The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, today expressed its outrage over the harassment and victimisation of Pakistan journalist Makhdoom Bilal Aamir by his employer News Network International (NNI) because of his union activities.
“It is a disgrace that our colleague in Pakistan has been victimised for defending the basic social and economic rights of his co-workers,” said IFJ President Christopher Warren today.
According to information from the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the IFJ’s affiliate in Pakistan, Makhdoom Bilal Aamir has been victimised by NNI for his membership of both…
The International Federation of Journalists today urged Iraqi leaders to abandon any plans for the future administration of media in the country that might compromise free speech and press freedom.
“Democracy in Iraq will be won by defending human rights and the people’s right to know, not by returning to the bad old days of censorship and intimidation of journalists” said Aidan White IFJ General Secretary. “It is time for Iraq to finally break with the past, and not give in to the temptation to manipulate, control or censor information.”
The IFJ call comes just days after international press reports that Iraqi officials had created a Higher Media Commission charged with…
The International Federation of Journalists today welcomed the decision by the Cambodian authorities to release from custody two journalists arrested while covering the migration of Vietnamese refugees into Northern Cambodia. On 25 July, two journalists, Kevin Doyle, an Irish national and editor-in-chief of The Cambodia Daily and Sok Ratha, Cambodian reporter for Radio Free Asia were detained in Ratanakkiri Province, 588 kilometres northeast of Phnom Penh, by government officials for alleged human trafficking. The journalists had been covering the story of the migration of the Montagnards from Vietnams Central highlands into Cambodia. “We welcome the release of our colleagues,” said…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, has today called on the Government of Hong Kong to protect journalists’ rights after eight media outlets were raided there on 24 July 2004.
According to the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA), the IFJ affiliate in Hong Kong, documents were seized by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in raids on the news organisations on 24 July 2004, in response to the news organisations reporting the name of a witness in a fraud investigation.
The ICAC have claimed the news organisations violated the witness protection law by identifying a witness in a…
The IFJ Journalism for Tolerance Prize giving ceremony for Central and West Africa took place on July 22, 2004 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
For Print media
- Serge Alain GODONG from the Cameroonian daily Mutations was awarded the prize for his article Aids patients die more from exclusion than from the disease itself published in Mutations on 22nd July 2003.
-Bethuel KASAMWA-TUSEKO (DR Congo) for Football to reconcile Congolese and Rwandans published in Le devoir on 1st April, 2003; and
-Oyeyemi OYEDEJI (Nigeria) for Stigmatization / Discrimination against PLWAH/A: Taking the bull by the horns published in The Comet on 21st October 2003,
received the…
The International Federation of Journalists today gave its full backing to a mass campaign by journalists and civil, including a strike planned for Friday, over demands to reform Senegal’s penal code, which it describes as “a legal nightmare for journalists,” and calls for the immediate release of a newspaper chief who was jailed earlier this month.
IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said that the imprisonment of Madiambal Diagne, Director of the daily news Le Quotidien, “violates the core principles of press freedom and flows from a legal framework that is a nightmare for journalists and all who work in media. We fully support the campaign to free our colleague and to get this dreadful…
The IFJ, the world’s largest journalists’ organisation, today has expressed concern over revelations that an undercover Australian police officer posed as a freelance journalist in order to obtain an arrest.
“This is an unacceptable interference in journalism that puts reporters at risk” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “If the police pose as reporters, can anybody trust a real journalist when they come asking questions ?”
The IFJ says “for journalists to be able to practice independent investigative journalism, they need the good faith and trust of the public.
“Police posing as journalists threatens the integrity and independence of the media, and in extreme cases, may…
The International Federation of Journalists today called on its members in Britain, Germany and the United States to act over the use of major global radio networks Deutsche Welle, Voice of America and the BBC World Service to fill the broadcasting space on Greek radio caused by an all-out strike of journalists and media workers.
“Journalists and media staff in Greece are fighting for basic rights and decent working conditions,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “But now it looks like national managements are ready to compromise the image of international broadcasters to fill the space vacated by angry staff.”
The IFJ has asked the National Union of Journalists in Great…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, is deeply concerned over the continuing attack on Nepalese media by both the Nepalese Government and CPN-Maoist forces.
