First Visit by International Delegation since Ceasefire
Leaders of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), its affiliate the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), and a number of leading Egyptian journalists have concluded a two-day solidarity visit to journalists in Gaza – the first by a trade union delegation following the cease fire on 26th August. The mission was organised by the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ).
The joint delegation – led by IFJ president, Jim Boumelha, PJS president, Abdelnasser Najjar, the president of the Federazione Italiana de la Stampa Italiana, Franco Siddi, and PJS vice-president Nasser Abu Baker, had to wait three days in Cairo to…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates the National Union of Journalists (India) and the All India Newspaper Employees Federation (AINEF) have strongly criticised the arrest of more than 40 women journalists in Hyderabad, Telangana, South India, on Tuesday, September 9. They also condemn the attacks on the journalists’ equipment, including damage to a vehicle.
The journalists were protesting in front of the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s camp office at Punjagutta against the banning of two Telugu TV channels TV9 and ABN Andhra Jyothi, in Telangana state, when they were arrested. They were held several hours before being released.
The Association…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) is urging the withdrawal of the House Bill 4807, also known as “An Act to Provide Protection From Personal Intrusion for Commercial Purposes”.
The bill, which the NUJP said poses a real threat to freedom of press, as well as the right to free expression, aims to “curbs acts of trespassing and other intrusions on personal privacy committed by any person in order to capture visual or sound impressions of an individual, with intent to gain or profit”.
The bill has received widespread criticism, with activist legislator Carlos Isagani Zarante referring to it as…
The International Federation of Journalists has criticized the political environment in Fiji in the lead-up to the country’s first democratic elections in a decade, after two female reporters received death threats for their coverage. A Fiji Sun and a Fiji Broadcasting Corporation journalist each received death threats via telephone and through social media this week.
Vosita Kotoiwasawasa, from the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, and the Fiji Sun’s West Editor, Jyoti Pratibha, each received threats after they reported that SODELPA leader Ro Teimumu Kepa had pulled out of a live television debate with the country’s interim Prime Minister “Frank” Voreqe Bainimarama. Kotoiwasawasa was…
Welcome to IFJ Asia-Pacific’s monthly Press Freedom in China Campaign e-bulletin. The next bulletin will be sent on October 1, and contributions are most welcome.
To contribute news or information, email [email protected]. To visit the IFJ’s China Campaign page, go to www.ifj.org.
Please distribute this bulletin widely among colleagues in the media.
Click here to download the Traditional Chinese version.
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In this bulletin:
1) Hong Kong media under pressure in lead-up to decision on Hong Kong voting system
2) Pro-democracy radio station in Hong Kong sacks host for his political views
3) Media discovers “paid protestors” in…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemn the attack at the Islamabad office of Pakistan’s leading TV channel Geo News on Sunday, September 7.
It is the second time that the Geo News TV building has been attacked in a fortnight by demonstrators of the Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). Demonstrators pelted stones at the building, breaking a number of windows and also vandalized vehicles of the media.
Following this week’s attack, the PFUJ held a rally outside the Geo News TV building in Islamabad against the continued harassment of Geo News journalists and staff. Demonstrators…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the National Union of Journalists, Malaysia (NUJM) in condemning the inquiry by police to investigate journalist Susan Loone, in a classic case of shooting the messenger after she published comments made by a Penang Executive Councillor, Phee Boon Poh.
Loone was detained on September 4, after she wrote an article, which included quotes from Peeh. In the article, Peeh said he was “treated like a criminal” during police questioning several days earlier. Susan, a Malaysiakini journalist was arrested by police under Section 4(1)(c) of the 1948 Sedition Act. Malaysiakini, an online news portal, is also being investigated.
The arrest and…
On 12 September 2014, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)and its Freelance Expert Group are holding an online seminar (webinar) on "entrepreneurial journalism", aimed at the EFJ affiliate unions.
If you missed the Webinar on Entrepreneurial Journalism, you can catch up the key points and tips provided by our guest speakers, Heike Rost, freelance photojournalists and Tim Dawson, entrepreneurial journalist.
German freelance photojournalist, Heike Rost, spoke about her experience in "selling" her journalistic work and share some useful tips on how to build an audience.
