A court notice published in The Daily Jang newspaper on February 28 has levelled allegations of criminal conduct against the secretary general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Pakistan affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) express concern at attempts to silence the voice of the union leader.
The Karachi-based Urdu newspaper published the warrant notice against Rana Muhammad Azeem, which according to the daily newspaper was a paid notice by the court. The notice also detailed the personal address and telephone number of the leader.
The PFUJ strongly condemned the alleged registration of a…
The IFJ joins Global Trade Unions in their call to strengthen female workers' rights in the Middle East and Arab countries.
Full statement:
International Women’s Day has been celebrated around the world since 1910. Since that time, we have made a lot of progress in advancing women’s rights and gender equality, but much remain to be done. The Women, Business and Law 2021 Report, published by the World Bank on February 23, reflects the bleak reality of women's human rights equality in our region. The Middle East and North Africa recorded the lowest average inequality around the world at 51.5%. Eight Arab countries came among the ten lowest ranking countries out of 190 countries covered in…
Hong Kong police detained and arrested the former executive director of Next Digital, Stephen Ting Ka-yu, on March 2 for alleged fraud as part of a broader investigation into the Next Digital media group. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns his arrest and calls on the Hong Kong authorities to stop targeting media workers.
Hong Kong police told the IFJ that the 61-year-old was arrested in relation to an investigation dating back to August 2020 into several top executives of Next Digital, the media group that publishes pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily. Ting had served in a number of senior roles at Next Digital over 17 years until 2016. He was the executive director…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has launched a global campaign #PayMeEqual to mark International Women's Day on 8 March, urging media across the world to conduct pay audits in their newsrooms and to act to tackle the gender pay gap
Equal pay means that women and men should receive equal remuneration for work of equal value. The global gender pay gap is estimated at 23%. It means that women earn on average 77% of what men earn.
Journalism is no exception to that injustice. The gender pay gap is not linked to women being less qualified but rather to their access to highly paid positions being limited.
In January 2020, BBC presenter and member of IFJ…
On 24 February 2020, the London Central Employment Tribunal ruled that female journalist Samira Ahmed’s hosting work on BBC’s Newswatch programme was equal to that of her male colleague, Jeremy Vine, on Points of View and that therefore she was entitled to equal pay. We asked her about the impact of this historic settlement a year after the verdict, and how BBC’s payment structures have changed since then.
1. What convinced you to lodge a claim against the BBC for equal pay?
I’d known from the moment I took up the Newswatch presenter post in 2012 that I was being underpaid and had tried to get this corrected with the BBC, internally and quietly. After the public…
Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 26 February and 5 March, 2021
English:
Australia v Facebook & Google: how will the new law affect public-interest journalism? (THE MORNING STAR)
Press Freedom Group Calls for Release of Media Members in Ethiopia (VOA)
Myanmar’s Bloody Sunday – security forces ‘live tracking’ media, protesters (ASIA PACIFIC REPORT)
US accused of double standards over Khashoggi, urged to deploy same sanctions on killers of other Arab journalists (ARAB…
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has been very active in recent years fighting unequal pay at work, in particular at the BBC, the UK's public service media. We asked NUJ General Secretary, Michelle Stanistreet, about her union's role in supporting women in their equal pay claims and for tips that can help others close the gender pay gap.
1. The fight for equal pay in the media saw an important landmark case last year in the UK with Samira Ahmed’s victory against the BBC, following her claim that she was paid 6 times less than her male colleague for doing the same job. Your union was a high profile supporter of Samira. What advice would you give to…
Bettina Boxall is a Pulitzer winning journalist for the Los Angeles Times. She was the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit against LA Times and Tribune Publishing claiming minority journalists and women were paid less than white reporters.
The fight for equal pay in the media saw an important landmark case last year in the US when Los Angeles Times and Tribune Publishing agreed to pay US$3 million to settle a lawsuit over unequal pay for journalists of Color and women journalists. You and your union, the L.A. Times Guild, played a key role in identifying and challenging the gender pay-gap in your newsroom. What advice would you give to unions that wish to support claims for equal pay?
Don’t rely…
Myanmar authorities have charged six journalists for their coverage of anti-coup protests in Myanmar. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls for the immediate release of all detained journalists and reminds the military of its obligations to respect media freedom.
This week, six journalists were charged under the country’s public order law for allegedly “causing fear, spreading false news or agitating directly or indirectly a government employee”. All were arrested by Myanmar authorities at protests on February 27 and 28, when at least ten journalists detained.
