Read on this page some of the news received by the PEC from other concerned organizations or media in connection with PEC activities - for PEC statements, please click (left) on PEC NEWS - Notice: the opinions expressed in this page do not necessarily represent the views of the PEC - for the latest news on prosecutions and trials, see our page: No Impunity

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***13.07.2015. SYRIA. How the group Islamic State uses killings to try to spread fear among media

By Nadia Massih/CPJ Middle East Correspondent (reporting from Beirut)

The militant group Islamic State may be trying to push Syria back into the dark ages, but it is fighting a very modern war. From slick propaganda videos to online surveillance and wide restrictions on Internet use, the Islamic State is trying to control media output and stamp down on dissent. A video emerged last week from its stronghold in Raqqa, northeast Syria, showing two men confessing to working for Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), one of the few remaining independent news sources in the province. What happens next is brutal; the men are strung up on trees and shot.

In what appears to be a forced confession, the victims identify themselves as Faisal Hussain al-Habib and Bashir Abduladhim al-Saado. Al-Habib tells the interrogators that a founding member of RBSS gave him cameras concealed in watches and glasses to take images of Islamic State bases, as well as daily life in parts of Syria under the militants' rule. Al-Habib claims that Hamoud al-Mousa, a founder of RBSS, paid $400 a month for photos, which would be encrypted and passed over the border to a RBSS member in Turkey, who shared them on social media.

Since it was established in April 2014, RBSS has been a thorn in the side of the Islamic State. The outlet's first-hand stories and images have provided one of the only alternative narratives to the militant group's vision of its "state," shining a light on to the public lashings, beheadings, and draconian social rules. Without its coverage, these crimes would go unreported in a country that, CPJ research shows, has become one of the most dangerous places to be a journalist. Since 2011, at least 83 journalists have been killed in direct relation to their work, making Syria the most deadly country for journalists for three consecutive years. CPJ has also helped more journalists fleeing into exile from Syria in the past five years than from any other country.

RBSS has broken a number of stories, helping establish its credibility among Syria watchers globally. These include revealing a failed U.S. mission in 2014 to rescue international aid workers and journalists, including James Foley and Steven Sotloff. The group also documented the death of civilians by coalition airstrikes and bombing raids carried out by the regime.

In an indication of the value Islamic State puts on RBSS hostages, great effort has clearly been taken to produce last week's video. It overlays the victims' interrogation with reconstructions of their apparent crimes. These techniques have previously been used for high-profile hostages, such as the videos showing the murders of Foley, Sotloff, and Japanese reporter Kenji Goto, who were all beheaded by the militants, and Moaz al-Kasasbeh, the Jordanian fighter pilot who was burned alive.

Although the video of the murders fits within an established Islamic State narrative (the now infamous orange jumpsuits a particularly haunting image), many aspects of the victims' story are unknown. The footage, which has since been removed from YouTube, has not yet been independently verified by international observers and RBSS denied that al-Saado and al-Habib worked for the group. Speaking to CPJ from outside Syria, Abu Mohammed, one of the founders of RBSS, said: "We never worked with them... None of us recognize their faces."

Although it is not possible to verify who the victims were, in the past RBSS has been open about the murder of its members, as CPJ documented in May 2014, when one the group's founders was killed after being caught carrying materials for the group. At the end of the video released this week a third man, who Abu Mohammed told CPJ is al-Mousa's father, appears fleetingly before the video fades to black. He is wearing the same orange jumpsuit.

Whether the two men were part of RBSS or not, it is clear that the video forms part of a sustained campaign to intimidate the group.

"ISIS has been putting a lot of pressure on us to stop [reporting]... especially with the kidnap of Mousa's father," who had been missing for two and a half months, Abu Mohammed said. "The threats come in different forms but they happen most days." He told CPJ that members outside of Syria, including himself, often receive phone calls and emails warning that if they don't stop publishing, they will be killed. Their Twitter and personal email accounts have been hacked. But the journalists inside Raqqa face the greatest risk. "Cameras have been placed to monitor anyone suspected of working for us. If a suspect is caught in the street, they will be killed in front of everyone," Abu Mohammed said, referring to threats the group has received.

It is not just the threat of violence that media activists must contend with. More subtle means have also been used to discredit them. "Recently, imams in mosques [in Raqqa] have started using Friday prayers to spread false information about us, saying we are infidels or Western agents," said Khaled, who works for another media activist group called Eye on the Homeland. Khaled, who asked that we not use his full name to protect his identity, said his group, which has a few activists in Raqqa but is not established like RBSS, will not stop reporting because of the allegations but "they do make it harder for people to trust us."

"They want to weaken us," Khaled said. "Even if they can't kill us, they can try and keep us silent."

***10.07.2015. ETHIOPIA. Release of five Ethiopian journalists is a positive step, but others remain in detention – UN expert

GENEVA (10 July 2015) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, welcomed yesterday’s release of two bloggers who contributed to the independent Ethiopian collective ‘Zone 9’ and four other journalists, but noted that other journalists remain in detention in Ethiopia charged under the anti-terror law.

“The reported release of six Ethiopian journalists is an important positive move,” Mr. Kaye said. “I only hope this to be the first of other similar steps to be taken by authorities releasing other journalists and activists who continue to be in detention for exercising their legitimate work.”

The bloggers, who used an online platform to report on social and political issues in Ethiopia, were arrested in 2014 and remained in detention for over one year. Four other Zone 9 bloggers arrested last year reportedly remain in detention.

The Special Rapporteur jointly with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, had previously expressed their concern* on the prolonged bloggers’ detention and on the use of national security concerns to curb freedom of expression and association .

“Prosecuting and jailing journalists or activists for carrying out their vital work of informing public debate are not only unacceptable in international law, but can hardly contribute to national security,” Mr. Kaye stated. “National security provisions need to be clearly defined in Ethiopian criminal law, and they must not be abused.”

The Special Rapporteur called on the Ethiopian authorities to take this opportunity to carefully revise the country laws and practices dealing with the media and civil society organizations, and noted his interest in further cooperating with authorities and visiting the country.

Mr. Kaye’s comments to the Ethiopian authorities were endorsed by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai.

***26.06.2015. La Presse Emblème Campagne (PEC) soutient le combat du journaliste marocain Ali Lmrabet, en grève de la faim à Genève, et demande aux autorités marocaines de régulariser sa situation

Droits humains - Un journaliste marocain en grève de la faim à Genève

Genève (ats) Un journaliste marocain s'est mis en grève de la faim sur la place des Nations, à Genève, pour protester contre le refus des autorités de son pays de lui renouveler ses papiers d'identité. Ali Lmrabet veut relancer un journal satirique interdit au Maroc.

Le journaliste a été interdit d'exercer son métier en 2005 pendant dix ans, après avoir publié des journaux satiriques qui ont irrité les dirigeants du royaume, officiellement pour avoir mentionné le sort des réfugiés saharouis. Le Maroc nie l'existence du problème saharoui.

L'interdiction ayant expiré le 11 avril dernier, Ali Lmrabet avait l'intention de relancer ses publications qui avaient connu un grand succès au Maroc. Mais les autorités ont refusé de lui renouveler ses papiers d'identité. Son passeport est arrivé à expiration mercredi.

"Sans certificat de résidence, je ne peux rien faire au Maroc", a-t-il expliqué vendredi à l'ats. "Je veux retourner au Maroc, je ne veux pas l'asile politique en Suisse", a-t-il précisé.

Ali Lmrabet a été invité à Genève par l'Association des juristes américains et France-Libertés pour parler de la liberté de la presse à l'occasion de la session du Conseil des droits de l'homme.

Un "quiproquo" qui dure

L'ambassadeur du Maroc à l'ONU a évoqué en début de semaine un "quiproquo" et il a assuré que le "problème va être réglé". Ne voyant rien venir, sans papiers, Ali Lmrabet a estimé que la seule solution est d'attirer l'attention par une grève de la faim illimitée.

Selon le journaliste, l'ordre de ne pas lui renouveler ses papiers d'identité vient directement du palais royal. "Je suis un journaliste indépendant et c'est ce qui dérange", souligne-t-il. Pendant les dix ans d'interdiction de son activité au Maroc, il a travaillé pour des journaux espagnols.

Les autorités genevoises lui ont précisé qu'il ne peut pas dormir sur la place des Nations. Il dort à la Maison des associations et est en grève de la faim devant le siège de l'ONU pendant la journée. END

***12.06.2015. RUSSIA. CPJ condemns death threats against Elena Milashina, calls for investigation

New York, June 11, 2015—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns death threats issued against Elena Milashina, an award-winning investigative reporter for the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and Moscow correspondent for CPJ, and calls on authorities to ensure her safety.

On May 19, Grozny-Inform, an online news agency founded by the Chechen Information Ministry and with a large readership in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya, published a threatening article, titled “Pawns of the USA,” by Grozny-Inform’s editor Mavsar Varayev, according to Novaya Gazeta. In the piece, Varayev drew comparisons between Milashina and the murdered journalist Anna Politkovskaya, and said: “The next so-called hero, who will pay with her life ‘in defending human rights’ in Russia—this is no other than the special correspondent of Novaya Gazeta.”

The article was published days after Milashina said she had been forced to leave Chechnya after coming under surveillance and being warned by a border guard that she was in danger.

The threats came after Milashina broke a story in Novaya Gazeta in late April about a married, middle-aged regional police chief who planned to take an underage girl from the Chechen village of Baitarki as his additional wife and had allegedly placed guards around the village to prevent her from escaping. The story about the police chief, who according to reports is a friend of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, was quickly picked up by regional and international news outlets.

“Given the track record of murders of journalists in Russia, the authorities must take seriously these threats against our colleague Elena Milashina. They must publicly condemn the threats, investigate, and ensure her safety,” said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova.

Milashina told CPJ that a smear campaign, in which derogatory comments were made about her online, started after the Chechen president made statements on Instagram disputing her claims that the marriage was forced. She was portrayed in the pro-government media, including on national television, as a provocateur trying to destabilize peace in Chechnya and discredit its administration, Milashina said. According to Chechen news reports, the family of the girl filed a complaint against Milashina with the prosecutor’s office.

In a radio interview with Ekho Moskvy on June 9, Milashina said she considered the threats “a real contract for my murder.” She added that she had no plans to leave Russia.

Milashina is known for her investigative reporting on human rights abuses and corruption in the volatile North Caucasus region of Russia—the country’s most dangerous assignment for journalists. Her Novaya Gazeta colleagues Politkovskaya and Natalya Estemirova were both murdered in direct relation to their work, according to CPJ research. In her blogs for CPJ, Milashina often focuses on the issue of impunity in journalist killings.

Russia has consistently featured in CPJ’s Global Impunity Index, a list of counties where journalists are slain and their killers go free.

***27.05.2015. PEC joins IFJ call on the United Nations to investigate the killings of two journalists in Yemen

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has today backed its affiliate the Yemen Journalists' Syndicate (YJS) in urging the United Nations (UN) to investigate the killings of Yemeni journalists Abdullah Kabil and Yousef Alaizry, who died last Thursday in the southwestern province of Dhamar after being kidnapped by Houthis and held in a building which was bombed the following day by the Saudi-led coalition's jet fighters.

According to media reports, Yemeni Shabab TV correspondent Abdullah Kabil and Shuhail TV correspondent Yousef Alaizry were kidnapped by the Houthis rebels last Wednesday 20 May while coming back from covering a tribal leaders' meeting against Houthis. Both journalists were arrested and held in a seismic monitoring center in Mount Oran, which had previously been attacked during the current conflict. The two journalists were among the dead during the bombing of the centre, just one day after their kidnapping, by the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia against the rebels. Some media reported that they had been used as a human shield during the assault. Their bodies have been recently discovered.

"The YJS puts all the responsibility on Houthi militiamen who kept these journalists in a place which had been bombed many times before," said the union on a statement, highlighting that "The YJS had previously warned Houthis against such acts."

The IFJ President Jim Boumelha fully backed the Yemeni colleagues.

"We are dismayed by this shameful disregard to the life of these Yemeni colleagues who were deliberately put at risk, leading to their killing," said Boumelha. " We strongly condemn the use of journalists as political pawns and bargaining chips in any war or conflict. Failure to take necessary precautions for the protection of journalists as civilians can constitute war crimes under international law. We consider that holding civilians in known military targets during conflicts is a such a case and we urge the United Nations and its envoy to Yemen to investigate this incident and hold those responsible accountable."

Kabil and Alaizry's killings bring to eight the number of journalists and media staff killed in Yemen since the start of the year, according to IFJ statistics.

***21.05.2015. AZERBAIJAN. PEC supports the IFJ/EFJ call for relase of seven jailed journalists

In a letter sent today the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) call on Azerbaijan President, Ilham Aliyev, to release all seven journalists who are currently behind bars.

In recent years Azerbaijan has developed a reputation as one of the worlds worst jailers of journalists. In the past 12 months numerous journalists and human rights activists have fallen victim of what appears to be a deliberate campaign to silence critical voices in the build up to the first ever European Olympics to take place in Azerbaijan in June 2015.

The imprisoned journalists include

1) Nijat Aliyev, arrested May 20, 2012

2) Araz Guliyev, arrested September 8, 2012

3) Parviz Hashimli, arrested September 17, 2013

4) Seymur Hazi, arrested August 29, 2014

5) Khadija Ismayilova, arrested December 5, 2014

6) Hilal Mamedov, arrested June 21, 2012

7) Rauf Mirkadyrov, arrested April 19, 2014

Full details of the charges against them can be found on the Council of Europes Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists developed in co-operation with the IFJ and EFJ.

We are alarmed at the scale of attacks against press freedom in a country that is a member of the Council of Europe and should abide by its principles on freedom of expression as laid down in article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rightssaid IFJ President Jim Boumelha. Our colleagues should be released immediately without condition."

Most prominent among these is the case of Khadija Ismayilova who was arrested in December 2014 initially on spurious charges of incitement to suicide and since replaced with charges of libel and tax evasion for which she risks up to 7 years imprisonment.

Mogens Blicher Bjerregrd, the EFJ President said, Given Azerbaijans record on press freedom, we fear that journalists travelling to report the European Olympics will face restriction and censorship. While we warn foreign journalists to take extra precaution during the coverage of the Olympics, we urge the government to ensure that both national and foreign journalists can exercise their rights to freedom of expression and conduct any journalistic activities freely and independently.

In February it was revealed that Emin Huseynov, Director of Institute for Reporters Freedom and Safety (IRFS) has been holding up in the Swiss embassy since August 2014 fearing arrest following a raid on the IRFS offices. Huseynov was recently awarded 15.000 compensation by the European Court of Human Rights for abuse in police custody that he suffered in 2008.

In addition to jailing journalists on trumped up charges the government has successfully squeezed what remains of independent press through a range of mechanisms, including excessive financial penalties imposed on media, government control over the advertising market and restrictions of the national distribution and printing systems. Newspapers Zerkalo and Azadliq are on the point of closure, while Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty has been closed since December.

Last month the Azeri media reported that the government was issuing warnings to journalists applying for visas to attend the European Olympics. While acknowledging the right to engage in journalistic activities the rules threaten any media person found spreading distorted information on Azerbaijan, thus unfairly representing the countrys interests will face the full force of the law.

The IFJ/ EFJ warned that the continued incarceration does great damage not only to the countrys reputation, but also to its aspirations of becoming a modern, stable democracy with international standards of human rights and respect for freedom of expression.

The two organisations have launched a joint campaign to denounce attempts to silence the press in Azerbaijan.

***20.05.2015. BRAZIL. The Press Emblem Campaign shocked. Brazilian reporter investigating drug-dealing and child prostitution case found decapitated (AFP)

A Brazilian investigative reporter who was following leads in a drug-dealing and child prostitution case has been found decapitated in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais.

"The union is demanding a rigorous investigation. Independent journalist Evany Jose Metzker was warned he ran a risk investigating drug trafficking and child prostitution in this violent region," said a spokesman for Brazil's journalists union.

The union denounced what it termed an attack on freedom and the right to inform.

Mr Metzker, 67, had been working on a series of stories for three months in the Jequitinhonha Valley, one of Brazil's poorest regions.

The reporter had been missing for five days before his bound, badly marked and decomposing body was found on Monday, police said.

Extra, a popular daily newspaper, quoted Metzker's family as saying an anonymous tip off had led police to the body.

An initial autopsy carried out in the nearby town of Teofilo Otoni was unable to establish the cause of death and the body was transferred to state capital Belo Horizonte for further tests.

Polícia investiga morte de blogueiro decapitado em Minas Gerais (O Globo)

RIO - A Polícia Civil de Padre Paraíso, em Minas Gerais, investiga a morte do blogueiro Evany José Metzker, de 67 anos, encontrado decapitado em Pioneira, na zona rural do município, na última segunda-feira. Uma das linhas de investigação, segundo a polícia, são as ‘inimizades’ que o jornalista possuía devido às matérias publicadas em seu blog, o “Coruja do Vale”. As chances de ter sido crime passional, no entanto, não foram descartadas.

— Por enquanto não dá para fazer nenhum juízo. Precisamos checar os dados e também saber se ele era realmente jornalista. As linhas de investigação do crime são o trabalho dele e crime passional, se houve o envolvimento com alguma mulher da região— afirmou a delegada responsável pelo caso, Fabrícia Noronha.

O blogueiro era casado e vivia em Medina, no mesmo estado, onde foi enterrado nesta terça-feira. Apesar de não ter registro no sindicato local, Evany se apresentava como jornalista e matinha o blog ativo com matérias investigativas.

O corpo de Evany foi localizado às margens de uma estrada que liga o município de Padre Paraíso à Pioneira, após denúncia anônima. O crânio do blogueiro foi encontrado a 100 metros do corpo. Segundo a Polícia Militar de Minas Gerais, ele apresentava sinais de tortura, como o maxilar quebrado, hematomas e as mãos amarradas com cordas. Evany estava seminu, vestindo apenas uma camisa preta escrito “Coruja”, parte do nome de seu blog, e uma jaqueta. Perto do corpo, foram encontrados seus documentos.

O blogueiro estava em Padre Paraíso há três meses, segundo informou à PM a dona da pousada em que ele estava hospedado. Em depoimento, a proprietária disse que ele encerrou a conta no dia 13 de maio, por volta das 19h, e afirmou que iria para Brasília. Esse foi também o último dia em que a mulher de Evany afirmou ter feito contato com ele, através do whatsapp. Segundo Francisco Couy, do Instituto Médico Legal de Teófilo Otoni, a morte ocorreu provavelmente no dia 14 deste mês. Ele divulgou um vídeo no Youtube com detalhes sobre o caso.

De acordo com testemunhas, o blogueiro fazia uma reportagem investigativa no município. Em seu blog, em 9 de maio, Evany fez um post chamado “Sem regras sem lei”, em que falou sobre irregularidades de Padre Paraíso, como veículos oficiais, até mesmo uma ambulância, que estariam sendo usados para fins particulares.

O funcionário do IML conta também que não foi possível avaliar a causa da morte, devido ao estado avançado de decomposição do corpo. Segundo ele, ainda não é possível afirmar se o blogueiro foi decapitado antes ou depois de morto. Para isso, será feito um exame suplementar no IML.

Ontem, antes da identificação do corpo, o Sindicato de Jornalistas de Minas Gerais divulgou nota sobre o caso. A instituição afirmou que esperava que esse não fosse o mais um caso de violência contra profissionais do jornalismo:

“Crimes dessa natureza são um atentado contra a liberdade de expressão e o direito à informação. Vamos aguardar a confirmação, mas já estamos em contato com as autoridades para que tudo seja esclarecido com rigor e celeridade”, comunicaram.

***19.05.2015. SYRIA: Concern for the enforced disappearance of 3 human rights defenders

Paris-Geneva, May 19, 2015 – Three prominent human rights defenders arbitrarily detained since February 2012 for promoting and protecting human rights in Syria were last seen on May 3, 2015. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (an FIDH-OMCT joint programme) is deeply concerned by their enforced disappearance and calls for their immediate and unconditional release.

Messrs. Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zaitani andHussain Ghrer, respectively President and members of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), who are arbitrarily detained since February 2012, for promoting freedom of expression and monitoring gross human rights violations committed in the country have been unaccounted for since May 3, 2015.On several occasions, visits to the Adra Prison, where Messrs. Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zaitani andHussain Ghrer had been transferred ahead of a verdict hearing scheduled on May 13, 2015, were unsuccessful.

On May 10, 2015, prison authorities stated that the three defenders were not within the premises of the prison, as they had been summonsed for interrogation outside of the prison. Furthermore, on May 13, 2015 the prison authorities failed to present the three detainees before court for a verdict hearing scheduled for that day. The trial, which has already been rescheduled 23 times since February 2013, was therefore suspended until June 1, 2015.

“Syrian authorities should immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts ofMazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zaitani and Hussain Ghrer and put an end to the practice of enforced disappearance”, said FIDH President, Karim Lahidji. On May 3, 2015, Mazen Darwish was awarded the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize “in recognition of the work that he has carried out in Syria for more than ten years at great personal sacrifice, enduring a travel ban, harassment, as well as repeated detention and torture”.

During nine months in 2012, the three were held in conditions amounting to enforced disappearance and subjected to acts of torture. There has been no investigation into these abuses. The Observatory recalls that the UN General Assembly, in its Resolution 67/262 adopted on May 15, 2013 called for the release of the three defenders. In January 2014, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) also found that the three defenders had been arbitrarily deprived of their liberty due to their human rights activities and called for their immediate release. UN Security Council Resolution 2139, adopted on February 22, 2014, also demanded the release of all arbitrarily detained people in Syria.

“Syrian authorities should listen to UN calls and immediately and unconditionally release Messrs. Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zaitani and Hussain Ghrer as their detention is arbitrary and only aims at preventing them from carrying out their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities in Syria”, concluded OMCT Secretary General Gerald Staberock.

***04.05.2015. JOINT DECLARATION ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND RESPONSES TO CONFLICT SITUATIONS

The United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, the Organization of American States (OAS) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information,

Having discussed these issues together with the assistance of ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression and the Centre for Law and Democracy;
 
Recalling and reaffirming our Joint Declarations of 26 November 1999, 30 November 2000, 20 November 2001, 10 December 2002, 18 December 2003, 6 December 2004, 21 December 2005, 19 December 2006, 12 December 2007, 10 December 2008, 15 May 2009, 3 February 2010, 1 June 2011, 25 June 2012, 4 May 2013 and 6 May 2014;
 
Deploring systematic or targeted attacks on democracy and freedom of expression by State and non-State actors in many countries which take place in different contexts, including international and non international armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, and widespread organised crime resulting in the effective failure of the rule of law;
 
Alarmed particularly at recent abhorrent direct attacks on freedom of expression, including the calculated killings of journalists, some of which have been widely disseminated publicly;
 
Deeply concerned about the impact of systematic attacks, which usually involve physical attacks on those exercising their right to freedom of expression, and which can lead to widespread self-censorship and the suppression of open debate about certain public interest issues;
 
Also concerned that States often respond to such situations in a rapid, reactive manner by imposing unjustifiable or disproportionate restrictions on freedom of expression;
 
Emphasising that censorship is not an effective response to extremism, that open and critical debate is an important part of any strategy to address systematic attacks on freedom of expression and their underlying causes, and that overbroad criminalization of expression can drive grievances underground and foster violence;
 
Stressing that the protections of human rights law apply to all who seek, receive and impart information, and emphasizing the importance of promoting media professionalism and respect for journalistic standards, as part of the media’s critical contribution to fostering dialogue and providing access to information and ideas in times of conflict;
 
Recalling statements in our previous Joint Declarations which have addressed some of the issues raised here;
 
Adopt, in Riga, on 4 May 2015, the following Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and Responses to Conflict Situations: 
 
1. Scope of the Joint Declaration

This Joint Declaration addresses systematic or targeted attacks on freedom of expression which are aimed at silencing certain perspectives or voices, whether internationally, nationally or locally, and State responses to such attacks. Such attacks are perpetrated in different contexts, including of international and non-international armed conflicts, terrorist attacks and widespread organized crime.
 
2. General Principles

a. States have a direct responsibility under international human rights law to respect freedom of expression and they are also under a positive obligation to take effective measures to protect freedom of expression against attacks by third parties, including by ensuring accountability for any attacks on those exercising their right to freedom of expression and by raising awareness about the importance of freedom of expression.

b. States should not respond to crisis situations by adopting additional restrictions on freedom of expression, except as strictly justified by the situation and international human rights law.

c. Any restriction on freedom of expression must meet the three-part test under international

human rights law, namely that it is provided for by law, it serves to protect a legitimate interest recognized under international law and it is necessary to protect that interest.

d. In the context of systematic attacks on freedom of expression, non-State actors bear direct responsibility for their actions where these represent breaches of domestic law, or of international humanitarian or criminal law.
 
3. Criminal Restrictions on Content

a. All criminal restrictions on content – including those relating to hate speech, national security, public order and terrorism/extremism – should conform strictly to international standards, including by not providing special protection to officials and by not employing vague or unduly broad terms.

b. In particular, States should refrain from applying restrictions relating to ‘terrorism’ in an unduly broad manner. Criminal responsibility for expression relating to terrorism should be limited to those who incite others to terrorism; vague concepts such as glorifying’, ‘justifying’ or ‘encouraging’ terrorism should not be used.

4. Administrative Measures

a. Administrative measures which directly limit freedom of expression, including regulatory systems for the media, should always be applied by an independent body. This should also normally be the case for administrative measures which indirectly limit freedom of expression and, where this is impossible, for example for security reasons, application of the measures should be overseen by an independent body. It should also be possible to appeal against the application of administrative measures to an independent court or other adjudicatory body.

b. Administrative measures restricting freedom of expression should be imposed only where they can be justified pursuant to the three-part test for such restrictions.

c. Filtering of content on the Internet, using communications ‘kill switches’ (i.e. shutting down entire parts of communications systems) and the physical takeover of broadcasting stations are measures which can never be justified under human rights law.

d. Administrative measures should not be used to restrict the movement of journalists, including the entry of foreign journalists into a country, or media coverage of demonstrations or other events of public interest, unless this is strictly justified by the exigencies of the situation, in line with the three-part test.

5. Protections

a. Natural and legal persons who are regularly or professionally engaged in the collection and dissemination of information to the public via any means of communication have the right to protect the identity of their confidential sources of information against direct and indirect exposure, including against exposure via surveillance.

b. Individuals who expose wrongdoing, serious maladministration, a breach of human rights, humanitarian law violations or other threats to the overall public interest, for example in terms of safety or the environment, should be protected against legal, administrative or employment related sanction, even if they have otherwise acted in breach of a binding rule or contract, as long as at the time of the disclosure they had reasonable grounds to believe that the information disclosed was substantially true and exposed wrongdoing or the other threats noted above.

c. States have an obligation to take effective measures to prevent attacks against journalists and others exercising their right to freedom of expression and to combat impunity, in particular by vigorously condemning such attacks when they do occur, by investigating them promptly and effectively in order to duly sanction those responsible, and by providing compensation to the victims where appropriate. States also have an obligation to provide protection to journalists and others exercising their right to freedom of expression who are at a high risk of being attacked.
 
6. Positive Measures

States should take measures to ensure that all groups in society have access to opportunities to make their voices heard, both within their communities and in wider social debates, including through measures to promote media diversity, public service broadcasting and community media. The promotion of media and digital literacy and citizen journalism, including the capacity to make effective use of online communication tools, are also important. Such measures can contribute, among other things, to reducing the feelings of alienation which can increase the risk of participation in attacks on freedom of expression.

7. Political Stances

Political leaders should avoid exploiting systematic attacks on freedom of expression for political ends and, in particular, should avoid making statements which might encourage discrimination, otherwise undermine equality or attacks on media workers or members of minority groups. They should, instead, provide leadership in promoting intercultural understanding.
 
8. Privacy of Communications

a. Conflict situations should not be used to justify an increase in surveillance by State actors given that surveillance represents an invasion of privacy and a restriction on freedom of expression. In accordance with the three-part test for restrictions on freedom of expression and, in particular, the necessity part of that test, surveillance should be conducted only on a limited and targeted basis and in a manner which represents an appropriate balance between law enforcement and security needs, on the one hand, and the rights to freedom of expression and privacy, on the other. Untargeted or “mass” surveillance is inherently disproportionate and is a violation of the rights to privacy and freedom of expression.

b. Similarly, requirements to retain or practices of retaining personal data on an indiscriminate basis for law enforcement or security purposes are not legitimate. Instead, personal data should be retained for law enforcement or security purposes only on a limited and targeted basis and in a manner which represents an appropriate balance between law enforcement and security needs and the rights to freedom of expression and privacy.

c. States should always be fully transparent regarding their systems of surveillance, including the legal and policy framework for this.

d. There should be adequate independent oversight of systems of surveillance, including of the authorities tasked with actually conducting surveillance.

e. Encryption and anonymity online enable the free exercise of the rights to freedom of opinion and expression and, as such, may not be prohibited or obstructed and may only be subject to restriction in strict compliance with the three-part test under human rights law.

9. Law Enforcement

a. Law enforcement authorities should avoid reacting to systematic attacks on freedom of expression by engaging in broad and large-scale application of laws restricting freedom of expression and should, instead, ensure that such laws are applied only in cases which appear to involve a clear breach of their provisions.

b. The judiciary should refrain from engaging in hasty or summary trials or applying excessive sanctions in reaction to systematic attacks on freedom of expression, and should always ensure full respect for due process guarantees and interpret and apply laws, as relevant, in the manner which best gives effect to the right to freedom of expression.

c. Training programmes should be put in place for law enforcement and administration of justice officials to ensure the above and also to ensure more generally that law enforcement is consistent with international human rights guarantees.
 