How to build an audience? 10 Tips from Heike Rost, a photojournalist in…
On 22 -25 May, European citizens have elected their Members of the Parliament to represent them at the new European Parliament. During the election, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has launched a Manifesto calling on all candidate MEPs to commit to the Journalists’ Manifesto for the revival of a free and pluralistic media in Europe.
Over 200 MEP candidates have endorsed the EFJ Manifesto by committing themselves to the following TEN principles. Among those MEP candidates who have signed the Manifesto, 50 of them them have been (re-)elected.
1. Democracy needs independent journalism
2. Europe needs media pluralism
3. Rights to association and collective…
Today marks one month in detention for French journalists Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat who were arrested alongside three members of the West Papua separatist movement (OPM) in Wewena, West Papua. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate Aliansi Jurnalis Independen (AJI) Indonesia in calling for the immediate release for two French journalists.
Dandois and Bourrat, were in Indonesia working on a documentary about the separatist movement for the Franco-German television channel Arte when they were arrested in Indonesia’s eastern-most province. West Papua, which has a long-running separatist movement and is a sensitive region in Indonesia, closely guarded…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) again expressed strong concerns over the slow progress made in the search of missing journalist Ahmed Rilwan Abdulla. Today marks one month since Rilwan was last seen yet the IFJ remains critical of the investigation and the release of information by authorities.
The Minivan News journalist, aged 28, was last sighted boarding the Hulhumalé ferry on August 8 at 12:55am. Evidence gathered by Minivan News suggests Rilwan was abducted, however, Maldives police have not given any information regarding links to an abduction motive.
Rilwan’s family has also expressed concern over…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) have raised concerns for the welfare of a journalist and a human rights worker detained in Qatar since August 31 and called for their immediate release.
Journalist Gundev Ghimire, 36, and human rights worker Krishna Upadhyay, 52, both British-passport holders of Nepali origin, were in Qatar filming a documentary about the treatment of migrant Nepali workers in Qatar under a project funded by the Norway-based Global Network for Rights and Development (GNRD) when they lost contact with friends.
They were due to leave Qatar on August 31 but didn’t board the planes after Upadhyay sent…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate Indian Journalists Union (IJU) condemn an attempt to harass Keya Acharya, a well-known environmental journalist, by Karuturi Global Limited (KGL) for a critical article.
According to IJU, Acharya has been served a legal notice for defamation demanding a compensation of USD 16.4 million by Ramakrishna Karuturi, the founder and managing director of KGL for an article she wrote for Inter Press Service (IPS). The article was about the impact on the Indian rose export industry that also detailed the company's legal, financial, tax, labour and land problems in its operation in Kenya and Ethiopia.
It’s notable that KGL is a…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply worried that Hong Kong’s media managers lack sufficient independence to face ongoing political pressure from China.
The issue has reached a critical point with China’s decision to hold the 2017 election for Hong Kong’s next Chief Executive using a definition of “universal suffrage” that critics say does not meet international standards. The National People’s Congress Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party decided on August 31 that voters will have a choice of only two or three candidates, all of whom must receive more than 50 per cent support from a 1200-member electoral committee before they compete for the popular…
On Sunday, a delegation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), led by Jim Boumelha, the IFJ President, and Abdelnasser Najar, President of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), travelled through Sinai on their way to Gaza to support Palestinian journalists.
Franco Siddi (FNSI), executive committee member of the IFJ, and Egyptian journalists were also present.
More information to follow.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have sent a message of solidarity and support to their affiliate, the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), as it prepares for its annual solidarity event to remember fallen colleagues.
Tomorrow, Sunday, 8 September, RUJ leaders and members, as well as many journalists and writers, will unite for the International Journalists' Solidarity Day in Moscow, a powerful day of demonstrations and events to commemorate colleagues who have been killed, stand up for freedom of expression and strengthen solidarity in their struggle to combat impunity against journalists in Russia.
"It is with…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) in condemning the arrest of television journalist Jaikhlong Brahma on Tuesday night, September 2 in Kokrajhar town of Assam state of India.
According to reports, the Assam Police arrested Brahma, who works for a Guwahati-based private news channel News Live, on charges of “providing information to the extremists about the movement of security forces in advance and instigating the cadres of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB - Songbijit) to indulge in violent activities such as killing of innocent persons, sources or informers”. Brahma faced the Court of Chief Judicial…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today issued letters to Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, and opposition leaders Imran Khan, of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), condemning their roles in the recent violent attack on journalists and media houses; and urging for immediate action to stem violence being directed at the media during political rallies in Pakistan.