Those charged include Thein Zaw, a photographer for Associated Press (AP) who was taken into custody in Yangon…
In 2012, UNESCO published its first Gender-Sensitive Indicators for Media (GSIM) to “contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment in and through media of all forms, irrespective of the technology used”. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is in charge of revising the indicators and has launched an online survey to evaluate users' understanding of the indicators.
Through this short survey, the IFJ would like to assess how the indicators have been used and collect recommendations for strengthening their implementation in the future and reinforcing gender equality in the media.
Take action:
- Respond to the online survey by 11 March. It takes 5…
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the pan-African organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in collaboration with the Norwegian Union of Journalists (NJ) held a Webinar on “The COVID 19 Crisis: The Role of Journalists’ Trade Unions in Protecting Journalists and Journalism” on Monday, 1 March 2021.
The Webinar brought together leaders and representatives of journalists’ unions and associations across the continent as well as representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC- Africa).
In delivering the official…
The latest survey conducted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China (FCCC) shows “a rapid decline in media freedom” in 2020, with foreign correspondents and their Chinese colleagues facing increasing difficulties against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic and tit-for-tat exchanges between Washington and Beijing. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls on Chinese authorities to stop targeting journalists and respect freedom of the press.
The FCCC issued its annual report on March 1 based on a survey that attracted responses from 150 of its 220 members. For the third year in a row, no journalist said working conditions had improved in China.
“The FCCC is very…
La Fédération Africaine des Journalistes (FAJ) félicite le journaliste Ziyad Al-Warfali, correspondant d'Al-Ghad TV pour sa libération, après son arrestation le jeudi 25 février dans la capitale Tripoli suite à sa participation à une conférence de presse. Il a ainsi été libéré le 28 du même mois, après des prises de contacts avec les autorités libyennes.
Et c’est dans ce contexte que nous applaudissons le rôle joué par le Syndicat National de la Presse Marocaine et en particulier de son membre de la direction, Younes Mjahed, en sa qualité de président de la Fédération Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ), ayant mené à bien toutes ces démarches qui ont été couronnées de succès.
De même, la…
Three female journalists from Enikass TV were shot dead by unknown gunmen in two separate attacks as they attempted to return home from work on March 2. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists’ Association (AIJA) strongly condemn the horrendous attack and call for urgent measures to rectify the deplorable safety situation for media workers in the country.
Mursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat, and Shahnaz Roafi, who all worked in Enikass TV’s dubbing division, were gunned down in different locations in the eastern city of Jalalabad, in Nangarhār province. Saadia and Shahnaz were the first to be shot in Jalalabad police district one (PD1)…
Freelance journalist Jamal Farah Adan was shot dead by two gunmen on March 1 in Galkayo city, in the Somali state of Puntland. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) and the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemn this heinous targeted killing of a journalist and urge the authorities to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.
Jamal Farah Adan (56), was a veteran freelance journalist whose radio programmes were critical of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group and its operations in the region. According to eyewitnesses, he was attacked by two men who found him seated in front of a shop owned by…
Des journalistes qui couvraient une marche organisée par le parti Ennahdha à Tunis le samedi 27 février 2021, ont été agressé(e)s verbalement et physiquement par les partisans et les milices du parti islamiste. La Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ) se joint à son affilié le Syndicat national des journalistes tunisiens (SNJT) pour dénoncer ces agressions et demander qu'une enquête soit immédiatement diligentée afin de condamner leurs auteurs.
Ce 27 février, le parti Ennahdha, parti islamiste majoritaire au parlement tunisien, organisait une marche à Tunis regroupant des milliers de partisans du Mouvement venus de différentes régions du pays, et réclamant “l’unité…
The three female journalists from Enikass TV were shot dead by unknown gunmen in two separate attacks as they returned home from work.
Mursal Wahidi, Sadia Sadat, and Shahnaz Roafi, who all worked in Enikass TV’s dubbing division, were gunned down in different locations in the eastern city of Jalalabad, in Nangarhār province. Saadia and Shahnaz were the first to be shot in Jalalabad police district one (PD1) around 4 pm, while Mursal Habibi was killed in police district four (PD4) within minutes of that attack.
Ekinass had earlier informed Afghanistan’s national intelligence agency about threats to its staff, but had no information of threats…
Sean Holman is an associate professor of journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary and a freedom of information researcher and climate crisis coverage advocate. We talk with him on how journalists can improve their coverage of the climate crisis in times of pandemic.