10. States of Emergency

States of emergency should be imposed only as permitted under international law, including because the situation poses a threat to the life of the nation.

11. Situations Where the Rule of Law is no Longer Effective

States and private actors are still bound to respect international humanitarian law even where the rule of law has failed, including provisions which call for media workers to be treated as civilians rather than as combattants.

***30.04.2015. Under Threat: Journalism has never been more dangerous according to major new INSI report on media safety

April 29 – Journalism has never been more dangerous and journalists have never felt more unsafe, according to the findings of a major report published today by the International News Safety Institute.

Under Threat: The Changing State of Media Safety provides an in-depth, multi-media look at the main changes in the journalistic safety landscape over the past decade. It does this through more than 30 interviews with journalists who work in some of the world’s most dangerous places and the news executives who make the difficult decisions to deploy them.

These interviews were supplemented by a survey of nearly 200 media workers around the world and 10 years of INSI statistics on journalist casualties, revealing the most deadly countries to be a media worker.

“In 2003 we published Dying to Tell the Story, which paid tribute to those journalists killed in the early stages of the Iraq war. After witnessing the horrific murders of our colleagues in places like Syria and Iraq, the insecurity in Ukraine, and the rampant impunity that accompanies the killings of most journalists, INSI felt compelled to look at how different media safety was from a decade ago,” said INSI Director Hannah Storm.

“In an industry under threat from so many different sides, we wanted to know what the main changes and challenges were and what if anything had stayed the same. The results of our research were substantial and deeply sobering.”

The INSI report reveals that: Journalism has never been more dangerous, and journalists have never felt so unsafe. Terror groups are using new technologies to control the “information battlefield” and have declared war on journalists. The frontlines in places like Syria and Iraq have become unclear, meaning journalists don’t know who to trust and where they can go safely. For their part, news executives aren’t sure who to turn to for information and help when reporters go missing or get hurt in today’s chaotic conflicts. Technology helps journalists deliver their messages, and in some situations is keeping them safer, but makes them increasingly vulnerable to the powerful entities that seek to track and harm them. The advent of user-generated content has blurred the role of journalists and confused the industry and general public alike. Audiences more than ever expect to be instantly and accurately informed about even the remotest corners of our world – pushing journalists into ever more dangerous places. 

You can find more information on the INSI website and on ourFacebook and Twitter under the hashtag #underthreatmedia. To arrange interviews or discuss the report please contact Lisa Clifford at lisa.clifford@newssafety.org or Hannah Storm at hannah.storm@newssafety.org
 

***22.04.2015. YEMEN: one journalist and three media workers killed in an air strike in Sana'a (CPJ)

New York, April 21, 2015 - A TV journalist and three staff members of the satellite TV station Yemen Today were killed in an air strike in Sana'a on Monday, while at least 10 staff members were injured, according to news reports and the station. The air strike was one of many launched by a Saudi-led coalition of countries that has attempted to regain control of major cities from the grip of the Houthi militia.

"The deaths of journalist Mohamed Shamsan and Yemen Today staff members underscore that the climate for the media in Yemen is exceedingly dangerous," said Sherif Mansour, CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator. "We urge all sides in the conflict to respect journalists' stature as civilians, to refrain from targeting media outlets, and to ensure that the press can safely do its vital work."

The blast in the Fag Attan district of the capital killed Mohamed Shamsan, news correspondent for the station; security personnel Monir Aklan and Hazzam Mohamed Zeid; and Amin Yehia, an accountant, according to the station. Ten other staff members, who weren't identified by the station, were injured, four of whom are in critical condition, the station said. Yemen Today's broadcasting was interrupted for about an hour, local news reports said.

A video on the station's YouTube channel showed the damage to the building and graphic footage of the head injuries to Shamsan. The video also featured one staff member, Nabil el-Ayani, who said he and Shamsan were working on a story about 100 feet from the station when their car was hit by a missile. He said Shamsan was killed and another of his colleagues, Abdullah al-Shakeri, was injured.

Mohamed al-Radmi, the station manager, accused the Saudi-led coalition forces of targeting the station, according to the station's website. According to news reports, the station is affiliated with former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is allied with the Houthis. On Sunday, the station aired an interview with Saleh, who is in hiding since stepping down in February 2012 following popular protests. In the interview, Saleh criticized President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi and the air strikes launched by the Saudi-led coalition.

On March 30, Brigadier General Ahmed Asiri, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said in a press conference that media outlets supporting the Houthi movement would be targeted, but did not say how. On Monday, the coalition website, set up by the Saudi embassy in Washington, said air strikes had destroyed a major weapons depot at Faj Attan mountain, but did not comment on Yemen Today. CPJ's email to the Saudi embassy in Washington was not immediately returned.

The airstrike took place near a mountaintop air defense base that warplanes had been bombing for days, The New York Times reported. Residents suggested that the bomb had struck an underground munitions depot, the paper said.

The air strikes, which were launched on March 25 by a coalition of 10 countries and led by Saudi Arabia, have fallen almost daily on Sana'a, which is the current stronghold of the Houthi militia. The Saudi-led coalition aims to restore President Hadi to the presidency, according to news reports. Hadi fled to Aden in the south in September 2014 after Houthi rebels overran Sana'a and other cities, forcing the government to resign, according to news reports. He is now in Saudi Arabia, reports said.

***21.04.2015. PEC welcomes UNESCO clear message: Improving the safety for all journalists

(UNESCO - Paris, April 21) The message was clear. All journalists, media workers, and social media producers who generate a significant amount of public interest journalism, whether they are freelancer or full time staffer, from big to small media outlets, should have be safe to carry out their work. This was the main take-away from the 196th UNESCO’s Executive Board meeting which took place yesterday at its Paris Headquarters.

"With this decision we aim to enhance efforts by relevant stakeholders in order to secure a safer working environment for journalists. It also reaffirms UNESCO’s position as the global leader in the promotion of safety of journalists and tackling impunity." said Ms Annika Markovic, the Swedish Ambassador to UNESCO.

Sweden was the UNESCO Member State that successfully proposed the Decision on Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity adopted by the 196th Executive Board of UNESCO consisting of 58 Member States. The Decision attracted 47 co-signatories, including 27 members of the Executive Board.

In the discussion at the Executive Board, there was general recognition of UNESCO’s leadership role in the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which is a multi-stakeholder approach to improve the safety of journalists.

The Decision taken yesterday reinforces the current work of UNESCO in relation to the UN Plan of Action. By working with all relevant stakeholders including national authorities, UN agencies, civil society groups, academia, and the media, UNESCO seeks to tackle the problems in a holistic and comprehensive manner.

One of the concrete actions called on by the Decision is to convene a conference with high level representatives of news organizations from all regions, including community media and small media outlets, and open to stakeholders. The aim would be to share good practices on the safety of journalists and more proactively highlight the issue of journalist safety.

This follows the Implementation Review Report of the UN Plan, which was finalized at the 3rd UN-Inter-Agency Meeting on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, held in Strasbourg, France on 4 November 2014.

That Report noted that “Media houses and other actors should be encouraged to find common ground on the issue of safety and be more proactive in highlighting the issues”. It added: “Media houses should be encouraged to investigate and report on fatal and non-fatal attacks on journalists and media organizations, and follow up on impunity stories, as well as on occasions such as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on 2 November each year.”

The Decision also called for increased information sharing broadly, and for greater use of the UNESCO research report World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development including during the Universal Periodic Review of the Human Rights Council.

It further urged strengthened cooperation with professional organizations and other actors in addressing the safety of journalists, with a specific focus on women journalists.

Capacity-building, including through projects of UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), was also noted. From 2013 up to 2015, the IPDC Bureau channeled financial support to more than 30 projects promoting the safety of journalists.

The IPDC was the incubator of the UN Plan of Action, and its Intergovernmental Council also receives the bi-annual report of the UNESCO Director General on the killings of journalists and the state of judicial follow-up.

UNESCO has been championing freedom of expression, press freedom and the improvement of safety of journalists for over two decades. Over the years, UNESCO has established various programmes to raise awareness of the issues such as World Press Freedom Day on 3 May which was first created in 1993.

The main celebration of the World Press Freedom Day in 2015 will take place in Riga, Latvia from 2-4 May in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. The programme includes extensive discussions on safety related issues.

***13.04.2015. YEMEN. Norwegian journalist still missing after arrest - PEC calls for his immediate release

updated 20.04.2015. The Norwegian journalist Raymond Lidal (28), who has been imprisoned in Yemen, came back home to Norway Sunday 19 April.Lidal was on Friday evacuated by plane from Yemen along with other foreign nationals. Saturday he arrived in Germany.- "I am under the circumstances well. It has been a long evacuation. Nineteen days in jail has been difficult", says 28-year-old to NRK in Munich.

(CNN) —A 28-year-old Norwegian journalist detained by Houthi authorities in Sanaa, Yemen, in the early morning hours of March 29, spoke briefly with his family on Thursday. Raymond Lidal's exact whereabouts are still unknown.

The freelance journalist had lived and studied Arabic in the capital, mainly writing stories for Norwegian media outlets including the state broadcaster NRK and Bergens Tidende newspaper.

Local witnesses said Lidal was arrested after being caught taking photos of Saudi-led coalition airstrikes from his home in the Old City of Sanaa.

At the beginning of the air campaign, Lidal sent Facebook messages to his friends and colleagues asking advice on how to stay safe under bombardment. He said that he was worried that the majority of the "blasts" he was hearing were from anti-aircraft guns near his home in a residential area.

"I lack any understanding/experience with anything that's got to do with warfare. I didn't even go through our obligatory year in the army," he said on Facebook.

On Thursday, a local Norwegian newspaper published an interview conducted with Lidal two days before he was arrested. In it, the journalist and student said the Yemeni authorities "don't really like journalists without the proper papers." And that: "Officially I'm here as a student."

Lidal first visited Yemen in 2010, returning in 2012 before turning to journalism to fund his Arabic and academic studies, colleagues and friends of Lidal's told CNN.

His use of a student visa was a common practice in the small community of international journalists in Yemen, to circumnavigate the labyrinth of the country's bureaucracy, according to local expats and colleagues of Lidal.

Lidal's family was able to exchange a few words with him on Thursday, associates in Yemen told CNN. Lidal reportedly confirmed he was being held in Sanaa, had not been moved from the capital and was in good health, they said.

Lidal's family remains concerned for his health since he suffers from diabetes, sources close to the case told CNN. A former Arabic teacher described him as a "diligent student" with a good command of the local Sanaa dialect of Arabic.

A spokesman for the Norwegian foreign ministry declined to comment on the specific details of their attempts to contact their citizen, but did say that:

"In our contacts with the authorities in Yemen, we have made it clear that they bear the full responsibility for the life and health of the Norwegian citizen in question as long as he is in their custody."

***09.04.2015. The press Emblem Campaign (PEC) denounces the cyberattack on TV5 Monde that paralyzed its network, as a new and very worrying form of attacks by terrorists groups against the freedom of the press (news reports)

France’s culture minister is to call an urgent meeting of French media groups to assess their vulnerability to hacking after the public service television network TV5Monde was taken over by individuals claiming to belong to Islamic State, blacking out broadcasts as well as hacking its websites and Facebook page.

All TV5Monde broadcasts were brought down in a blackout between 10pm and 1am local time on Wednesday to Thursday by hackers claiming allegiance to Isis. They were able to seize control of the television network founded by the French government in 1984, simultaneously hacking 11 channels as well as its website and social media accounts.

Experts say the cyber-attack represented a new level of sophistication for the Islamist group, which has claimed complex hacking before, but nothing as big as this. The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened a terrorism investigation into the attack.

The culture minister, Fleur Pellerin, said she would bring together all heads of big French TV companies as well as newspaper groups and the news agency Agence France-Presse within 24 hours “to assure myself of their vulnerable points, any risks that exist and the best way to deal with it”.

The interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said France had already increased its anti-hacking measures to protect against cyber-attacks following January’s gun attacks on the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and the bloody hostage-taking at a Kosher grocery store in Paris, which left 17 people dead.

The prime minister, Manuel Valls, called the attack on TV5Monde “an unacceptable insult to freedom of information and expression”.

During the attack, the hackers posted documents on TV5Monde’s Facebook page purporting to be the identity cards and CVs of relatives of French soldiers involved in anti-Isis operations, along with threats against the troops.

“Soldiers of France, stay away from the Islamic State! You have the chance to save your families, take advantage of it,” read one message.

TV5Monde had regained control of its social networks by 2am on Thursday but said television broadcasts were likely to take hours, if not days, to return to normal. The station restored its signal later in the morning but was still only able to broadcast pre-recorded material.

At 6pm, TV5Monde had regained control of its social networks and television broadcasts had returned to normal, including live broadcasts.

The network’s director general, Yves Bigot, said its systems had been severely damaged and that hacking on this scale would have needed weeks of preparation.

He told RTL radio: “When you work in television and you hear that your 11 channels have been blacked out, it’s one of the most violent things that can happen to you. At the moment, we’re trying to analyse what happened: how this very powerful cyber-attack could happen when we have extremely powerful and certified firewalls.”

The cyber-attack on the station’s Paris headquarters completely shut down the computer systems – which run everything from email accounts to production equipment, including the servers used to broadcast TV5Monde’s television signals.

“This is a typical cyber-attack in today’s cyber landscape,” said Christophe Birkeland, vice-president of engineering at the US-based security firm Blue Coat Systems. “The initial infection is probably either someone’s stolen credentials, probably for remote networking access, or the installation of a remote administration tool used to access deeper and deeper levels of the network and attack systems. Both of these attacks typically use social engineering.”

Social engineering is the practice of tricking people into installing programs or giving up sensitive information, often via email or similar communications methods. Typically companies employ different zones within their computer networks to create a multilayered defence so that attackers cannot reach production systems, such as the computers that control broadcasting, even if they hack into a lower level of the network.

Reports indicate that TV5Monde did not use such tactics, making it easier for attackers to damage critical computers and equipment.

“Social engineering might be incredibly low-tech sometimes, but once you’ve got the compromise, most security systems are not set up to deal with the idea of someone using security credentials in a non-authorised way, which allows attackers to reach even the deepest, most secure sections of a corporate network, which is likely what has happened here,” said Robert Arandjelovic, also from Blue Coat Systems.

It is likely that this targeted attack by pro-Isis forces took weeks to implement, with multiple stages and attacks needed to take the French TV station offline.

“Typically you have difference phases in an attack like this. The first one would be identifying who has the necessary access to the systems to actually do harm. Infecting just some random computer generally isn’t enough. They go to unprecedented levels and a great deal of effort during the planning phase, researching the targets as apposed to actually hacking them,” said Birkeland and Arandjelovic.

“What we’re seeing here is real world impact, the disruption of critical infrastructure, access to information and an important part of a democratic society. The attackers are breaking new ground, and this might not be the last we hear of this. We could see a broader campaign, where TV5 was just one hit,” said Arandjelovic. “We’re seeing TV5 coming back online, but it’s entirely possible that they haven’t purged all traces of the attack from their systems and could still be compromised.”

The attack appears to have been orchestrated by the Isis hacking division, which took credit for alleged attacks resulting in the leak of personal information of US military personnel in March, prompting an investigation by the Pentagon. Hackers claiming to work on behalf of Isis have seized control of the Twitter accounts of other media groups, such as Newsweek, and in January they hacked into the Twitter page and YouTube site of the US military’s Central Command.

The message on the TV5Monde website had read in part “I am IS” with a banner by a group that called itself Cybercaliphate.

The hackers had accused the French president, François Hollande, of having committed “an unforgivable mistake” by getting involved in “a war that serves no purpose”.

“That’s why the French received the gifts of Charlie Hebdo and Hyper Cacher in January,” it said on the broadcaster’s Facebook page, referring to the bloody twin attacks by Islamist gunmen in Paris which traumatised France.

France is part of a US-led military coalition carrying out air strikes against Isis in Iraq and Syria, where the jihadi group has seized swaths of territory and declared a caliphate. More than 1,500 French nationals have joined the militants’ ranks, where they represent almost half the number of European fighters present, according to a report released on Wednesday by the French senate.

***14.04.2015. TV5: une attaque enclenchée dès fin janvier et encore beaucoup de questions (AFP)

Une cyberattaque jihadiste enclenchée plus de deux mois à l'avance, par des "hackers" de bon niveau: près d'une semaine après le piratage "massif" de TV5 Monde, les enquêteurs font la lumière sur son mécanisme mais leurs investigations s'annoncent "lentes et difficiles". Le 8 avril, vers 22H00, des pirates se revendiquant de l'organisation Etat islamique (EI) prennent le contrôle des sites internet de la chaîne internationale francophone et de ses comptes sur les réseaux sociaux, notamment sa page Facebook où ils affichent des messages de propagande jihadiste. Tout son système informatique est bloqué et TV5, captée par 250 millions de foyers dans le monde et très regardée en Afrique, doit interrompre la diffusion des programmes télévisés. C'est l'écran noir.

La diffusion ne sera complètement rétablie que vingt heures plus tard, le 9 avril à 18H00.

Mais l'attaque avait commencé bien plus tôt, avec un mail envoyé fin janvier à l'ensemble des journalistes de la chaîne, selon la technique classique du "phishing", a appris mardi l'AFP de sources proches du dossier. Trois d'entre eux y répondent, offrant ainsi à leur insu des clés aux "hackers" pour pénétrer dans le système de la chaîne par des logiciels de type "Cheval de Troie".

Trois semaines avant l'attaque, en mars, la deuxième phase de l'offensive est lancée, et un virus contamine plusieurs ordinateurs de TV5 Monde, détaille une des sources. Puis la semaine dernière intervient le piratage proprement dit.

"Cette attaque est à la fois simple dans son déclenchement", avec le "phishing" qui a permis "de faire pénétrer le ver dans le fruit", et "très sophistiquée dans son déroulé avec un logiciel compliqué", a expliqué une autre source proche du dossier. Ce qui a permis son déclenchement, c'est "comme toujours, une faille humaine au début".

Au siège de la chaîne, "c'est l'aftershock, les salariés sont sonnés par ce qui nous est arrivé, mais aussi par les conséquences", explique à l'AFP le directeur général Yves Bigot. Le site internet est toujours paralysé, "attaqué en permanence".

Depuis mardi matin, une partie des salariés ont de nouveau accès à leurs mails. Mais "tout ce qui se faisait automatiquement est obligé de se faire à la main. Ça va nous handicaper pendant des semaines et ça aura des coûts financiers très importants", estime Yves Bigot. "Là où il fallait une personne pour faire une tâche, il en faut trois ou quatre. Et là où ça prenait dix minutes, ça prend trois heures."

Selon le ministre de l'Intérieur Bernard Cazeneuve, qui a dit privilégier la piste terroriste, la cyberattaque "a été massive" et "a mobilisé des compétences techniques exceptionnelles".

Impossible, en l'état des investigations sous la houlette du parquet antiterroriste, de déterminer l'origine géographique de l'attaque ni le nombre de "hackers", selon une autre source proche du dossier.

"Il s'agit sans aucun doute d'un groupe de hackers de bon niveau. Une telle opération n'est pas à la portée d'un hacker solitaire, aussi génial soit-il", avance pour sa part un membre du Secrétariat général de la défense et de la sécurité nationale, sous couvert de l'anonymat.

"Il faut dérouler la pelote, c'est lent et difficile", dit-il. Mais il sera extrêmement difficile de remonter à la source de l'offensive, bien qu'un connaisseur de la mouvance jihadiste juge que l'EI dispose des cerveaux capables de la monter.

A la suite des attentats parisiens de janvier, des dizaines de "cyberattaques" sur des sites français, notamment institutionnels, ont été relevées. Mais il s'agissait d'offensives de moindre envergure et de plus faible niveau technique.

De nouvelles attaques ont touché ces derniers jours des sites de journaux belges, sans qu'un lien puisse être établi avec les "hackers" de TV5.

***25.03.2015. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) joins the PRESS UNCUFFED Campaign to free imprisoned journalists

COLLEGE PARK, MD (March 25, 2015) – Press Uncuffed, a campaign started by University of Maryland journalism students to raise money to free imprisoned journalists by selling bracelets bearing their names, today launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding effort. The funds will enable the students to manufacture and package the bracelets prior to making them available for sale on World Press Freedom Day, which is May 3, 2015.

The students and their professor, Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter Dana Priest, created Press Uncuffed to support the Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, nonprofit organization that advocates for journalists in danger. Last fall, Priest assigned each of her students an imprisoned journalist to profile for the semester. The students developed a better understanding of the journalists’ experience and wanted to do more to help release them. The idea of creating and selling bracelets was born out of this experience.

“The last three years have been the worst on record for the safety of journalists covering news in many parts of the world,” said Dana Priest, the John S. and James L. Knight Chair in Public Affairs Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. “The problem is getting worse, not better. With 221 journalists currently imprisoned, the funds raised through this campaign will help put pressure on the governments holding journalists in prison and raise awareness of the critical link between information and a free and prosperous society.”

The goal of the Indiegogo campaign is to raise $30,000 to cover production costs for a minimum of 10,000 bracelets. The bracelets are made in Memphis, Tennessee with LuciteLux® clear acrylic to remind us of the important of transparency of information. These bracelets, bearing nine imprisoned journalists’ names, will be available for sale online for $10.00 each on World Press Freedom Day. The campaign will introduce additional names as funds allow.

Press Uncuffed will start with bracelets honoring nine journalists:  

·         Ammar Abdulrasool in Bahrain

·         Mahmoud Abou Zeid (Shawkan) in Egypt

·         Reeyot Alemu in Ethiopia

·         Khadija Ismayilova in Azerbaijan

·         Bheki Makhubu in Swaziland

·         Ta Phong Tan in Vietnam

·         Jason Rezaian in Iran

·         Yusuf Ruzimuradov in Uzbekistan

·         Ilham Tohti in China

Donors to the Indiegogo campaign can choose from perks, such as a bracelet; tickets to the Newseum in Washington, D.C.; a daylong visit to National Geographic with behind-the-scenes access; participation in an exclusive Google+ hangout with a former imprisoned journalist; and tickets to the Committee to Protect Journalists’ Annual Gala event in New York City. For more details on the perks associated with this Indiegogo campaign, please visit the Indiegogo campaign page. 

“The Press Uncuffed campaign aspires to personalize the plight of journalists who are risking everything, and paying the price, to share critical information with the world,” said Courtney Radsch, Committee to Protect Journalists’ advocacy director. “The link between freedom of the press and a free society is clear. By wearing your support for imprisoned journalists, you are helping ensure that brave journalists around the world can continue to report on topics that matter.”

For more information on Press Uncuffed and the nine journalists, please visit PressUncuffed.org.  

***18.03.2015. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) condemns the murder of top yemeni journalist Abdul Kareem Al-Khaiwani 

SANAA, March 18 (Reuters) - Assailants on a motorbike on Wednesday shot dead one of Yemen's top journalists, Abdul Kareem al-Khaiwani, who is also an activist close to the country's dominant Houthi group, police sources said.

The group's television channel al-Maseerah said al-Khaiwani, who had served as a delegate for the group in a national dialog conference on Yemen's future, was "martyred in a criminal assassination" near his house in the center of the capital Sanaa.

The killing ends a relative lull in bombing and shooting attacks in the capital since the Houthis ousted the government in January.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, though Sunni Muslim al Qaeda militants have claimed several previous attacks on the Shi'ite Houthis, whom it regards as heretics.

Yemen is torn by a power struggle between the Iranian-backed Houthis in the north and the U.N.-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who has set up a rival seat in the southern port city of Aden with Gulf Arab support.

Khaiwani's editorials were once the scourge of Yemen's veteran autocrat, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and he accused the ruler of 33 years of styling his son to succeed him.

Growing closer to the Houthi movement when Arab Spring protests ousted Saleh in 2012, Khaiwani was among several delegates who represented the group at the talks, convened to map out reforms to be incorporated into a new draft constitution before the Houthis captured Sanaa in September.

But the liberal writer earned the ire of activist allies when he backed the group's dissolution of parliament in February - which critics called a coup - but was remembered fondly for his muckraking past.

"He was one of the godfathers of Yemen's tradition of saying no to those in authority," said his friend, Yemeni writer Farea al-Muslimi.

"His death is a new wound in an already bloody experience for Yemen. It's truly depressing and frightening," he added.

Yemen's lively press and civil society has been struck hard by political tension, and rights group Amnesty International last month accused the Houthis of abducting and torturing those opposed to their rule. (Reporting By Mohammed Ghobari and Noah Browning in Dubai, editing by Sami Aboudi and Hugh Lawson)

IFJ Joins Yemeni Journalists Syndicate in Calling for Independent Investigation into Murder of Senior Journalist

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Yemeni affiliate, the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS), have today strongly condemned the murder of journalist Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani and called for independent investigation into his assassination.

The YJS said that al-Khaiwani was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on 18 March in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.

"This is an outrageous and coward act that cannot remain unpunished,said IFJ President, Jim Boumelha. We stood with him when he was given a 6-year jail sentence during Ali Salah's presidency. I personally delivered him the Amnesty award in March 2009 at his unions congress and pleaded with the president for the sentence to be cancelled and for intimidation and harassment to cease. Abdul Karim was a brilliant journalist and fought hard for the underdog. His struggle for independent journalists put him at the forefront of the endeavours by Yemeni journalists to ensure that they work without threat to their lives or undue political interference. My heart goes to his family. "

The fifty-year-old journalist worked as a former editor-in-chief of newspaper Al-Ommah and online newspaper Al-Shoura. In 2004, he was sentenced to a one-year term in prison for "insulting the president". After his release in 2005 following a presidential pardon, he was harassed for several years before being arrested again in June 2007. In August 2007 he was abducted by gunmen then reportedly beaten and threatened with death if he continued to publish articles criticising the government. In June 2008, al-Khaiwani was sentenced to six years prison and released after one year.

In 2008, he received the Amnesty Internationals special award for Human Rights Journalism under Threat.

The assassination occurred while the IFJ, the YJS and their regional and international partners were preparing to organise an international meeting to highlight the extremely dangerous situation facing journalists and the absence of protection for freedom of expression in Yemen.

The journalistscommunity lost a brave pen, a free voice and a colleague committed to defending media freedoms,said the YJS. We ask official authorities to launch a swift investigation into the crime, to identify the culprits, arrest them and bring them to justice.

Al-Khaiwani is the second journalist killed in Yemen since the beginning of 2015.

***15.03.2015. MADA annual report: a record number (465) of the crimes and violations against media freedoms in Palestine during 2014 -
2014 The worst, the deadliest, and the hardest year in the history of Palestinian Media

Ramallah – The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) held a press conference at "WATAN media center”, to announce the release of its annual report on the status of media freedoms in the Palestinian territories during 2014.

The opening of the conference was by MADA’s Chairman Dr. Ghazi Hanania, where he described 2014 as “the worst, the deadliest, and the hardest year ever for journalists and media freedoms in Palestine, in terms of the nature and degree of the violence suffered by journalists and media freedoms, and in terms of the number of crimes and violations committed, which rose at a record pace and unprecedented”.

Dr. Hanania stated that the Israeli occupation forces committed a number of 351 crime and violation (112 in Gaza, 239 in the West Bank including Occupied Jerusalem) or the equivalent of more than 75% of the total violations monitored and documented by MADA. While the different Palestine sides committed 114 violation (24 in Gaza and 90 in the West Bank) which is equivalent to 25%.
He added that: “while the murder of 17 journalists and media workers by the Israeli occupation forces topped the other crimes and violations suffered by the Palestinian media freedoms, there was a 108% increase in the number of violations and crimes monitored in 2014 in comparison to 2013”. And he explained that: “in comparison to 2013, the number of Israeli violations increased 132%, while the Palestinian violations increased 46%”.
Dr Hanania ended by thanking the Open Society Foundations for their support of MADA’s monitoring and documenting program, including the issuance of this annual report on violations of media freedoms in Palestine.
Mr. Mousa Rimawi, MADA’s general director, presented the most prominent parts of the center's annual report, which monitored various violations against journalists and media freedoms during the past year.
Rimawi pointed that the Israeli occupation’s violations were committed within 15 types, where the largest number of violations were the serious types of assaults and crimes (killing, physical assaults and injuries, the shelling and destruction of media institutions, the shelling and destruction of journalists homes, arrests and using journalists as human shields). And he explained that the six types above (the most serious crimes and attacks) constituted 70% of the total crimes and violations committed by the Israeli occupation during 201, and that the number of physical assaults committed by the Israeli occupation in 2014 rose by more than 201% compared to the previous year.
Rimawi mentioned that “the Palestinian violations against media freedoms documented in 2014 was the highest ever since 2008” as he explained that the Palestinian violations rose from 78 violation in 2013 to 114 violation committed in 2014, which is equivalent to a 46% increase.
Rimawi pointed that in 2014, the notable increase in the number of Palestinian violations against media freedoms were documented in the West Bank, and he stated that: “this increase in violations especially in the West Bank was monitored after the signing of the last reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas last April, while it was suppose to result in a breakthrough in the status of public freedoms, including media freedoms and freedom of expression. The real progress that happened was allowing newspapers to circulate freely in the two parts of the country, but the continuation of the division and tension that followed the signing of the reconciliation agreement is what caused an increase in the number of the unjustified violations”.
MADA’s annual report explained that the majority of Palestinian violations of media freedoms in the West Bank and the Gaza strip were concentrated within four types: assaults, call for investigation, threats and prevention from coverage, arrests, they were an equivalent of 87% of the violations committed by Palestinian sides.
Rimawi stated that: “summoning for investigations carried out by the Palestinian security forces in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, remained one of the main types of violation against Palestinian journalists, where in 2014, 31 journalists were summoned for investigation and questioned by Palestinian security forces in the West Bank and Gaza”.
The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) reiterates its condemnation of all violations against media freedoms in Palestine, MADA also stresses the need to prosecute the perpetrators of all these violations, in the forefront the murder of 17 journalist and media worker by the Israeli occupation, and to put an end to the impunity of the perpetrators of these crimes, and bring them to justice to hold back the escalating attacks against media freedoms in Palestine. And MADA calls on Western governments and various international organizations to exercise real pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities to force it to comply with international conventions that guarantee media freedoms and freedom of expression, and to stop its aggression and crimes.
And while MADA welcomes the accession of Palestine to many international conventions and treaties that guarantee the freedom of expression the decision to allow newspapers to circulate in both the West Bank and Gaza, it expresses concern due to the increasing number of violations committed by the Palestinian sides on media freedoms, and MADA emphasizes the need for the official Palestinian bodies to put an end to these violations, which is a violation according to the Palestinian laws related to the freedom of the press and freedom of expression, and MADA emphasizes on holding perpetrators accountable, particularly the physical assaults.