The IFJ has also called for apologies from the Pakistani politicians and government after an horrific week of media-targeted violence. In ongoing demonstrations organized by PTI and PAT against the government, the IFJ has also noted that both the…
The International Federation of Journalists welcomes the meeting this morning in Cairo between an IFJ-FAJ delegation and Egypt‘s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab to discuss the imprisonment of the three Al Jazeera journalists – Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed – jailed by an Egyptian court on 23rd June.
The International Federation of Journalists delegation included its President Jim Boumelha and its former President Christopher Warren who is also Federal Secretary of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance of Australia, Peter Greste’s union.
“We are particularly grateful that the Prime Minister started a dialogue and understood the concern of the IFJ and its member…
The 31 year old seasoned reporter was killed by the Islamic militant group , the so-called Islamic State (IS) which posted a video showing his murder by beheading. Sotloff was very familiar with the Middle East, having covered conflicts there for many years over the past decade. A native of Miami (USA), he was a highly respected freelance journalist who worked for Time magazine, Foreign Policy and World Affairs. He was seized in Syria in 2013.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has appealed for international action to improve protection of journalists covering events in Iraq and Syria following the brutal beheading of American journalist Steven Sotloff.
Following the execution of James Foley on August 19, the Jihadi group “The Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS)” yesterday posted video footage online showing Sotloff’s barbaric execution.
“We join international condemnation of this cowardly act and we send our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the family and colleagues of Steven Sotloff,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “In the face of such extreme and abhorrent actions, the international…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have repeated their plea for all sides in Ukraine to respect the rights of journalists and ensure they are not intimidated or harmed following reports that Russian journalist, Andrei Stenin, has been found dead.
Stenin, who worked for Russia’s state-run news agency, RIA Novosti, which is part of the Rossiya Segodnya holding, went missing in eastern Ukraine in August where he was working on a photo assignment.
Reports at the time said he was being held by an unknown group, with RIA Novosti citing an unidentified source that he had been taken by Ukrainian security services. Russia…
Tuesday evening came the tragedy that another American journalist, Steven Sotloff, had allegedly been executed by the Islamic State (IS). Following the horrific murder of Mr. Sotloff, Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, the President of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has made an immediate appeal for an international investigation into the murder of the two journalists and demanded to bring the killers to justice.
Two weeks ago it was the American journalist James Foley who, after a long period of captivity, was subjected to a similar brutal execution, which was filmed by the Islamic State captors.
Tuesday it was the turn of another American freelance journalist, Mr. Sotloff, who…
The European Arts and Entertainment Alliance (EAEA)including federations representating musicians (FIM), actors (Euro-FIA) and film technicians (EURO-MEI) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) carried out a joint project on work-life balance in eight countries: France, Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
the project resulted in the publication of a research study and the adoption of recommendations by each federation's board.
The research collected and analysed information on the following issues:• The situation of work-life balance in the four sectors of activity and its impacton men and women in eight selected countries (France, Germany,…
The 33-year-old photographer, missing since early August 2015, was found dead in Ukraine, the RIA-Novosti press agency he worked for announced, according to AFP quoting the Russian agency.
The RIA-Novosti chief ,Dmitry Kiselev, was quoted as saying that Stenin, initially thought as having been detained, had actually been killed when his car was hit by bullets and burn on the road close Donetsk, a rebel stronghold in eastern Ukraine.
Russia had opened a probe in mid-August into the disappearance of the photographer and had believed that he had been taken by Ukrainian authorities, AFP added.
Source: AFP
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the ruling by the Federal Court of Malaysia to uphold the laws deeming it illegal for non-Islamic publications to use the word ‘Allah’. The IFJ expresses strong concern for these laws, which will restrict freedom of expression and freedom of religion in the Muslim-majority nation.
On June 23, the Federal Court of Malaysia ended a five-year court battle between the Government of Malaysia and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Nicholas Xavier Pakiam. The case began in 2009 when the Ministry of Home Affairs wrote to Pakiam and advised him that The Herald, a weekly Catholic newspaper available in English, Tamil, Chinese…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the Macau Journalists Association in expressing its concern that the Macau Judiciary Police abandoned political neutrality. On August 29, two journalists were detained after their online media outlet published an image containing a police logo.