What is your assessment of climate coverage at the moment? Is there any story that journalists are missing? Climate change coverage has improved since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its 2018 special report on global warming. But that coverage still doesn’t reflect the threat climate change poses. We’re talking about a phenomenon that could result in the premature deaths or displacement of millions…
Journalists covering protesters standing against Myanmar’s military coup have been detained by security forces with reports of up to 25 journalists arrested since the military junta seized power on February 9. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) demand the military to immediately release the journalists that have been detained for their media coverage and ensure media workers can operate without fear of arrest or persecution.
Over Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 of February, at least ten journalists were detained by security forces across Myanmar amongst the arrests of hundreds of demonstrators in Chin State, Monywa, Yangon and other regions. Thein Zaw, a journalist from the…
Press logos are becoming a target as Myanmar’s military takes aim with weapons and international-supplied surveillance, writes Phil Thornton.
The Myanmar army, police and militia’s use of violence against peaceful protestors reached another level on Sunday, February 28. By 5pm, local media reported at least 19 confirmed killings and another 10 unconfirmed. IFJ spoke to journalists covering the nationwide protests.
Toe Zaw Latt, a video journalist and production director with Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), is not surprised by the brutality or the extreme force used by the security forces. “It’s their assignment,” he said. “This is what they’re trained to do. Arrest people for…
Bangladeshi writer Mushtaq Ahmed, who was detained under the Digital Security Act (DSA) in May, 2020, for allegedly posting criticism of the government’s response to the Covid-19 on Facebook, died in police custody on February 25. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls for a full investigation into his death in custody and the urgent repeal of the digital security act which is being abused to arrest critics of the state.
Ahmed, 54, was brought unconscious to Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital in Gazipur district on February 25 with the hospital confirming his death at 8:20pm the same day. According the acting superintendent of Kashimpur High Security Jail, Gias Uddin,…
La Asociación de Periodistas de El Salvador (APES) ha denunciado distintos tipos de restricciones y agresiones a la prensa durante el proceso electoral desarrollado el domingo 28 de febrero. Estos ataques se dan en un clima cada vez más agudo de agresión y estigmatización hacia periodistas.
El día 28 de febrero, jornada designada para la elección de representantes legislativxs y municipales en todo el país, la Asociación de Periodistad de El Salvador (APES) denunció la ocurrencia de 53 vulneraciones a la prensa. Estas vulneraciones fueron analizadas en conferencia de prensa por Angélica Cárcamo, presidenta de APES, quien explicó que se registraron
47 eventos de restricción al ejercicio…
Un photographe du quotidien régional L'Union, Christian Lantenois, a été grièvement blessé samedi 27 février alors qu'il couvrait les tensions dans le quartier de Croix-Rouge, à Reims. Il a été hospitalisé dans un état grave. Les Fédérations internationale et européenne des journalistes (FIJ/FEJ) condamnent fermement cet acte ignoble. Une enquête a été ouverte pour tentative de meurtre.
Christian Lantenois, 65 ans, s'est rendu à Croix-Rouge, samedi 27 février vers 15 heures, dans une voiture floquée aux couleurs du journal L'Union pour couvrir les tensions dans un quartier de Reims. Le photographe a été retrouvé peu de temps après, en grande détresse au sol près de sa…
56-year-old freelance journalist Jamal Farah Adan was shot dead by two gunmen in Galkayo city, in the Somali state of Puntland.
Jamal Farah Adan’s radio programmes were critical of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group and its operations in the region. According to eyewitnesses, he was attacked by two men who found him seated in front of a shop owned by his family in Galkayo’s Siinay neighbourhood.
He was hit by two bullets in the head and one in the neck, according to doctors at Galkayo Medical Center, where he died upon arrival.
Journalists' safety, Somalia, IFJ, Impunity
Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 19 and 26 February, 2021.
English:
Big tech’s greed shows we need investment and regulation to save public-interest journalism (BRUSSELS MORNING)
Put America first again in backing a free press (STAR TRIBUNE)
9 ways to support journalists even if you're broke (BOOK RIOT)
The predicament of journalists and media houses (THE SANGAI EXPRESS)
Russian Journalist Soloviev declared persona non grata in Latvia (URDUPOINT)
In Malaysiakini decision,…
Four journalists arrested in 2015 by Houthi forces in the Yemeni capital Sana’a will launch their appeal hearing on 28 February against a death sentence handed down after their conviction on charges of treason and espionage for foreign states. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate (YJS), call on the Appeal Court to uphold their appeal and reverse the sentence.