To read full report:
http://www.madacenter.org/images/text_editor/annualrepE2014.pdf

***08.03.2015. EGYPT: Mohamed Fahmy retrial delayed until March 19 after witnesses fail to show (CBC, AP)

The retrial of two Al-Jazeera English journalists who face terror-related charges in Egypt has been postponed yet again to March 19.

The decision Sunday comes after witnesses fail to show for a hearing for acting bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy and Egyptian producer Baher Mohammed. The two were freed last month awaiting trial, though they've had to check in with police daily. Their first hearing on Feb. 23 also was postponed.

Mohamed Fahmy's retrial strategy: I'm not the same as Al-Jazeera

Watch 400 Days: The Mohamed Fahmy Story

Two key police witnesses that the judge had asked to be brought forward did not show up, according to the CBC's Sasa Petricic. The judge fined the two $60 each for not being there.

Fahmy said he is "pretty frustrated."

"You know, you go to the court expecting that the trial moves forward and that we can get closer to the conclusion of this horrific experience and then it doesn't seem like anything is going my way," he said in an interview on CBC News Network.

"I'm pretty upset about it. It's a serious legal limbo where I'm caught at right now."

In the meantime, Fahmy said he is working on the deportation option, which he said could "happen any time" in the judicial process. Fahmy without Canadian passport

Fahmy said the authorities are holding his Canadian passport, which he said he needs to conduct official transactions, including getting married and renting hotel rooms or a car. Fahmy, formerly a dual Canadian-Egyptian citizen, gave up his Egyptian citizenship earlier this year as a condition for getting released from prison.

"It is not unusual in Egypt for strange things to happen during court cases — for things to be delayed, bureaucratic issues to come up and things to drag on for weeks, months, maybe even years," said Petricic in Cairo.

"But on the other hand, there were signals that the government, prosecution and the judge wanted to speed things along, to get this done, out of the way."

The two, arrested in December 2013, face charges accusing them of being part of a terrorist group and airing falsified footage intended to damage national security. Al-Jazeera is based in Qatar, a main backer of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi's outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Human rights organizations and media groups have criticized the trial. Australian journalist Peter Greste, also charged in the case, was deported in February.

***04.03.2015. La FIP repudia segundo asesinato de periodista colombiano en 2015 y exige pronta resolucin del crimen

La Federacion Internacional de Periodistas (FIP) se une a su afiliado FECOLPER (Federacin Colombiana de Periodistas) en la condena al crimen de Edgar Quintin Quintero, en lo que constituye el segundo asesinato este ano de periodistas que se encargaban de denunciar la corrupcion.

El periodista de opinion Edgar Quintin Quintero fue asesinado a manos de un sicario la noche del pasado lunes, 2 de marzo, momentos despus de finalizar la transmision de su programa radial Noticias y Algo Mas en la emisora Radio Luna de Palmira (Valle del Cauca, Colombia). Edgar ya haba sido amenazado en anos anteriores por su labor periodstica y su denuncia de hechos de inseguridad y de corrupcin.

Un comunicado difundido por FECOLPER cita las palabras del oficial a cargo de la investigacion William Lopez Castro, comandante del Distrito de Polica de Palmira, quien sostuvo que por el momento, no hay ninguna hipotesis sobre las causas de muerte del periodista. La duena de la emisora y la familia dicen que desconocan si Quintero tena amenazas de muerte.

Tal como declaro Adriana Hurtado, presidente de la FEPALC, este es el segundo crimen que en lo corrido del 2015 ocurre a un periodista en Colombia. Con este nuevo hecho ya son 145 homicidios, de los cuales solo hay una condena efectiva sobre el autor intelectual del asesinato a un comunicador. Repudiamos este hecho e instamos a la Fiscala General de la Nacin a investigar y judicializar a los autores materiales e intelectuales

Hoy, la muerte de Edgar Quintn Quintero se une a la de Luis Antonio Peralta, ocurrida hace 15 das, enlutando el periodismo colombiano y latinoamericano.

A comienzos de 2014, la FECOLPER lanzun informe sobre la crtica situacin del periodismo en el pas. Segn el mismo, en Colombia informar es cada vez ms una profesin de peligro y ello se refleja en crmenes como asesinatos, atentados, amenazas, destruccion de instalaciones o equipos, interceptaciones ilegales, detenciones ilegales, desplazamiento forzado y acoso en sus distintas manifestaciones.

Desde la FIP, nos unimos a nuestro afiliado nacional FECOLPER en la fuerte condena a esta nueva afrenta a la libertad de expresion y, preocupados por la alta tasa de impunidad en estos hechos, exigimos que se investiguen hasta las ultimas consecuencias para dar con los autores materiales e intelectuales de este asesinato.

Asimismo, exigimos el ineludible compromiso de las autoridades para que no se disfracen las razones del asesinato ni se descarte como movil el intento de silenciar la voz de aquellos que tienen como oficio informar a la sociedad.

***27.02.2015. A real victory for freedom of expression” – UN rights expert hails US move to keep Internet open

GENEVA (27 February 2015) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, today welcomed the decision of the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish new regulations to protect net neutrality in the country.

The FCC’s rules will support a free and open Internet and ensure continued access to any lawful content individuals choose, without restriction or interference from Internet service providers (ISPs). The United States follows a small number of States, such as Brazil, Chile and the Netherlands, that have adopted net neutrality rules.

“This is a real victory for freedom of expression and access to information in the United States,” Mr. Kaye said. “I hope the new rules may serve as a model for other governments seeking to protect or expand an open and secure Internet.”

“It is especially important that the new rules prevent ISPs from discriminating against some types of content in favor of others, either by slowing down delivery speeds or by creating a fast lane to ensure quicker delivery for only some content providers that have paid extra fees,” the expert stressed.

The new principles classify broadband Internet as a public utility, which will allow the FCC to regulate the Internet in the same way it regulates telephone service and other utilities. This reclassification gives the FCC regulatory control over ISPs and greater authority to enforce net neutrality.

“It was by no means assured that the FCC would adopt these rules after years of consideration and public comment,” Mr. Kaye said, recalling the long process and critical engagement with civil society. “Moving forward, I hope that implementation of the rules will be marked by the same openness that led to the rules themselves.”

Where net neutrality is not applied, ISPs may, at their own initiative or through governmental pressure, discriminate against particular content by slowing down or blocking access to certain websites while increasing the speeds by which users can access the websites of ‘approved’ content providers.

In order to prevent governmental or third-party interference with Internet expression under the guise of prioritizing content, the Special Rapporteur urged States to revisit their own Internet policies and to consider taking action to ensure the equal treatment of content, content providers, and users within their own borders.

***19.02.2014. A Call for Global Safety Principles and Practices

Over the last two years, killings, imprisonments and abductions of journalists have reached historic highs. These attacks represent a fundamental threat not just to individual news professionals, but to the practice of independent  journalism. Locally-based journalists face by far the largest threat and endure the vast majority of murders, imprisonments and abductions. 

We call on governments, combatants and groups worldwide to respect the neutrality of journalists and immediately end the cycle of impunity surrounding attacks on journalists. At the same time, the kidnapping and murder of reporters James Foley and Steven Sotloff brought to light the growing risks faced by international freelance journalists.

The undersigned groups endorse the following safety principles and practices for international news organizations and the freelancers who work with them. We see this as a first step in a long-term campaign to convince news organizations and journalists to adopt these standards globally. In a time of journalistic peril, news organizations and journalists must work together to protect themselves, their profession and their vital role in global society.

FOR JOURNALISTS ON DANGEROUS ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Before setting out on any assignment in a conflict zone or any dangerous environment, journalists should have basic skills to care for themselves or injured colleagues.

2. We encourage all journalists to complete a recognized news industry first aid course, to carry a suitable first-aid kit and continue their training to stay up-to-date on standards of care and safety both physical and psychological. Before undertaking an assignment in such zones, journalists should seek adequate medical insurance covering them in a conflict zone or area of infectious disease.

3. Journalists in active war zones should be aware of the need and importance of having protective ballistic clothing, including armored jackets and helmets. Journalists operating in a conflict zone or dangerous environment should endeavor to complete an industry recognized hostile environment course.

4. Journalists should work with colleagues on the ground and with news organizations to complete a careful risk assessment before traveling to any hostile or dangerous environment and measure the journalistic value of an assignment against the risks.

5. On assignment, journalists should plan and prepare in detail how they will operate including identifying routes, transport, contacts and a communications strategy with daily check-in routines with a colleague in the region or their editor. Whenever practical, journalists should take appropriate precautions to secure mobile and Internet communications from intrusion and tracking.

6. Journalists should work closely with their news organizations, the organization that has commissioned them, or their colleagues in the industry if acting independently, to understand the risks of any specific assignment. In doing so, they should seek and take into account the safety information and travel advice of professional colleagues, local contacts, embassies and security personnel. And, likewise, they should share safety information with colleagues to help prevent them harm.

7. Journalists should leave next of kin details with news organizations, ensuring that these named contacts have clear instructions and action plans in the case of injury, kidnap or death in the field.

FOR NEWS ORGANIZATIONS MAKING ASSIGNMENTS IN DANGEROUS PLACES:

1. Editors and news organizations recognize that local journalists and freelancers, including photographers and videographers, play an increasingly vital role in
international coverage, particularly on dangerous stories.

2. Editors and news organizations should show the same concern for the welfare of local journalists and freelancers that they do for staffers.

3. News organizations and editors should endeavor to treat journalists and freelancers they use on a regular basis in a similar manner to the way they treat staffers when it comes to issues of safety training, first aid and other safety equipment, and responsibility in the event of injury or kidnap.

4. Editors and news organizations should be aware of, and factor in, the additional costs of training, insurance and safety equipment in war zones. They should clearly delineate before an assignment what a freelancer will be paid and what expenses will be covered.

5. Editors and news organizations should recognize the importance of prompt payment for freelancers. When setting assignments, news organizations should endeavor to provide agreed upon expenses in advance, or as soon as possible on completion of work, and pay for work done in as timely a manner as possible.

6. Editors and news organizations should ensure that all freelance journalists are given fair recognition in bylines and credits for the work they do both at the time the work is published or broadcast and if it is later submitted for awards, unless the news organization and the freelancer agree that crediting the journalist can compromise the safety of the freelancer and/or the freelancer’s family.

7. News organizations should not make an assignment with a freelancer in a conflict zone or dangerous environment unless the news organization is prepared to take the same responsibility for the freelancer’s wellbeing in the event of kidnap or injury as it would a staffer. News organizations have a moral responsibility to support journalists to whom they give assignments in dangerous areas, as long as the freelancer complies with the rules and instructions of the news organization.

In conclusion, we, the undersigned, encourage all staff and freelance journalists and the news organizations they work with to actively join in a shared commitment to safety and a new spirit of collegiality and concern.

SIGNATORY ORGANIZATIONS

Agence France Press
The Associated Press
Bloomberg
British Broadcasting Corporation
Committee to Protect Journalists
Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma
Frontline Club
Frontline Freelance Register
Global Journalist Security
Global Post
The GroundTruth Project
International Center for Journalists
International News Safety Institute
International Press Institute
McClatchy DC
Miami Herald
Overseas Press Club of America
Overseas Press Club Foundation
PBS Frontline
Press Emblem Campaign
Public Radio International's The World
Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Reporters Instructed in Saving Colleagues
Reporters Without Borders
Reuters
Rory Peck Trust
USA Today

News organizations, journalist associations or advocacy groups interested in joining
these guidelines should contact David Rohde, david.rohde@thomsonreuters.com.

***16.02.2015. Syria: Free Human Rights Defenders Held 3 Years  The Press Emblem Campaign supports the call - the PEC awarded its PEC annual Prize to Mazen Darwish in absentia in June 2012

The Syrian government should immediately free the prominent Syrian human rights defenders Mazen Darwish, Hani Al-Zitani, and Hussein Gharir, 71 human rights groups said today, on the third anniversary of their arrest. The three men have been arbitrarily deprived of their liberty on the basis of their human rights activities.

Syrian Air Force Intelligence arrested all those who were present, including the three human rights defenders, during a raid on the offices of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), in Damascus on February 16, 2012. All the detained SCM members were released, some on bail, except the three men. Darwish is the director of the SCM while Al-Zitani and Gharir are both staff members.

The three men were detained for approximately one year in security branches in conditions amounting to enforced disappearance, where they were subjected to ill-treatment and torture. They were then transferred to Adra Central Prison in Damascus.

In February 2013, the three were taken before the Anti-Terrorism Court on charges of “publicizing terrorist acts” under article 8 of the Anti-Terrorism Law of 2012. Since then, the court has repeatedly postponed their trial, most recently in January 2015. A new trial date has not yet been set.

Although the government announced a general amnesty on June 9, 2014, that covered the charges against the men, they have not been freed.

The SCM is an important nongovernmental organization working to disseminate information regarding the human rights situation in Syria including media freedom and freedom of expression. It has published studies on media freedom, violations against journalists, and the human rights situation in the country, and has documented reports of detained and disappeared civilians.

The undersigned organizations believe that Darwish, Al-Zitani, and Gharir are being persecuted as a result of their legitimate human rights work and exercise of their right to freedom of expression in response to the ongoing crisis in Syria. The Syrian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release the three men and drop all charges against them.

The UN General Assembly, in resolution 67/262 of May 15, 2013 called for the release of the three men. In January 2014, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) also found that the three men had been arbitrarily deprived of their liberty due to their human rights activities and called for their immediate release. UN Security Council Resolution 2139, adopted on February 22, 2014, also demanded the release of all arbitrarily detained people in Syria.

Despite these calls, the three men remain in detention. While Gharir continues to be held in Adra central prison, on January 31, 2015, Darwish was transferred to the central prison in Hama, and on February 4 Al-Zitani was transferred to Sweida central prison with no explanation.

The Syrian government should heed the UN’s call and immediately release everyone the government is arbitrarily detaining, the organizations said. Staffan De Mistura, the UN special envoy to Syria, should make the release of peaceful activists, including these three detainees, a key priority.

***09.02.2015. LIBYA. Journalists under attack - report released by Human Rights Watch

(Tunis) – Various armed groups in Libya have violently attacked, kidnapped, intimidated, threatened, and killed Libyan journalists with impunity over the past two years, causing many to flee the country or impose self-censorship, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. At the same time, courts are prosecuting journalists and others for defaming public officials and other offenses that violate freedom of expression. The failure by successive governments and interim authorities to protect journalists has wiped out much of the limited media freedom that existed following the 2011 uprising that ousted the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The 54-page report, “War on the Media: Journalists Under Attack in Libya,” says that authorities failed to hold anyone accountable for attacks on journalists and media outlets since 2012, most of which were committed by non-state actors. Meanwhile, courts are prosecuting people, including journalists, for speech-related offenses, particularly for defaming public officials. The situation only worsened for journalists when armed conflicts erupted and became endemic in May 2014, hastening the exodus from Libya by journalists fearing for their safety.

“The climate of impunity has allowed militias to assault, threaten, kidnap, or even kill journalists because of their reporting or views,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Government authorities and non-state actors who control territory should urgently condemn attacks on journalists and where possible hold those responsible to account.”

Human Rights Watch, through interviews conducted in Libya and remotely, documented at least 91 cases of threats and assaults against journalists, 14 of them women, from mid-2012 until November 2014. The cases include 30 kidnappings or short-term arbitrary detention and eight killings, although in some cases journalists may have been unintentionally killed while reporting on violent incidents. Human Rights Watch also documented 26 armed attacks against the offices of television and radio stations. In most of the cases Human Rights Watch documented, evidence suggested that the armed groups sought to punish journalists and media outlets for their reporting, their opinions, or their perceived sympathies.

Consecutive interim authorities and elected governments have been unable to rein in abusive militias that have proliferated since the end of the 2011 uprising, allowing them to operate with total impunity, Human Rights Watch said. The failure to protect journalists, media workers, and writers was only exacerbated with the outbreak of the armed conflicts in eastern Libya in May 2014, which spread to the west in July. The fighting has left the country with two governments claiming legitimacy, one an internationally recognized government based out of al-Bayda and the other a self-proclaimed government controlling Tripoli and parts of western Libya, yet neither able to assert control over the entire territory. As the violence spread, an increasing number of courts and prosecutors’ offices suspended operations, leaving the judicial systems in a state of near- collapse in some areas.

Journalists were among the 250 people killed in apparent politically motivated assassinations in Libya in 2014 that Human Rights Watch documented. On May 26, unidentified assailants shot dead a prominent journalist, Miftah Bouzeid, in Benghazi. Bouzeid, the editor-in-chief of Burniq, an independent newspaper issued three times a week in Benghazi, was a prominent and frequent critic of Islamist militias and political parties. Despite local and international calls for a swift investigation, Bouzeid’s assassins remain at large. Al-Mutassim al-Warfalli, a radio host for the Libya al-Watan radio station, was shot dead by unknown assailants on October 8 in Benghazi. Al-Warfalli was a purported supporter of Islamist militias.

Some media outlets appeared to be attacked for having backed particular parties to a conflict. Militias attacked Alassema TV station in Tripoli on August 23 and 24, destroying equipment and knocking it permanently off the air. Fawzia al-Balaazi, general director of the station then, told Human Rights Watch that the attacking militias accused the channel of supporting their adversaries. On January 9, 2015, unknown assailants attacked Al-Nabaa TV in Tripoli, a Libyan private satellite TV station that backs the Tripoli-based self-declared government, with rocket-propelled grenades heavily damaging the building.

In none of the cases that Human Rights Watch examined did the authorities conduct a serious investigation, if they investigated at all. No one is known to have been prosecuted for wrongdoing in any of the cases of attacks against journalists. Most Libyan journalists told Human Rights Watch they saw no point in even reporting incidents to the police since they would not pursue the attackers.

Meanwhile, prosecutors have been bringing charges against journalists and others for non-violent speech offenses. On November 17, Amara al-Khatabi, editor of al-Ummah newspaper, was informed by a criminal court that he had been sentenced in absentia on August 17 to five years in prison and a heavy fine. The judge, who sentenced al-Khatabi for “insulting and slandering” public officials by publishing a list of allegedly corrupt judges in November 2012, also ordered the suspension of al-Khatabi’s civil rights during his imprisonment and for a year after his release, and banned him from practicing journalism for the duration of his prison term. Al-Khatabi, who remained provisionally free, told Human Rights Watch he would seek a retrial.

Two Tunisian journalists, Sofiene Chourabi and Nadhir Ktari, were reported missing in eastern Libya in September 2014 and their fate remains unknown. Human Rights Watch could not independently verify conflicting reports of their alleged capture by militias affiliated with the extremist group Islamic State (also known as ISIS). All parties in Libya should work toward the release of the two journalists, immediately and unharmed.

All government and other entities in Libya should unequivocally condemn attacks against journalists and media workers and carry out prompt, transparent, and impartial investigations where possible, Human Rights Watch said. Libya’s House of Representatives should amend or revoke laws that restrict the right to freedom of expression and the media, particularly defamation and insult laws.

Member countries of the UN Human Rights Council should convene a special session on accountability in Libya with a view to establishing a Commission of Inquiry or a similar mechanism to investigate serious and widespread human rights violations in Libya. The potential violations should include those that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, such as politically motivated assassinations and attacks against journalists. The UN and African special rapporteurs on freedom of opinion and expression should pay particular attention to attacks against journalists and media professionals in Libya, and visit the country to investigate attacks against journalists and to make recommendations on how to promote press freedom there.

“This is a very dangerous time to be a journalist in Libya,” Stork said “Too many journalists in post-Gaddafi Libya face a situation where saying what you think can get you killed.”

***06.02.2015. Burundi. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights concerned about the arrest and detention of Burundian journalist Bob Rugurika

"We are concerned about the arrest and detention of Burundian journalist Bob Rugurika, the Director of the independent Radio publique africaine (RPA). Rugurika was arrested on 20 January following RPA broadcasts which included allegations about the involvement of senior intelligence officials in the killing of three Italian nuns. This past Wednesday, 4 February, a Bujumbura court refused to hear a request by his lawyers for his provisional release. The journalist may face long-term imprisonment for complicity in murder, among other charges could be considered.

Rugurika’s case raises serious concerns about the exercise of the freedom of expression in Burundi, particularly ahead of the upcoming elections. We have previously urged the Government to review the Media Law, which requires journalists to reveal their sources when they report on issues such as state security and public order. The legislation leads all too easily to infringements of freedom of expression.

We call on the authorities to ensure that Rugurika’s case will be handled in line with international due process standards and fair trial guarantees, in accordance with Burundi’s international commitments. No one should be prosecuted for legitimately exercising his fundamental right to freedom of expression and opinion. The UN Human Rights country office in Burundi has visited Rugurika in prison, has held discussions with the authorities and will continue to monitor the case."

Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Ravina Shamdasani

***01.02.2015. EGYPT. Egypt deports jailed Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste - Greste put on flight out of the country while two of his colleagues, Baher Mohamed and Mohamed Fahmy, remain imprisoned (source: Al Jazeera) (PEC statement on PEC NEWS)

Peter Greste, an Al Jazeera journalist who was detained in Egypt for 400 days, has been deported.

Sources said that Greste has boarded an Egypt Air flight on Sunday and is being accompanied by his brother. He is stated to be in good health.

Two other Al Jazeera journalists - Baher Mohamed, a producer, and the channel's Cairo bureau chief Mohamed Fahmy - still remain imprisoned in Egypt.

Greste's deportation came amid a growing chorus of worldwide condemnation over the detention of the three journalists.

Al Jazeera Media Network welcomed Greste's release and demanded the release of his colleagues.

'Good news, but not enough'

In a statement, Al Jazeera said the campaign to free its journalists in Egypt will not end till all three have been released. It said that all three have to be exonerated, and the convictions against its other journalists tried in absentia also have to be lifted.

Mostefa Souag, acting Director General of Al Jazeera Media Network said: “We’re pleased for Peter and his family that they are to be reunited. It has been an incredible and unjustifiable ordeal for them, and they have coped with incredible dignity. Peter’s integrity is not just intact, but has been further enhanced by the fortitude and sacrifice he has shown for his profession of informing the public.

“We will not rest until Baher and Mohamed also regain their freedom. The Egyptian authorities have it in their power to finish this properly today, and that is exactly what they must do."

The Managing Director of Al Jazeera English, Al Anstey, said he was relieved Greste was freed and on his way home to be reunited with his family, but spoke of the need to free Baher and Mohamed.

"But we've got to focus that Baher and Mohamed are still behind bars, and seven of their colleagues that were sentenced to ten years in absentia are still sentenced today."

Greste, Baher and Mohamed had been falsely accused of colluding with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood in a case that sparked international condemnation.

After their conviction in June last year, the men were sentenced to between seven and ten years in jail. On January 1 this year, Egypt's Court of Cassation overturned the sentences and ordered a retrial, but there is still no indication of what that trial will begin.

Greste, in a letter made public by his family wrote: "While we remain strong and determined to do whatever it takes to clear our names and win our freedom, 400 days still feels far too long to correct an injustice." (Al Jazeera)

***25.01.2015. MEXICO. VERACRUZ: JOURNALIST ABDUCTED AT START OF YEAR FOUND DEAD

Another hard blow to the Mexican media with the discovery over the weekend of the body of the journalist Moisés Sánchez Cerezo, abducted on January 2 in the eastern State of Veracruz.

The body of the reporter, 49, was found hidden in a black bag in the small town of Manlio Fabio Altamirano. Based on first forensic reports, the journalist was killed 20 to 24 days ago. Sánchez Cerezo, qwner and editor of the Unión de Medellín newspaper, had repeatedly denounced even on social networks having received death threats.

Veracruz state prosecutor Luis Angel Bravo specified that the journalist’s body was found after the confession of a former police officer attested in the ongoing investigation. He claimed to have taken part in the assassination of the reporter, killed the same day he was taken from his home in Medellín.

Bravo added that the former officer also claimed that the killing was carried out on instructions of the deputy director of the Medellin’s police force, Martín López Meneses, who is the driver and head of the armed escort of the town’s mayor Omar Cruz Reyes. Twelve officers have been arrested so far in the case.

Sánchez Cerezo is the 11th journalist killed in Veracruz since Governor Javier Duarte took office in December 2010.

23.01.2015. MEXICO. Government fail to act following the disappearance of Veracruz journalist Moisés Sánchez (Article 19)

Despite the first hours and days following a person’s disappearance being vital to any investigation, local and federal authorities have failed to follow up on the disappearance of Moisés Sánchez, a journalist from Veracruz.

It's been over two weeks since the journalist was taken from his home in the municipality of Medellín de Bravo. The authorities’ response has been characterised by inaction and a lack of proactivity in investigating the facts, despite it being required both by international commitments regarding missing persons and by the protocols governing cases of this nature.

ARTICLE 19 Mexico, representing Moisés’s son Jorge Sánchez, gained access to the police records on the case and uncovered that neither the state nor federal authorities had made efforts to dispatch search teams, attempt to identify the route taken by the journalist’s captors following his disappearance, or obtain information that could reveal his whereabouts. Jorge Sánchez has also criticised the lack of communication between the authorities and his family regarding his father’s disappearance.

Actions at the state level have focused on verbal declarations and not on technical or expert inspections of the possible escape route, or identifying and locating the car in which he was taken from his home —all of which are basic protocols in a missing person’s investigation.

At the municipal level, contrary to public statements by the mayor, most municipal police did not receive instructions or orders from their commanders to carry out any search for Moisés Sanches.

Moisés Sánchez reported on issues of insecurity in Veracruz, disseminating citizens’ complaints. Sánchez is editor and publisher of the newspaper "The Union" Medellin de Bravo, and was generally very critical of the various problems in the municipality. Sánchez funded the paper’s publication by driving a taxi, which also allowed him to connect with and gather stories from local residents.

The journalism and activism of Sánchez, according to those close to the journalist, angered the Mayor of Medellín de Bravo. Three days prior to his disappearance, Sánchez allegedly learned that he had been threatened by Mayor Omar Cruz Reyes, who allegedly noted that someone needed to teach Sánchez a lesson.

From 2000 to date, ARTICLE 19 has documented the killing of 15 journalists in Veracruz; Moisés Sánchez can be added to the five journalists who have also gone missing since 2000 in the area. From 2007-2014, there have been 86 documented physical attacks on the press in the state, as well as 22 incidents of intimidation against journalists.

10 of the recording 15 killings documented by ARTICLE 19 in the region have occurred since the current government headed by Javier Duarte de Ochoa took office. Furthermore, the governor has publicly discredited the journalism of Moisés Sánchez, noting that "[...] he not a reporter, [he is] a taxi driver and neighbourhood activist [...]".

In view of the above, and the constant narrative used by state authorities to unlink the attacks, disappearances and murders of journalists from their profession, one must question the impartial and independent nature of the actions taken by state and municipal authorities in trying to find the whereabouts of the reporter.- See more at: http://www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/37829/en/mexico:-government-fail-to-act-following-the-disappearance-of-veracruz-journalist-mois%C3%A9s-s%C3%A1nchez#sthash.bI0hawg0.dpuf

***22.01.2015. Ethiopia: Media Being Decimated - Legal, Policy Reforms Crucial Prior to May Elections (French Version below)

(Nairobi, January 22, 2015) – The Ethiopian government’s systematic repression of independent media has created a bleak landscape for free expression ahead of the May 2015 general elections, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. In the past year, six privately owned publications closed after government harassment; at least 22 journalists, bloggers, and publishers were criminally charged, and more than 30 journalists fled the country in fear of being arrested under repressive laws.

The 76-page report, “‘Journalism is Not a Crime’: Violations of Media Freedom in Ethiopia,” details how the Ethiopian government has curtailed independent reporting since 2010. Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 70 current and exiled journalists between May 2013 and December 2014, and found patterns of government abuses against journalists that resulted in 19 being imprisoned for exercising their right to free expression, and that have forced at least 60 others into exile since 2010.

“Ethiopia’s government has systematically assaulted the country’s independent voices, treating the media as a threat rather than a valued source of information and analysis,” said Leslie Lefkow, deputy Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Ethiopia’s media should be playing a crucial role in the May elections, but instead many journalists fear that their next article could get them thrown in jail.”

Most of Ethiopia’s print, television, and radio outlets are state-controlled, and the few private print media often self-censor their coverage of politically sensitive issues for fear of being shut down.

