders to continue their
negotiations. During the last few months, the EFE management, government
representatives and the unions' officials from CCOO and UGT have negotiated a
long term strategy to overcome the critical situation of the agency after
controversial decisions of its…
Today the European
Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the European group of the International
Federation of Journalists, rejected the idea that media are a potential threat
to national security in Romania. "We understand that
, in Romania
like in any other country, terrorism, crime and corruption pose a threat to the public and the government , but we are puzzled to hear that media could be
added to a list of threats to public institutions," said EFJ President
Arne König. "Media are an essential part of the democratic life; they help
investigating precisely threats to the public and we hope the Romanian
Presidency will realise this mistake." The National Defence
Strategy,…
The annual Nordic freelance seminar will be held this year in
Stockholm from
3th to 5th September 2010. This year's theme focuses on
"how freelancers can make use of social media as a reporting tool".
The acclaimed photographer Pieter Ten Hoopen, and the
Swedish film maker, Fredrik Gertten who caused a
heated debate about the bananas business in his documentary "Banana", will be among the speakers to share their expertise. Such Nordic freelance seminars
have already some 20 years tradition; it is held every year in one of the Nordic
countries. Each year, it attracts more than a hundred freelancers to participate.
This year the seminar will be in…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused Albanian authorities of violating press freedom
rights after a court in Tirana awarded damages of 400.000 EUR over a case of
investigative journalism in which a senior government official was exposed for
promising jobs in exchange for sexual favours. Ylli
Pango, former minister of Culture, Tourism , Youth and Sport, was exposed by the
network Top Channel in a video which showed a secret film of him promising jobs
to a young woman in exchange for sexual favours. He resigned from his position
after the broadcast. "This
decision is almost as scandalous as the practices the programme sought to
expose and should not…
The European Federation of Journalists, the regional body of the International Federation of Journalists, today protested over a new media bill announced by the Hungarian government last week which it warns will "turn the clock back" for press freedom in the country."The bill before the Hungarian Parliament is a restrictive measure that limits freedom of opinion and thereby freedom of speech," said Aidan White, EFJ General Secretary. "It does not meet European standards of diversity and plurality and turns the clock back to a time when Hungary lived under communism and the shadow of state control of media."The EFJ says the bill brings under state regulation the content of most printed and…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is relieved that J.S. Tissainayagam
is safe, following more than two years of an ordeal in which the Sri Lankan Tamil journalist was accused, charged and
tried for terrorism for his journalistic reporting on human rights issues.
Tissainayagam has now left Sri Lanka, joining the growing ranks of Sri Lanka’s
senior independent journalists who have felt compelled to seek safety abroad.
The IFJ acknowledges the support of its affiliates worldwide
as well as international and local press freedom organisations who have
sustained a long campaign to secure justice and freedom for Tissainayagam since he was detained…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
today condemned the ruling of a court in Venezuela
which sentenced journalist Francisco Perez of El Carabobeño newspaper to three years and 9 months imprisonment
and fined him 20.000 US dollars. The court also banned him from exercising
professional and political activities. "We condemn this harsh and unacceptable sentence which
takes media repression in Venezuela at
record levels," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "The four crippling
orders in the ruling prove the manipulation of justice in Venezuela
in order to silence critical reporting on the country's leadership" Perez, writer for over forty years of a…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
today horrified to learn of the killing of a radio broadcaster in the northern
Philippines, the second media killing
within two days.
Joselito Agustin, 37, a
commentator for dzJC Aksyon Radyo-Laoag, was shot on his way home to Bacarra
town, Ilocos Norte, late on June 15 and died in hospital at 1.15 am today. The
culprits were riding a motorcycle.
The murder came about 24
hours after the brazen killing of broadcaster Desidario “Jessie” Camangyan,
anchorman of Sunrise FM, in Mati, Davao Oriental, as he hosted a singing contest
in Manay, in the southern province of Mindanao.…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
concerned at the sacking of staff at the Islamabad edition of the Daily Aaj Kal and the lock-out of
employees at ROHI TV, which has seen more than 100 journalists and media workers
lose their jobs.
The cuts come as the
latest shock to Pakistan’s media industry, as a
rising number of newspapers, journals and broadcasting organisations have
reduced wages, cut jobs or locked out staff in recent times.