The deputy publisher of Macau Concealers, Choi Chi-chio, and a journalism intern, Leung Ka-wai, were detained on the accusation that the outlet had illegally published the logo of the police department. Under Macau law, it is a crime to publish a police logo or an image of a public servant’s uniform with the intention of suggesting the logo or the uniform belong to a particular person.
Macau…
Recruitment of Officer
The Secretariat of the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) is looking for an Officer in charge of special projects and communications for one (1) year contract renewable based on performance.
Profile requested:
The successful candidate must have the following skills:
- Professional training or experience in journalism, communication or any other equivalent disciplines connected with media and journalists;
- Ability to develop and implement projects;
- Have good command of English language and a second language (French or Portuguese);
- Have good knowledge of the media situation on the African continent; - Have good knowledge and command of ICTs;
- Be…
The following is the full statement submitted by the International Federation of Journalists to the UN Human Rights Council’s special session of 1 September 2014 held in Geneva on the human rights situation in Iraq.
IFJ Urges Accountability for Atrocities Committed against Journalists in Iraq
The International Federation of Journalists, the world’s largest professional organisation of journalists, representing over 600.000 journalists in 134 countries, wishes to commend the Council for holding this special session on atrocities committed by the self-proclaimed Islamic State and other armed groups in Iraq.
The IFJ’s primary role is to promote and defend…
The TV host at ‘Channel i‘ where he presented two programmes‘Shantir Pothe and Kafela’ was killed in his own home in East Razabazar, Dhaka.
According to the Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF), more than half-a-dozen youths allegedly entered the house on the pretext of talking about Hajj pilgrimage, but then proceed to tie up all members of his family. Farooqi, who was also the Khatib of High Court Mazar mosque, was murdered in his bedroom.
Reports quoted Farooqi’s supporters as saying that he had received death threats before for opposing militancy in Bangladesh. Dhaka City police said they were investigating whether the murder was due to the TV programs Farooqi…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has written to the outgoing President of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, calling on him to allow the immediate release of two French journalists detained in West Papua since last month.
The request from IFJ Asia-Pacific calls on Dr Yudhoyono to give a presidential order to release the pair as evidence of the country’s more open position to journalists working in West Papua. The call is being backed by the French Union of Journalists (SNJ, SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalists), Indonesia’s Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ).
Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat were…
Welcome to the IFJ Asia-Pacific’s monthly e-bulletin. The next bulletin will be sent on 1 October, 2014, and contributions from affiliates are most welcome. To contribute, email [email protected]
Please distribute this bulletin widely among colleagues in the media.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ifjasiapacific
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In this bulletin:
East Timorese and Australian journalists campaign against media lawFrench journalists arrested in West Papua, IndonesiaMyanmar journalists train future leadersMaldives media still searching for answers on Ahmed RilwanSunil Jayasekara death threats: IFJ/IFEX demand action in Sri Lanka…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the international community to hold those responsible for violence against journalists in Iraq accountable.
In a statement to the special session on the abuses committed by the Islamic State and associated groups in Iraq convened by the United Nations Human Rights to day in Geneva, the IFJ highlighted the impunity for killings, abductions and other serious violations of human and humanitarian law targeting journalist which various warring parties in Iraq continue to enjoy.
The IFJ welcomed the unified reaction of the international community, calling for the IS killers of American journalist James Foley to be held…
The female Iraqi journalist Fatima Omar AbdelKarim and a member of the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate (IJS), an IFJ affiliate, was killed in a terrorist blast in Baghdad, the IJS said.
The journalist for the Firat News Agency, who used the pseudonym Deniz Firat, lost her life in an attack while reporting from the Maxmur refugee camp north of Mosul.
Source: INSI
According to the Pakista Federal Union of Journalists(OPFUJ), an IFJ affiliate, 35-year-old Mustoi who worked as assignment editor of ARY News in Quetta and served as General Secretary Balochistan Union of Journalist (BUJ), was shot dead by unknown gunmen who sprayed bullets at his office located at MA Jinnah Road, Quetta, Balochistan. Two of his colleagues who were in the office , trainee reporter Muhammad Abdul Rasool and media staff Muhammad Younas, were also killed in the attack. The assailants fled the crime scene.
The victims' bodies were taken to the hospital and initial examinations stated that all three died due to bullet injuries to their chest and heads.