The six independent print publications that closed in 2014 did so after a lengthy campaign of intimidation that included documentaries on state-run television that alleged the publications were linked to terrorist groups. The intimidation also included harassment and threats against staff, pressure on printers and distributors, regulatory delays, and eventually criminal charges against the editors. Dozens of staff members went into exile. Three of the owners were convicted under the criminal code and sentenced in absentia to more than three years in prison. The evidence the prosecution presented against them consisted of articles that criticized government policies.

While the plight of a few high-profile Ethiopian journalists has become widely known, dozens more in Addis Ababa and in rural regions have suffered systematic abuses at the hands of security officials.

The threats against journalists often take a similar course, Human Rights Watch said. Journalists who publish a critical article might receive threatening telephone calls, text messages, and visits from security officials and ruling party cadres. Some said they received hundreds of these threats. If this does not silence them or intimidate them into self-censorship, then the threats intensify and arrests often follow. The courts have shown little or no independence in criminal cases against journalists who have been convicted after unfair trials and sentenced to lengthy prison terms, often on terrorism-related charges.

“Muzzling independent voices through trumped-up criminal charges and harassment is making Ethiopia one of the world’s biggest jailers of journalists,” Lefkow said. “The government should immediately release those wrongly imprisoned and reform laws to protect media freedom.”

Most radio and television stations in Ethiopia are government-affiliated, rarely stray from the government position, and tend to promote government policies and tout development successes. Control of radio is crucial politically given that more than 80 percent of Ethiopia’s population lives in rural areas, where the radio is still the main medium for news and information. The few private radio stations that cover political events are subjected to editing and approval requirements by local government officials. Broadcasters who deviate from approved content have been harassed, detained, and in many cases forced into exile.

The government has also frequently jammed broadcasts and blocked the websites of foreign and diaspora-based radio and television stations. Staff working for broadcasters face repeated threats and harassment, as well as intimidation of their sources or people interviewed on international media outlets. Even people watching or listening to these services have been arrested.

The government has also used a variety of more subtle but effective administrative and regulatory restrictions such as hampering efforts to form journalist associations, delaying permits and renewals of private publications, putting pressure on the few printing presses and distributors, and linking employment in state media to ruling party membership.

Social media are also heavily restricted, and many blog sites and websites run by Ethiopians in the diaspora are blocked inside Ethiopia. In April, the authorities arrested six people from Zone 9, a blogging collective that provides commentary on social, political, and other events of interest to young Ethiopians, and charged them under the country’s counterterrorism law and criminal code. Their trial, along with other media figures, has been fraught with various due process concerns. On January 14, 2015, it was adjourned for the 16th time and they have now been jailed for over 260 days. The arrest and prosecution of the Zone 9 bloggers has had a wider chilling effect on freedom of expression in Ethiopia, especially among critically minded bloggers and online activists.

The increased media repression will clearly affect the media landscape for the May elections, Human Rights Watch said.

“The government still has time to make significant reforms that would improve media freedoms before the May elections,” Lefkow said. “Amending oppressive laws and freeing jailed journalists do not require significant time or resources, but only the political will for reform.”

“Journalism is Not a Crime’: Violations of Media Freedom in Ethiopia” is available at:
http://www.hrw.org/node/132073

Éthiopie : Un paysage médiatique peu à peu décimé
Il est essentiel d'adopter des réformes législatives et politiques avant les élections de mai

(Nairobi, le 22 janvier 2015) – La répression systématique exercée par le gouvernement éthiopien contre les médias indépendants a créé un environnement déplorable pour la liberté d'expression à l'approche des élections générales de mai 2015, a déclaré Human Rights Watch dans un rapport publié aujourd'hui. Au cours de l'année dernière, six publications privées ont cessé de paraître après avoir été harcelées par le gouvernement; au moins 22 journalistes, blogueurs et directeurs de publication ont été inculpés pénalement et plus de 30 journalistes ont fui le pays, de crainte d'être arrêtés en vertu de lois répressives.

Ce rapport de 76 pages, intitulé « ‘Journalism is Not a Crime’: Violations of Media Freedom in Ethiopia » (« 'Le journalisme n'est pas un crime': Violations de la liberté de la presse en Éthiopie »), expose en détail comment le gouvernement éthiopien a entravé les activités de la presse indépendante depuis 2010. Human Rights Watch a interrogé plus de 70 journalistes actuellement en activité ou en exil entre mai 2013 et décembre 2014, et a constaté une tendance de la part du gouvernement à commettre des abus contre les journalistes, dont il est résulté l'emprisonnement de 19 d'entre eux pour avoir exercé leur droit à la liberté d'expression, et qui en a forcé au moins 60 autres à partir en exil depuis 2010.

« Le gouvernement éthiopien a systématiquement cherché à museler les voix indépendantes dans le pays, traitant les médias comme une menace plutôt que comme une source précieuse d'information et d'analyse », a déclaré Leslie Lefkow, directrice adjointe de la division Afrique à Human Rights Watch. « Les médias éthiopiens devraient jouer un rôle crucial dans les élections de mai, mais au lieu de cela, de nombreux journalistes craignent que leur prochain article ne les fasse jeter en prison. »

En Éthiopie, la plupart des organes de presse, des chaînes de télévision et des stations de radio sont contrôlés par l'État et les rares médias privés font souvent de l'autocensure dans leur couverture de questions politiquement sensibles, de peur d'être fermés.

Les six publications indépendantes qui ont cessé de paraître en 2014 l'ont fait à l'issue d'une longue campagne d'intimidation qui incluait la diffusion sur les chaînes de télévision gouvernementales de documentaires présentant ces publications comme étant liées à des groupes terroristes. Les manœuvres d'intimidation ont aussi consisté en des actes de harcèlement et des menaces à l'encontre du personnel, en des pressions sur les imprimeries et les compagnies de distribution, et en l'imposition de mesures règlementaires génératrices de retards de publication, et même de l'engagement de poursuites criminelles contre les rédacteurs en chef. Des dizaines de membres du personnel de ces publications sont partis en exil. Trois propriétaires ont été déclarés coupables en vertu du code pénal et condamnés par contumace à plus de trois ans de prison. Les pièces à conviction présentées par l'accusation consistaient en des articles dans lesquels la politique du gouvernement était critiquée.

Si la situation critique de quelques journalistes éthiopiens de renom est bien connue, des dizaines d'autres à Addis Abeba et dans les régions rurales ont subi des abus systématiques de la part d'agents de la sécurité.

Les menaces contre les journalistes prennent souvent une tournure similaire, a relevé Human Rights Watch. Des journalistes qui publient un article critique sont susceptibles de recevoir des menaces par téléphone ou par message texto, ainsi que des visites d'agents de la sécurité et de cadres du parti au pouvoir. Certains affirment avoir reçu des centaines de menaces de ce genre. Si cela ne les réduit pas au silence ou ne les intimide pas suffisamment pour qu'ils s'autocensurent, les menaces s'intensifient et sont souvent suivies d'une arrestation. Les tribunaux ont fait preuve de très peu, voire de pas du tout, d'indépendance dans les affaires pénales instruites contre des journalistes, qui ont été déclarés coupables à l'issue de procès irréguliers et condamnés à de longues peines de prison, souvent pour des chefs d'accusations relatifs au terrorisme.

« En muselant les voix indépendantes grâce à des accusations fabriquées de toutes pièces et à des actes de harcèlement, l'Éthiopie est devenue l'une des plus grandes prisons pour journalistes du monde », a affirmé Leslie Lefkow. « Le gouvernement devrait remettre immédiatement en liberté ceux qui ont été emprisonnés à tort et réformer ses lois afin de protéger la liberté de la presse. »

La plupart des stations de radio et de télévision en Éthiopie sont affiliées au gouvernement, s'écartent rarement des positions de celui-ci et ont tendance à promouvoir sa politique et à vanter ses succès en matière de développement. Le contrôle de la radio est crucial d'un point de vue politique, étant donné que plus de 80 % de la population de l'Éthiopie vit dans les zones rurales, où la radio est toujours le principal vecteur d'information. Les quelques stations de radio privées qui couvrent les événements politiques sont soumises à l'obligation de faire superviser et approuver leur contenu par les représentants locaux du gouvernement. Des radiodiffuseurs qui avaient dévié de la ligne officielle ont été harcelés, arrêtés et, dans de nombreux cas, contraints à l'exil.

Le gouvernement a également brouillé à de nombreuses reprises les émissions et bloqué les sites internet de stations de radio et de télévision étrangères ou émettant de l'étranger. Les personnels travaillant pour ces diffuseurs subissent régulièrement des menaces et des actes de harcèlement, et leurs sources ou les personnes qui accordent des entretiens aux médias internationaux sont l'objet de tentatives d'intimidation. Même des personnes qui regardaient ou écoutaient ces chaînes ou stations ont été arrêtées.

Le gouvernement a par ailleurs eu recours à diverses tactiques administratives et juridiques plus subtiles mais tout aussi efficaces pour restreindre la liberté de la presse, par exemple en gênant les efforts visant à constituer des associations de journalistes, en retardant l'octroi ou le renouvellement d'autorisations de paraître à des publications privées, en exerçant des pressions sur les rares entreprises d'imprimerie et de distribution, et en conditionnant le recrutement au sein des médias d'État à l'appartenance au parti au pouvoir.

Les médias sociaux font eux aussi l'objet de sévères restrictions, et l’accès à de nombreux blogs et sites internet gérés par des Éthiopiens de la diaspora est bloqué en Éthiopie. En avril, les autorités ont arrêté six personnes travaillant pour Zone 9, un collectif de blogueurs qui fournit des commentaires sur des événements d'ordre social, politique ou autre intéressant les jeunes Éthiopiens, et les ont inculpées en vertu de la loi antiterrorisme et du code pénal éthiopiens. Leur procès, ainsi que celui d'autres personnalités du monde des médias, a été entaché de diverses irrégularités. Le 14 janvier 2015, il a été ajourné pour la 16ème fois et les accusés sont maintenant détenus depuis plus de 260 jours. L'arrestation et le procès des blogueurs de Zone 9 a eu généralement un effet glaçant sur la liberté d'expression en Éthiopie, en particulier parmi les blogueurs à l'esprit volontiers critique et les militants des réseaux sociaux.

À l'évidence, l'aggravation de la répression à l'égard des médias aura un impact sur le paysage médiatique lors des élections de mai, a affirmé Human Rights Watch.

« Le gouvernement a encore le temps de faire d'importantes réformes qui amélioreraient la liberté de la presse avant les élections du mois de mai », a conclu Leslie Lefkow. « Il n'est pas besoin de beaucoup de temps ni d'importantes ressources pour amender des lois répressives et libérer des journalistes emprisonnés, mais il faut la volonté politique de réformer. »

Le rapport « ‘Journalism is Not a Crime’: Violations of Media Freedom in Ethiopia » (« 'Le journalisme n'est pas un crime': Violations de la liberté de la presse en Éthiopie ») peut être consulté en suivant le lien:
http://www.hrw.org/node/132073

***13.01.2015. ATTAQUE CONTRE "CHARLIE HEBDO" à Paris: Charlie-berté: libérons l'information !

Les syndicats de journalistes (SNJ / SNJ-CGT / CFDT-Journalistes), avec leurs Fédérations FIJ (internationale) et FEJ (européenne), saluent les quelque quatre millions de citoyens qui ont participé aux marches et rassemblements dimanche à Paris comme dans toute la France, en hommage aux 17 victimes tombées sous les balles des fanatiques, ennemis de la liberté. Nos confrères de Charlie Hebdo ont été touchés par cet énorme sursaut populaire. Il faut désormais que cessent partout les entraves au droit des journalistes de pouvoir critiquer, moquer, pratiquer lʼhumour en dégoupillant les mines de crayon. Et dʼêtre plus que jamais le poil à gratter contre tous les intégristes, obscurantistes, ennemis de la liberté dʼexpression, racistes et xénophobes de tout acabit.

Comment ne pas être interloqués par la présence, dans la marche parisienne, dans le carré des VIP, du président gabonais Ali Bongo; dʼAhmet Davotoglu, premier ministre de Turquie, lʼune des plus grandes prisons de journalistes; de Benjamin Netanyahou, le premier ministre dʼIsraël alors que 16 journalistes palestiniens ont ététués en 2014 par les forces de sécuritéisraéliennes ; de Sergueï Lavrov, chef de la diplomatie dʼune Russie qui musèle sa télévision et réprime de nombreux confrères; de son homologue des Émirats Arabes Unis, où lʼon peut être emprisonnépour un tweet, cheikh Abdallah ben Zayed Al-Nahyane…Mais encore par celle de Viktor Orban, le premier ministre hongrois, qui a fait main basse sur les médias de son pays. Sans oublier la présence contestable
dʼautres dirigeants du monde qui nʼont pas la même vision de la liberté que ceux que nous pleurons depuis mercredi. Par exemple en Grèce où Antonis Samaras, le premier ministre, a ordonné la fermeture de la chaîne publique ERT, rouverte depuis sur décision du Conseil d'Etat.

Les Charb, Wolinski, Cabu, Honoré, Tignous, Ourrad, Elsa ou Maris nʼauraient pas admis quʼon leur impose que ces ennemis de la liberté foulent le pavé parisien et tentent de récupérer lʼélan populaire contre la haine et pour la liberté dʼinformer.

Rappelons quʼen 2014, 118 journalistes et personnels des médias ont trouvé la mort. Et que parmi les premières victimes de lʼannée 2015 figurent des journalistes yéménites et tunisiens, avant même le massacre de nos confrères de Charlie.

Alors plus que jamais, ensemble avec les citoyens du monde, libérons les médias des chaînes qui les étouffent, et empêchons les lois dʼexception et autres «Patriot Acts »qui nuisent gravement aux libertés.

En France, le combat contre lʼintolérance réside dans lʼéducation, lʼexercice du sens critique, mais aussi la bonne santé de tous les médias, même les plus libertaires, et les journaux à faibles revenus publicitaires. Aussi faut-il enfin faire vivre le pluralisme de lʼinformation face aux concentrations et poser urgemment et concrètement la question des aides à la presse, afin quʼelles répondent vraiment aux nécessités des citoyens: une information de qualité.

SNJ / SNJ-CGT / CFDT-Journalistes

***03.01.2015. MAURITANIE. Soutenons Mohamed Cheikh journaliste mauritanien condamné à mort

La PEC se joint à d'autres appels afin de sauver la vie d'un journaliste condamné à mort en Mauritanie.
Mohamed Cheikh est un bloggeur et journaliste mauritanien qui milite contre l'esclavage et la société des castes en Mauritanie. En 2013, il a écrit une tribune dans laquelle il dénonçait l'utilisation de la religion musulmane pour justifier l'asservissement des noirs et de toutes les personnes issues de castes en Mauritanie.
Pour cet article, les islamistes et le régime autoritaire mauritaniens ont décidé de le faire condamner à mort pour apostasie et blasphème.
Des jeunes africains ou d'origine africaine, de toutes croyances, ont décidé de se mobiliser contre cette condamnation injuste et intolérable.

Dans une lettre ouverte au président mauritanien, Monsieur Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, qui est également le président en exercice de l'Union Africaine, ils demandent la libération sans condition de ce journaliste. Cette lettre ouverte sera publiée dans plusieurs médias africains et internationaux.
Vous pouvez apporter votre soutien, en signant la lettre ouverte à votre tour et en la diffusant à vos proches et/ ou en faisant un don

Aidons à organiser sa défense

Les avocats qui se sont portés volontaires pour la défense de Mohamed Cheikh ont subi de violentes pressions de la part de la société ainsi que de la part des organisations religieuses extrémistes. Ils ont depuis été remplacés par des avocats commis d'office. Nous cherchons des moyens d'organiser sa défense soit en engageant des avocats mauritaniens ou africains, soit en bénéficiant du conseil d'avocats étrangers.

Participez, Signez et diffusez via Facebook, Twitter et google+

PS: Pour des avocats ou ceux qui en connaissent envoyez un mail à contact@activegeneration.org

***30.12.2014. PAKISTAN. 2014 WORST FOR JOURNALIST IN A DECADE: PFUJ

KARACHI, Dec 30: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, PFUJ has termed the year 2014, as among the worst in a decade for Pakistani media, when journalists and media workers were killed inside their offices, while sitting in office van, chased and killed liked incidents were rare in the recent history of violence against journalists. Yet, not a single case of these incidents has been prosecuted in the court of law, for one reason or the other.

The year 2014 ending with 14 killings for media in Pakistan with eight journalists and six media workers across country in various incidents targeting journalists, media workers and media houses. PFUJ in its report released by Secretary General, Khursheed Abbasi, termed the incident of January 17, in Karachi and August 28th in Quetta as worst in which two journalists and four media employees were killed. Pakistan has already been rated as among the 3rd most dangerous countries for journalists around the World, after Gaza and Syria.

PFUJ report of 2014, cited Baluchistan as the most dangerous province for working journalists, where "freedom of the Press," does not exist and even journalists working in the newsroom feel more insecure.

PFUJ feared that the year, 2015 can be a difficult year for Journalists particularly for those working in the conflict areas after the reports that operation "zarb-e-azb," likely to expand in other cities and advised Media Houses to make adequate security arrangements and also to provide 100 per cent Insurance cover, arranged safety courses and adopt code of conduct.

PFUJ has declared 2015 as the "Year of Safety for Journalists and Media Workers." During the year, PFUJ will organise safety and ethical courses in all the major cities, promote ethical journalism and would try to ensure legislation to end impunity.

In 2014, eight journalists were killed include Jewan Arian (Ghambat Khirpur), Shan Dhar (Larkana)-Sindh, Irshad Mastoi(Quetta), Afzal Khawaja(Ustta Muhammad, Jafferabad)-Balochitsn, Yaqoob Shehzad (Hafizabad) Nadeem Hyder (Hafizabad), Shehzad Iqbal (Mianwali)-Punjab and Ibrar Tanoli(Abbotabad)-KPK.

In 2014 six slain Media Persons are Muhammad Mustafa (Lahore-Driver Express News) , Muhammad Abdur Rasool, Muhammad Younas(Quetta), and Waqas Aziz Khan, Driver Khalid Khan, Security Guard Ashraf Arian of Express News-Karachi.

On January 17th, three employees of the Express News were killed while they were sitting inside its DSNG in North Nazimabad, in Karachi, by unknown persons, who later fled away. On August 28th unidentified gunmen stormed into the office of the General Secretary of Baluchistan Union of Journalists and ARY NEWS Assignment Editor , Arshad Mastoi and sprayed bullets. Beside, Mustoi, a trainee reporter Abul Rasul and employee Muhammad Yunush were killed.

"What make the year as the worst in a decade is not only because of the rise in the number of journalists and media employees killed but the manner in which they were targeted," Abbasi said.

In one such incident, a senior journalist, Mr Raza Rumi, who at that time was working for the Express was chased by unidentified motor-cyclists and fired upon, killing his driver. Rumi left with no choice but to leave the country and is now living abroad.

The eight journalists and four employees who were killed this year including those working for Dunya TV, SAMAA and for different newspapers.

PFUJ further said, that despite promises and assurances the government neither been able to arrest the assailants nor their cases were proceeded in any court of law, making lives of journalists and other media staff more and more insecure. PFUJ also expressed concern that neither the investigation into senior anchor, Hamid Mir case has been prosecuted nor the report of the three judges Judicial Commission's findings have been made public.

PFUJ report revealed that the inside rivalries among the Media Houses, also threatened the lives of the journalists. One lady anchor quitted the profession and left Pakistan, after a rival channel aired number of shows, accusing her and her team for blasphemous charges. Despite her repeated apology she could not stayed back in Pakistan.

The media rivalries also led to the series of attack on journalists and media employees belonging to GEO by the workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, PTI. The female journalists and anchors become the target and they were physically harassed during the political rallies. Some channels also faced "forced closures," either because of pressure from political parties, State Actors and Non-State Actors. ARY NEWS, SAMAA and GEO also went "off air," for not fully covering MQM chief, Altaf Hussain's address.

These media rivalries also resulted in the registration of around 70 cases and made the journalists feel more insecure while performing their professional duties. PFUJ yearly report further revealed that though some of the Media Houses, increased security around their offices after they were attacked but none of the Media groups either arranged safety training for their staffers or provided safety kits for them.

"All the above mentioned incidents made the year 2014, as the worst in a decade because of the nature of violence against journalists, when they become unsafe, even in their offices," Khurshid Abbasi Sectary General PFUJ said.

PFUJ has appealed to all journalists, Media Houses to shun their differences and execute unity to meet the serious challenges, which Pakistani journalists are facing, today. 

KHURSHEED ABBASI,
Secretary General, PFUJ
December 30th, 2014 

***11.12.2014. SYRIA. Al Jazeera journalist killed in Syria

Targeting journalists and their crew will not deter us from reporting the truth- Al Jazeera DG

Doha, 11/12/14 Al Jazeera Media Network sadly announces the killing of its Arabic correspondent in Syria, Mahran Al Deeri, on Wednesday, 10th December 2014, while covering battles in the city of Al Sheikh Maskin in rural Daraa.

According to his family members, Mahran was killed while taking cover from regime fire as his car hit the vehicle of rebel fighters when he turned off his headlights to avoid being targeted. This is the same area where three other journalists from the Orient Network were targeted and killed three days ago.

Al Jazeeras Acting Director General, Mostefa Souag said: Our martyred colleague Mahran Al Deeri has worked with aljazeera.net for over a year and was known for his courage, bravery and professional coverage of the Syrian revolution in the area of Daraa and its suburbs.

Targeting journalists will not deter us from reporting the truth which we have been committed to for over 18 years, Souag continues, Throughout our years of coverage we have lost many colleagues on this mission but our brave journalists are committed to this despite the constant dangers and challenges.

Mahran Al Deeri wass from Al Sheikh Maskin in Daraa where he was born in 1983 and excelled in studies. He studied media in Damascus University and graduated in 2008 where he worked for SANA, the government news agency. He was married and had two children.

Al Deeri left SANA very early on at the start of the Syrian revolution, as he believed the agency was reporting false news on the Syrian people. Because of the constant shelling of Daraa by regime forces, he fled temporarily to Jordan, but he rejected the fate of a refugee and returned to Daraa shortly afterwards to do independent journalism. Al Deeri came to Al Jazeera.Net (Al Jazeeras Arabic online platform) as a freelancer in October 2013 to report on the revolutionaries in the area of Houran.

He was one of the most competent correspondents,say his colleagues at Al Jazeera.Net, where he was known for thoroughly verifying his sources before submitting a story. He was daring and courageous and whenever he was warned about reporting in a dangerous area, he would always reply, smiling, Freedom comes with martyrs, and journalism without sacrifice is a false testimony.

Three journalists from the Syrian opposition TV station Orient News were killed on Monday while headed to cover the aftermath of clashes in the village of Sheikh Miskeen in Daraa Province, according to their station and other news reports. The station said it believed the journalists were directly targeted by the forces of President Bashar al-Assad.

According to Orient News, correspondents Rami Asmi and Yousef El-Dous and cameraman Salem Khalil were driving to cover recent opposition advances in Sheikh Miskeen when their car was hit by a guided missile fired by government forces. Orient News reported today that the three journalists passed government forces in the village of Qarfa on their way to Sheikh Miskeen, minutes before they were killed. Orient News and Siraj Press, another opposition news outlet, reported that the missile was launched from Qarfa, about two miles from Sheikh Miskeen. It was not clear how the outlets determined the origin of the missile 

The car was not marked as a press vehicle, but Orient News said it was identifiable because it was carrying a satellite dish nearly 6 feet in diameter.

***06.12.2014. YEMEN. US photojournalist Luke Somers killed in failed rescue attempt in Yemen (news agencies)

The sister of British-born American photojournalist Luke Somers has said he has been killed in a failed rescue attempt in Yemen. Chuck hagel, the US defence secretary, later confirmed his death.

"US Special Operations Forces conducted a mission in Yemen to rescue a US citizen, Luke Somers, and any other foreign nationals held hostage with him by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) terrorists," Hagel said in a statement released during a visit to Kabul."Both Mr Somers and a second non-US citizen hostage were murdered by the AQAP terrorists during the course of the operation."

Mr Hagel added that Friday's operation was undertaken when "there were compelling reasons to believe Mr Somers' life was in imminent danger".

"Several of the AQAP terrorists holding the hostages captive were killed in the mission," he said."The rescue attempt took place in central Yemen and was conducted in partnership with the Government of Yemen.

"Yesterday's mission is a reminder of America's unrelenting commitment to the safety of our fellow citizens - wherever they might be around the world.

"I commend the troops who undertook this dangerous mission."

Lucy Somers told The Associated Press on Saturday that she learned of her 33-year-old brother's death from FBI agents. There was no immediate comment from Washington.

Lucy Somers said: "We ask that all of Luke's family members be allowed to mourn in peace."

Major-General Ali al-Ahmadi, head of Yemen's National Security Bureau, said the authorities had received information that the hostage was due to be killed by al-Qaeda at 6am on Saturday morning, prompting the rescue attempt.

He was speaking at the International Institute for Strategic Studies' annual Manama Dialogue conference in Bahrain.

"They wanted to kill him - they were supposed to kill him at dawn today," he said.

A South African hostage was also killed in the failed raid, a charity said, adding that his death came a day before he was due to be released after more than a year in captivity.

"We received with sadness the news that Pierre (Korkie) was killed in an attempt by American Special Forces, in the early hours of this morning, to free hostages in Yemen," said the Gift of the Givers group, which has been negotiating his release.

"The psychological and emotional devastation to (his wife) Yolande and her family will be compounded by the knowledge that Pierre was to be released by Al Qaeda tomorrow," it said.

Yemen's defence ministry released a statement claiming that 10 al-Qaeda members had been killed in the raid, Reuters reported.

Tribal leaders said they saw helicopters flying nearby after the strike.

Luke Somers was abducted in September 2013 in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. This week, the Pentagon confirmed it launched an earlier failed raid to rescue him.

***05.12.2014. SOMALIA. 2 Journalists Killed, three Others Wounded at a Café Attack in the Southern Somalia town of Baidoa

Mogadishu, December 5, 2014 - The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is saddened to learn the murder of two journalists, while three others were wounded at Café attack that killed several people in the town of Baidoa around 5:30pm local time, the latest and biggest journalists’ fatality in single day in 2014.

According to journalists in Baidoa, Abdulkadir Ahmed Mayow, a correspondent for Somali Channel Television and Mohamed isxaq Barre, a cameraman for Kalsan TV, were among the killed, while Abdulkadir Hassan Jookar, a Correspondent for Kalsan Television, Abdulkadir Hassan Iyeeyow, a correspondent for Somali SAT Television and Mohamed Adan Socdaal, a correspondent for Dalsan Radio were wounded in the attack.

“Two journalists were among the killed in the suicide car bombing attack at the café, near Dahabshiil offices this afternoon.” Abdulkadir Barre, a reporter for Radio Baidoa told NUSOJ by phone from Baidoa, “Three other journalists were also wounded and were taken to the hospital.”

Hilal Sheik Shuceyb, Director of Warsan Radio in Baidoa also confirmed the murder of the two journalists and the wound of three other journalists, among other sources NUSOJ received.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns the heinous attack and join the rest of the Somali media fraternity in mourning for their loss.

“We are extremely saddened to hear the loss of our colleagues in today’s attack and condemn the attack in the strongest terms possible.” Mohamed Ibrahim, Secretary-General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) said, “We call for prompt investigation into the matter and bring the culprits to justice.”

“We send our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families, friends and colleagues for the loss of their loved ones and pray those wounded for immediate recovery..” Mr. Ibrahim added.

The murder of the two journalists in Baidoa brings the number of the journalists killed in Somalia to Five.

***02.12.2014. MADA condemns the threats of “ISIS-Gaza” against journalists and artists

Ramallah, 2/12/2014 - The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) expresses its deep concern about the threats against 18 journalists, writers and poets contained in a declaration issued in the Gaza Strip on Monday 1/12/2014 by the so-called “Islamic State (ISIS) – Gaza”.

The statement accuses those journalists and artists of apostasy, insult to Islam and God, and immoral writings, and threatens that the Islamic State will indict them of apostasy if they do not return to Islam.

The following journalists and writers were targeted: Dunia Al-Amal Ismael, Khaled Jum’a, Ali Abu Khattab, Dua’ Kamal, Iyad Al-Bal’awi, Atef Abu Saif, Hussam Ma’rouf, Mohammad Al-Sheik Yousef, Othman Hussein, Nidal Al-Ta’mawi, Akram Al-Sorani, Yousef Al-Qadra, Sahar Mousa, Samah Al-Sheik Deeb, Manal Miqdad, Ahmad Yaqoub, Naser Rabah, Wissam Oweida, and others whose names were not explicitly mentioned.

MADA condemns this declaration and the threats it contains against writers and journalists, which constitute a very worrying phenomenon, unprecedented in Palestine and alien to the Palestinian society.

MADA considers this statement a serious threat to freedom of expression as well as individual and public freedoms in Palestine. It requests Palestinian officials in Gaza to open a serious investigation to find its authors and hold them accountable.

***23.11.2014. STATEMENT OF THE CENTER FOR MEDIA FREEDOM & RESPONSIBILITY (CMFR) ON THE FIFTH YEAR SINCE THE 2009 AMPATUAN (MAGUINDANAO) MASSACRE - International concern, local indifference

IN a disturbing—and irony-ridden—demonstration of official hostility to the Constitutional guarantee of press freedom, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has prevented journalists from covering the trial of the alleged masterminds and perpetrators of the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan Massacre since August this year without justification, and without even informing the media who ordered the ban.

Four journalists, meanwhile, were killed for their work in 2014, the fifth year since the worst attack on journalists in history occurred in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province, bringing the total number of journalists killed for their work since Benigno Aquino III assumed the presidency to 25. It comes second to the 82 of the Arroyo administration which lasted nine years and included the Ampatuan Massacre victims.