UPDATED 2.03.2021 The journalists did not appear in court on 28 February . The security representative told the court that the 4 journalists will be released as part of a deal with the de facto government. The YJS and the IFJ call for the immediate release of the…
Kosovo Investigative journalist Visar Duriqi was left with a broken nose and teeth following an assault by three masked men on 25 February. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) joined their affiliate in Kosovo, the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK), in condemning the brutal attack.
Visar Duriqi, a journalist at online news portal Insajderi, was on his way home after attending a live TV debate, shortly after midnight, when three unknown people wearing masks assaulted him in front of his apartment. Duriqi suffered severe injuries and was taken to hospital. The police have launched an investigation into the case.
Duriqi covers topics…
Indian police filed the First Information Report (FIR) against journalists Barkha Dutt and seven other Twitter users on February 20 for allegedly propagating fake news in connection with the death of two minor Dalit girls in Uttar Pradesh. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Indian Journalists Union(IJU) urge Uttar Pradesh government to stop deliberate misuse of law against social media users and journalists.
The case was registered against the Twitter handle Mojo Story (run by senior journalist Barkha Dutt ), as well as seven other individuals including political party leaders, at least one other journalist and other activists for allegedly…
The acquittal of senior journalist Priya Ramani of criminal charges of defamation brought by former editor and politician MJ Akbar is a landmark in the struggle against sexual harassment at the workplace in India. Laxmi Murthy unpacks the verdict.
On February 17, 2021, history was made in a court room on Rouse Avenue in New Delhi when additional chief metropolitan magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation case filed against her by journalist-turned politician MJ Akbar.
The court further held that Priya Ramani’s disclosure was in the interest of redressing sexual harassment at workplace, and that "society must understand the impact of…
Sean Holman is an associate professor of journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary and a freedom of information researcher and climate crisis coverage advocate. We talk with him on how journalists can improve their coverage of the climate crisis in times of pandemic.
What is your assessment of climate coverage at the moment? Is there any story that journalists are missing? Climate change coverage has improved since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its 2018 special report on global warming. But that coverage still doesn’t reflect the threat climate change poses. We’re talking about a phenomenon that could result in the premature deaths or displacement of millions…
Almost one-third (29 per cent) of the NUJ members surveyed during February’s LGBT+ History month and in the run up to the TUC’s LGBT+ conference said they had experienced bullying, harassment, ill-treatment or discrimination at work as a result of their sexuality or gender identity.
Colleagues were the worst perpetrators, followed by senior managers and one in 10 (13 per cent) said the person they were interviewing had behaved in a discriminatory or bullying way.
However, almost 70 per cent believed their workplace was an inclusive and safe space to be open about their sexuality. Just under half (49 per cent) said the same about being open about their gender identity. Two-thirds said they…
New fund could be created by taxing tech giants.
This article was originally published at 'The Irish Times'
Some years ago, the then cathaoirleach of the National Union of Journalists’ Irish executive council, Mary Maher, and myself were called before an Oireachtas committee on communications.
On arrival at Leinster House, we happened to meet Michael D Higgins, former minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht and a future President of Ireland.
Deputy Higgins inquired as to the purpose of our visit. We explained that we were going to give our views on public-service broadcasting.
“Ah, Mary,” the former minister cautioned, “they will look at you as if you were an advocate for…
Jammu & Kashmir police opened criminal investigations against two journalists on January 30, while the Jammu & Kashmir administration filed another case against a third journalist on February 12. The International Federation of Journalists condemns the misuse of power and law against journalists in the region and calls on the J&K administration to immediately withdraw its case.
The journalists targeted are Kashmirwalla reporter Yashraj Sharma; Kashmiriyat reporter Mir Junaid; and freelance journalist Sajad Gul. Police opened criminal investigations into Sharma and Junaid on January 30 for alleged incitement, while the region’s administration filed a First Information Report (FIR) against…
The central offices of the Geo and Jang media group in Karachi were vandalized by a group of protesters from the Sindhi community on February 21, in retaliation over a satirical segment aired on the network. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls for a thorough investigation into the violence.
The mob comprising members of the Sindhi community were reportedly angered by the airing of a satirical segment by Geo TV anchor Irshad Bhatti in a January 28 broadcast of the ‘Khabarnak’ program. In the episode, the program presenter interviewed an impersonator of former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari – a typical format of the show, where the show’s co-host Ali Mir…
Vincent Muscat, one of the three presumed murderers of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, has been sentenced to 15 years in jail after pleading guilty at the latest hearing into her killing in 2017. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) welcomed the decision and urged the authorities to continue to pursue others involved in her murder.
