Tag Archives: press freedom

BBC calls on journalists to mark World Press Freedom Day

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Today is World Press Freedom Day. It comes at a time when news organisations and freelance journalists working to report on uprisings in the Arab world have battled, and are still battling, restrictions on their ability to do their job.

In Egypt we heard of news bureaux being shut down during the protests in the country, in Libya foreign journalists told of ‘days of brutality’ in detention while two Western journalists were killed while trying to cover the conflict. And beyond the uprisings, across the world, there are daily reports of journalists, both local and foreign, being prevented from carrying out their work to report on the events around them, through legal action, technological blackouts or violence and intimidation.

Journalists killed in 2010

Journalists killed around the world in 2010. Infographic supplied by World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers

So today has been marked as a day to show support for the journalists fighting for a free press and to remember those who died doing so. The BBC reports that “hundreds, if not thousands” of events are being held across the world today. For its part director of BBC Global News Peter Horrocks has called for a minute’s silence at 11am “to mark the sacrifices made by journalists in the name of press freedom, and to honour those who have been killed”.

Some might see this as just a gesture, which will surely not be observed by all. But the turmoil, anguish and the death toll from the Arab Spring revolts and revolutions have brought home as rarely before how critical the role of journalists is, in not just doing a job, but reporting on events which decide the fate of nations.

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) is providing a range of material including interviews, infographics and cartoons, for news outlets to use to highlight the meaning of the day.

IFJ meeting on media reforms in the Arab world

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The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is organising a meeting in Morocco, from 12 to 14 April, for its affiliates, in order to discuss “an agenda for media reforms in the Arab world and the Middle East” following the recent uprisings in the region.

“This regional conference is as important as timely given the wind of change which is sweeping through region and its potential impact on the future of journalism,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President who is attending the meeting. “Press freedom has to be part of the reforms and journalists and their unions need to make their voice heard in the debate for change.”

The conference, Wind of Change: Setting the agenda for Media Reforms, will look at the safety of journalists, press freedom and political pressure on media and reforming media laws.

See the full IFJ report here…

IPI: At least 57 journalists in prison in Turkey

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The International Press Institute (IPI) claims a report from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has indicated at least 57 journalists are currently in prison in Turkey, which the IPI says is “apparently more than any other country”.

While Iran and China topped lists last December by reportedly jailing some 34 journalists each, Turkey, a candidate for membership in the European Union, has nearly doubled that number five months later, raising questions about the country’s commitment to freedom of the press and the legitimacy of its democratic image.

Last year Journalism.co.uk reported that restrictions on freedom of expression in Turkey had given the European Commission “cause for concern” according to a progress report released in November.

In the annual report, produced to assess progress in European Union membership candidate and potential candidate countries, the commission claimed a “high number” of violations of freedom of expression in Turkey are still being submitted to the European Court of Human Rights.

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists the number of journalists in prison worldwide as of 1 December last year, had risen to its highest level since 1996. In its annual census of imprisoned journalists, the CPJ found that 145 reporters, editors and photojournalists were in jail in 28 countries at the time of the report.

Al Jazeera: Turkey charges journalists accused of plotting coup

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Al Jazeera is reporting that a Turkish court has charged four journalists and a writer with involvement in an alleged plot to overthrow the country’s government, a day after two prominent reporters were jailed pending trial.

Human Rights Watch said on Saturday the developments in the case had a “chilling effect” on free speech and urged Erdogan’s government to respect press freedom. Thousands of people also marched in Istanbul and Ankara, the capital, on Friday, to protest against the detentions.

Full story on Al Jazeera at this link

 

 

Reuters: European Commission raises concerns about journalists in Turkey

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Reuters reports today that the European Commission has raised concerns about the detention of journalists in Turkey, following the alleged arrest of 10 journalists and writers yesterday.

In a statement, Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele is quoted as saying that the European Commission “is following with concern the recent police actions against journalists”.

Last year the European Commission said in a progress report that restrictions on freedom of expression in Turkey had given it “cause for concern”.

Hilary Clinton’s net freedom speech: analysis from Index on Censorship

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Press freedom organisation Index on Censorship has consulted a number of experts over US secretary of state Hilary Clinton’s recent speech on internet freedom.

They include Chinese internet activist Wen Yunchao and former Guardian head of digital and Tow Center professor Emily Bell, who says:

There are many contradictions in how the US government has tackled the issue of the internet; from a rather ambivalent approach to net neutrality, through the involvement in industry of providing cyber security to overseas repressive regimes, to its extremely hostile reaction to the Wikileaks disclosure of diplomatic cables …

The irony of the timing of the speech was not lost on the Twitterverse. As Clinton spoke, lawyers from the department of justice were defending their pursuit of information on Wikileaks operatives, which involved ordering platforms such as Twitter to hand over user data on individuals it linked to the organisation.

Full post on Index on Censorship at this link.

Politico: Amid WikiLeaks battle, Clinton to assert US support for internet freedom

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Hilary Clinton is due to give a speech on internet freedom later today. In the wake of Egypt’s shutting off of internet access during recent protests, and in the midst of her department’s ongoing battle with WikiLeaks, it has the potential to be interesting.

Politico has published extracts from the speech Clinton is expected to give. Certain parts closely resemble previous attempts by the US administration to carefully chastise China for its severe curtailments of internet freedom:

History has shown us that repression often sows the seeds for revolution down the road. Those who clamp down on internet freedom may be able to hold back the full impact of their people’s yearnings for a while, but not forever… Leaders worldwide have a choice to make. They can let the internet in their countries flourish, and take the risk that the freedoms it enables will lead to a greater demand for political rights. Or they can constrict the Internet, choke the freedoms it naturally sustains—and risk losing all the economic and social benefits that come from a networked society…

While others are clearly there to speak to the problem of WikiLeaks, and clarify the pro-freedom stance of an administration currently attempting to subpoena private information from Twitter accounts belonging to members and affiliates of the whistleblowers’ site.

Our allegiance to the rule of law does not dissipate in cyberspace. Neither does our commitment to protecting civil liberties and human rights. The United States is equally determined to track and stop terrorism and criminal activity online and offline, and in both spheres we pursue these goals in accordance with our values… Liberty and security. Transparency and confidentiality. Freedom of expression and tolerance. There are times when these principles will raise tensions and pose challenges, but we do not have to choose among them. And we shouldn’t. Together they comprise the foundation of a free and open Internet…

See more on Politico at this link.

Peter Noorlander: Strasbourg court must reject prior notification

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Peter Noorlander of the Media Legal Defence Initiative has a post up on Index on Censorship warning that the European Court of Human Rights must reject Max Mosley’s prior notification action or risk grave consequences for the free media.

Such a rule would be disastrous for investigative reporting of all kinds — by the media as well as by NGOs. It would mean that a local paper that has been leaked documents showing corruption in the local council, for example, would be forced to notify those named in the story. The subjects would without doubt take out an injunction, probably on grounds of breach of confidence, and the story could not be published for months…

Read the full post on Index at Censorship at this link.

Press freedom report catalogues ‘attacks on the right to be informed and to inform the public’

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Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has posted the findings of an annual report by its partner organisation Journalist in Danger (JED) on press freedom in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was published on Friday – International Human Rights Day.

The report records the details of every known “attack on the right to be informed and to inform the public” throughout the year. It claims there were 87 cases this year, an increase on the 75 recorded in 2009.