The International Federation of Reprographic Rights Organisations (IFRRO) and the World Intellectual Property Organisations (WIPO) published a joint study on "Text and Image based Copyright Levies".
A levy is a fee paid for the use of a copyright/author's rights protected work under exceptions or limitations to the exclusive right of reproduction that belongs to authors unless it has been assigned.
Exceptions or limitations include private uses by individuals or internal use by companies or educational institutions.
The levies are paid by the manufacturers or importers of devices or media which can be used to make copies and is ultimately born by the end-user.
This…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) strongly condemn a series of brutal attacks and manhandling of journalists by state security forces and protesters during the ongoing political protests in Islamabad, Pakistan, today and on Saturday. The IFJ and the PFUJ also express concern over the escalating number of incidents of violence against journalists in recent days.
According to reports out of Pakistan, police attacked media on Saturday, August 30, including journalists and staff from ARY News, News One, AbbTakk News, Dunya TV, Dawan News and JAAG TV at one of the demonstrations. Several were injured during the…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in strongly condemning the killing of journalist Irshad Mustoi and his two colleges in his office at MA Jinnah Road, Quetta, Balochistan on Thursday, August 28.
Mustoi, 35-year-old Assignment Editor of ARY News in Quetta, Bureau Chief of Online News Agency and General Secretary Balochistan Union of Journalist (BUJ), was shot dead in his office along with trainee reporter Muhammad Abdul Rasool and media staff Muhammad Younas by indiscriminate firing of unknown assailants. The assailants fled the crime scene.
The bodies were taken to the hospital and initial examinations…
Across the Asia-Pacific region, women are still significantly underrepresented in the media, where men continue to dominate the top positions and hard news reporting jobs. In order to accurately inform the debate on gender equality in the media and formulate concrete actions that relevant stakeholders in the region can take to improve the situation, and as a follow-up to the Global Forum on Media and Gender that took place in Bangkok in 2013, UNESCO and UN Women have partnered with the International Federation of Journalists Asia-Pacific (IFJ) to conduct a Research Study on Media and Gender in Asia-Pacific.
Building on IFJ’s earlier research in this area, the study will look at a sample…
By Mark Davis
In the 1990’s East Timorese journalist, Jose Belo, began his career smuggling evidence of Indonesian military atrocities out of the country…. and smuggling undercover foreign journalists in.
Since then he has become one of the bravest, loudest and sharpest investigative journalists in the region, exposing multiple cases of corruption and political abuses in his country. But his days of whispering the truth rather than speaking it may be returning.
Jose is leading the charge against a set of extraordinarily repressive media laws which have managed to wind their way through the East Timorese parliament.
The laws propose a state licencing system for all publications and…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the potential for East Timor’s government to push ahead with a controversial new media law, despite widespread criticism of the law and a finding from the country’s Court of Appeal last week that elements of the media bill are unconstitutional.
The IFJ and its affiliate, Timor Leste Journalist Association (AJTL) have called on the national parliament to urgently review the press laws which, in their current form, will drastically endanger the operation of the media and press freedom in the fledgling democracy.
“We are greatly concerned for the freedom of the media and journalists ability to report in East Timor should these…
The sound engineer with “Cops”, a reality TV show in Omaha, was accidentally killed in cross fire by police in Omaha. The victim was a member of COPS TV crew filming a police operation when officers responded to a robbery.
The city's police chief said the robber, who also died in the incident on Tuesday, fired at the officers with a pellet gun that looked like a real pistol and officers returned fire. In the confusion during the shootout, soundman Bryce Dion was hit with a single bullet and died.
The police chief defended the decision to invite the TV crew to film the operation , saying it was intended to garner the public support for the force.
Source: BBC
South Asia’s journalist unions today united in their condemnation of the brutal murder of US journalist James Foley in the Middle East. Foley, a respected international photojournalist who had previously survived a kidnapping in Libya, was killed by ISIS militants and his murder circulated to the world via a video on the internet on August 19.
South Asia’s journalist unions, denounced the ISIS action as an affront to journalism globally that must be dealt with swiftly. So far this year, 67 journalists have lost their lives and the Middle East remains an extremely dangerous environment for media personnel and journalists. Foley went to Syria because he wanted to ‘nail down the facts’ and…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) condemn the beating of a journalist by police in Kushtia in Khulna district in Western Bangladesh on Tuesday, August 26.