Muscat, an alleged hitman in a contract to kill the journalist, is believed to have negotiated a more lenient sentence in exchange for supplying state prosecutors with information on others involved.
Daphne Caruana Galizia's reporting focused on high-level corruption, including investigations into…
Former Chinese journalist Qiu Ziming has been detained by authorities for his social media comments in relation to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers involved in the border clashes with the India troops in June 2020. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemn the arrest and call on the authorities to release Qiu immediately.
Police in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing confirmed the arrest of Qiu for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” on February 20. The 38-year-old, known as Labixiaoqiu on the Twitter-like Chinese platform Weibo, “had made illegal remarks on the internet that distorted the truth and demeaned the five heroes that had defended their country…
Journalists and media unions in Australia, the US, Canada and the UK have issued the following joint call for governments to take "bolder steps" to protect jobs and save journalism.
Journalism is a public good. Journalism is essential for democracy.
In the midst of a global pandemic the need for quality, independent information is vital.
And yet, across the world, journalists’ jobs are being axed, media are closing down and information is being censored, restricted or used simply as a commodity to be bought and sold by hedge funds, corporations and tech giants.
Facebook – by blocking news and public information sites in Australia - stands exposed as caring more about its profits than…
Facebook announced it would reverse its decision to block Australian news from the platform after a breakthrough in negotiations with Australia’s government over its proposed News Media Bargaining Code. The IFJ and its Australian affiliate the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) welcome the outcome, but remain concerned at the failure of the code to support smaller media organisations and freelancers.
After almost a week of a Facebook-imposed block against Australian audiences in both accessing and sharing Australian news content on the platform, Facebook said on February 23 that it would reopen access. It comes after ongoing negotiations between Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, and…
A coalition of Malaysian and international media organisations and freedom of expression groups, including the Centre for Independent Journalism, Gerakan Media Merdeka and the National Union of Journalists Peninsula Malaysia, and global partners International Federation of Journalists, Article 19, Reporters Without Borders and the Centre for Law and Democracy are concerned that the Malaysian Federal Court’s 19 February 2021 conviction of online news outlet Malaysiakini on contempt of court charges will have a serious chilling effect on media freedom and freedom of expression.
Malaysia has experienced unprecedented political turmoil since the Perikatan National coalition of political parties…
Ante los reclamos realizados por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) por las “violaciones de derechos humanos por parte de las fuerzas de seguridad durante la vigilancia de las protestas” que desde hace semanas se dan en el país, el mandatario Jovenel Moïse ha declarado durante una reunión del Consejo de Seguridad que "a menudo las pandillas se disfrazan de manifestantes y periodistas para atacar a nuestra policía en servicio”. Esta respuesta se da un escenario en el que tanto manifestantes como trabajadorxs de prensa han sido víctimas de numerosos casos de brutalidad policial, aumentando el clima de inseguridad para el ejercicio de la profesión periodística.
Tal como la Federación…
A new wave of unionising is sweeping US newsrooms as workers in local and digital media join forces to protect their rights at work.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joined US union, The NewsGuild-CWA in welcoming the growing unionizing as the best way to defend jobs and guarantee media workers' labor rights.
Journalists at several US media have launched their union drives in the last few weeks. Employees at the progressive digital news site Daily Kos announced the creation of the Daily Kos Guild on February 8, saying the organization’s management had agreed to…
Freelance journalist Ahmed Botan Arab was arrested on February 21 in Bossasso, in the northeast region of Puntland, accused of “spreading misinformation” after conducting street interviews with citizens criticizing Puntland’s president. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), in condemning the arrest and urges Puntland’s regional government to release him immediately.
According to NUSOJ, Puntland’s police first tried to block the publication of the interviews because the views expressed by the interviewees about president Said Abdullahi Deni were too critical.
The interviews were finally released on Arab’s…
Maldives Police attacked a Channel 13 camera operator and harassed the channel’s chief operating officer and station deputy in two separate incidents during opposition-led protests in Male on February 19. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) call on the Maldives police to respect press freedom and ensure journalists are able to freely and safely report.
Channel–13 cameraperson Mohamed Shaheem was tackled to the ground and injured by police as he attempted to cover the protests in the Alimas Carnival area of Malé on Februrary 20. Channel–13 was only the network with live coverage of the protests. Following the incident, Shaheem was admitted to a local hospital for…
The controversial Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law in Indonesia that notoriously criminalise freedom of expression may finally be revised, writes Jim Nolan.