In this same year, President Aquino again claimed, once during the April visit of US President Barack Obama to the Philippines, and again in a radio interview before his September visit to several European countries, that not all the journalists killed were slain for their work, and that not only some but many were killed for reasons that if made public would be embarrassing to their families. But CMFR’s findings show that the number of work-related killings at 145 since the restoration of democracy in February 1986 to be a matter of grave concern.

The ban on media coverage of the trial is an unconscionable assault on press freedom—the very right, so crucial to the state of democracy in this country. It is also an infringement on the public right to be informed on the proceedings of a trial whose outcome will be critical to the dismantling of impunity, or its persistence.

Impunity—defined internationally as “the impossibility, de jure or de facto, of bringing the perpetrators of violations to account”—is what drives the continuing killing of journalists and media workers in the Philippines. Impunity allows the cycle of criminality to continue as it is the failure to break it with punishment, with penalty and the imposition of reparation. Impunity however applies especially to those with the means to hire lawyers who can use the judicial system to evade conviction and delay trials.

Current data show 145 journalists and media workers out of 217 killed since 1986 were targeted for their work, and that any attempt to minimize the killings as assaults on press freedom makes ending the killings even more difficult. President Aquino would do well to reexamine the circumstances of the killings. CMFR has gathered enough information on every case to guide government reform and for the President to initiate policy action that will put a stop to the outrage that has severely damaged the country’s standing in the international community.

The President should hold to review the prosecution of the trial to determine whether it reflects the political will to see this trial to a credible conclusion – the conviction of the guilty and cause the just compensation of the complainants. Attacks on witnesses will affect the trial; so far three witnesses have died. The President should call for urgent action to improve the protection of the witnesses who are critical to the success of the trial.

Beyond that, President Aquino can also recall those recommendations, made as early as 2010, by the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists, Inc. (FFFJ), a coalition of the CMFR, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) and the Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD), that, among others, encourages the creation of a multi-sectoral quick response group to assist the PNP in obtaining relevant information whenever a journalist is killed.

The killing of journalists and media workers has become an international concern, impinging as it does on the universal imperative of defending and enhancing the human right to disseminate and receive information. Ironic that in this, the fifth year since the worst attack on journalists and media workers in world history, it has not merited the same level of expressed concern from the Philippine government.

Ampatuan prosecution witness killed, another injured

CMFR/Philippines – A witness for the prosecution in the Ampatuan (Maguindanao) Massacre Trial was killed and another injured when they were ambushed in Shariff Aguak town, Maguindanao province on 18 November 2014.

Denex Sacal and Butch Saudagal were on a tricycle at around 7 p.m. when unidentified men fired at them.

Both sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Sacal died while the injured Saudagal was brought to a nearby hospital.

Sacal and Saudagal were to testify for the prosecution in the Ampatuan Massacre Trial, which is heard by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes of Branch 221 of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court in Manila.

According to private prosecutor Nena Santos, Sacal and Saudagal used to be employees of primary accused, Andal “Datu Unsay” Ampatuan Jr., when Ampatuan was still mayor of Datu Unsay town in Maguindanao.

The killing comes just before the fifth anniversary of the massacre. On 23 November 2009, 58 men and women, 32 of whom were journalists and media workers, were killed in an incident of election-related violence in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao.

The trial against 197 accused, including eight members of the Ampatuan family and 70 police and military officers, started in January 2010. Two other prosecution witnesses have been killed since: Suwaib “Jessie” Upham killed in June 2010 and Esmail Enog in June 2012, who both testified they were present at the massacre.

***29-30.10.2014. MALI. UN AN APRES. Journalistes de RFI assassinés au Mali: Laurent Fabius confiant sur l'issue de l'enquête (afp) (for more click left on our page NO IMPUNITY)

Le ministre français des Affaires étrangères Laurent Fabius a déclaré mercredi que l'enquête sur l'assassinat de deux journalistes de la radio RFI, en novembre 2013 au Mali, était dans une phase "décisive" et que leur mort ne resterait "pas impunie". "L'enquête est entrée dans une phase tout à fait décisive. Les juges devraient pouvoir obtenir rapidement tous les éléments susceptibles d'arrêter les coupables", a-t-il dit à l'Assemblée nationale, près d'un an après l'enlèvement et l'assassinat de Ghislaine Dupont et Claude Verlon.

M. Fabius s'exprimait après une question du député socialiste François Loncle, qui lui demandait si le chef des ravisseurs était bien identifié et s'il s'agissait, comme évoqué par différentes sources, d'un "narcotrafriquant lié à Aqmi" (Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique).

"Les accords d'Alger qui sont en train d'être discutés entre Bamako et les groupes (armés) du Nord (du Mali) devraient en outre faciliter l'avancée de l'enquête", a ajouté le ministre, sans répondre précisément sur les informations dont disposent les autorités françaises.

"L'espoir très ferme est là. Notre détermination est sans faille au côté des familles et des journalistes de RFI. L'assassinat de Ghislaine Dupont et Claude Verlon ne restera pas impuni", a insisté M. Fabius.

Les deux journalistes ont été tués le 2 novembre 2013 à Kidal, dans le nord-est du Mali, peu après avoir été enlevés par un petit groupe d'hommes armés. Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique a revendiqué leur assassinat. Le parquet de Paris a ouvert au printemps 2014 une information judiciaire sur leur assassinat.

Dès novembre 2013, le procureur de la République de Paris, François Molins, avait indiqué que l'homme soupçonné d'avoir planifié l'enlèvement des deux journalistes, Bayes Ag Bakabo, était un Touareg lié à Aqmi et un trafiquant de stupéfiants.

Journalistes de RFI assassinés au Mali: un an après, les proches veulent des réponses (afp)

Un an après l'assassinat au Mali de deux journalistes de RFI, Ghislaine Dupont et Claude Verlon, leurs proches ont réclamé jeudi des réponses à leurs questions sur une enquête ouverte en France qui n'a pour l'instant pas permis d'arrêter leurs assassins.

"Aujourd'hui, nous voudrions des réponses", a déclaré Pierre-Yves Schneider, porte-parole de l'association "Les Amis de Ghislaine Dupont", lors d'une conférence de presse à Paris.

Les deux journalistes français ont ététués le 2 novembre 2013 à Kidal, au nord-est du Mali, peu après avoir étéenlevés par un petit groupe d'hommes armés. Al-Qaïda au Maghreb islamique a revendiqué leur assassinat. Le parquet de Paris a ouvert au printemps 2014 une information judiciaire sur leur assassinat.

"Qui sont les tueurs ? Pour quels commanditaires ? Pourquoi les avoir tués ? Sont-ils réellement recherchés par tous les acteurs présents au Nord-Mali ? Ghislaine et Claude avaient-ils récoltédes informations sensibles? Dans quelles circonstances ont-ils réellement été tués ?", s'est interrogé Pierre-Yves Schneider.

"Ne pas résoudre ces crimes, c'est les assassiner une deuxième fois", a réagi Marie-Christine Saragosse, présidente du groupe France Médias Monde (RFI, France 24, MCD).

Mercredi, le ministre français des Affaires étrangères, Laurent Fabius, a déclaré que l'enquête était entrée dans une phase "décisive", et que la mort des deux journalistes ne resterait "pas impunie". Une phrase qui a suscité l'espoir jeudi.

"La déclaration d'hier a un grand mérite. Elle apporte au juge d'instruction le soutien politique absolument indispensable pour que cette enquête ne soit pas oubliée, ne s'enterre pas", a commenté Christophe Deltombe, l'avocat de la mère de Ghislaine Dupont.

A Kidal -- fief de la rebellion touareg qui échappe àl'autoritéde Bamako, ndlr-- "aujourd'hui, toute enquête est impossible", a souligné Me Deltombe, précisant que le seul suspect identifié était "dans la nature".

Dès novembre 2013, le procureur de la République de Paris, François Molins, avait indiqué que l'homme soupçonné d'avoir planifié l'enlèvement des deux journalistes, Bayes Ag Bakabo, était un Touareg lié à Aqmi et un trafiquant de stupéfiants.

***28.10.2014. Proche-Orient - Un photographe suisse visé par la police isralienne (Agences)

Des photographes ont essuyé des tirs de balles de caoutchouc de policiers israéliens dimanche près de Silwad, en Cisjordanie. Un reporter d'Associated Press (AP) et un photographe indépendant suisse ont ététouchés.

Un véhicule militaire s'est approché du groupe qui prenait des photos. Un policier en est sorti et "nous a visés alors que nous étions clairement identifiables comme des représentants des médias et qu'aucun manifestant ne se trouvait à proximité", rapporte mardi le photographe de l'agence visépar les tirs, Majdi Mohammed.

Les projectiles ont été tirés à dix ou vingt mètres de distance, selon lui. Le reporter, qui portait une veste de protection, souffre d'un hématome au bras. Il indique qu'un collègue suisse a également été touché.

Lazar Simeonov, portant la double nationalité macédonienne et suisse, a précisé à l'ats avoir été blessé au doigt. Son appareil photo a aussi étédétruit. "Les forces de l'ordre ont ensuite refusé toute discussion".

Néen 1980 à Skopje, ce photographe indépendant est arrivé en 1989 àFribourg, où il a vécu vingt ans. Il est basé à Gaza depuis 2009 et collabore notamment avec la chaîne qatarie Al-Jazeera et le quotidien alémanique "Neue Zürcher Zeitung".

Funérailles d'un adolescent

Au moment des tirs, le journaliste suisse couvrait les funérailles d'un adolescent Palestino-Américain de quatorze ans, abattu vendredi par l'armée israélienne.

Cet incident représente "un mépris inconsidéré pour la sécuritédes journalistes, qui faisaient leur travail en toute légitimité", dénonce mardi le responsable de la rubrique étrangère de l'agence AP John Daniszewski.

La police "a dû disperser des centaines de manifestants", commente seulement le porte-parole de la police Micky Rosenfeld. Certains d'entre eux étaient armés de bombes artisanales, de pierres et de briques, qu'ils lançaient sur les forces de l'ordre. Les raisons pour lesquelles le policier a ouvert le feu demeurent peu claires, concède-t-il.

La localité de Silwad est le théâtre d'affrontements fréquents entre policiers israéliens et manifestants palestiniens.

***25.10.2014. EBOLA. Cameraman declared Ebola-free after treatment (media reports)

TV cameraman Ashoka Mukpo, evacuated from Liberia after becoming infected with Ebola last month, has been declared free of the virus.

"The knowledge that there's no more virus in my blood is a profound relief,'' Mukpo said via Twitter Tuesday afternoon. "I'm so lucky. Wish everyone who got sick could feel this.''

He will be allowed on Wednesday to leave the bio-containment unit at Nebraska Medical Center, the special infectious disease center where he has been undergoing treatment, the hospital said.

Mukpo, 33, was working as a freelancer with an NBC News crew in the West African nation when he was found to be infected and was flown to the Nebraska hospital.

A blood test confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control showed that Mukpo, one of eight Americans to have been diagnosed with Ebola, no longer has the virus in his bloodstream, the hospital said.

It said he's free to head home to Rhode Island.

"Our staff was confident it would be able to successfully care for another patient," said Phil Smith, medical director of the Biocontainment Unit at Nebraska Medicine – Nebraska Medical Center. "We've learned first-hand that caring for a patient with the Ebola virus presents challenges you don't face in the regular hospital environment. But our years of training on protocol in the unit and gaining familiarity with all the personal protective equipment was certainly an advantage for us."

"I'm in awe of my good fortune" to be recovering from Ebola, Mukpo wrote on Twitter on Monday. "I'm a very, very lucky person. #blessed"

The freelance video journalist has been treated at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha since Oct. 6. His doctors had said that Mukpo, could be released by the end of the week if tests show he is free of the Ebola virus.

"Recovering from Ebola is a truly humbling feeling," Mukpo wrote. "Too many are not as fortunate and lucky as I've been. I'm very happy to be alive."

According to the World Health Organization, more than 9,200 people have been infected with Ebola and more than 4,500 have died, mostly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The first person to be diagnosed with Ebola in the USA, a Liberian national named Thomas Eric Duncan, died last week at a Dallas hospital.

Mukpo is one of a handful of Americans infected with Ebola in West Africa who have been flown back to the USA for treatment. Richard Sacra, a physician, also was treated at the Nebraska Medical Center.

Both received blood transfusions from physician Kent Brantly, an Ebola survivor who was treated at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Four hospitals in the USA -- in Montana and Maryland as well as the Atlanta and Omaha medical centers -- have specialized biocontainment units designed to handle the most dangerous infectious diseases.

Mukpo, from Providence, R.I., also received an experimental drug called brincidofovir, an antiviral made by North Carolina-based Chimerix that has not yet been tested in animals against Ebola, but it has shown promise in test tube studies.

Brantly and missionary Nancy Writebol both received an experimental drug called ZMapp. Supplies of that drug are exhausted.

An unidentified American who had Ebola was released Sunday from Emory. Two other Americans, both nurses who treated Duncan in Dallas, remain hospitalized. One of them, Nina Pham, has been upgraded to good condition, the National Institutes of Health said Tuesday.

Mukpo said on Twitter that he plans to start a blog called Ebola Diaries. For now, he's saying a lot through his tweets.

"I don't regret going to Liberia to cover the crisis. That country was a second home to me and I had to help raise the alarm," Mukpo wrote Monday. "But I feel so much empathy for the people in west Africa who are suffering with this. Their lives are important. And this disease is awful."

Mukpo wrote that he has "no idea how I got it. It was something fluky. My best guess is I touched a surface and didn't chlorinate fast enough." He added, "I was around a lot of sick people the week before I got sick. Thought I was keeping a good distance, wish I knew exactly what went wrong."

***08.10.2014. EBOLA. LATEST NEWS OF THE NBC NEWS freelance cameraman diagnosed with the virus:

The first American flown back to the U.S. after contracting Ebola has donated blood to an NBC News freelance cameraman who was also diagnosed with the virus.

Photojournalist Ashoka Mukpo’s family told NBC News early Wednesday that Dr. Kent Brantly was contacted by the Nebraska Medical Center and asked to give plasma. Experts hope the survivor’s antibodies will kick-start Mukpo's immune system. Brantly was on a road trip from Indiana to Texas when he received a call from the medical center telling him his blood type matched Mukpo’s. Within minutes, he stopped off at the Community Blood Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and his donation was flown to Omaha.

Brantly, who continues to work for Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse, alsodonated blood to Ebola-stricken aid worker Dr. Rick Sacra. He subsequently recovered. Mukpo's father Dr. Mitchell Levy was touched by Brantly's intervention. "This act of kindness and generosity makes me believe in the goodness of humanity," he told NBC News.

Mukpo is being given an experimental drug called brincidofovir, which has never been used on Ebola patients. “We are in a brave new world here,” Dr. Angela Hewlett, associate medical director at the Nebraska Medical Center, told NBC News. Thomas Eric Duncan, who is being treated in Dallas, has also been prescribed the drug. Duncan remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition. At least 3,400 people have died during the current Ebola outbreak.

***08.10.2014. EBOLA. Reporters struggle to stay safe covering Ebola (Columbia Journalism Review). Very good report - Read:

http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/dangers_of_reporters_covering.php?page=all#sthash.Jggn1nug.dpuf

***04.10.2014. LIBERIA. American Journalist With Ebola, NBC Team to Be Brought Back to U.S. (media reports)

MONROVIA, Liberia— Ashoka Mukpo, an American freelance journalist diagnosed with Ebola, and the NBC News team he worked with here will be flown to the U.S., as the epidemic sweeping West Africa continues to have international repercussions.

Mr. Mukpo is scheduled to be picked up Sunday night in Liberia and will be transported to the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, his father, Mitchell Levy, said Friday.

NBC News, which hired Mr. Mukpo as a cameraman on Tuesday, reported that it was helping the family to arrange for his transport home Sunday by air ambulance.

Mr. Mukpo, 33 years old, checked into a tent hospital in the Liberian capital Monrovia Thursday morning and registered a 101-degree fever, he said by telephone from the facility, which is run by Doctors Without Borders.

Nancy Snyderman, NBC’s chief medical editor who had been working alongside Mr. Mukpo in Liberia, spoke of his condition on NBC’s “Today” show on Friday. “The amount of virus in his body is low. So he should have a good prognosis,” she said.

An NBC spokeswoman said Mr. Mukpo was hired as a freelancer starting on Tuesday and became sick about a day later. Dr. Snyderman said that once he realized he had a fever and was feeling achy, he self-quarantined overnight and then went to be tested.RelatedBodily fluids present an infection risk to medical workers treating patients with ebola. What gear do they wear? WSJ’s Jason Bellini has #TheShortAnswer.

She and the rest of the news crew shared a workspace, vehicle and equipment with Mr. Mukpo, but, fearful of Ebola, they were all already being extremely careful not to shake hands or otherwise touch one another.

“So I do believe our team, while we are being hypervigilant, we are very, very, very low risk of becoming ill,” she said.

NBC said it planned to fly the news team back to the U.S. on a private plane and quarantine them for 21 days.

Mr. Mukpo will be taken to the Nebraska Medical Center’s Biocontainment Unit for treatment immediately after arrival early Monday morning, the hospital said in a statement on Friday.

Mr. Mukpo said he wasn’t sure how he contracted the virus. In the past week, while on assignment for documentary news channel Vice News, he said he was lightly splashed in the face by a liquid he couldn’t identify as he helped a taxi driver spray disinfectant on a car that had carried an Ebola patient.

He also stood near a group of sick people trying to secure a bed in the Ebola ward of Monrovia’s Island Clinic, which is run by the World Health Organization. The facility is overwhelmed, having taken in far more Ebola patients than its 160 beds can accommodate. More people arrive each day, staff say.

As the number of Ebola cases has climbed in the Liberian capital, it has become difficult for foreign journalists, as well as ordinary people, to avoid infectious individuals.

Ebola has killed more than 3,300 West Africans, an official tally that the WHO says “vastly” underestimates the real number. Clinics are full to overflowing and ambulances are overtaxed. Body disposal teams in the streets of Monrovia are now a common sight.

Mr. Mukpo worked for the Sustainable Development Institute, an advocacy group based in Monrovia, from September 2012 to this past May, and at the same time worked as a freelance journalist in the country, Dr. Levy said.

More recently he had been freelancing for NBC News and Vice News and has filed video to CBS and the Washington Post while covering the epidemic. Vice News said Mr. Mukpo had worked for it on four projects as a locally hired assistant to staff teams starting in August. The Washington Post confirmed that it had purchased raw footage from Mr. Mukpo on Sept. 22 of the chaotic scene outside a Monrovia hospital. CBS News said it had bought video last month from Mr. Mukpo that he had previously shot for a documentary, but said he had never worked for the network.

The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) warned of the high risks of contracting the fever while covering the epidemic. The PEC hopes that Mr. Mukpo will quickly recover.

***02.10.2014. September marked the start of an important new project for INSI.

We’re revisiting our 2003 book Dying to Tell the Story, which was a look at the safety of journalists in the wake of the devastating impact the early months of the Iraq war had on our news community.

The deaths of more than 80 colleagues so far this year prompted us to expand the focus from Iraq to offer a wider perspective on how the safety landscape has changed for media professionals around the world in the last decade.

Over the next few months, INSI will speak to a wide cross section of people from our industry – from the executives who make the decisions on budget and strategy to those on the receiving end of those decisions and deployments – the reporters, producers and fixers – and crucially to freelancers for whom foreign and particularly conflict reporting seems to become increasingly risky.

We aim to answer the questions: what more can be done to protect all those who put themselves in harm’s way to bring home the news; why is journalism so dangerous now; are journalists being targeted more now than they were in the past; and how is technology impacting on safety?

INSI plans to publish the findings on World Press Freedom Day, in a book and via a multi-media website featuring interviews with industry leaders, journalists and executives. We’ll keep you posted about how it’s going.

The latest high profile casualty this month, bringing the total to 85 journalists killed since January, was American Steven Sotloff who was murdered by Islamic State militants. Sotloff was working as a freelance reporter covering conflicts in the Arab world when he was kidnapped in Syria in 2013. His kidnapping had been kept out of the media by his family, and the news only came to light when IS militants threatened to behead him at the end of a video released in August showing the killing of fellow journalist James Foley.

We were also saddened to see the way our British colleague John Cantlie appeared in several videos released this month by Islamic State militants. In an article for the Guardian, I wrote about the appalling use of journalists as propaganda by groups determined to intimidate brave colleagues like John, James and Steven. http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/21/journalist-safety-john-cantlie-islamic-state-bbc

Sotloff and Foley were experienced journalists as is Cantlie. All three of them freelancers. With news gathering budgets on the wane, freelancers with limited support, equipment and training are increasingly being used to cover the world’s danger zones. We reissued our advisory on planning and preparation for hostile environments, http://newssafety.org/latest/advisories/safety-advisory/detail/advisory-planning-and-preparation-for-hostile-environments-1483/ while a second advisory dealt with covering the Ebola outbreak in West Africa http://newssafety.org/latest/advisories/safety-advisory/detail/advisory-covering-the-ebola-outbreak-1485/

We pay tribute to Steven and to James, but it is important that we also remember the 84 other journalists and news media staff who have died down their jobs this year, whose deaths do not make the headlines and whose lives are threatened daily in countries around the world. INSI pays tribute to all those men and women too.

This was something that I spoke about at Oklahoma University this week after being invited to visit Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications as part of its Presidential Dream Course: Chronicling America’s Wars. My particular thanks goes to our colleagues there for inviting me to be part of such a fascinating discussion.

Hannah Storm (INSI)

***20.09.2014. UKRAINE. Killing, intimidation and detention of journalists in eastern Ukraine is not acceptable, say Ukrainian and Russian journalists’ representatives

BISHKEK, 29 September 2014 – Representatives of Ukrainian and Russian journalists’ unions condemned the killing, beating and detention of journalists in the zone of armed conflict in eastern Ukraine in a meeting organized by OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović on 26 September in Vienna.

Hosting the third in a series of meetings, with the aim to improve co-operation on journalists’ safety and professionalism, Mijatović said that the unions play a key role in resolving these issues and in de-escalating the conflict.

“The result of the discussion and the Statement issued send a strong message that dialogue, professionalism and truth are our allies when reporting about this terrible conflict,” Mijatović said. “Journalists have a particular responsibility not to engage in propaganda.”

The Statement was adopted following the meeting of the Ukrainian and Russian journalists’ unions.The first two meetings took place on 19 May and 27 June 2014. At the first meeting the journalists adopted a Memorandum on the situation in and around Ukraine and at the second an Actionplan.

Representatives of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine, and the Russian Union of Journalists attended the meeting, which was opened by Alison Bethel-McKenzie, executive director of the International Press Institute. Representatives of the International Federation of Journalists, European Federation of Journalists and Reporters without Borders also took part.

Mijatović is in Bishkek as a special guest of PEN International at its 80th World Congress.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more atwww.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

***18.09.2014. RUSSIA. Attackers of BBC News Team in Russia Must Answer for Crimes, say IFJ/EFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have joined calls for a thorough and immediate investigation to be carried out into an attack on a BBC news team in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan.

According to the BBC, the team was in the city to investigate reports of Russian servicemen being killed near the border with Ukraine. They were in their car when they were approached by a number of aggressive individuals who confronted them, violently grabbed the teams camera and smashed it on the road, and then escaped with it in a getaway car.

During the attack, the teams cameraman was knocked to the ground and beaten.

We join international condemnation of this attack and we call on Russian authorities to ensure that a detailed investigation is carried out so the perpetrators of this crime face the full weight of justice,said IFJ General Secretary Beth Costa.

Journalists must be free to move and report without fear of intimidation of attack. Those responsible for this appalling attack must answer for their crimes.

The team went to the local police station to report the incident, but on their return to their car they found that material they had recorded for their report had been deleted.

The BBC team is now safe in Moscow. The BBC says it has lodged a formal protest with Russia over the incident and called for an investigation. Authorities in Astrakhan are reported to have launched a criminal case into the attack.

Commenting on the attack, Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: This was an appalling attack on BBC journalists and press freedom. It is totally unacceptable behaviour designed to intimidate innocent people going about their work in the public interest.

"I would appeal to all those in positions of influence to unite against this type of behaviour and ensure journalists can do their jobs."

***05.09.2014. Syria: Free Prominent Rights Defenders - Verdict Scheduled in Charges Before Anti-Terrorism Court - PEC joins the call to free Mazen Darwish and his colleagues

(Geneva, September 5, 2014) –The Syrian government should immediately and unconditionally release the arbitrarily detained human rights defender Mazen Darwish and his colleagues Hani Al-Zitani and Hussein Ghareer, 79 organizations said today. The Syrian Anti-Terrorism Court is expected to issue its verdict on September 24, 2014 in their trial for “publicizing terrorist acts.”

Darwish is the director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM). Syrian Air Force Intelligence arrested the three men and other colleagues during a raid on the group’s office, in Damascus on February 16, 2012. The three men have been on trial before the Anti-Terrorism Court on charges of “publicizing terrorist acts” under article 8 of the country’s 2012 Anti-Terrorism Law. The charges are based on their peaceful activities that include monitoring and publishing information about human rights abuses in Syria.

“The trial against Mazen Darwish and his colleagues is nothing more than a sham, and a deep miscarriage of justice,” a spokesperson for the organizations said. “These human rights advocates should be immediately set free.”

The judge has postponed the trial several times because security forces have failed to provide the information requested by the court. Nevertheless, the groups understand from a source who is closely monitoring the court proceedings that the judge is expected to issue a verdict in the trial when it resumes in September.

Former detainees who had been held with the men said that security forces subjected Mazen Darwish and his colleagues to torture and other ill-treatment. Despite these credible reports, there has been no investigation into the abuses.

A May 15, 2013 UN General Assembly resolution included a demand for the immediate release of the three men. On January 2014, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) found that the three had been arbitrarily deprived of their liberty due to their human rights activities and called for their immediate release. The United Nations Security Council demanded the release of all arbitrarily detained people in Syria in its resolution 2139, adopted on February 22, 2014.

On June 9, the government announced an amnesty, including for the charges that Darwish and the others face. They have not been freed, however.

According to lawyer working with political detainees who has been monitoring the implementation of the amnesty, in the case of some detainees who should benefit from the amnesty, judges have sent the files back to the public prosecutor with a request to change the charges against them to charges that are not covered by the amnesty.

The Anti-Terrorism Court judge overseeing the trial of the three men should comply with the amnesty and refrain from sending their case back to the prosecutor for new charges, the organizations said. The three should be released immediately, as called for by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

“The families of SCM members hoped that their relatives would be released under the amnesty,” the spokesperson said. “But the Syrian authorities have once again proven that they are not capable of abiding by even their own publicly proclaimed amnesty. Every day behind bars for peaceful activists, who should never have been jailed in the first place, is another day of injustice for them and their families.”

The 79 organizations call for the immediate and unconditional release of Mazen Darwish and his colleagues, as well as all other activists arbitrarily held solely for peaceful political activism and human rights, humanitarian and media work.

***04.09.2014. EGYPT. IFJ-FAJ Delegation Urges Egyptian Prime Minister to Release Al-Jazeera Jailed Journalists

The International Federation of Journalists welcomes the meeting this morning in Cairo between an IFJ-FAJ delegation and Egypts 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 Grestes union.

We are particularly grateful that the Prime Minister started a dialogue and understood the concern of the IFJ and its member unions about the imprisonment of our colleagues who worked for Al Jazeera and the impact the sentence is having on their families,said Jim Boumelha.

The Prime Minister explained that the legal process should be allowed to reach a conclusion before looking at new avenues. It is hoped that the innocence of the three journalists can be established during the appeal.

Christopher Warren pointed to the record of Peter Greste as an independent, ethical journalist and noted his respect among his peers.

The release of Peter and his colleagues would be a strong gesture to journalists and we urge the President to exercise his prerogative of mercy,he said.

The delegation appealed to the Prime Minister to support the call to Egypts president by journalistsunions all over the world and also by the Arab Federation of Journalists and leaders of the journalistssyndicate in Egypt to exercise his prerogative to issue a pardon once the legal process is exhausted.

Both sides agreed to remain in communication throughout this process and continue further discussions.

***01.09.2014. International freedom of expression rapporteurs urge stronger protection of journalists covering conflicts

GENEVA / WASHINGTON / VIENNA / PRETORIA,1 September 2014 – Recent attacks, ongoing kidnappings, and arbitrary and unjustified incarcerations of journalists around the world must be condemned and opposed by the international community, a group of international freedom of expression rapporteurs* said today.

“The prevailing impunity for attacks on civilians, including journalists, encourages perpetrators to believe that they will never be held to account for their grave crimes,” the rapporteurs warned. “We call for improved international protection for anyone engaged in journalism, especially during conflict situations.”

“Journalists must be ensured the highest degree of protection by States and non-state actors,” the rights experts stated, expressing outrage at the recent execution of James Foley by the ISIS group, and deep concern by the fate of at least seven other journalists and members of the media believed to be held captive by ISIS in Syria.

The international rapporteurs on freedom of expression stressed that “journalists covering armed conflicts do not lose their status as civilians; they are not participants in the conflicts they cover. As such, they continue to be protected by the applicable guarantees under human rights law and international humanitarian law.”

“Attacks against journalists covering conflicts victimize individuals first and foremost, but they also harm us all,” they said. “But attacks also deter and sometimes prevent journalists from exercising their right to seek and disseminate information. Attacks deprive all of us of the right to know and to access information about critical situations around the world.”