According to reports, Akhil Poddar, a special correspondent with private channel ETV, was beaten by police before being handcuffed and led away to the police station.
Poddar alleged Kumarkhali Police Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Abul Kalam Azad and other policemen attacked him and another reporter of Mohona TV. They were stopped by a police patrol and were subjected to swearing before the police threatened to charge them.
After hearing of the incident, local…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) deplore the slaughter murder of a television host in Dhaka on Wednesday night, August 27.
Maolana Nurul Islam Farooqi, who hosted two programs, Shantir Pothe and Kafela, on ‘Channel i’ television was slaughtered at his residence at East Razabazar. More than half-a-dozen youths allegedly entered the house in the pretext of talking about Hajj pilgrimage, but then proceed to tie up all members of his family before killing Farooqi in his bedroom.
According to reports, Farooqi was also the presidium member of political Islami Front and affiliated with Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and also the…
The 54-year-old broadcaster for Digos City radio was shot dead along Del Pilar Street in Dig City. The NUJP said that Oliverio was on his way home when two gunmen who did not even bother to cover their faces shot him.
Colleagues in Digos said that the journalist was known for his scathing commentary on local politics and that he used to express strong views on his programme against the proliferation of illegal gambling and drugs in the city.
The 35-year-old community-based journalist in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi was gunned down by unidentified attackers a day after the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), IFJ affiliate, condemned the comments of the provincial police chief, Senior Supt Joselido Salido, who had ruled out the possibility of the Nadjid's murder being work-related, saying the victim was " just one disc jockey, a person who plays popular music on FM radio station. He is not a journalist."
The NUJP chairperson Rowena C. Paraan took objection to that, replying that " For Salido's enlightenment, Nadjid was not only the station manager of DxNN Power Myx FM…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today joined its affiliates in the US in welcoming the release of Theo Curtis, the American journalist who was released on Sunday 24 August in Syria, while voicing concern for the safety of many others still being held, including up to twenty in Syria alone.
The IFJ affiliate in Washington, the NewsGuild –CWA, said journalists are increasingly being targeted for abductions by groups seeking to advance their political agenda.
“We remain concerned that in so many current conflicts journalists have just become pawns, used or killed for someone's political agenda,” said NewsGuild-CWA President, Bernard Lunzer. “The release of American…
WHAT: IFJ Regional Meeting in the Arab World & Middle East
WHERE: Casablanca, 28-30 October
It is expected that 19 journalists unions from the Arab World and the Middle East will meet to disscuss the effect of the last three years on the work of journalists in the region.
This will include discussion about the crisis of safety and impunity, press freedom and media reform, collective agreements and gender equality. View the DRAFT PROGRAMME for the event.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the assassination attempt on a broadcaster in Dagupan City, Pangasinan in the Philippines today and has called on President Benigno Aquino to take drastic measures to address the country’s horrendous record of journalist assassinations before more journalists are killed.
Orlando Navarro, 54, was shot in the back by an unidentified gunman in the early hours of Tuesday, August 26, just 15 metres from his home in Barangay Pantal, Dagupan City, the provincial capital of Lingayen on the island of Luzon.
Navarro is the host of two shows, Isyu at Reaksyon and Orly sa IZ. He is also the officer-in-charge for dwIZ station in…
The 67-year old journalist and Host for dwIM radio station was shot outside his home in Calapan city , Oriental Mindonoro by unknown gunmen . According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), an IFJ affiliate, Baculo had learnt in 2008 of a plot to kill him from a hired gunman contracted to carry out the hit. He petitioned the court for protection which was granted and the Court of Appeals granted the continuance of that protection order.
However, a few months later, the appellate court denied the broadcaster’s petition, stating that the supposed threat on his life was “unsubstantiated”. Following the denial of his petition, Baculo was quoted as saying…
The 52 -year-old reporter for the tabloid Remate and a block timer of dwAD radio station in Cavite sustained at least four gunshot wounds when unidentified number of gunmen barged into her home in Barangay Talaba, Bacoor. She was shot repeatedly in front of her son and 10-year-old granddaughter. Garcia underwent surgery at St Dominic Hospital in Cavite but died several hours later.
The IFJ, through its International Safety Fund, has donated 10.000 USD to assist journalists and their families who have been affected by the current fighting between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza strip.
The Federation , the world's lagest organisation of journalists, has also launched an emergency appeal to its affiliates around the world, media workers and the general public, urging them to show solidarity with their colleagues in Gaza.