In a surprise announcement, Indonesian President Joko (Jokowi) Wododo this month called upon Indonesia’s military and police leadership to “improve supervision to ensure that the implementation of the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law can be in compliance with the principle of accountability and provide the public sense of justice”. This announcement has been cautiously welcomed by Indonesian non-governmental organisations and press freedom groups which have campaigned against the law since its…
Le journaliste algérien Khaled Drareni, condamné par la Cour d'Appel d'Alger le 15 septembre dernier à deux ans de prison ferme pour avoir couvert les manifestations anti-gouvernementales qui ont secoué le pays, a été libéré ce 19 février 2021. La Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ) salue la libération du journaliste et enjoint le gouvernement à respecter les principes fondamentaux encadrant la liberté de la presse.
Khaled Drareni, correspondant de TV5 Monde et directeur du site d'information Casbah Tribune, a été libéré le 19 février dans la soirée par grâce présidentielle, aux côtés de 32 autres prisonniers d'opinion.
Arrêté le 7 mars 2020 pour avoir couvert les…
Borhan Uddin Muzakkir, a journalist with Bangla Samachar and bartabazar.com, sustained a fatal bullet injury to the neck while reporting on clashes between two warring factions of the ruling Awami League (AL) on February 20. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the killing and calls for the urgent arrest of the perpetrators.
Muzakkir, 25, was caught up in the clashes between followers of Abdul Quader Mirza and Mizanur Rahman Badal. The clashes took place between two factions of the ruling AL over establishing supremacy in Noakhali's Companiganj upazila (administrative district). A shoot-out between the factions broke out in Chaprashirhat Purbo Bazar from 4:45pm to 7pm…
Malaysian online news portal Malaysiakini was found guilty of contempt of court and fined RM500,000 (USD 120,000) on February 19 in an unprecedented contempt of court decision handed down in Kuala Lumpur. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its Malaysian affiliate the National Union of Journalists Peninsula Malay (NUJM) in condemning the verdict as a blow to the new media landscape, journalists and media owners in Malaysia.
The case relates to third-party comments by Malaysiakini readers on a story published in June 2020, which were alleged to have insulted the judiciary. The February 19 verdict found the online news publisher guilty under Section 114A of the Evidence…
Every week the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is compiling a list of the top news articles from across the world in which it is mentioned. Check all the international media coverage of IFJ, divided by language, in the period between 12 and 19 February, 2021
English:
Belarus targets journalists, activists in new raids (SPECTRUM NEWS)
IFJ says Australian plan to make tech giants pay for news must go to fund public interest journalism (THE MORNING STAR)
Facebook condemned for ‘unfriending Australia’ with sweeping purge of news outlets (THE MORNING STAR)
2 Belarusian journalists sent to prison for covering protest (SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE)
Include journalists in priority…
The local correspondent for Bangladesh Samachar and online news website bartabazar.com was shot in the neck and fatally wounded while covering a “political clash” in the Bangladeshi district of Noakhali and fatally wounded, according to the statement of UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay condemning the incident. The journalist later died in the hospital.
Journalists' safety, Bangladesh, IFJ, Impunity
Du 19 janvier au 11 février 2021, la Fédération internationale des journalistes (FIJ) a organisé une formation en ligne sur la sécurité professionnelle des journalistes. Onze journalistes, en provenance d’Irak, Jordanie, Palestine et Syrie ont été diplômés.
Du 19 janvier au 11 février 2021, la FIJ a organisé une formation en ligne sur la sécurité des journalistes. Elle a permis d'aborder les risques auxquels sont confrontés les journalistes, notamment la sécurité personnelle, la sécurité des femmes journalistes, la sécurité des journalistes d'investigation et les menaces balistiques, la protection des données informatiques et téléphoniques et la prévention du piratage.
Les 11…
Indian news portal Newsclick was the target of a five-day raid by the Department of Revenue of India from February 9 to 14 over allegations of international money laundering. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Indian affiliate, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemn this overt act of intimidation and harassment against Newsclick.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), the specialised investigation agency under the revenue department, started its raid at eight locations of the digital news portal on February 9 in response to a Delhi Police First Information Report(FIR) alleging Newsclick was involving in a money laundering operation. Police alleged Newsclick received…
At least six journalists working for different media outlets received death threats from unidentified persons through text messages and social media platforms, following their reporting on an alleged rape case involving a senior political figure. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate in Senegal, the Syndicat des Professionnels de l’Information et de la Communications du Senegal (SYNPICS) in condemning these acts of intimidation against journalists.