More than 600 journalists
and other newspaper employees have lost their jobs in the past two and a half
years, according to IFJ affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
(PFUJ). Many have…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today joined its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), in mourning the death of yet another journalist killed in Mindanao in
the southern Philippines.
Desidario “Jessie” Camangyan, 52,
anchorman of Sunrise FM in Mati, Davao Oriental, was shot dead around 10.30pm last
night as he hosted a singing contest in Manay.
Regional police said the killer shot
Camangyan at close range beneath the right ear. A ”special investigation task force”
headed by Superintendent Jorge Corpuz has been established to investigate the murder,
according to a local news…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
alarmed at reports of a home invasion and attempted abduction of Mawbima reporter Disnendra Perera at his Colombo
home in Sri Lanka on May 31.
According to local media
reports, Perera was not harmed in the incident. His mother, who was at home at
the time of the attack, has reportedly made an official complaint to the Piliyandala
police, who denied police involvement in the raid.
Perera, a close
colleague of Lanka-e-News journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, who has been missing since
January 24, had previously received death threats from unknown people demanding
he give them a file of documents they claimed…
The
International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the Chengdu
Intermediate Court in China after it upheld a sentence of
five years’ imprisonment for writer Tan Zuoren
Tan
had appealed the sentence, handed down in February, on charges of inciting
subversion of state power after he had written articles about the Tiananmen
Square Massacre and the 2008 Sichuan
earthquake, and also accepted interviews
with foreign media.
The
conviction includes a three-year suspension of Tan’s political rights.
“I’m
not surprised with the outcome,” Wang Qinghua, Tan’s wife, said.
Wang
was…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on Al-Jazeera to explain the circumstances that led to the resignation of five women journalists on 25th May amidst reports that they left following harassment and complaints over their dress.
The IFJ says that the incident has raised new concerns over the lack of free association in Qatar and the right of Al-Jazeera to organize a union to represent their interests and help resolve conflicts.
Five well known and distinguished news presenters, Jumana Namur, Lina Zahreddin, Lona al-Shibel, Julnar Mussa and Nofar Afli are reported to have left Al-Jazeera following repeated ‘harassment caused by remarks and criticism' for not…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), with the backing of its
affiliate in Israel,
today called for a special inquiry into the killing of a journalist and
injuries to others during the Israeli assault on a flotilla of ships carrying
humanitarian aid which took place on June 1. "We
now know that one journalist died and at least one other is seriously injured in
horrifying circumstances that remain unexplained," said Aidan
White, IFJ General Secretary. "We are also gathering
information about the treatment of journalists and the confiscation of their
material, all of which raises new concerns about the violations of their
rights." The
IFJ says that a specific…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on Al-Jazeera to explain the circumstances that led to the resignation of five women journalists on 25th May amidst reports that they left following harassment and complaints over their dress.
The IFJ says that the incident has raised new concerns over the lack of free association in Qatar and the right of Al-Jazeera to organize a union to represent their interests and help resolve conflicts.
Five well known and distinguished news presenters, Jumana Namur, Lina Zahreddin, Lona al-Shibel, Julnar Mussa and Nofar Afli are reported to have left Al-Jazeera following repeated ‘harassment caused by remarks and criticism' for not…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges
the incoming administration of Benigno Aquino in the Philippines to make a public commitment
to defend journalists’ right to safety and to undertake immediate action to end
the country’s notorious culture of impunity.
The IFJ
and its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists
of the Philippines (NUJP),
also call on the Philippines Congress to ratify the Freedom of Information Bill
which is to be deliberated in the Congress tomorrow. It will be the last opportunity
to pass the Bill before the Congress ends its session. If the Bill is not
ratified tomorrow, it will have to be re-filed before the new…
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the largest group representing journalists in Europe, condemned the draft law on public radio being debated today by the Romanian Parliament. It called on the government to withdraw it immediately and conduct a full review of its contents in full consultation with media professional and civil society groups."This law, if adopted, would increase political interference in the public radio and television, while weakening the voice of professional journalists and civil society groups," said Aidan White, General Secretary of the EFJ. "The removal of the right of journalists to protect the confidentiality of their sources would do immense damage to…
Journalists were among the
key players in the dramatic events of May 31st when Israeli soldiers
intercepted a flotilla of ships bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Nine people died in the assault on
these ships including one journalist.