Donations can be sent to the IFJ International Safety Fund on the following account:
The Safety Fund
a/c BE64 2100 7857 0052
Swift Code: GEBABEBB
BNP PARIBAS FORTIS BANK, Rond Point Schuman 10, 1040 Brussels
…
The American Freelance journalist was killed by the Islamic State (IS) militants who posted online a video footage showing his gruesome the beheading.
The IS said that Foley was murdered in retaliation to US airstrikes against the jihadi group in Iraq. He had covered the conflict in Libya where he was also detained and on his release, moved to
report on the fighting in Syria for various media organisations, including the GlobalPost and the AFP.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is outraged that the Chinese authorities have deprived a cartoonist of his rights, merely for expressing dissent.
Wang Liming, a prominent online cartoonist known as biantai lajiao, or “perverted chilli pepper”, posted a cartoon satirising Hong Kong’s anti-Occupy Movement on his weibo microblog account on August 17. Next day, all Wang’s Mainland online microblog accounts, including weibo and WeChat, were shut down without explanation. According to Radio Free Asia, Wang’s online shopping account at Taobo, a prominent online shopping portal, was also shut down without explanation. On August 18, the Communist Party newspaper The People’s…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today again called for the immediate release of two French journalists who have been detained since August 6 in West Papua, Indonesia. Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat were arrested in Wawena, West Papua for entering Indonesia on tourist visa while working. The IFJ, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the French Union of Journalists (SNJ, SNJ-CGT and CFDT-Journalists) and Indonesia’s Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) have continued pressure on the government to release the pair.
Since their arrest, Dandois and Bourrat have been held in Jayapura’s immigration office and were scheduled to be transferred to the…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the staff of a giant beverage manufacturer for brutally attacking a journalist on August 19.
Li Runwen, a reporter with China Youth Daily, went with an intern to investigate alleged extortion of student wages at a factory belonging to the Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co, Ltd (also known as Wahaha) in Jiangsu Province. A company security guard demanded to take a picture of Li’s press card. When he refused, the guard suddenly yelled at him and splashed tea over the two journalists. An unknown person cried out “fake reporter” and several workers surrounded Li and pushed him onto the ground. Li’s head was injured by several kicks and…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) in strongly condemning the expulsion of a New York Times journalist by the Afghanistan government on August 20 for refusing to identify sources for an article.
According to reports, Matthew Rosenberg, a Kabul-based 40-year-old journalist, was first barred from leaving and then ordered to leave Afghanistan within 24 hours. He left the country on the evening of August 21.
The expulsion was ordered after Rosenberg refused to identify sources for an article about a plan by unnamed officials to seize power if the political crisis in Afghanistan continued. The country…
Chinese journalists and activists have questioned the motivations of Germany’s international public broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW), after it chose not to renew the contract of prominent Chinese activist Su Yutong.
Su, an exiled Chinese blogger had been working for DW since 2010 but was informed on August 19 that her contract would not be renewed in 2015. Su is one of the most prolific bloggers of DW’s Chinese-language website.
A statement released by Deutsche Wellesaid Su’s contract would not be renewed because she had released information about internal company meetings and publically criticized her co-worker. Su however argues there is more to her dismissal. Other Chinese journalists…
La Federación Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) ha expresado su profunda conmoción tras la espantosa decapitación del periodista estadounidense James Foley, que desapareció en Siria en 2012.
El asesinato ha sido reivindicado por el grupo yihadista "El Estado Islámico de Siria e Irak (ISIS)" en un video publicado on line que muestra el bárbaro asesinato.
Se ve un hombre enmascarado llevando a cabo la ejecución después de un discurso en represalia por los ataques aéreos estadounidenses contra el grupo yihadista en Siria.
"Este asesinato horrible y cobarde de un hombre desarmado es otra llamada a la acción para proteger a los periodistas y civiles…
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) today has vigorously condemned the detention of a media professional in Zimbabwe. According to the FAJ affiliate the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) photojournalist Angela Jimu has been assaulted and detained by anti-riot police in Harare on August 20th.
''Authorities in Zimbabwe must immediately order the police to stop assaulting journalists and media professionals in the course of their job,'' said Mohamed Garba, FAJ President.