“The media in Nepal appears to have become the whipping boy of the political players, suffering at the hands of both Government and Maoist forces,” said IFJ President Christopher Warren in Turin today. “This is utterly unacceptable,” said Warren.
Journalist kidnappings, attacks and raids against newspapers continue to occur at an alarming rate. Of greatest concern is the recent kidnapping of Nepalese journalist, Dekendra Raj Thapa, who…
The International Federation of Journalists, and its regional organisation the European Federation of Journalists today accused Greek media bosses of declaring “all-out war” on basic workers’ rights as thousands of Greek media workers prepared to strike over the next two days
Journalists and a range of other workers across all sectors of media are embarking on an unprecedented series of stoppages in response to the intransigence of employers over talks for a new wages and conditions agreement.
“The refusal by employers even to negotiate shows that they are only interested in a full-scale confrontation,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “They make a serious mistake if they…
The International Federation of Journalists today called on the Yemeni authorities to fully investigate a report of a death threat against Yemeni journalists' leader Mahboob Ali who has been actively defending Arab media outlets from attacks.
On 28 June, an unknown person issued a death threat by phone to the chairman of the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) and the deputy chairman of the Arab Journalists Federation, Mahboob Ali. Earlier that day, Mahboob had strongly criticized the “brutal attack” of the Yemeni government security forces over their raid on the offices of Al-Arabiya satellite channel on 27 June.
"Mahboob Ali has been in the forefront of the fight for journalists'…
Statement from the Somali Journalists Network (SOJON)
Two journalists from Shacab newspaper in Garowe, northeast Somalia, were arrested by Puntland police forces at the headquarters of Puntland parliament on 3rd of July 2004. Shacab is an independent, Weekly and popular newspaper in Garowe.
The journalists, Mr. Abdi Farah Nur and Abdirashid Hussein Qooraansey, editor in chief and reporter of Shacab Newspaper respectively, were arrested during their duty of taking photographs from the hall of the parliament sessions in Garowe.
The journalists were also interviewing members of Puntland parliament who were refused to meet at the parliament building, and ordered by the police to be…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation of journalists representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, is deeply concerned over the expulsion of an Australian freelance journalist from East Timor.
Freelance journalist, Julian King who has been working in East Timor for more than four years was deported to Australia on Monday, 28 June 2004. The Government of East Timor’s decision to expel King ignored a Dili court finding that cleared King of "subversion" charges brought by police in May.
King had been investigating the Government's Timor Gap oil negotiations when he was charged with possessing weapons and illegal documents.
The IFJ’s…
The International Federation of Journalists, and its regional organisation the European Federation of Journalists today backed a 24-hour strike called for this Monday and accused newspaper employers of an unreasonable, confrontational and provocative attitude to national pay talks.
The strike by the IFJ and EFJ affiliates, the Journalists’ Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers, the Union of Periodical and Electronic Press and the Journalists’ Union of the Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers, along with other six unions representing media workers comes in response to the deadlock in pay negotiations by the employers and a refusal to move on an offer that effectively reduces the buying…
The International Federation of Journalists today condemned Israeli “criminal disregard for the safety of journalists” after the Israeli armed forces carried out an attack on a media house in Gaza.
On the evening of June 29, Apache helicopter gunships fired five rockets at a 12-storey building housing the local offices of international news organisations including the BBC, CNN, NBC and Al-Jazeera in central Gaza City. Two technicians were among three Palestinians injured in the attack.
“This attack shows criminal disregard for the lives of journalists and media staff,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “International law protects civilians such as journalists from such…
Pressemitteilung 29.6.2004
von pro-information.de - Kampagne für ein Informationsfreiheitsgesetz
Auf breite Zustimmung stößt bei dem Kampagnenzusammenschluss pro-information.de die Ankündigung von SPD und Grünen, nach der Sommerpause ein Informationsfreiheitsgesetz im Bundestag zur Abstimmung vorzulegen. Die Politik reagiert hier auf ein wachsendes gesellschaftliches Interesse an einem solchen Gesetz und nimmt die in letzter Zeit vorgebrachten Argumente für ein solches Gesetz endlich ernst genug. Die Kampagne pro-information.de sammelt seit sechs Wochen Unterschriften für ein solches Gesetzesprojekt im Internet.