Up to 100 reporters and camera staff were
among the passengers covering the event and most of them were detained by
Israeli officials when the ships docked. Many of them had their equipment
confiscated. The IFJ, with the help of its
Israeli affiliate the National Federation of Israeli Journalists (NFIJ),
is providing help to journalists to try to recover their lost materials
and equipment. We are also gathering
information…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today sent its condolences to the
family and colleagues of Hans Verploeg who passed away on 25 May after a
serious illness. Hans
was General Secretary of the Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten(NVJ), an
IFJ affiliate and served as Honorary Treasurer of the IFJ until 2001. ″The
death of our colleague Hans is a tragedy for his family and the journalists
community,″ said Aidan White, IFJ General
Secretary. ″Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.″ Hans
was 65 years old and spent 25 years in journalism with the NVJ which he left
five years ago. He took up the position of chairman of Free…
The Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, will tomorrow address the conference on future of journalism organised by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on 25 May in Cadiz before the opening of its world congress in the Spanish seaside city.
‘'We are delighted that the Deputy Prime Minister is joining us in this debate on the future of journalism,'' said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President who will officially open the IFJ Congress on Tuesday evening. ‘'Governments on behalf of the public they represent need to be part of this debate and make their contribution. We hope the example of the Spanish Government will be emulated around the…
Journalists' leaders from all corners of the globe
are heading for Spain
this weekend to join the Congress of the International Federation of
Journalists, the world's largest gathering of unions and associations
representing reporters and editorial staff. The Congress, which will be held in the historic
centre of Cadiz, will confront a range of massive problems facing the media
industry and journalists - including threats of violence, governmental
interference in media, a crisis of confidence in traditional media markets hit
by the impact of the Internet, and growing demands from within the community of
journalists for action to defend ethical and professional standards. "The…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called for the immediate
release of leading Kuwaiti journalist and lawyer, Mohamed Abdel Qader
Al-Jassem, who is detained in Kuwait
City prison since 16 May
on subversion charges following his arrest by the country's security agents
five days earlier. He is the first journalist to be jailed for exercising his
right to press freedom. "The case of
Al-Jassem is a chilling threat to press freedom in a country which is
considered as progressive," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "The use
of the courts to resolve media disputes opens the door to censorship and political
meddling in journalists' affairs." Reports…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the killing of Italian freelance
photojournalist Fabio Polenghi, 45, who was shot dead yesterday when armed
forces broke up the stronghold of anti-government protesters in central Bangkok.
Polenghi is the second journalist to
die in violent clashes in Thailand’s
capital since April 10, when Japanese cameraman Hiro Muramoto was killed by
gunfire.
“The death of Fabio Polenghi is a
reminder that journalists continue to put their lives on the line while
reporting close to danger,” IFJ Asia-Pacific
Director Jacqueline Park said.
Three other foreign media personnel were
reported…
The European Federation of
Journalists (EFJ) the European group of the International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) today accused the authorities in the Republic of Macedonia of
"scandalous neglect" for the safety of journalists after police and public
officials failed to intervene over incitement to violence against journalists in
the Republic of Macedonia.Journalists in the country were shocked when a
broadcaster issued a list of targeted journalists, accusing them of being
traitors and called for their ‘liquidation.' But despite protests over
hate-speech and the threats posed to the named journalists, the authorities have
yet to react says the Association of…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today expressed its concerns over the increase in press freedom violations in Sudan since the recent elections after the arrest of four journalists and the closure of Rai-Alshab daily newspaper. Taban Bonifacio, online journalist for the Sudanvote.com website was arrested in South Sudan on 23 April while three more journalists of Rai-Alshab newspaper were detained on Sunday 16 May 2010.