Jimu, a photojournalist with the Zimbabwe Mail, was assaulted by police while covering a demonstration in Harare by opposition MDC-T youths. Police were yet to charge the photographer when ZUJ lawyers and…
The West African Journalists Association (WAJA) has today extended its condolences and solidarity with the governments and peoples in the sub-region affected by the Ebola outbreak, and calls on the media to double its support in fighting back the virus.
WAJA says the media is under social and ethical obligation to serve the greater good of humanity in these critical times of heightened fear of death caused by the rapid spread of the disease in the region.
While noting the extraordinary efforts of the media so far in disseminating behavioral change messages, WAJA challenges authorities to manage the aggression of the virus carefully as it poses greater threat to the health and…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins the Bangladesh Manobodhikar Sambadhik Forum (BMSF) in demanding the immediate release of journalist Rabiullah Robi arrested on August 19, accused of violating religious sentiment.
Robi, news editor of the Bangla-language daily Inqilab, was arrested in a midnight raid at the newspaper office at RK Mission Road, Dhaka. This followed the filing of the case by the Acting Additional Inspector General of Police Pralay Kumar Joardar.
Inqilab published a report on Pralay Kumar Joardar on August 18, raising several allegations and claiming he had created an "unofficial Hindu League" in the police force. Joardar filed a case against…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the authorities’ actions in abruptly disconnecting communications channels for the family of Hada, a prisoner in Inner Mongolia. Communication channels were disconnected after the family voiced concern on the internet about Hada’s illegal detention, which has continued for almost four years.
On August 15, Inner Mongolia police visited Hada’s wife, Xianna, and accused her and her son of posting illegal content on international websites. According to the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center, eight police officers visited Xianna claiming to be from China’s Internet Security Police. Two days later, all communication…
Preparation
1. Plan in advance. Know what to expect. Know how to get assistance. Know where the safe areas are.
2. Establish pre-arranged contact points with the rest of your team (photographer, camera-operator, producer, etc.) if you are separating.
3. Bring a cellular phone and preferably a satellite phone with emergency numbers pre-set for speed dialling. This will facilitate communication with office and colleagues on the ground.
4. Carry first aid kits and learn how to use them.
5. Bring eye protection such as swimming goggles, industrial eye protection, shatterproof glasses, face shields or gas mask.
6. Wear loose natural fabric clothing as this will not burn as readily as…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has expressed its deep shock following the appalling beheading of US journalist James Foley, who went missing in Syria in 2012.
The killing has been claimed by the Jihadi group “The Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS)” in video footage posted online that shows the barbaric murder.
A masked man is seen conducting the execution after a speech on retaliation to US airstrikes against the jihadi group in Syria.
"This horrifying and cowardly killing of an unarmed man is another call for action to protect journalists and civilians who are brutally targeted by armed groups and terrorists" said Jim Boumelha,…
The International Federation of Journalists has expressed its strong support to its member unions in the United States in their protest about the shameful treatment of journalists by a police SWAT team during the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri.
Two reporters, Ryan Reilly of the Huffington Post and Wesley Lowery of the Washington Post, were violently arrested by police in an act “wholly unwarranted and an assault on the freedom of the press to cover the news” according to Washington Post editor Martin Baron.
According to reports, Getty Images photographer, Scott Olso, was also arrested and a crew from Al Jazeera America targeted with tear gas and rubber bullets. All the journalists…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Bangladesh Manobodhikari Sambadhik Forum (BMSF) strongly condemn an attack this week on a senior journalist in Barisal city amid a climate of declining safety for media workers in Bangladesh.
Pulack Chatterjee, the 44-year-old bureau chief of Daily Samakal and secretary of Barisal Press Club, was attacked with sharp weapons by three attackers as he returned home from work at midnight of August 18. The miscreants fled the scene, though one was later detained by police.
Chatterjee sustained injuries to his head and body and was rushed to Barisal Sher-e-Bengali Medical College Hospital. He is said to be out of danger. Police reported…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) are concerned at incidences of violence being directed at media workers, particularly those from Geo News in Pakistan. The IFJ has called on all political leaders to respect the role of the media in their reporting duties and to condemn violence by party followers.
It comes after some violent retaliation to journalists by the cadres of the Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf (PTI) party during their political rally last weekend. On the first two days of the rally, as many as eight journalists and media workers were targeted.
According to reports, Azaz Syed of Geo TV was forced to leave the venue…