Die Ankündigung eines Gesetzentwurfs wird von pro-information.de auch…
International journalists today welcomed a climb-down by a top Defense Department official who had earlier attacked journalists in Iraq for being “afraid”, but the International Federation of Journalists says the incident reflects profound hostility within the administration of President Bush towards media reporting from the region.
“Since this war began the White House has been guilty of ignorance and inhumanity regarding the work of journalists,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “We are still waiting for the US authorities to carry out credible investigations into the killings of journalists and media staff by its troops.”
The IFJ welcomed the apology to correspondents…
The rules applicable to privacy of public figures vary from one country to another. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) clarified last June the interaction between Article 8 (right of privacy) and Article 10 (right to freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The case involved publication of pictures of Princess Caroline Von Hanover in different German newspapers. The photographs in question represented the Princess in her day-to day life.
In reaching its conclusion the ECHR held that, although Princess Caroline Van Hanover was a well known public person, she did not exercise any official function. The Court therefore decided that the general…
Can Press Freedom Survive When Publishers and Campaigning Journalists Become Political Targets?
THURSDAY 24 June 2004,
Résidence Palace (Salon) – 11.00 AM
Two Algerian journalists, Mohammed Benchicou (Director of Le Matin) and Hafnaoui Ghoul (journalist and regional representative of the Human rights league in Djelfa) have been jailed in Algeria in a blow to press freedom which the International Federation of Journalists describes as “a barbaric assault on press freedom”.
The actions have shocked journalists and press freedom campaigners around the world. What is the future of press freedom in Algeria? Is there a political witch-hunt against independent journalism?
A…
The Government of the Ukraine “must face the truth and take responsibility” over the brutal killing of opposition journalist Georgiy Gongadze says the International Federation of Journalists as new developments put fresh pressure on President Leonid Kuchma and point to a denial of justice in the case.
“The time is right to clear the air,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “We need to know the truth, pure and simple. Only a fresh investigation that is independent, transparent and stripped of self-interest and political intrigue will deliver justice.”
The death in custody of a key witness, the announcement of a confession by a convicted murderer and a call from Parliamentarians…
The International Federation of Journalists, the world's largest journalists' organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, is deeply concerned over the murder of Radyo Natin commentator Eliseo "Ely" Binoya in the Philippines on 17 June 2004.
Binoya is the second journalist killed in the Philippines this year. In 2003, seven journalists were murdered, making the Philippines one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists.
In a letter to the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines, IFJ President Christopher Warren demanded that she make good on her promise to protect journalists and that authorities properly investigate the murder of…
The IFJ welcomes the consolidated text prepared by the chairman of the SCCR in cooperation with the WIPO Secretariat.
However, we would like to stress again that protection in the future WIPO instrument should be given to public service broadcasters and/or full service broadcasters only. The IFJ would therefore oppose references to webcasters and cable casters and focus on traditional broadcasters.
The IFJ believes that the protection granted to broadcasting organisations should cover the existing and fixed programme only. Broadcasters should only be given the rights necessary for them to fight against piracy and these rights should not hamper the rights of authors and performers…
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was required in terms of the Broadcasting Amendment Act to apply for amendments to its licences that were necessary to reflect the reorganisation of its services into public broadcasting and public commercial broadcasting services.
This was an opportunity for proper licence conditions to be developed for the SABC, and especially for the public service. The absence of proper licence conditions has meant that the Corporation can cut corners in delivering on its public service mandate. However the SABC has made a very legal argument in return saying that detailed licence conditions are not required in terms of the Act, how it delivers…
DJV-Bundesvorsitzender Michael Konken hat die Ministerpräsidenten aufgefordert, die notwendige Gebührenerhöhung für den öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunk zu beschließen. "Die Länderchefs stehen in der Verantwortung für den Fortbestand des Qualitätsrundfunks in Deutschland", erklärte Konken am Vortag der Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz. Der von der Kommission zur Ermittlung des Finanzbedarfs (KEF) vorgeschlagene Erhöhungsbetrag von 1,09 Euro sei "das untere Ende der Fahnenstange". Die Rundfunkanstalten hätten bereits in der Vergangenheit ihren Sparwillen deutlich gemacht. "Jede Erhöhung unter 1,09 Euro hat Abstriche in der Vielfalt des Programms zur Folge", warnte Konken.