“The situation of press freedom in Sudan has deteriorated since the last elections,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of IFJ Africa Office. “We call on all actors to remain calm and initiate a dialogue in order to let the media…
The International Federation
of Journalists today warned that violence against journalists in Iraq is once
again on the rise and has called for an investigation in two deaths of Iraqi
journalists. Iraqi Kurdish journalist Sardasht
Osman was kidnapped on 4 May and found dead two days later in the city of Mosul. His murder is
linked to reporting critical of figures in the Kurdish Regional Government. Last
week another journalist, Raheem Al-Shamry, died in an explosion in
Al-Hella city. "These shocking events are a throw
back to the darkest days for journalism and democracy in Iraq," said
Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "We must not allow the situation to
deteriorate further…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demands a full police investigation into the
attempted murder of radio broadcaster Jerome Tabanganay in the northern Philippines
on May 14.
Tabanganay, 44, host of the “Agenda”
news program, was reportedly confronted by an unidentified assailant as he
entered his office at the government-owned Radyo ng Bayan station in Kalinga
province early on Friday morning, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
(NUJP).
The gunman fired four times, hitting
Tabanganay in the back of his right leg and knee as he fled into the office,
the NUJP said.
Tabanganay’s regular…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) notes with concern that authorities in China censored online reporting about human
rights discussions between the United States
and China
last week.
A two-day closed-door meeting
between China diplomats and US officials in Washington began on May 13, signalling
the re-opening of dialogue between the two powers on human rights, racism and
related internal unrest such as protests by ethnic Tibetans and Uyghur peoples.
The State Council Information Office
of China directed all online media outlets on the mainland not to post reports relating
to the bilateral talks on the front pages of news sites. The order also…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned
to learn that a senior editor in China
has been demoted because of his role
in publishing a report which exposed that faulty government-issued vaccines had
killed several children in Shanxi
province.
Local reports suggest the editor-in-chief and publisher of the China Economic Times, Bao Yueyang, 47, was removed from his position yesterday because
he decided to publish the report in the public interest and then defended his
decision and the journalist who prepared the report.
“Although the Department of Health
of Shanxi Province strongly denied the spoiled
vaccines report, Bao did not retract…
The International Federation
of Journalists (IFJ) calls on Pakistan’s
federal and provincial governments to take immediate action to end impunity for
the killings of journalists in Pakistan,
following the murder of Ghulam Rasool Birhamani, whose body was found in the Sindh region on May 10.
Birhamani, a reporter for the Hyderabad-based Daily Sindhu newspaper,
went missing on May 9. According to local media reports and the Pakistan
Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), he was kidnapped by unidentified persons
near the village
of Wahipandhi, tortured, and killed by a blow to
the head. His mutilated body was found in a field near the town of Dadu. …
Advocate General's Opinion in Case C-467/08Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE) v PADAWAN S.L.
11th May 2010
In an Opinion given in the case SGAE (Spanish collecting society) v Padawan ECJ Advodate General Trstenjak explains that levies on private copies in favour of authors, artists and producers may not be applied indiscriminately to undertakings and professional persons who clearly acquire the equipment and data media for other purposes. Advocate General Trstenjak is of the opinion that there must be a sufficiently close link between the use of the right and the corresponding financial compensation for private copying. She says that such a charge can be regarded as a…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused Ethiopian politicians of resorting to threats and intimidation against many Ethiopian journalists in lead up to forthcoming next general elections envisaged for 23 May 2010.
“Election times are always a risky period for journalists in many African countries at a time where media have a crucial role for the consolidation of democracy,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of IFJ Africa Office. “Ethiopian political leaders must respect media as an independent watchdog of the democratic process with the sole duty to inform the citizens,” he added.
On Friday 7 May 2010, Amharic weekly…
The
International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) is concerned to learn that China’s State Council Information
Office plans to create a registration system for web-users seeking to participate
in online forums or to post information on the Internet.
According
to an article in the state-owned China Daily newspaper on May 5, the Minister
for the State Council Information Office, Wang Chen, disclosed that the system
would require netizens and cell-phone users to supply their real names when
posting information on the Internet,
instead of using “usernames” or pseudonyms.
Wang
reportedly said that the office had been exploring the…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is relieved to learn that seven journalists
caught up in election-related violence on Camiguin
Island in the southern Philippines were escorted safely by police to
their offices in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao,
today.
Among the group was Rolando Bruno,
formally identified as Rolando Gono, who was reported missing on May 9 after
sending a text message to a colleague requesting help.