Journalists Cheikh Omar Ndaw, Daouda Thiam, Yakham Mbaye, Zeynab Sankhare, Mame Maty Fall and Maimouna Ndour Faye said that they were the targets of verbal attacks and received death threats on their social media…
Four Sudanese journalists were arrested by local security forces on 12 February due to alleged "incitement of acts of violence, sabotage, and looting across the country". The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Sudanese Journalists Union (SJU), demand their immediate release.
The former general director of Radio and TV Public Authority, Amin Hassan Omar, was arrested in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and was transferred to a prison located in the northern section of the city.
On the same day, journalist Khuwailid Abdel-Azim and his colleague Saleh Muhammad Ahmed were also detained in the capital city. Ahmed was previously fired from ‘Al-Shorouk TV’,…
Catarina Andreeva and Darja Chulcova, two journalists for Belsat, the Polish satellite television station aimed at Belarus, have each been sentenced on 18 February to two years in prison for reporting live from an anti-government rally in Minsk last November. The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) and their affiliate in Belarus, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), strongly condemn the criminalisation of journalism by President Lukashenko's regime and call on the international community to react firmly.
In accordance with the request of prosecutor Alina Kasyanchyk, judge Natallya Buhuk of the Frunze district court in Minsk, sentenced Catarina…
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the pan-African organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), notes with serious concern and condemns in the strongest terms, the continuing attacks on journalists and media freedom in Uganda by the security forces.
Several journalists suffered grave bodily injuries and psychological trauma on February 17, when the military police pounced on them as they covered the hand over of a petition against the deteriorating human rights situation in the country, to the United Nations Human Rights Office in Kampala, by National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine.
Broadcast journalists John Cliff…
Social media giant Facebook has restricted all Australian news media organisations from posting content to the platform from February 18, blocking all users domestically and internationally from viewing or sharing Australian-produced news. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its Australian affiliate the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) in condemning a move that gravely undermines press freedom in the country
Facebook initiated the block in response to the proposed News Media Bargaining Code, currently being discussed in Parliament, which would require tech giants to pay for Australian news shared on platforms such as Facebook and Google. From February 18,…
The Covid-19 pandemic has become a pretext for an authoritarian crackdown in Bangladesh, where the government has arrested several journalists, censored free speech and targeted its critics. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the authorities to stop the threats and attacks against journalists, social media users and media rights activists.
The owner of Guardian Publications, Nur Mohammad, was arrested by the police on 10 February at his home in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on charges of associating with suspects accused of spreading fake news about the Prime Minister and her son, according to media reports.
This case, which falls…
A clampdown on communications in Myanmar has seen at least five journalists arrested and official warnings sent to media threatening harsh jail sentences for those who break the country’s recently amended Penal Code. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemn the targeted crackdown on Myanmar’s media and the widespread intimidation and threats to journalists.
A statement from the Ministry of Information released to the Myanmar Press Council on February 12, said usage of certain “incorrect” words would contravene publishing laws and could be “acts of instigation that may arouse civil unrest”. This included the use of the word ‘coup’ and referring to the military as either a…
German newspaper giant, Funke, has threatened to close its printing centre in Erfurt, putting at risk 270 jobs. The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ) support the efforts by Ver.di union to oppose the closure, save jobs and help sustain the local press.
The Funke publishing house in Essen announced what some had long feared: On 31 December 2021 the printing press at the newspaper printing plant in Erfurt will go out. Thuringia will be the first federal state without a newspaper printing plant. The company had announced plans to close the printing center on “strategic grounds”. However, the newspaper giant, the second-largest media group in Germany…
Journalists are being targeted, news outlets threatened, bullets fired, curfews imposed and internet blocked by a military junta intent on silencing dissent against stolen democracy, writes Phil Thornton.
Journalists in Myanmar are scared. They have good reason to be. Coup leaders who took control of the country two weeks ago now have them firmly fixed in their sights. Official warnings have been sent to media outlets to caution that breaks of the amended Penal Code will come with harsh jail sentences.
Emergency rule trumps reform
Myanmar’s journalists didn’t have it easy before the coup, despite Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), being in government.…
The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) demand Belarusian authorities to stop immediately the persecution of journalists and the prosecution of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ). At least 30 journalists and human rights defenders were targeted in police raids today.
Early in the morning of 16 February, BAJ press secretary Barys Haretski was briefly detained by Belarusian security forces. BAJ’s lawyer Aleh Aheyeu and BAJ’s president Andrei Bastunets were also detained to witness the search of BAJ’s offices. Other searches and raids were under way Tuesday morning at the homes and offices of journalists and human rights…
The Turkish Association of Journalists (GCD) published today its Annual Media Monitoring Report documenting the state of press freedom in Turkey for the year 2020. The report addresses a number of topics such as the impact of the COVID-19, disinformation, the new internet regulation, the situation of imprisoned journalists and journalists currently on trial.