Der DJV-Vorsitzende…
The International Federation of Journalists condemned today the closure of the Zimbabwe weekly, The Tribune, which has been critical of Zimbabwe's media laws. The paper was shut down for a year on June 10, 2004, after a government order alleging that the weekly's publisher failed to notify changes in its format and its ownership structure to the governmental Media and Information Commission (MIC).
“The closure of yet another independent newspaper in Zimbabwe is a purely political act, attempting to silence dissent prior to the next parliamentary elections due in 2005” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "We are additionally concerned by the fate of twenty journalists thrown on the…
The International Federation of Journalists today gave its backing to a strike by journalists working for newspapers along the seaside coast of north west England who are calling for an end to the low pay culture that damages journalism in the United Kingdom.
Today, National Union of Journalists members at the Blackpool Evening Gazette, Fleetwood Weekly News, and Lytham St Anne's Express picketed outside their local offices over a new pay structure which would leave fully qualified senior journalists on the weekly papers on just over £16,000 - compared to a UK national average wage of nearly £26,000.
“Journalists working for local newspapers in the UK are paid poverty wages,” says…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, is deeply concerned over the recent attacks by police on journalists in Bangladesh. The IFJ has called upon the Government of Bangladesh to ensure the safety of all journalists working in Bangladesh and to launch a full and thorough investigation into the attacks.
The IFJ has protested to the government of Bangladesh in the following letter:
10 June 2004
The Hon Begum Khaleda Zia
Prime Minister
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
VIA FACSIMILE: 0015 880 2 881 0407
Dear Prime Minister,
The International Federation of Journalists…
The International Federation of Journalists today accused senior officials of the European Union and Belgian justice authorities of a “cowardly, spiteful and unjust” campaign against a news reporter after police ended an extensive examination of his files and material.
Today the IFJ announced it was joining Hans Martin Tillack in a submission to the Court of First Instance of the European Court of Justice against the European Commission to have action taken against him annulled. Tillack is an investigative reporter for the German news magazine Stern who is accused by the European anti-corruption unit OLAF of bribing an official for information in 2002. This led to a raid on his offices…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation of journalists representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, welcomes the release on 2 June of Afghan journalist Sami Yousafzai and his Pakistani driver Mohammad Salim. However, the IFJ remains deeply concerned over the trend in Pakistan to detain journalists without charge or trial for lengthy periods.
The IFJ has protested to the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, in the following letter:
8 June 2004
General Pervez Musharraf
President and Chief Executive of Pakistan
Via Email: [email protected]
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation of journalists…
The killing of a BBC cameraman and the wounding of a reporter in Saudi Arabia yesterday highlight the increasingly frightening choices facing journalists who report from the world’s most dangerous regions, said the International Federation of Journalists today.
“The targeting of journalists by ruthless terrorists presents media with its greatest challenge,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “We cannot bow to the intimidation of cold-blooded and ruthless killers, so we must face up to the reality that in this new climate of terrorism more actions must be taken to protect our people, because we can be sure more attacks will take place.”
He was speaking after the news of the…
UNION OF PRESS WORKERS PROTESTED LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST JOURNALISTS AND CALLED THE GOVERNMENT TO REMOVE LAWS ENABLING CIVILIANS TO BE TRIALLED IN MILITARY COURTS
Union of Press Workers (Basin-Sen) in North Cyprus today held a demonstration, protesting the lawsuits filed against journalist, and made a statement calling the government to remove the laws and acts, which enable civilians to be trialled in military courts, and started a petition through out the country with this demand.
Members of Basin-Sen this morning held a protest meeting in front of the Turkish Cypriot assembly, with banners which said, “we will not stop talking”, and presented the statement to the speaker of the…
The Turkish Journalists Union, TGS, today accused media owners of forcing irregular working practices and illegal contracts on journalists while simultaneously claiming to fight for press freedom.
MORE - Click here to read the full TGS statement
The International Federation of Journalists today accused Russian television bosses of submitting to “commissar politics” after the sacking of Leonid Parfyonov, the director and anchorman of the political programme Namedni on NTV on Tuesday.
The dismissal took place after Parfyonov aired an interview with the widow of a former Chechen rebel leader Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev, violating orders from the channel’s management. Russian Special Forces had reportedly ordered NTV’s deputy director Alexander Gerasimov not to air the interview, according to Russian media reports.
In an official statement NTV said the programme had been taken off air because of a contract violation by Parfyonov, but…