Concerns were raised after Bruno, an
Azilam Review writer and volunteer
reporter for Hot FM 106.3, disappeared shortly after complaining to police
about an attack that day on Herbert Hugo and his son, Hubert Dumaguis, who both
work for…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls on the Unified Communist Party of Nepal
(Maoist) to end politically motivated violence against local media, after a
photojournalist was assaulted as he reported on party-led protests in Kathmandu on May 9.
The Unified CPN (M), had earlier this year made a
public statement to say the rights and safety of media personnel would be
respected by its members and supporters during planned general strikes this
month.
However, the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ),
an IFJ affiliate, reports several incidents of targeted violence against
journalists by Unified CPN (M) cadres across the country.
On May 10,…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has been notified of another incident in which provincial
authorities in China
have ignored the promises of the Central Government to allow local and foreign
journalists more freedom in their reporting.
Four Hong Kong journalists were
detained by government officials in Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province, on May 7 while they researched a story on
corruption related to the 2008 Sichuan
earthquake, local reports said.
The journalists, who were on assignment
for the Ming Pao newspaper and the Hong
Kong-based Hong Kong Cable Television station, told the IFJ they were prevented
from interviewing residents of…
The district court in Hamburg, Germany
ruled on 4 May that the Bauer Media Group violated German copyright law by
re-using images of its photojournalists without further payment (Az. 312 O
703/09).
According to the court decision, the flat-rate fee
charged by Bauer to cover multiple uses of photojournalists’ work is illegal.
The court said second-use of images should be compensated with additional
payment.
The decision also overturned previous ruling that
photojournalists have to face the legal consequence for the use of their work. However,
the court rejected the claim for compensation to photojournalists whose names
were not attributed in Bauers’…
The
International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) is greatly concerned by reports of early violence against
media personnel as the Philippines
national elections begin today.
Rolando
Gono, radio stringer and writer for the weekly Azilam Review in Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao,
went missing on May 9, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
(NUJP), an IFJ affiliate.
A
colleague and Hot FM 106.3 radio reporter, Rene Abris, told the NUJP that he received a message from Gono asking for
help after being accosted by a group of unknown people.
His
whereabouts remain unknown.
Abris and Gono reportedly went to
Catarman police…
We
the representatives of journalists' unions in 30 countries of the Mediterranean
meeting in Cagliari from May7-9, having considered the economic, political and
social crisis facing journalists across the region, Deploring violence
against media, pressure on journalists from unscrupulous governments, politicians
and extremists, and the neglect of media organisations all of which is creating
an atmosphere in which self-censorship is growing; Believing that
professional and independent journalism, exercised in conditions of non-discrimination
and respect for core labour standards, is vital to defend citizens right to
know, Condemning all attacks
on journalists by governments…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called for an end to media repression in
the Middle East and the Arab World following the launch of Breaking the Chains, the IFJ’s annual review
into press freedom violations in the Middle East and Arab World.
The review
documents the violations of journalists’ rights with a focus on the use of the
law to punish journalists for their work. It reveals that despite commitments
by governments to respect media freedom tens of journalists are still being
prosecuted and jailed across the region each year.
“This report
reveals not only the continued abuse of the law by the…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) remains deeply worried about the risks of continuing
political interference in the trials of those accused of involvement in the
Maguindanao massacre in the southern Philippines last November, even as
the Philippines Government has reversed its contentious decision to drop
charges against two key suspects.
Yesterday, Acting Justice Secretary
Alberto Agra was quoted as saying that he is “now convinced insofar as Zaldy
Ampatuan and Akmad Ampatuan are concerned, that there is probable cause to
pursue the case against them,” according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
(NUJP), an IFJ…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
awaiting details and verification that senior Sri Lankan journalist J.S. Tissainayagam will receive a full presidential
pardon for his conviction on charges of “causing communal
disharmony”.
The IFJ wishes
to verify that the reported pardon for Tissainayagam
is unconditional, and that Tissainayagam’s
rights are fully restored, including his right to safety and protection.
“Tissainayagam, his family, colleagues and the
international community require official confirmation that Tissainayagam’s full civil, political and human
rights have been restored and he is able to…