According to the Media Monitoring Report, the pandemic of the century and legal developments throughout the year deepened the deadlock media in Turkey faces.
The working conditions and freedom to report for journalists and media workers were already very difficult. According to the professional evaluation survey, disinformation…
An Afghan journalist affiliated with the Pajhwok News Agency has survived an assassination attempt by armed assailants in Faryab province on February 11. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) urge an immediate investigation and measures to ensure the full protection of the journalist.
Journalist Outbuddin Kohi was returning home when he was fired upon just after 7pm in the city of Maimana. “Three bullets were fired. I rushed and as I got back up and I was about to open the car’s door and I saw the gunmen fleeing in a white car,” Kohi told Tolo News. The injured journalist was taken to the local hospital in…
Four media workers’ unions in Japan have demanded gender equality in Japan’s media and call for stronger female representation in the industry, which they consider to be currently critically gender-biased against women. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joined forces to express support for their calls.
On February 10, members of Japan’s four key union federations held a press conference in light of the recent controversy surrounding sexist remarks made by former Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshiro Mori, in his role as the chair of Tokyo Olympics Organising Committee.
In a committee meeting, Mori claimed that meetings including women tended to take too long, as…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) supports the petition of its affiliates in Brazil, Peru and Uruguay for media workers to be considered as essential workers and their inclusion in the priority groups in the COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.
In Brazil, the National Federation of Journalists of Brazil (FENAJ) called on the government to develop a universal vaccination plan that considers journalists essential frontline workers during the pandemic. "The inclusion of journalists among the priority groups is justified by the fact that similarly to other professions, such as health professionals, teachers, police or firefighters, media workers are obliged to put themselves at…
Freelance producer Adel Al-Hasani has been held for more than six months after being arrested by Yemeni armed forces over his alleged support for both Al-Qaeda and Islamic State. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Norwegian Union of Journalists (NJ) have demanded his immediate release in a joint letter to the government.
Al Hasani, who collaborated regularly with several and renowned international media, was arrested on 17 September 2020 at a checkpoint between the province of Abyan and the neighbouring city of Aden, in southwest Yemen. The area is controlled by the separatist organization, the Southern Transitional Council…
At least nine journalists have been targeted by police by arrests, intimidation and criminal charges over reporting and online posts about the ongoing farmers’ protest in India since protests began in November 2020. The protests reached a climax on January 26, with death of protestor Navreet Singh. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Indian affiliate Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemn the tactics used to suppress media.
In the latest of a series of targeted attacks against journalists, Delhi police detained freelance journalist Mandeep Punia at a Singhu border protest site on January 30 on charges of trying to break barricades and fighting with police. He was…
Black January has traditionally also been used to highlight impunity for these crimes. But it is also important to look at continuing violations, writes Ruki Fernando.
For many years, Sri Lankan media freedom organisations have commemorated “Black January”, recalling the numerous violations of free expression and crimes against free expression committed during the month of January. With Covid-19’s onset, this year’s Black January event took place online on January 29.
Earlier in the month, editor Lasantha Wickrematunge, who was killed in January 2009, was remembered by family and colleagues. After 12 years of waiting for justice, his daughter is reported to have lodged a complaint with…
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) was banned in China on February 12, one week after it was accused of false reporting and after the broadcasting licence of China’s state owned CGTN was revoked by the British regulator. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the retaliatory move by Beijing and called on Chinese authorities to respect media freedom.
On February 12, China’s National Radio and Television Admission announced that it would prohibit BBC World News in China, claiming the public broadcaster’s reporting has “damaged China’s national interests and destroyed the unity of the Chinese community.”
As the channel has “failed to meet the requirements to…
Henry Fiallos, corresponsal del noticiero Hoy Mismo en la ciudad de La Esperanza, recibió entre el 11 y el 12 de febrero amenazas de muerte hacia él y su familia por su labor informativa en la cobertura del femicidio de la estudiante Keyla Marínez. Por el crimen de Martínez, realizado en un destacamento policial donde se encontraba retenida, están siendo investigados policías de la ciudad.
En la noche del sábado 6 de febrero, la joven estudiante de enfermería Keyla Martínez fue detenida por la Policía Nacional de Honduras en la ciudad de La Esperanza, acusada de estar incumpliendo las medidas de toque de queda dispuestas en el país durante el año 2020. En la madrugada del domingo, fue…