“It is a sad fact that violent attacks against journalists covering conflicts are common. In Syria alone, reports indicate over sixty journalists have been killed in the last three years. Journalists working in Ukraine and Iraq, for instance, are subjected to attacks, kidnappings and violence on a daily basis, and several journalists have been killed during the recent violence in Gaza,” the international rapporteurs said.

“We call for an open and committed dialogue among governments, non-state groups, journalists and other interested parties in order to strengthen protections to promote the safety and respect for those reporting on a conflict, especially to ensure that those responsible for such violence are held accountable.”

(*) The rapporteurs : The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Mr. David Kaye; the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, Ms. Dunja Mijatoviæ; the Organization of American States (OAS) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, Ms. Catalina Botero Marino; and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, Ms. Faith Pansy Tlakula.

***24.08.2014. SYRIA. UN confirms handover of US journalist Peter Theo Curtis

24 August 2014 – The United Nations has confirmed that an American freelance journalist, reportedly held captive for nearly two years by militants in Syria, was freed on Sunday in a handover to UN peacekeepers in the Golan Heights, who then released him to United States officials.

A note to correspondents issued by the UN Spokesperson's Office confirmed that the Organization had facilitated the handover of journalist Peter Theo Curtis.

“He was handed over to UN peacekeepers in Al Rafid village, Quneitra, the Golan Heights, at 6:40 p.m. (local time) on 24 August 2014. After receiving a medical check-up, Mr. Curtis was handed over to representatives of his Government,” the brief note concluded.

According to media reports, Mr. Curtis, a 45-year-old freelance journalist from Boston, was abducted near the Syria-Turkey border in October 2012. He was reportedly being held by the Al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaida affiliate, which, along with Islamic State (IS) militants, were recently targeted by the UN Security Council, which adopted a wide-ranging resolution naming six individuals from the groups to its sanctions list.

In addition, just two days ago, the Council strongly condemned the “heinous and cowardly” murder of James Foley, also an American journalist, by IS militants and demanded the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all other hostages.

“This incident is a tragic reminder of the increasing dangers journalists face every day in Syria. It also once again demonstrates the brutality of [IS], which is responsible for thousands of abuses against the Syrian and Iraqi people,” the Council said in a statement to the press.

***19.08.2014. MALDIVES. Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

"We are concerned about the disappearance of Ahmad Rilwan Abdullah, a journalist with Minivan News, a web-based news outlet in the Maldives. Rilwan has not been seen or heard from since 8 August 2014.

Rilwan’s disappearance is of particular concern given that 15 journalists have reported receiving death threats through anonymous text messages just in the first week of August. All 15 journalists had published articles related to a sudden surge of gang-related violence and crime in Male. Rilwan had also covered these issues as well as the reports of death threats to journalists in recent articles. The Government has launched an investigation into Rilwan’s case, which we hope will be resolved promptly.

We call upon all parties to refrain from threatening media activists for performing their professional duties. We also urge the relevant authorities to address any threats and intimidation directed at journalists and other civil society activists and to do their utmost to ensure that they are able to operate without fear for their safety".

***13.08.2014. GAZA: journalists Camilli and Abu-Afesh were killed today - 15 journalists killed in Gaza in one month

Ramallah-13/8/2014The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms(MADA), today the journalists Simon Kamili and Ali Shehdi Abu Afesh were killed, and the journalist Hatem Mousa sustained serious injuries as a result of a rocket explosion, fired by IOF a on Beit Lahia city northern Gaza Strip during its aggression.

The cameraman journalist of the American News Agency(Associated Press) Adel Hanna reported to MADA:"The cameraman of the Associated Press TV,38 years old,Simon Kamili was accompanying the journalist and the translator of the American Agency(Associated Press) Ali Shehdi Abu Afesh who works with French Press Agency and Doha Center for Media Freedoms, and the photo journalist of Associated Press Agency Hatem Mousa (who works also with Wafa News Agency).When the three journalists, who were accompanying a group of Palestinian Police and explosives experts,wanted to prepare a report- story on the shells and rockets which were not exploded during Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip,a rocket exploded killing the journalists Simon and Abu Afesh,and seriously injuring the journalist Hatem Mousa.

The number of the killed journalists since launching the Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip raised to 15 journalists and media worker. Besides , injuring many journalists and shelling of many media outlets headquarters.

Three explosive experts of the Palestinian Police and somebody were killed. Several people also sustained serious injures according to Palestinian sources.

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns killing of journalists and civilians by IOF during Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip,stresses again on holding IOF responsible for killing journalists and media workers ,whom most of them were killed during exercising their profession,and demands again to hold the responsible accountable for committing these crimes.

***13.08.3014. COLOMBIA. La FLIP condena asesinato del periodista Luis Carlos Cervantes en Tarazá, Antioquia

La Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP) denuncia y rechaza el asesinato del periodista Luis Carlos Cervantes ocurrido hoy martes, 12 de agosto, al medio día en el municipio de Tarazá, en la subregión del Bajo Cauca, Antioquia.

Desde hace cinco años Luis Carlos Cervantes trabajaba como periodista en la radio comunitaria Morena FM. También se desempeñó, hasta agosto del 2013, como corresponsal de Teleantioquia Noticias.

En el 2012, Luis Carlos le relató a la FLIP las distintas amenazas que había recibido desde el año 2010. “La primera amenaza llegó un 30 de agosto de 2010, a las seis de la tarde. Un mensaje de texto que decía que me iban a matar. Luego llegó otra amenaza en septiembre, otra en diciembre, después otra en marzo y en junio de este año un alias “Cocobraque” confesó que él me iba a matar”.

Estas amenazas persistieron durante el 2012 y principios del 2013. A partir de este año, la actividad periodística de Cervantes se vio mermada por las distintas dificultades que tienen los periodistas para informar en la zona del Bajo Cauca. En entrevista con la FLIP, a finales del 2013, Cervantes aseguró que después de la explosión de una granada a pocos metros de la emisora, él había decidido empezar a programar canciones a cambio de noticias.

“En el año 2009 funcionaban nueve emisoras y hoy solo existimos nosotros, pero en nuestra programación ya no tenemos ningún espacio noticioso, solo trasmitimos música y los servicios sociales que pide la Alcaldía”, comentaba Cervantes.

Las amenazas denunciadas por Cervantes no fueron investigadas adecuadamente por la Fiscalía

La FLIP tiene documentadas 5 denuncias formales de amenazas instauradas por Cervantes ante la Fiscalía General de la Nación. El 3 de octubre de 2013 Cervantes informó a las autoridades que el Jefe de los Urabeños en la zona, Germer Andrés Rebolledo, alias “El Escamoso”, era uno de los responsables de las amenazas en su contra. “El Escamoso” fue detenido por la Policía en septiembre de 2013 y se le atribuye el asesinato del también periodista Luis Eduardo Gómez en el año 201, sin haber sido llamado por la Fiscalía por estos hechos.

En este contexto resulta inadmisible que la Fiscalía General de la Nación en reciente informe señale que sólo tiene a su cargo una investigación por amenazas contra Cervantes (cuando en realidad hay por lo menos 5 denuncias) y que reporte que la última y única actuación investigativa haya sido una entrevista a la víctima.

La FLIP ha insistido en repetidas oportunidades sobre la importancia de una presencia activa de la Fiscalía en el CERREM – Comité de Evaluación de Riesgo y Recomendación de Medidas- en la que se expongan el avance de las investigaciones o la carencia de los mismos para tomar medidas informadas sobre la protección de periodistas.

Entendiendo los informes de la Fiscalía como un sub-registro, de 338 investigaciones por amenazas que tiene el ente acusador: 152 han sido archivadas, 96 se encuentran en etapas preliminares (entre ellas la de Cervantes), 4 están en etapa de juicio y se ha producido una única condena.

La FLIP recuerda que el mecanismo más eficaz para la protección de periodistas es la investigación y sanción de los responsables de ataques contra la prensa.

Protección

El 5 de junio de 2014 el CERREM estudió el caso de Cervantes determinando que su riesgo era ordinario ante la carencia de hechos nuevos relacionados directamente con su oficio periodístico. El 24 de julio se realizó el levantamiento de las medidas de protección de Cervantes, esquema con el que contaba desde el año 2012.

Quince días antes de su asesinato, Cervantes advirtió ante las autoridades que había sido nuevamente amenazado. Según le reportó a la FLIP, un señor que se identificó como alias “Morroco” le advertía que tenía 2 horas para abandonar Tarazá. La FLIP reportó estos hechos ante las autoridades, aunque no pudo establecer que estas amenazas estuvieran relacionadas con el trabajo periodístico.

Bajo Cauca: región silenciada

La FLIP alerta nuevamente sobre los peligros que tienen los periodistas de la región del Bajo Cauca, recuerda que la prensa se encuentra acallada por tantos años de violencia en su contra y que aquellos que se atreven a informar lo hacen sin ninguna garantía, tal y como lo ha advertido en sus informes sobre la región.

Precisamente este lunes, 11 de agosto, el camarógrafo Leyfar Paul Bravo Hernández, editor de Bajo Cauca Noticias, fue amenazado de muerte y a través de un mensaje le daban 24 horas para irse del municipio y si no lo hacía se atenía a las consecuencias.

En este sentido, es necesario exigir a la Fiscalía que inicie una investigación exhaustiva y esclarezca si los móviles del crimen están relacionados con la actividad periodística.

Por último, la FLIP lamenta y rechaza el asesinato de Luis Carlos Cervantes y envía un mensaje de solidaridad a sus familiares y a los periodistas de Antioquia y del Bajo Cauca.

***12.08.2014. ISRAEL. Foreign Press Association Condemning Hamas' Threats Towards Journalists Covering Gaza (FPA statement)

The Foreign Press Association (FPA) protests in the strongest terms the blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox methods employed by the Hamas authorities and their representatives against visiting international journalists in Gaza over the past month.

The international media are not advocacy organisations and cannot be prevented from reporting by means of threats or pressure, thereby denying their readers and viewers an objective picture from the ground.

In several cases, foreign reporters working in Gaza have been harassed, threatened or questioned over stories or information they have reported through their news media or by means of social media.

We are also aware that Hamas is trying to put in place a "vetting" procedure that would, in effect, allow for the blacklisting of specific journalists. Such a procedure is vehemently opposed by the FPA.

August 11, 2014

Information on the limitations Hamas placed on media coverage of the military aspects of the fighting
Read the article here:

http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/Data/articles/Art_20699/E_141_14_1634181847.pdf

***05.08.2014. 13 Journalists Killed in Gaza: Palestinian Protest Rally Demands End Attacks Against Media (IFJ)

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has joined its affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), to express its outrage and condemnation at the 13 media workers who have to date been killed in the Gaza region.

At noon today the PJS held a protest rally outside the United Nations Offices in the Palestinian city of Ramallah to show solidarity with journalists, express their anger at the killing of their colleagues, and demand that Israeli forces end attacks against media in Gaza and are held accountable for these atrocities.

Hundreds of journalists, media workers, civil service representatives and members of the public gathered at the protest where a procession of coffins took place - one for each of the 13 journalists who have been killed since the conflict began one month ago.

Each coffin bore the name of a journalist – a mark of respect, solidarity and remembrance for fallen colleagues.

“We express our solidarity and support with our colleagues at the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) and with all media workers in Gaza and across Palestine,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “We join international condemnation of Israeli attacks against Palestinian journalists and we express our deep anger and sadness at the deaths of the 13 media workers."

“We repeat our call for all sides in this conflict to respect the rights and freedoms of all journalists and media workers and strictly abide by applicable norms of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Otherwise more journalists will surely lose their lives.”

Yesterday, Monday 4 August, saw the latest journalist killed in Gaza. Hamada Khaled Maqqat, 24, editing director of the SAJA online news website, was killed in his house on Nafaq Street early in the morning by an Israeli bombardment.

The PJS has detailed the other journalists killed over the last few days:

- Izzar Dheir, who worked for the Freedom Media Network, was killed along with six members of his family when a bomb hit his house on July 29.

- Mohammed Aldeiri, a photojournalist for the Palestinian Media Network, was killed while reporting on the Israeli artillery shelling of Shjayah market last Wednesday, 30 July. His body was pulled from the rubble of the attack on 2 August.

- Adballah Fahjan, a sports photojournalist for the Alaqsa website and MBC TV channel sports program Sada Almalaeb, was killed while taking photos of displaced civilians in the Jneineh area of Rafah city last Friday, 1 August.

- Freelance journalist Shadi Ayyad was killed in an Israeli bombing attack that hit his house in the Zaytoon area on Saturday, 2 August. His father was also killed in the attack.

The full list of journalists killed in Gaza since the conflict began is available HERE.

The IFJ has repeated its appeal for media personnel working and reporting in the region to stay vigilant at all times and to take every necessary action to ensure their safety.

“As the number of media workers killed in Gaza increases every day and the violent attacks against journalists show no sign of abating, we repeat our appeal for media personnel reporting and working in the region to stay alert and vigilant at all times and to take every practical action required to make sure they are as safe as possible,” said Boumelha.

Journalists reporting from the region are advised to read IFJ’s Front Line Journalism Handbook. Specifically designed for journalists working in the Arab World and Middle East, the regionally customised handbook provides journalists with invaluable practical safety advice and information for covering conflict zones.

***03.08.2014. GAZA. MADA condemns the killing of journalists Fahjan, Ayad and Al-Deiri

Ramallah- 2/8/2014: The Palestinian center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), strongly condemns the Israeli occupation forces “IOF” killing of freelance journalist Shadi Hamdi Ayad today in Gaza city, and targeting of the journalist Abdullah Nasr Fahjan (21 years old) in Rafah city yesterday, which caused his death after around three hours, MADA also condemns, in addition of targeting Reuters’ Photojournalist, Mousa Issa Al-Qawasme (31 years old), and injuring his left knee as a result of shooting him yesterday in Hebron city in the West Bank.

Freelance Journalist Shadi Hamdi Ayyad, 24 years old, was killed today (02/08/2014), following the shelling of alzaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City by IOF, his father who was accompanying him was killed also. Ashraf alqudra the spokesman of the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement that the two men arrived at Shifa Hospital after being targeted by Israeli aircraft.

Ahmad Fahjan (Abdullah’s brother), reported to MADA: “Abdullah was taking photos at Al-Falouje street in Al-Jineene neighborhood in Rafah, of the citizens who left their houses in the western Rafah, (The Israeli soldiers have ordered these people to move out of their houses to bomb the neighborhood), at that time, an Israeli drone targeted him at around 12:20 pm, and he got severe injuries in his head as a result of the attack, so he was taken to Abu Yousif Al-Najjar hospital in Rafah, and because his serious injuries besides the lack of medical supplements in the hospital, he was taken to the European hospital (In Khanyounis neighborhood), but they couldn’t save his life and he died at around 3:00 pm.
Today also died photojournalist at Palestinian Network for Press and Media, Mohammed Nur al-Din Al-Dairi, 26 years old, from a severe wounds he suffered in the head on 30/07/2014, after the shelling of the Shojae'ya market in Gaza City by IOF, then he was transferred Shifa Hospital for treatment and died today (02/08/2014). At about 2:00 am, according to Naser abu AlFoul, the network head report to MADA center.

The killing of Fahjan, who used to work for Al-Aqsa sport website, Sada Al Mala’eb website, and freelance photo journalist, photo journa Al-Dairi and journalist Ayad, rise the victims of Palestinian media to twelve since the beginning of the savage Israeli attack on Gaza, since 27 days.
Reuter’s Photographer, Mousa Al-Qawasme, reported to MADA: “While we were covering a demonstration in Bab Al-Zawye in Hebron’s city center, we were close to the Israeli forces, an officer threw stun grenades at us, and three of these grenades fell next to my feet, then I went closer to the place near the protesters and stood behind a pole to protect myself, where the snipers spread in a strange way and their number was much more than usual. Even though I was wearing the journalist uniform and badges, the snipers shot me live bullet in my left knee, and the CT scan showed that the bullet was divided into two parts. Meanwhile I am at Alya hospital in Hebron, where there is no possibility for my treatment, I only take Antibiotics and still waiting until take me to Al-Ahli hospital in Hebron or Al-Maqased hospital in Jerusalem.

MADA strongly condemns the killing of Fahjan, Ayad and Al-Dairi, and the injuring of Al-Qawasme. MADA demands the stop of the Israeli crimes against Palestinian journalists, and emphasizes again the need of the move of the International society in order to protect the journalists and to hold the responsible accountable for killing and assaulting them.

***31.07.2014. Eighth Journalist Killed in Gaza: Israel Must Answer for Crimes (IFJ)

Two Palestinian journalists were killed while reporting in a market in Gaza yesterday an appalling incident which means eights journalists have now lost their lives since the Israeli bombardment of the region began nearly one month ago.

According to IFJ affiliate, the Palestinian JournalistsSyndicate (PJS), the two journalists were killed in Israeli artillery shelling of Shojayah market yesterday evening, while another journalist was seriously injured. They were reporting on an initial shelling of the market when they were caught up in a second bombardment.

Sameh Al-Aryan, 26, who worked for the Al-Aqsa TV Channel, died of the wounds he sustained in the attack, while photojournalist Rami Rayan, 25, who worked for the Palestinian Media Network, was also killed. Photojournalist Hamed Shobaky, who works for the Manara Media Production Company, was severely wounded in the same incident.

A total of 18 civilians and medical workers died and 200 were injured in the Shojayah market shelling.

Yesterday, Wednesday 30 July, Ahed Zaqout, 49, a presenter on Palestine TV sport programmes, was also killed in a bombing attack carried out by an Israeli war jet on the Italian tower in Gaza City. He was killed in his apartment.

We express our anger and condemnation at the killing of these journalists, the latest victims in this ongoing cycle of intimidation, violence and murder against media workers in Palestine,said IFJ President Jim Boumelha.

We send our heartfelt sympathies to their family and friends and we offer our continued support and solidarity to our colleagues in the PJS and all media workers in Gaza as they continue to suffer through this appalling Israeli barrage. Enough is enough: the killing must end now and Israeli must be held accountable for these atrocities.

The IFJ is writing to Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to remind the organisation of its international obligation to protect journalists. The IFJ and the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ) have also agreed to send a joint international mission to Gaza as soon as there is a ceasefire.

***30.07.2014. GAZA. IOF killed the journalists Rayan and Zaqout (MADA)

Ramallah-30/7/2014: Israeli occupation forces committed new crimes against Palestinian journalists today in Gaza city; they killed the cameraman at the Palestinian Network for Press and Media Rami Rayan,26 years old, today afternoon, when they shelled Shojae'ya neighbourhood .in Gaza city, he had four children. The editor in the Network Mahmoud Alqasas was injured slightly in his head in the same shelling.

They killed also Ahed Afif Zaqout, 49 years old, today in the early morning, who worked as a sport commentator at Palestinian Public TV and a sport analyst at Al-Kotab TV, after shelling his house in Gaza city .He was married, and he had two children.

The head of the Palestinian Network for the press and media Nasr Abu Alfoul said to MADA that ”after the announcement of a truce between the Palestinians and Israeli sides for four hours today afternoon, the cameraman Rami Ryan went with editor Alqasas to report on the situation of citizens in the market Shojae'ya. The shelling was a surprise to them and the Israeli war aeroplanes were existing extensively, everyone present in the market was targeted (citizens, journalists, and even ambulances), thus Rami Ryan was killed and Mahmoud Alqasas was injured in the head a minor injury.

At least 15 civilians were killed and more than 150 were injured in the shelling.

The head of media workers syndicate of Palestinian Public TV in Gaza, Kamel Hamed reported to MADA:"The journalist Ahed Zagout was targeted between 03:00 and 04:00 A.M by a F16 rocket while he was sleeping alone at home.His wife and his two kids slept at the home of his wife's family that night. Ahed's apartment locates on AL-Nassir street in the Italian complex. He has worked as a sport commentator at the media department of Palestine TV since 2000. He was an athlete who played at Gaza Sport Club, and he worked as a principal of Al-Nash'in school at Al-Hilal Club.

IOF Killed another 5 journalists and media workers since launching the Israeli savage aggression on Gaza Strip,24 days ago.IOF killed more than 1300 and injured more than 7000 citizens, whom most of them are children, women and old people.

MADA condemns this savage crime and demands the international community to firmly keep pressure on Israeli government to stop their attacks on journalists, stop Israeli aggression on Gaza strip, and hold them accountable for committing these crimes against Palestinian journalists and civilians.

***29.07.2014. GAZA. MADA condemns killing of journalists Duhair and Gareib

Ramallah-27/7/2014:Israeli occupation forces killed the correspondent of Alhuria Media Network in Hebron Ezat Abu Duhair,23 years old, and four members of his family by shelling his house.IOF killed also the journalist Baha Kamel Gareib,59 years old,who works at the Hebrew news department of Palestinian Public TV, in Rafah city south of Gaza Strip today morning.

Ibrahim Abed Rahaman- director in the Palestinian Public TV (Filistine TV) and his neighbor reported to MADA:"On29/7/2014,at 10:30 A.M. Baha Ghareib was going with his daughter Ola to a hospital to treat her. While he was going there, he was killed by a rocket fired from Israeli drone; therefore, he and his daughter were killed.

Alhuria Media Network said in a statement:"The house of the journalist Ezat Abu Duhair was targeted by IOF on today in the morning. The correspondent of Alhuria Media Network Duhair recorded his last message via Alhuria Netwotk at 04:30 A.M. His brother in law said in interview with Alhuria today that when Ezat completed reporting Gaza events and the last massacre which happened in Khan Younes, he prepared himself to pray at the mosque, but his house were shelled by Israeli rocket; therefore, he was killed.

IOF killed the two journalists Khaled Hamad and Abed Al-Rahaman Abu Haien, and the media worker Hamed Shihab since the beginning of Israeli aggression on Gaza.
In addition IOF shelled Al-Aqsa TV and Channel Headquarters today morning. The programs director of Al-Aqsa channel Samir Abu Mohsen reported to MADA:"On 29/7/2014,at 02:45 A.M, the headquarters of Al-Aqsa Chanel which located in Al-Naser neighborhood near Al-Quds Open University in Gaza city, which is a four floors building , was shelled. Firstly, the building was targeted with a rocket by an Israeli drone. Two minutes later, it was targeted by F16 rocket; therefore, the whole building was completely destroyed, besides offices ,press equipment and the studio on 250 Squar Meters, no casualties were reported.

He added At the same time, the second headquarter of the same channel, five- floor building with 550 Square meters for every single floor, which locates in Al-Naser neighborhood near Al-Sheikh Radawn cemetery in Gaza city, was shelled. An hour later, the same building was targeted with F16 by an Israeli drone; therefore, the whole building nearly destroyed bedsides equipment and devices, only pillars remained,. No casualties were reported.

He said also:" Today at 03:00 A.M, the headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV which located in Al-Shorooq tower-15th floor was targeted by an Israeli rocket, but we didn't know the source of it; thus, the whole headquarter nearly was destroyed, and the broadcasting was stopped.

The general director of MADA Mousa Rimawi said that MADA condemns these savage crimes committed by IOF against journalists and media outlets which is part of occupation polices to hide their crimes against Palestinian especially in the last Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip. IOF killed more than 1100 and injured more than 6000 whom most of them are children, women and old people. He added that killing two journalists on the second day of Eid multiplies IOF crimes since they killed more than 100 Palestinians on the first and second day of Eid.

Mr.Rimawi stresses that the official international community should work firmly and speak up to stop IOF crimes against journalists and Palestinian civilians which is a flagrant violation for international human law, and end the impunity of occupation and hold IOF accountable for committing these crimes which can be stopped only by the disappearance of the last occupation on the globe.

***29.07.2014. GAZA. Palestinian Journalist and Teenage Daughter are Latest Victims of Israeli Attacks (IFJ)

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has issued a renewed demand for the safety and freedom of journalists in Gaza to be upheld following news of todays latest media violations, including the killing of a Palestinian journalist and his daughter.

According to IFJ affiliate, the Palestinian JournalistsSyndicate (PJS), Baha Edeen Gharib, 55, who worked as Israeli affairs editor for Palestinian TV, and his 16-year-old daughter Ola, were killed by an Israeli rocket attack this morning in Rafah, in the southern Gaza strip region, while they were travelling home.

In another media attack, at dawn this morning Israeli war jets are reported to have bombed the offices of the Al-Aqsa TV station, in the Alnaser neighbourhood of Gaza, and the Al-Aqsa radio station, in the El-Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in northern Gaza. No-one was injured in the attack but the radio station's transmission was stopped for a while.

We pay our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of the journalist Baha Edeen Gharib and his daughter Ola who were brutally murdered in the latest Israeli bombardment of Gaza,said IFJ President Jim Boumelha.

We repeat our demand that the Israeli forces who continue to defy humanitarian and international law by attacking journalists and their families on a daily basis answer for their crimes.

The latest violations add to the ever increasing toll of atrocities being carried out by Israel against media workers and journalists in Gaza, with five media workers now having lost their lives since the conflict began.

The attack on the Al-Aqsa offices means that four media outlets have now been targeted, while there have been numerous incidents where journalists have suffered injuries due to shrapnel.

In the wake of the latest wave of Israeli bombardment, the IFJ has also reiterated its call for journalists reporting in Gaza to take all necessary precautions possible to stay safe, while also calling on media owners to protect their journalists and not to put them at risk.

***28.07.2014. GAZA: The IOF shelled Al-Aqsa TV, and injured several journalist in West Bank (MADA)

Ramallah 28/7/2014: The Israeli occupation forces shelled yesterday morning, the headquarters of Al-Aqsa TV in Burj Al-Shurouq in Gaza city, as they continue their attacks against media outlets and journalists.

The General Director of the TV, Sa’ed Radwan, reported to MADA, that yesterday morning, around 11:57, a drone attacked the TV station’s headquarter with a rocket, at the 15th floor in Burj Al-Shurouq in Al-Rimal. The attack caused damage to the wall of the TV, as well as the computer devices, the offices and the cameras, the shelling also caused the damage to the water tanks on the roof of the tower, and as a result of this, the water leaked into the office and caused breakdown to the electricity network and the Air-conditions, but there was no causalities.

Along with that, the IOF injured a number of journalists in the last few days while they were covering anger demonstrations in West Bank against the savage attack on Gaza strip. As the Israeli forces shot, 25/7/2014, the journalist Thaer Abu Baker in Jenin, which caused break in his right leg, they also injured in 26/7/2014, the journalist Rami Al-Khatib in Jerusalem after they shot him with rubber bullet in his right leg, besides injuring Anatole agency’s photographer, Muath Mish’al (29 years old), with shrapnel of exploded live bullet in his right arm while he was covering the clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli occupation forces near Bet El settlement north Ramallah, one fragment entered his right arm above the wrist and was placed there. Mish’al went to Ramallah hospital for treatment, but the X-rays showed that it is really hard and dangerous to take the fragment out of his arm, even with surgery.

Nader Pepers, the production manager of “Good morning Jerusalem” program, and emergencies cameraman at Palestine TV, was shot with a rubber bullet below his neck in Wadi Al-Jouz in Jerusalem on 24/7/2014. Filisteen Alyaum’s correspondent, Jihad Barakat (25 years old) faints as a result of tear gas bombs near Qalandya Checkpoint north Jerusalem, Zakariyya Al-Salhi (26 years old) who works as an editor at Ramsat company, was slightly injured in his chest also near Qalandya Checkpoint on 24/7/2014. Raya FM’s photographer, Shadi Hatem (21years old) was shot from an anonymous, near Qalandya checkpoint on 24/7/2014, the bullet injured his right leg and he was carried to Ramallah hospital for treatment, and had been told that he should wait for two weeks until they pull the bullet out of his leg, but he made a surgery at Al-Ria’aya hospital at 3 PM on the same day and the bullet was taken out of his leg as they all reported to MADA.

***25.07.2014. Israeli Forces Must Be Held accountable for Attacks on Journalists in Gaza, says IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has joined increasing international calls for the Israeli government and its forces to be held accountable for the atrocities that are being carried out against journalists covering events in Gaza.

IFJ affiliate, the Palestinian JournalistsSyndicate (PJS), has published a list detailing the attacks that Israeli forces have carried out against journalisst reporting on the crisis, including the four media workers who have been killed since the conflict began, the many media workers who have been injured, and the three media outlets that have been targeted.

We join the international demand for an end to impunity for attacks against journalists in Palestine and we demand that the Israeli forces who carried out these appalling murders and attacks answer for their crimes and face the full weight of justice,said IFJ President Jim Boumelha.

And we call on Israel, Hamas and all Palestinian armed groups to respect the rights and freedoms of all journalists and media workers and strictly abide by applicable norms of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

The media workers who have been killed are:

- Hamid Shehab, who worked for 24 Media, and was killed by a rocket while driving a car in the Gaza Strip area on the night of 9 July. The car was parked outside Shehabs house when it was hit and it was clearly marked as a press vehicle.

- Mohammed Smirir, who worked for Gaza Now website, and was killed in an Israeli war jet bombardment on Deir Albalah town, south of the Gaza Strip on July 11.

- Khaled Hamed, 25, who worked for Ray News Agency, and was shot dead while covering Israeli military operations in the Shochaeyah Gaza neighbourhood on Sunday 20 July.

- Abdurrahman Abu Hina, who worked for Alkitab TV, and was killed by an Israeli bomb which destroyed his house on 23 July. His brother and grandfather were also killed in the attack.

Other media workers who have suffered injuries include:

- Ziad Awad, who worked for Nabaa News Agency, and was hit in the head by shrapnel while working in the field.

- Mahmoud Alloh, who worked for Wattan Radio Station, and was hit in the chest by shrapnel while working in the field.

- Sami Thabit, who worked for Palestine Today TV, and was hit in the chest by shrapnel while working in the field.

- Anas Abu Meiliq, who worked for Anadol News Agency, and was hit in the leg by shrapnel while working in the field.

- Ahmad Shayah, who worked for Alkitab TV and Media Town Agency, and was hit in the face by shrapnel while working in the field.

- Mohammed Masharawi, who worked for Media Town Agency, and was hit in the hand by shrapnel while working in the field.

- Suhair Kharaz, a female journalist who worked for the Ray News Agency, and was hit in the shoulder and leg by shrapnel while in her house which was destroyed.

The media outlets that have been targeted are:

- Offices of the National Media agency the offices were destroyed.

- Offices of the Wattan Radio station - the offices were destroyed

- Offices of Aljazeera TV Channel bullets were fired at the offices and staff were forced to evacuate.

***24.07.2014. GAZA - THIRD JOURNALIST KILLED (MADA)

Ramallah- 24/7/2014:Israeli occupation forces killed Al-Kitab TV’s Preparation Programmer, Abdulrahman Ziad Abu Hayyin ,28 years old,yesterday morning, after shelling their house in Al-Shajaia neighbourhood in Gaza city,whom is the third Journalist killed after killing the journalist Khalid Hamad and media worker Hamed Shihab by IOF since launching Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip.

Whose uncle the journalist Yasser Abu Haien reported to MADA reported to MADA: “Our three-floor house was shelled by two Israeli F16 rockets without a previous warning on Wednesday at 05:00A.M., which caused the murder of my nephew journalist Abed Al Rahman who was married with a daughter,the murder of my father, Hasan Abu Haien ,81 years old,as well as the murder of my other nephew, Osama Abu Haien ,30 years old, who worked as an engineer, the attack harmed other 15 people,it also damaged my brother’s four -floor house which locates next to our house, where 12 people live.”

The cameraman journalist of Palestine Today(Filisitin Al-Youm) TV Sami Thabet was injured when he was at Al-Aqsa Hospital to cover what was going on. Mr.Thabet reported to MADA:“The hospital was targeted by IOF on 21/7/2014 with bombs and shells ;thus;I was injured by shrapnel in the left arm,besides some bruises in the head and knee. I received aid at hospital,but the shrapnel still located in my arm, waiting my body resistance for it,or to have a surgery if it stays."

In the West Bank, the IOF arrested Raya FM network correspondent, Mahmoud Abu Khdeir,from his house in Shu’fat neighborhood in Jerusalem yesterday early in the morning,as his wife reported to MADA.

On 21/7/2014,the freelancer photo journalist Amjad Arafa was injured by a bullet in the left shoulder near Al-Maqased hospital in Jerusalem,as he reported to MADA.
The Palestinian Centre for development and Media Freedoms (MADA) condemns these violent and savage crimes committed by the IOF, especially killing the journalist Abu Haien.MADA also condoles Abu Haien’s family and stresses on the necessity to guarantee Palestinian journalists protection and hold IOF accountable for committing these crimes.

***22.07.2014. GAZA: MADA: Al-Jazeera office and journalists houses were targeted by IOF

Ramallah-22/7/2014: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedom (MADA) considers targeting of Al-Jazeera office by the occupation forces in Gaza city today is a part of occupation forces' trials to silence the press in Gaza Strip, preventing them to cover its' daily crimes against citizens, and an attempt to terrify journalists.

Safwat kahlout,41, in Gaza city reported The producer of Al-Jazerra office to MADA:" Today morning at 09:00 am, While we were doing our work at Al-Jazeera office which locate at Al-Jalla tower,11th floor, in Gaza city, we heard a sound of opening fire. All of us were shocked since we were not able to identify the source of this sound. A few seconds later, the second shelling happened which source was unknown for us. Then we understood that the first sounds were warning sounds and Al-Jazeera office will be targeted after the warning statement of Lieberman(Israeli foreign minister) to close all Al-Jazerra offices .No casualties were reported and the material damages small”.

Israeli occupations forces also continued shelling journalist's houses. The journalist and producer Rima Mahmoud Abu Sabha,26, reported that Israeli occupation forces shelled their house at about 12:00 am by two rockets without a previous warning. Therefore, her father was killed, and their one-floor house, where 11 people live, was destroyed.8 people, who live in her uncle's house which is next to their house, were injured. Israeli occupation airplanes shelled the remaining of the house again today morning at 07:00 am, straightening it with the ground.

The Journalist Hamad Khamis Dahlan,31, who works for Al-Ahed TV reported to MADA:" At 07:50 pm , our house was shelled by an Israeli drone airplane. At 08:10 pm, the three floor- house was shelled by a F16 rocket, no casualties reported since one of our family members was told ten minutes before shelling by a phone call. The house, which locates in Al-Nasser neighborhood in Gaza city, where 40 people live who belong to 6 families ( we , my three uncles and some of my family members )whom were displaced as a result the last aggression, was completely destroyed”. The journalist Dahlan is married, and he has three kids.

MADA condemns Israeli occupation forces in targeting journalists, journalists' houses and media outlets , and condoles the journalist Rima Abu Sabha .MADA demands again freedom of expression concerned parties to move in order to protect journalists and demands the international community to exert more efforts in order to stop Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip.

***20.07.2014. GAZA. MADA : IOF killed photo Journalist Khalid Hamad

Ramallah-20/7/2014:Israeli occupation forces committed another crime against Palestinian Journalists when they killed the photo journalist Khalid Hamad,26, who works for The Continue Agency for Television Production, even he was wearing a press jacket ,while he was covering Israeli occupation forces aggression on Al-Shujaieh neighbourhood in Gaza city.

His kinsman reported to the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA):”The martyr Khalid Riyad Hamad was in Al-Shajaieh neighbourhood at 06:00 am with an ambulance to cover the events there. The ambulance was shelled and he was injured while he was wearing press uniform. He was not transferred to a hospital since the ambulance was prevented to go there. At 10:00 am he was found dead in Al-Shajaieh neighbourhood-AL-Bazar street,and then, he was transferred to al-Shifa hospital.”He also mentioned that Mr.Hamad married four months ago and his wife is pregnant right now.

The general director of MADA Mr.Mousa Rimawi said that this violent and savage crime committed by IOF will be added on the crimes chain committed by occupation forces against journalists, killing “Media 24”’s driver Hamid Shihab in a deliberate targeting on the tenth of this month, injuring several journalists and targeting media outlets since the beginning of Israeli aggression on Gaza Strip 13 days ago.

Mr.Rimawi pointed out that the Israeli governmental media office warned foreign journalists in Gaza strip that Israel is not responsible on what they might face ” injury or damage that may occur as a result of field reporting.”, which indicates that IOF will target more journalists under the pretext that Hamas is using journalists as “ Human shields “, and its an attempt to pressure them to stop covering Israeli aggression on Gaza, especially after their covering of the children massacre by IOF, while they were playing on the beach, which provoke wide reaction in the international arena .

Mr.Rimawi stresses again that the international community is demanded to move instantly to protect journalists, and stop Israeli aggression on Gaza where more than 400 Palestinians were killed, and more than 3,000 were injured, most of them are women and children, In addition to the extensive damage of citizens’ houses, schools, hospitals and infrastructure, and to hold IOF accountable for their crimes against journalists and civilians.

***18.07.2014. At least three journalists injured by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza (CPJ)

New York, July 18, 2014--The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by Israeli airstrikes on buildings housing media outlets in Gaza that injured at least three journalists. The strikes came as Israel engages in a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip."The Israel Defense Forces know where media outlets are located in Gaza and must ensure that they are not hit as part of its offensive," said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour. "Attacking media outlets is a violation of international law and denies journalists their right to protection as civilians in war zone."

Early today, Muhammad Shabat, cameraman for the Palestinian news agency Watania Media Agency, was hospitalized briefly for hand injuries sustained after an Israeli airstrike hit the Al-Jawhara tower in Gaza City, news reports said. The building houses Watania as well as other Palestinian media outlets and apartments, many of which were also damaged in the airstrike, according to the station and news reports.

Hani Ghazal, Watania's communications officer, told CPJ that a helicopter carried out the strike on the eighth floor of the building, where the agency is located. The agency has shut down two of its production studios but is still operating.

On Wednesday, Ahmad al-Ajala, host of Sawt al-Watan radio station, and Tariq Hamdieh, correspondent for the station, were briefly hospitalized for foot injuries after an Israeli airstrike on the Daoud building in Gaza City, according to the station and news reports. The Sawt al-Watan radio station is located on the 14th floor of the building.

Loui Abou Amr, the station manager, told the local press freedom group Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms that the station had shut down because the attack destroyed its broadcasting equipment.

Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman Col. Avital Leibovich and Major Zohar Halevi of IDF's public affairs department did not immediately respond to CPJ's emails seeking comment. CPJ's calls to the IDF's Spokesperson's Unit and to Capt. Eytan Buchman, head of the unit's North American media desk, were not answered.

On Thursday, Israel ordered foreign journalists to evacuate beach hotels in Gaza amid stated plans to expand the ground invasion of the city, according to news reports. At least two foreign journalists entering Gaza today said on Twitter that they were required to sign a form that absolves the IDF of responsibility in the event of their injury or death.

Last week, Hamid Shihab, driver for the Gaza-based press agency Media 24, was killed in an airstrike by Israel Defense Forces. Shihab was in a car clearly marked as a press vehicle. The IDF has not yet responded to CPJ's requests for comment on that case.

In November 2012, Israeli airstrikes targeted two buildings, Al-Shawa and Housari Tower and Al-Shuruq Tower, in Gaza, which were well-known for housing numerous international and local news organizations. At least seven journalists were injured in the attacks. Israel claimed the individuals and facilities it had targeted had connections to terrorist activity, but failed to adequately respond to CPJ's repeated requests for evidence that the journalists had lost their protected civilian status.

***20.06.2014. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL. Written statement* submitted by Reporters Without Borders - An alarming deterioration of journalists’ safety (A/HRC/26/NGO/4)

In December 2013, after journalists Claude Verlon and Ghislaine Dupont were killed in Mali, the United Nations
General Assembly condemned “all attacks and violence against journalists and media workers...in both conflict and
non-conflict situations.”
Six months later, another French journalist, Camille Lepage, a well-known young photographer, was gunned down in
the performance of her duties. Having gone to the Central African Republic to document the lives of people victimized
by the fratricidal war there, she was found dead on 13 May 2014.
Her murder illustrates the insecure conditions faced by professional and amateur journalists and news media assistants,
despite various United Nations resolutions. At least 19 journalists have been killed so far this year.

THE HECATOMB OF NEWS PROVIDERS DURING ARMED CONFLICTS

Despite Security Council 1738 which states that “Journalists, media professionals and associated personnel...in areas
of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians.” and that “attacks intentionally directed against civilians...in
situations of armed conflict constitute war crimes”, news providers are increasingly a favourite target for all sides of the
conflicts.
The situation in Syria is catastrophic. The country is today the most dangerous in the world for journalists. RWB
estimates that at least 155 journalists and citizen-journalists have been killed since the conflict began in 2011, with 17
killed so far this year.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kennedy Germain Mumbere Muliwavyo, a journalist for Radio Télévision
Muungano d’Oïcha was killed on 16 February 2014 in Beni during an attack by Ugandan rebels from ADF-Nalu. Two
journalists with him were wounded during the fighting.

PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS DO NOT GUARANTEE ANY PROTECTION

In March 2014, in Resolution 25/38 on peaceful demonstrations, the Human Rights Council expressed its concern about
“the number of attacks targeting...journalists in the context of peaceful protests.” The Council demanded that “all
States...pay particular attention to the safety of journalists and media workers covering peaceful protests, taking into
account their specific role, exposure and vulnerability.”
Reporters Without Borders regularly expresses its fears for the safety of journalists covering demonstrations, given the
violence and intimidation which continues to be directed against them. Though the Resolution is an important
contribution to journalists’ security, it remains insufficient and a mechanism to monitor its implementation has become
crucial.

• In Brazil, 107 deliberate attacks on news professionals have been registered, from May, 2013, when the protest
movement began, through April 2014.
• In Cambodia on 1 May 2014, at least three journalists were brutally mistreated by security forces during an
opposition rally.
• In Colombia, police attacked four journalists, although they had shown press credentials, during May Day
demonstrations in Medellin this year
• In Egypt, two journalists suffered bullet wounds on 14 April 2014 while covering the violent crackdown on a
pro-Morsi student demonstration at Cairo University.
• In Turkey, during May Day demonstrations this year, at least 12 journalists were wounded and one was arrested.
• In Ukraine on 9 April 2014, journalists from the NTN and Ukraina networks were set upon by pro-Russian
demonstrations in front of security agency offices in Lugansk. Three days later, a cameraman from LOT, a
local network, was struck in the head in the same location under similar circumstances.

THE ROLE OF NON-STATE ACTORS

The United Nations General Assembly, in Resolution 68/163 on the security of journalists expressed concern “at the
threat to safety of journalists posed by non-State actors, including terrorist groups and criminal organizations.”
• In India on 14 January, the offices of the Samaj newspaper, which had published images of the Prophet
Mohammed, were attacked by fundamentalist groups in several cities in the state of Odisha (Orissa).
• In Mexico, journalist Gregorio Jiménez de la Cruz was found dead on 11 February 2014. He had been covering
crime news for local newspapers and had been kidnapped six days earlier by an armed group.
• In Pakistan on 17 January 2014, 3 employees of the Express News TV network were murdered in Karachi by a
Taliban group.

HARASSMENT BY THE POLICE AND JUDICIARY

In many countries, investigative journalists are targets harassment by the police and the when they seek to disclose
sensitive information in spite of the Human Rights Council Resolution 25/38 of the Human Rights Council which
specifically called upon States to “avoid the abuse and civil proceedings or threats of such acts at all times.”
• In Cuba, journalist Juliet Michelena Díaz was arrested on 7 April 2014, three days before the internet publication
of an article reporting police violence in Havana. She is charged with “terrorism.”
• In China, at last 21 journalists and 71 netizens are currently imprisoned. On 23 April 2014, Gao Yu, a noted
journalist, disappeared. She had expressed concern about threats from state security officers. After she was
held in secret for one week, the government’s CCTV network broadcast in early May an alleged confession.
Since May, 2014, journalist and activist Wu Wei, a former editor at the South China Morning Post, has been
missing. According to some sources, she was arrested by Beijing police. The security services are making an
increasing number of kidnapping-style arrests of this kind as the anniversary of the Tiananmin Square events
approaches.
• In Somalia in February, 2014, intelligence service personnel held the director of Radio Danan, Mohamed Bare,
for several days. They tortured and threatened to kill him if he did not stop reporting on the government.

THE REIGN OF IMPUNITY

According to GA Resolution 68/163 “Impunity for attacks against journalists constitutes one of the main challenges to
strengthening the protection of journalists.”
• In Pakistan, 63 journalists have been killed since 2002. The only case in which those responsible have been
brought to justice is that of American journalist Daniel Pearl, decapitated on 1 February 2002 in Karachi.
• In Russia, where 32 journalists have been killed since 2002, impunity prevails in most cases. In one notorious
case, the murderers of journalist Anna Politkovskaya still have not been brought to justice.

DIGITAL INSECURITY

In the digital age, journalist security is more than a physical issue. Governments today have at their disposal a wide
range of tools to monitor, identify, censor and punish journalists and netizens who circulate online information some
States would prefer not to make public. In a series of analytical reports (A/66/290; A/HRC17/27; A/HRC23/40), the
Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Opinion and Expression has consistently affirmed that the Freedoms applying
offline apply also online. Nevertheless, the new digital landscape has exponentially increased risks for newsproviders.
• In Ethiopia in 2014, the Information Network Security Agency tracked journalists as far away as the United
States using spy software from Hacking Team, an Italian company that Reporters Without Borders designated
as an “Internet Enemy” in 2013.
• In the United Kingdom and the United States, intelligence agencies have spied on the communications of several
million local and foreign citizens, many journalists among them, and have deliberately introduced security
faults in equipment that relays internet search requests.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to promote greater respect for the safety of journalists, Reporters Without Borders recommends:
To the UNGA:
• The appointment of a special adviser to the Secretary General on the issue of journalists’ safety. Appointed
by the Secretary General, this official would be in charge of monitoring and regulating member States’
observance of Security Council Resolution 1738.
To the international community:
• The Amendment of Article 8 of the International Criminal Court statutes on war crimes, to specifically
define the mounting of deliberate attacks on journalists, media workers and their assistants as war crimes.
• The adoption of a binding international agreement regulating the export of internet surveillance
technology that includes controls of the export of anti-freedom technology and an independent monitoring
system made up of all stakeholders, including civil society, able to inflict effective sanctions on violators
To the HRC
• The expansion of member States’ obligation to ‘respect and protect’ to all newsproviders through an
appropriate Human Rights Council Resolution.
• The establishment of effective human rights mechanisms and measures for information workers forced to
flee their countries, such as alert mechanisms and contact persons in national and regional OHCHR office
working closely with UNHCR to immediately identify and protect newsproviders facing extreme threats.
• The strengthening of the mandate of the United Nations Working Group on the Issue of Human Rights
and Transnational Corporations, especially by authorizing it to receiving individual complaints and to
investigate individual cases of human rights violations linked to these companies.

***16.06.2014. IRAQ. Journalists in Iraq Must Remain Vigilant Following Murder of Khalid Hamada

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has advised journalists covering events in Iraq to remain vigilant at all times following the murder of journalist Khalid Hamada yesterday, Sunday 15 June.

According to IFJ affiliate, the Iraqi JournalistsSyndicate (IJS), Hamada, a cameraman for Alahd TV, was killed in the Aladhem district, in Iraqs Dyali province, while covering fighting between government forces and terrorist groups.

His colleague Mutaz Hassan, who is a reporter for Alahd, was severely wounded in the same incident.

We offer our deepest condolences and respects to the family of the murdered journalist Khalid Hamada,said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. And we also send a message of support to Mutaz Hassan and his loved ones.

We call on all sides involved in the fighting currently taking place in Iraq to respect the rights and freedoms of journalists reporting on events. Journalists must be allowed to reports on what is happening without the threat of harm.

Stressing that media safety is of paramount importance, Boumelha added: We also call on media owners to protect their journalists and to ensure they are not placed in dangerous situations, while we urge any journalists covering events to remain vigilant at all times and take every measure necessary to ensure their safety.

***15.05.2014. SYRIA. IFJ/EFJ Condemn Horrifying Attack on British Journalists

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have condemned an appalling attack by rebel kidnappers on two British journalists in Syria yesterday, Wednesday 14 May.

According to media reports, Times writer Anthony Lloyd and photographer Jack Hill had spent several days reporting from the city of Aleppo and were returning to the Turkish border early on Wednesday when the car they were travelling in was forced to the side of the road. Lloyd was bound to the back seat of a car, while Hill and a local guide were put in the boot before being driven to a warehouse in the town of Tall Rifat.

Reports say that Hill and a guide attempted to escape, but they were recaptured. Hill was severely beaten while Lloyd was shot in the legs to prevent him from escaping. They were eventually freed and managed to cross the border into Turkey after receiving treatment in a Syrian hospital.

This was an absolutely appalling attack that must have been extremely frightening and unnerving for the two journalists involved,said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. We are extremely relieved that they are free after their terrifying ordeal.

But sadly this is not an isolated incident. Syria remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. We reiterate our appeal for all factions involved in the countrys conflict to respect the rights and freedoms of journalists and to allow them to work without fear of violence.

The situation in Syria continues to be extremely volatile. In March IFJ expressed its concern for media safety in the country following the brutal murder of journalist, Omar Abdel Qader, in eastern Syria.

Commenting on the attack, Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: "This is yet another case of shocking violence perpetrated against journalists doing their best to cover unfolding events in Syria. It is particularly concerning that the attackers were individuals who were supposed to be assisting the journalists in the pursuit of their work. The security and safety of reporters and photographers working in hostile environments is a vitally important issue.

The NUJ will continue to press the authorities in Syria to do more to ensure that journalists Syrian and foreign media workers are able to work in safety and that anyone attempting to compromise the freedom of the press will be dealt with. In the meantime the NUJ offers its full support to both Jack and Anthony and wishes them a full and speedy recovery.

The IFJ and the EFJ have urged journalists covering events to take every precaution to protect their safety and to refer to the IFJ Safety Guidelines for journalists working in the field.

***13.05.2014. Lawyer requests medical treatment for Elshamy / Egypt's prosecutor receives urgent appeal to transfer jailed Al Jazeera reporter to hospital as his health deteriorates  / Al Jazeera

The lawyer representing jailed Al Jazeera Arabic reporter Abdullah Elshamy has asked Egyptian authorities to transfer the journalist to hospital after medical tests showed his health was failing.

Shaaban Saeed said he submitted a request to Egypt’s public prosecutor on Monday, asking for the release of Elshamy and his transfer to a hospital outside prison within 48 hours.

Blood and urine tests conducted at a private laboratory on May 8 showed the 26-year-old was dangerously close to death.

The test results said Elshamy showed signs of microcytic anemia, which was preventing proper levels of oxygen from reaching his vital organs.

The results showed Elshamy's kidneys were not functioning normally, his liver was close to failure, there were high levels of urea in his blood and he also had a urinary tract infection.

Elshamy has been held in an Egyptian prison without trial since August and has been on a hunger strike for 111 days.

Journalists covering Elshamy's court hearing on May 3 recorded him as saying he had not seen a doctor or a lawyer since he was jailed.

Three Al Jazeera English journalists, Peter Greste, Mohammed Fahmy and Baher Mohammed, are also held in Egypt and are charged with conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been declared a terrorist organisation by the interim government.

The journalists have been incarcerated for 134 days in Tora prison.

Al Jazeera strongly denies the accusations made against its staff and has called on the Egyptian authorities to free them immediately.

***07.05.2014. Centrafrique: journée sans médias après l'assassinat de deux journalistes (AFP)

Les journalistes centrafricains ont décrété mercredi "journée sans journaux" et organisé une marche pacifique à Bangui pour protester contre l'assassinat le 29 mai de deux des leurs, a constaté un correspondant de l'AFP. Aucun titre n'a été publié mercredi et les radios privées comme d'Etat n'ont diffusé aucune information, à l'appel de l'Union des journalistes centrafricains (UJCA).

"Les journalistes centrafricains désapprouvent et dénoncent avec la dernière énergie l'assassinat odieux de nos confrères Désiré Sayenga et René Padou", a déclaré le président de l'UJCA Maka Gbossokotto, rendant "responsables et complices le gouvernement de transition et la communauté internationale".

A l'issue de la marche, le président du syndicat a été reçu par le représentant spécial du secrétaire général de l'ONU, Babacar Gaye.

Désiré Sayenga, rédacteur au journal Le Démocrate, et René Padou, qui collabore avec la radio Voix de la Grâce, avaient été blessés par balles et poignardés dans la nuit du 29 avril dernier à leurs domiciles.

M. Sayenga est décédé le lendemain de son agression, alors que M. Padou a succombé à ses blessures lundi.

Selon la police, les deux journalistes ont été victimes des violences qui ont éclaté le 29 au soir, après qu'un jeune musulman du PK5, dernière enclave musulmane de la ville, avait été tué et son corps mutilé.

Dans la soirée, les musulmans du quartier, par vengeance, ont attaqué plusieurs domiciles des quartiers chrétiens voisins du PK5 et des tirs nourris ont été entendus, poussant des centaines de personnes à fuir leurs maisons, selon la source policière.

La Centrafrique a sombré dans le chaos et les violences intercommunautaires, lorsque l'ex-rébellion Séléka, à majorité musulmane, a pris brièvement le pouvoir entre mars 2013 et janvier 2014 dans un pays composé à 80% de chrétiens, multipliant les exactions.

Des milices chrétiennes hostiles aux Séléka et plus généralement aux musulmans se sont formées, semant elles aussi la terreur parmi les civils.

Les massacres ont été les plus violents à Bangui, où plus de 90% des 60 à 80.000 musulmans qui y vivaient ont fui la capitale.

***06.05.2014. Ukraine Crisis: Much greater effort needed from all sides towards peaceful resolution – Navi Pillay condemns all attacks on journalists (UN)

GENEVA (6 May 2014) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday expressed deep concern about the surge in violence in Ukraine, which is resulting in more and more deaths and destruction.

“I urge all sides to make a much greater effort to find a peaceful resolution to the current crisis, especially in the various towns in eastern and southern Ukraine that have been racked by increasingly violent confrontations,” she said.

“Armed opposition groups must stop all illegal actions, including detaining people and seizing public buildings in violation of Ukraine’s laws and Constitution. These organized and well-armed groups should lay down their weapons, free arbitrarily detained persons, and vacate occupied public and administrative buildings.”

Pillay also called on the Government to ensure that military and police operations are undertaken in line with international standards.

“It is extremely important that the authorities themselves demonstrate full respect for the rule of law and scrupulously protect the human rights of all, including the Russian-speaking population,” the High Commissioner said.

She stressed the need for the authorities to carry out prompt, transparent and comprehensive investigations into the events in Odessa and Donetsk regions that led to the deaths of dozens of people in recent days, including the fire in the trade union building in Odessa last Friday in which more than 40 people are believed to have died.

“Inclusive and participatory dialogue needs, as a matter of urgency, to be undertaken at all levels to de-escalate tensions and prevent further violence,” Pillay said. “Leaders at national and local levels need to take serious steps to halt the rhetoric of hatred and confrontation, before the situation spirals totally out of control.”

“Genuine peaceful demonstrations must be permitted, both as a matter of international law and as a release valve for people’s legitimate fears and frustrations,” she added. “Policing should facilitate such assemblies while ensuring the protection of participants, irrespective of their political views.”

Condemning all attacks on journalists

Pillay also emphasised the need to create an environment where freedom of expression and opinion are fully respected, condemning all attacks on, and harassment of, journalists.

“All sides must allow journalists space to work,” she said. “This is a key element in ending the increasing misinformation, disinformation and hate speech that has been colouring conflicting narratives and fuelling the development of artificial, destructive and deeply dangerous divisions between communities.”

Pillay added that journalists themselves should make strenuous efforts to be objective, and to avoid incitement.

She also noted that very little time remains before the elections on 25 May, which represent the best opportunity for Ukraine to begin the process of reconciliation and stabilization.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights currently has a monitoring mission of 34 staff based in five locations, and is due to publish its next report on the human rights situation in Ukraine on 15 May.

***05.05.2014. IKRAINE. Journalists shot, attacked covering clashes in Odessa (CPJ)

New York, May 5, 2014--At least three journalists were shot over the weekend and others assaulted while covering deadly clashes between pro-Russia activists and their opponents in Odessa, southern Ukraine, according to news reports and a local press freedom group. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ukrainian authorities to stand by their declared commitment to ensure journalists' safety and hold those responsible to account. "The threats to journalists trying to work in Ukraine continue to spread and multiply," CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "We again call on all sides in the clashes to respect the civilian role of journalists, and for Ukrainian authorities to ensure that perpetrators of attacks on the press are held to account to the full extent of the law."

More than 40 people died over the weekend during violent clashes between pro-Russia activists and supporters of Ukraine, according to local and international news reports.

The Kiev-based Institute for Mass Information (IMI), a local press freedom group, reported that three local journalists sought medical help after being shot. On Friday, Oleg Konstantinov, chief editor of news website Dumskaya was shot in the back, arm, and leg, and Anton Dotsenko, a journalist for local news website Timer, was shot in his arm. Neither could identify the assailants, reports said. Pyotr Rakul, reporter for online news portal Info-Center, was shot in his left leg on Sunday. According to a report by Info-Center, Rakul was shot by a local police officer despite wearing a yellow vest marked "Press." It is unclear if Rakul's attacker was identified and apprehended.

According to IMI, at least two other journalists were physically attacked while reporting on the clashes. IMI said Dotsenko's colleague at Timer, Anna Levchenko, was hit on her arms and legs by rocks thrown by both sides of the clashes on Friday. On Sunday, pro-Russia activists roughed up Nataliya Tarasovskaya, journalist for the independent broadcaster Channel 5, and her cameramen as the TV crew was about to start reporting on air, news reports said.

In a statement on April 26, Ukraine's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, instructed law enforcement agencies to ensure journalists' safety during security operations in eastern Ukraine. In the days since he issued the decree, violence against journalists has spread to other regions of the country.

The press freedom climate in Ukraine has rapidly deteriorated in recent months, and violent attacks against local and international reporters have continued. Journalists have been abducted and obstructed, according to CPJ research. The attacks escalated after former Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovychfled the country, and spread to the eastern and southern regions after Russia annexed Crimea, where multiple anti-press violations have also been documented. Following the Crimea annexations, armed pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine attacked government buildings, seized key junctions, and clashed with Ukrainian troops. In the process, journalists, both local and international, have been caught between the clashing parties and treated as enemies, traitors, and bargaining chips.

***02.05.2014. Europe Must Act to Counter Threats to Media Freedom (EFJ)

(Brussels, 2 May 2014) To mark this year’s World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has called on European policy-makers and national governments in Europe to put greater effort into reviving media freedom and pluralism to counter the worrying trends that are eroding media freedom in Europe.

The call follows the launch of EFJ’s Manifesto which reminds all candidates for the European elections on 22 – 25 May that they must not be complacent about the state of press freedom in Europe.

‘‘Europe’s media freedom is in danger,’’ said Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, EFJ President. ‘‘In recent years, journalists, whether in Ukraine, Turkey or the United Kingdom, have been witnessing increasing attacks on their professional rights.’’

In Ukraine, journalists have been among the first casualties of the political crisis. Since November 2013, around 200 journalists have been attacked and one journalist (Vyacheslav Veremei) was killed while reporting on the crisis. There have also been many cases of journalists being intimidated, having their equipment confiscated and being detained or kidnapped.

In Turkey, 40 journalists are still behind bars for doing their jobs. Among them four journalists, Füsun Erdoğan, Ziya Ulusoy, Bayram Namaz, Ibrahim Cicek, were condemned to life sentences. Many journalists were also confronted with excessive police violence during the coverage of Gezi events.

In the United Kingdom, investigative journalism and journalists’ rights to confidential sources are threatened by national security and anti-terrorism laws. The arrest of David Miranda and the destruction of documents held by the Guardian were the most high profile incidents in these threats.

In Greece and Spain, the closure and drastic downsizing of public service broadcasters, ERT, Valencia TV and TeleMadrid, have not only threatened the livelihood of thousands of journalists but also media pluralism in the countries. It has set a worrying trend in Europe’s media landscape.

In Macedonia, Tomislav Kezarovski, an investigative journalist, is still under house arrest after he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison. Kezarovsk’s conviction and the country’s draconian media law have created a climate of fear and self-censorship in the media.

Elsewhere in Europe, journalists are witnessing their labour rights diminishing, working conditions deteriorating, quality in journalism dropping and the loss of public confidence in the media. Various forms of (self-) censorship as a result of political and economic pressures on journalists and media have also grown across Europe.

‘‘A free, safe, independent and pluralistic media is the cornerstone of Europe’s democracy.’’ emphaised Blicher Bjerregård. ‘‘There are no grounds for complacency for Europe’s media freedom.’’

‘‘All candidates for the European elections must commit to the revival of Europe’s media freedom and pluralism by turning their promises into actions.’’

The EFJ has called on all candidates for the European elections to show their commitment by endorsing the Journalists’ Manifesto. You can see a list of candidates, including candidates for the European Commission President, MEPs Ska Keller (Greens) and Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE) and MEP, who have endorsed our Manifesto Here.

***02.05.2014. ETHIOPIA: NAVI PILLAY CONDEMNS CRACKDOWN ON JOURNALISTS, INCREASING RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

GENEVA (2 May 2014) – United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Friday expressed concerns about the increasing restrictions placed on freedom of opinion and expression in Ethiopia, following the recent arrest and detention of six bloggers and three journalists.

“I am deeply concerned by this recent wave of arrests and the increasing climate of intimidation against journalists and bloggers prevailing in Ethiopia,” Ms. Pillay said.

On 25 and 26 April, six members of the blogging collective Zone Nine and three journalists were arrested by police in Addis Ababa. They were later taken to the Maekelawi federal police station, where they remain in custody.

On 27 April 2014, they appeared before the Arada Court of First Instance in Addis Ababa. Although the exact charges against each of them remain unclear, the United Nations Human Rights Office has received information that they were arrested for “working with foreign human rights organizations and inciting violence through social media to create instability in the country.”

The nine detainees are reportedly being held incommunicado and some of their family members who tried to bring them food over the weekend were denied access.

Since January 2012, a number of journalists have been convicted under the Anti-terrorism Proclamation to sentences ranging from 5 years to life imprisonment. Two journalists arrested in July 2012 and January 2013 under the same law are currently in detention, awaiting their trial.

“The fight against terrorism cannot serve as an excuse to intimidate and silence journalists, bloggers, human rights activists and members of civil society organizations. And working with foreign human rights organisations cannot be considered a crime. Over the past few years, the space for dissenting voices has been shrinking dramatically in Ethiopia,” the High Commissioner said.

Ms. Pillay noted that the Ethiopian authorities continue to use the Charities and Societies Proclamation Law, the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation and the Mass Media Law to restrict the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

The Charities and Societies Proclamation Law places restrictions on the activities that civil society organizations can engage in and institutes onerous registration procedures for registration as well as criminal penalties, restrictions on funding sources and intrusive powers of surveillance.

As a result of this legislation, local human rights organizations are unable to operate freely and have had to drastically scale down their human rights activities. Some have even been forced to close down some of their regional offices or to change their focus from human rights to development work during the re-registration process.

“In its efforts to combat terrorism, the Ethiopian Government must comply at all times with its human rights obligations under international law,” Ms. Pillay said. Ethiopia is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, which both guarantee the right to freedom of expression.

Back in July 2012, Ms. Pillay had already warned that the vague definitions used in the 2009 anti-terrorism law could create a climate of intimidation and result in criminalizing the exercise of fundamental human rights.

The High Commissioner urged the Ethiopian Government to release all bloggers and journalists currently in detention for simply exercising their right to freedom of expression. She also reiterated her appeal for there to be a review of current anti-terrorism and civil society legislation to ensure its conformity with international human rights standards.

***27.04.2014. UKRAINE. PEC CONDEMNS THE OCCUPATION OF MEDIA BUILDINGS

Pro-Russian militants take over TV station in Ukraine's Donetsk (AFP)

Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) - Dozens of pro-Kremlin militants seized the regional television station in Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk on Sunday, an AFP journalist at the scene said.
The insurgents, wearing camouflage uniforms and armed with baseball bats and knives, occupied the interior of the building, preventing anyone from entering. Most wore a red armband bearing the name of the pro-Russian group Oplot (Bastion).
They were not carrying visible firearms, but militants carried several heavy bags inside the building and refused to answer reporters' questions.
The insurgents covered the trident, Ukraine's national symbol, adorning the entrance with a sticker bearing the name of the self-proclaimed "Donetsk Republic."
"The journalists will be allowed to continue to work but they will have to tell the truth," said one militant, who gave his name as Stanislav.
"The Russian channels tell the truth. We demand to have channels in Donetsk that tell the truth," he added.
The station headquarters will be guarded "day and night," added the separatist.
Russian TV channels are banned in Ukraine, where the authorities accuse them of spreading propaganda.
The station's chief later spoke to the several international reporters gathered outside the building.
"Our channels have not yet changed," Oleg Djolos said.
"Our journalists and staff are of course worried but the men who have taken control of our station have pledged to guarantee our safety," he added.
Nearby, six Ukrainian police officers, at least three of whom were armed with Kalashnikov rifles, watched the events unfold without intervening.
Asked about this, Djolos said: "You will have to ask them. They are Ukrainian policemen."
The officers declined to comment to reporters.
"We will come to work at the normal time tomorrow," the director said.
"We are a regional Ukrainian television station. We are not a broadcasting centre. The decision to broadcast one channel or the other is not taken at our level."
When pro-Russia protesters took control of the Crimean peninsula last month, backed by Russian special forces, the TV stations were swiftly occupied in similar operations.

24.04.2014. UKRAINE - Journalists missing -All Journalists Being Held In Ukraine Must be Released (IFJ, FEJ, CPJ)

Any journalists being detained in Ukraine must be released immediately, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have stated, following reports that a number of journalists are missing or are being held hostage in the east of the country.

IFJ/EFJs Ukrainian affiliates, the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU) and the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) have stated that in recent weeks the situation, particularly in eastern Ukraine, has become increasingly difficult and dangerous for media,with many journalists being held by pro-Russian separatist groups.

Among those detained are US journalist Simon Ostrovsky, of Vice News, who is being held by pro-Russian separatists in the city of Sloviansk, while Ukrainian photojournalist Yevegeny Gapich, who was on assignment for the Ukrainian newspaper Reporter, has not been heard from since he spoke to his family on Tuesday morning. Sergei Lefter, a Ukrainian correspondent for the Warsaw-based Open Dialogue Foundation has also been missing since last week.

We are gravely concerned about the continuing reports that journalists are being intimidated, attacked and kidnapped in the eastern region of Ukraine and we demand that any group that is holding a journalist releases them with immediate effect,said IFJ President Jim Boumelha.

These attacks against local and international journalists are clearly designed to intimidate and stroke feat into the media community and they can no longer be tolerated. We appeal to all sides involved in the Ukraine crisis to ensure that the rights and freedom of journalists and media staff are upheld.

The IFJ/EFJ have repeated their call for journalists covering events in Ukraine to remain vigilant at all times and to take all necessary measures and precautions , while advising them to follow the Federations Media Safety Guidelines.

IFJ/EFJs Ukrainian unions have detailed the local and international journalists who are being held:

- On April 16, Serhiy Lefter, a journalist for the Polish NGO Open dialogue,disappeared in Slovyansk, near Donetsk

- On April 20, the journalist and civic activist, Irma Krat, was kidnapped by separatists

- On April 21, two foreign journalists from Italy, Pol Gogo and Cosimo Attanasio, and a Belarusian journalist, Dmytro Galko, who works for the New Time newspaper were detained by separatists in Slovyansk, but were later released

- April 22: Ukrainian photojournalist, Yevgeny Gapich, has not been heard from since he spoke to his family on Tuesday morning from the eastern city of Horlivka. Gapich, who was on assignment for the Ukrainian newspaper Reporter, is said to have used a code word that he and his wife used to signal danger, but he has stopped responding to phone calls.

- On April 22, US journalist Simon Ostrovsky, from the American publication, Vice magazine, was detained by separatists in Slovyansk. With him was British cameraman Frederick Paxton.

23.04.2014. In Ukraine, another journalist missing, newsroom destroyed

New York, April 23, 2014 (CPJ) --Three local and international journalists are missing or being held hostage in eastern Ukraine, while unidentified assailants burned down the offices of a newspaper. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ukrainian authorities to ensure the safety of journalists covering the crisis. "All sides in Ukraine's continuing crisis are responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of journalists. We call on anyone holding a journalist against his or her will to release them immediately," CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. "These attacks on the media are clearly intended not just as a message to the victims but as a warning to all journalists not to report independently on the region."

Ukrainian photojournalist Yevgeny Gapich has not been heard from since speaking to his family on Tuesday morning from the eastern Ukrainian city of Horlivka, according to the independent Ukrainian news website Telekritika. Gapich had used a code word on the phone that he and his wife used to signal being in danger. News reports said the journalist was accompanied by his brother, Gennady Gapich. Both have stopped responding to phone calls.
Gapich had traveled to eastern Ukraine on Thursday on assignment for the independent Ukrainian newspaper Reporter. His assignment was funded by a grant from Telekritika. He was also contributing to the independent news website Vikna (Windows), reports said. In his latest report for Vikna, Gapich said that separatists from the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic had replaced Ukrainian flags with separatistflags in government buildings in the city of Artyomovsk in Donetsk region.

Two other journalists have been abducted or reported missing in eastern Ukraine. U.S. journalist Simon Ostrovsky of VICE News is being held by pro-Russian separatists in the eastern city of Sloviansk. Sergei Lefter, Ukrainian correspondent for the Warsaw-based Open Dialogue Foundation, has been missing since last week, according to the foundation.

Today, CPJ spoke to Stella Khorosheva, spokeswoman for the self-declared mayor of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, who had earlier confirmed holding Ostrovsky in a pre-trial facility. Khorosheva told CPJ that Ostrovsky was detained by military units on suspicion of carrying out subversive activities and of covering the situation in Sloviansk from only one side.

Khorosheva told CPJ that Ostrovsky "is safe, alive, well fed, and working on an exclusive story" in detention. Khorosheva said Ponomaryov had vowed to release Ostrovsky "when the time comes." She said the journalist has not been charged with a crime.

Also on Tuesday, unknown assailants threw Molotov cocktails at the newsroom of the local newspaper Provintsiya(Province) in the eastern city of Konstantinovka, in Donetsk region, Telekritika reported. The newsroom burned down. One of Provintsiya's journalists, Vladimir Berezin, was forced to leave the region today after receiving threats from pro-Russia activists, according to the Ukrainian news website Gazeta which cited one of Berezin's colleagues as well as a friend.

Mikhail Razputko, Provintsiya's editor, told Gazeta that prior to the attack, an unidentified man called the paper and told the staff that they would face consequences if they continued reporting critically on the Donetsk People's Republic. On Friday, the newsroom's front door was painted with "Enough lying!" and "Here you can sign up for membership in Pravy Sector," a reference to a Ukrainian far-right political party, news reports said.

In the last few weeks, armed pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine have raided and taken over government buildings, including police stations, demanded a referendum on the status of their region within the country, and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to send troops. They are suspected as perpetrators in a series of attacks against local and international journalists and have been obstructing local broadcasters and cable companies.

16.04.2014. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have issued a renewed appeal for all sides involved in unrest in Ukraine to respect the rights and freedom of journalists covering events.

The call follows media reports that many Russian journalists have been prevented from entering Ukraine, while local and international journalists have been harassed, abused, detained and had equipment seized. News outlets have also been attacked and broadcasting signals have been disabled.

The incidents have taken place amid increasing tension in Ukraine, with pro-Russian activists occupying buildings in more eastern towns.

According to the latest media reports, over 20 journalists and crews from around a dozen Russian news outlets have been denied entry to the country over the past few days. Journalists with the newly reshuffled RIA Novosti news agency, TV channels Russia and Russia Today, the business daily Kommersant, and Forbes-Russia magazine are said to have all been turned down at the border. Reports say that Ukrainian border officers alleged the journalists did not have sufficient funds to enter the country.

On Saturday, a BBC TV crew was threatened and had their equipment broken by a pro-Russian mob in the city of Slavyansk, in the north of the Donetsk region, while a local journalist was attacked by the same group. And yesterday, in the eastern city of Horlivka, masked men attacked Frederick Paxton, a British photojournalist who works for the independent news website Vice News, and confiscated his reporting equipment.

Also on Saturday, journalists with the Ukrainian online broadcaster, Hromadske TV, and Russian news website, Lenta, were briefly detained by unidentified armed men who barred them from reporting in Sloviansk. The journalists were attempting to cover a raid by armed men on a local police station.

While on Monday, at least seven masked men are reported to have raided the offices shared by independent local news website Gorlovka and newspaper Kriminal Ekspress in Horlivka, and detained Aleksandr Belinsky, chief editor of Gorlovka.

These incidents follow last month’s news that authorities in Kiev moved to shut down the broadcasting of Russian TV channels, with media reports stating that 50% of providers throughout Ukraine have disabled broadcasting of foreign channels.

“We continue to be deeply concerned by the continuing violence against journalists and media organisations reporting on events in Ukraine,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “We strongly condemn these blatant and underhand attempts to undermine media freedom.

“We demand that all factions involved in the ongoing unrest respect the freedom of movement and rights of all journalists and media organisations reporting on events in the country. This abuse of media professionals covering events in Ukraine must end immediately.”

***20.04.2014. SYRIE - IMMENSE SOULAGEMENT APRES LA LIBERATION DE QUATRE OTAGES FRANçAIS 

(AFP, PEC) Les quatre journalistes français libérés samedi après dix mois d'une éprouvante captivité en Syrie aux mains d'un groupe jihadiste lié à Al-Qaïda sont arrivés dimanche en France. Amaigris et fatigués, ils ont reconnu n'avoir "pas toujours" été bien traités par leurs ravisseurs.

Rasés de près après leurs longues barbes de la veille, héritage de leur captivité, les quatre ex-otages ont été chaleureusement accueillis par le président François Hollande à l'aéroport militaire de Villacoublay, près de Paris.

"Ça a été long, mais on n'a jamais douté. De temps en temps, on avait des bribes, on savait que tout le monde était mobilisé", a dit Didier François. Il a remercié les "diplomates et les agents des services de renseignement (qui) ont fait un travail absolument formidable, très discret (...) pour essayer de nous sortir de là".

Dures conditions de détention

Au lendemain de l'annonce surprise de leur libération, les informations se multiplient sur les conditions de la captivité des reporters prisonniers de l'Etat islamique en Irak et au Levant (EIIL), le plus radical des groupes jihadistes en Syrie.

"On est restés dix mois complets dans des sous-sols sans voir le jour, un mois et demi entièrement enchaÎnés les uns aux autres", a de son côté affirmé Didier François, évoquant des conditions de détention "rudes".

"Dans un pays en guerre, ce n'est pas toujours simple, que ce soit la nourriture, l'eau, l'électricité, parfois c'était un petit peu bousculé, les combats étaient proches, il est arrivé qu'on soit déplacé très rapidement dans des conditions un peu abracadabrantes", a-t-il dit.

Ses deux enfants dans les bras, Nicolas Hénin, était très ému devant les caméras. A-t-il été bien traité? "Pas toujours", a-t-il répondu d'une voix étranglée. "Ca n'a pas toujours été facile".

Ce fin connaisseur de l'Afrique et du Moyen-Orient avait auparavant raconté à la chaÎne de télévision France 24 avoir tenté de s'évader trois jours après son enlèvement. "J'ai passé une nuit en liberté à courir dans la campagne syrienne avant de me faire rattraper par mes ravisseurs", a-t-il dit.

Au total, il a dit être "passé par une dizaine de lieux de captivité (...). La plupart du temps, avec d'autres personnes, notamment Pierre Torrès qui m'a rejoint assez vite. Cela a été une longue errance de lieux de détention en lieux de détention", a-t-il poursuivi.

Officiellement pas de rançon

M. Hollande a de son côté répété que la France "ne paie pas de rançon" dans les prises d'otages.

Samedi, le député UMP Alain Marsaud avait évoqué la possibilité d'un "geste" de "pays amis", de l'argent ou des armes donnés par le Qatar ou les Emirats arabes unis.

Didier François, grand reporter à la radio Europe 1, et le photographe Edouard Elias avaient été enlevés au nord d'Alep le 6 juin 2013. Nicolas Hénin, reporter à l'hebdomadaire "Le Point", et Pierre Torrès, photographe indépendant, avaient été enlevés le 22 juin à Raqqa.

Retrouvés par des soldats turcs

Selon l'agence Dogan, les otages ont été retrouvés, ligotés et les yeux bandés, par des soldats turcs à la frontière avec la Syrie.

Les quatre hommes ont été abandonnés par des inconnus dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi dans le no man's land de la frontière séparant la Turquie et la Syrie, près de la petite ville turque d'Akçakale (sud-est), selon l'agence.

La patrouille de l'armée turque a cru dans un premier temps avoir affaire à des contrebandiers. Mais quand les soldats ont vu que les journalistes parlaient français, ils les ont conduits à un poste de police d'Akçakale.

Plusieurs journalistes étrangers sont toujours otages en Syrie. Le nombre exact de correspondants en captivité est difficile à estimer, dans la mesure où certaines familles et gouvernements ont demandé aux médias de ne pas révéler la disparition de leurs journalistes.

LIRE AUSSI leur témoignage sur Europe 1 lundi 21 avril:
http://www.europe1.fr/International/Didier-Francois-et-Edouard-Elias-il-y-a-eu-des-simulacres-d-execution-2098597/#

***04.04.2014. AFGHANISTAN. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN IS SHOCKED. TWO FEMALE JOURNALISTS SHOT, 1 KILLED, 1 INJURED (reactions below)

The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) is condemning the killing in Afghanistan of a photo journalist and colleague at the UN in Geneva the Associated Press' photographer Anja Niedringhaus. Now and today a colleague whom we know in flesh and blood has fallen, what will representatives of UN states in Geneva do for her memory? The PEC presents its condolences to her family and the AP office in Geneva and expresses its deep grief for the loss of our colleague (PEC)

Letter sent by the PEC President to the AP bureau in Geneva:

"Dear AP colleagues 

It is with great sadness to learn of the death of our colleague photo journalist laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Anja Niedringhaus.

While mourning her, her face comes up every when she covered events at the UN and in Salle 3. 

I only knew that Anja was a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer after her brutal death on April 4, 2014, while covering presidential election preparations in Afghanistan for the Associated Press. 
 
Talking to her several times at the briefings in Salle 3 and during major events at the UN in Geneva I found her a very modest person with extreme professionalism. 
 
Anja spoke of her daughter, which she devoted all her free time for her. 
 
The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), for a decade was dedicated to alert the international community to the horrors of targeting journalists, but never would we imagined or have liked to register Anja, one of us, as a victim.  
 
May you accept my sincere condolences on behalf of the PEC board, and convey my condolences to her daughter and family.

Hedayat Abdel Nabi
PEC President"

(AP, AFP, Reuters) A gunman dressed as a police officer shot two foreign journalists in eastern Afghanistan, killing one and injuring the other critically. The journalists were both women.

The pair were working in a remote town on the country’s restive border with Pakistan when the shooting transpired. According to AFP, the journalists were in a police district headquarters in Khost, which is located approximately 150 kilometers south of the capital Kabul.

A spokesman for the governor of Khost province suggested to Reuters that the assailant was actually a policeman."Naqibullah, a policeman in Tani district of Khost, opened fire on two foreign journalists. One was killed and one was wounded," Mobariz Zadran told the agency.　

A police spokesman said that German war photographer Anja Niedringhaus <https://twitter.com/NiedringhausAP> was shot and killed in the incident while Canadian journalist Kathy Gannon <.https://twitter.com/Kathygannon> was seriously injured in the shooting.

AP confirmed the shooting later on Friday, saying Gannon had been wounded twice, was receiving medical attention. She was described as being in stable condition and talking to medical personnel."Anja and Kathy together have spent years in Afghanistan covering the conflict and the people there. Anja was a vibrant, dynamic journalist well-loved for her insightful photographs, her warm heart and joy for life. We are heartbroken at her loss," said AP Executive Editor Kathleen Carroll, speaking in New York. .　

According to AP, the women were traveling in a convoy of election workers delivering ballots from the center of Khost city to the outskirts, in Tani district. The convoy was being escorted by the Afghan National Army and Afghan police, and the journalists were in their own car with a freelancer and a driver. According to the freelancer, they had arrived in the heavily guarded district compound shortly before the incident.

As they were sitting in the car waiting for the convoy to move, a unit commander named Naqibullah walked up to the car, yelled "Allahu Akbar" — God is Great — and opened fire on them in the back seat with his AK-47. He then surrendered to the other police and was arrested.

Medical officials in Khost also confirmed that Niedringhaus died.

Niedringhaus worked for the Associated Press (AP) and was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2005 for photography of the Iraq War. According to her Twitter account, Gannon is AP's Special Regional Correspondent for Pakistan and Afghanistan. Gannon is best known for her book: ‘I is for Infidel: From Holy War to Holy Terror in Afghanistan.’

The shootings comes less than a month after a British-Swedish journalist was summarily executed in a rare attack on a civilian in Kabul’s heavily patrolled diplomatic district.The journalist, 51-year-old Nils Horner, was a correspondent for Swedish radio. He was traveling from his hotel to the scene of a restaurant hit in a Taliban bomb attack in January when the attack transpired. Also in March, a well-respected Afghan journalist with AFP was killed alongside eight other people when Taliban gunmen assaulted a heavily fortified luxury hotel in the heart of Kabul.　

STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF UNOG ON PHOTOGRAPHER ACCREDITED TO THE PALAIS DES NATIONS, KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN

The Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva learned with shock today of the death of Anja Niedringhaus, an Associated Press photographer killed in Afghanistan where she was covering the upcoming elections. Based in Geneva, Ms. Niedringhaus had been accredited at the Palais des Nations since 2002, and was highly respected among her colleagues as a dedicated and accomplished award-winning professional. The Director-General recalled the Secretary-General's statement yesterday denouncing violence by any group in Afghanistan and reiterating that deliberate attacks against civilians are serious violations of international humanitarian law. He also stressed the importance of ensuring that journalists can perform freely and without fear or intimidation their indispensable work to report, inform and educate. The Director-General extends his condolences to Ms. Niedringhaus' family and friends.

UN DEPLORES ‘ABHORRENT’ ATTACK ON INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISTS IN AFGHANISTAN
New York, Apr 4 2014 11:00AM
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) strongly condemned the “abhorrent” attack on two international journalists working for the Associated Press today which left one dead and the other wounded.

Photographer Anja Niedringhaus and reporter Kathy Gannon were shot in the Tani district of Khost province in eastern Afghanistan, according to a <"http://unama.unmissions.org/Default.aspx?tabid=12254&ctl=Details&mid=15756&ItemID=37854&language=en-US">news release issued by UNAMA. Ms. Niedringhaus died in the attack, while Ms. Gannon is reported to be in stable condition.

The two women were covering the country’s presidential and provincial council elections, which are set to take place on 5 April.

“I am outraged by this terror attack on civilians,” said the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of UNAMA, Ján Kubiš. “The journalists were going about their work, informing the world how Afghan citizens are exercising their right to shape a better future for themselves, their children and their country.”

He added that the attack is a “huge loss” for Afghanistan. “Both journalists were highly respected and were very well known for their professionalism, love and appreciation of the Afghan people and dedication to telling Afghanistan’s story.”

UNAMA expressed its condolences to the family and colleagues of Ms. Niedringhaus and wished a speedy recovery for Ms. Gannon.

***30.03.2014. SYRIA. Spanish journalists freed in Syria after six-month ordeal (The Guardian)

Two Spanish journalists kidnapped in northern Syria last September have been freed by their captors, ending a six-month ordeal in the hands of an extremist Islamist group that continues to hold more than 40 other western hostages.

Javier Espinosa, a veteran correspondent for the Spanish daily El Mundo, and Ricardo García Vilanova, a freelance photographer working with him, were handed over to Turkish authorities on Saturday night near the Syrian town of Tal Abiyad, not far from where they were seized 194 days ago.

The pair had been held in the nearby city of Raqaa, which fell to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) last May and remains a stronghold of the radical organisation even after an internecine fight with other Syrian opposition groups, who ousted them from nearby Idlib and Aleppo province over the past month.

It is widely believed that the bulk of the remaining hostages, comprising journalists, aid workers and priests, have also been imprisoned in Raqaa since their capture, or were moved there recently, as Isis forces retreated east with rebels in pursuit.

The scale of the hostage crisis in northern Syria, in terms of the numbers held and length of their detention, exceeds most other similar incidents anywhere in the world in recent decades. The victims come from at least 10 countries, including the US, France, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and Peru.

Until recently, there had been no communication with the hostage-takers or their proxies, and their demands had been unclear. Even after intensive efforts by European governments to make contact, no key co-ordinating figure within Isis has emerged. The fate of the captives seems contingent on the whim of local warlords.

The jihadists holding the hostages are thought to be senior figures within the organisation, which has influence over a vast swath of territory from Falluja in Iraq, through Syria's eastern deserts and oil fields, and on to Raqaa and al-Bab in eastern Aleppo province.

Throughout 2013, Isis gained a foothold in Aleppo and Idlib, imposing hardline Islamist rule in towns and cities it had conquered, often through brutal, indiscriminate violence. Hostage-taking became a tool to impose both fear and influence. Prisoners were also seized in a bid to trade them for Islamist prisoners held in Syria and elsewhere.

Some hostages, including James Foley, the American videographer who was seized near the northern town of Binish, have been held for more than 18 months. Others, including five European doctors from aid group Médecins sans Frontières, were captured this year in northern Latakia. A group from the International Committee of the Red Cross was seized last October.

The families of many of those held have avoided publicising their cases, fearing a raised profile may amplify their kidnappers' demands. Others, such as Espinosa's wife, Mónica García Prieto, had chosen to make public appeals directly to his captors in the hope that personalising his ordeal would advance his release.

Espinosa had reported from the Middle East for much of the past 12 years and had worked extensively among opposition communities in northern and western Syria. He narrowly escaped death in Homs in February 2012, when a rocket fired by the Syrian army hit the house in which he and other reporters were staying, killing Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin and French photographer Remi Ochlik.

Both Spaniards were reported to be in good health. Espinosa contacted his newspaper after crossing the Turkish border. He also spoke to his wife, who in response tweeted: "Pure happiness."

After initially doing little to respond to the creeping influence of Isis in northern Syria, Turkey has in recent months attempted to stop the group's recruits from using its borders to cross into Syria.

Ankara also allowed new weapons and ammunition into the country that were used by the two main opposition groups to fight Isis in a series of battles from early January, which eventually led it to withdraw to Raqaa.

The toll, however, was high, with up to 2,500 opposition fighters thought to have been killed and the Syrian military and its backers able to make strategic advances around the eastern flank of Aleppo, which had remained an opposition bastion for 18 months.

The regime's advance saw troops close in on the Sheikh Najjar industrial area in the city's north-east, which was being used as a base for one group of hostages, who were quickly evacuated by their captors.

The changing face of the battlefield has added a new complexity to attempts to free the hostages. Rebel groups who were attempting to monitor their movements have next to no influence in Raqaa and little means to stop them being moved further east into Iraq.

Syria's eastern deserts have descended into a lawless and lethal tract of land under the sway of competing tribes and warlords. Militants, including Isis leaders, move regularly between Iraq's Anbar province and Syria across a porous, and increasingly irrelevant border, between the two countries.

The Iraqi cities of Falluja and Ramadi are again in the grip of an extremist insurgency, less than three years after US forces left the country. The revitalised insurrection there is in turn fuelling the potent Isis presence in parts of Syria. Iraqi officials estimate that there are 6,000 Isis-aligned fighters in Anbar. European and US officials assess that the group's ranks in Syria number 12,000-15,000.

However, Syrian opposition and European officials say Isis can no longer command the influence it has had for much of the past year over parts of northern Syria.

"As strong as they are in numbers, they have taken several strategic blows recently," one senior western official said. "They have been defeated in much of the north, and they will not be coming back there. The battle has been won. The regular opposition can now get back to fighting Assad."

***28.03.2014. SYRIA: Opening of the trial against detained human rights defenders Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghrer and Hani Al-Zitani for terrorism

Paris-Geneva, March 28, 2014. FIDH and OMCT, within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, express their deepest concern about the decision made by the Damascus' Anti-Terrorism Court to prosecute Mazen Darwish, Hussein Hammad Ghrer and Mohamed Hani Al-Zitani under the 2012 Anti-Terrorist Law.

On March 24, 2014, the General Prosecutor of the Anti-Terrorism Court of Damascus presented charges against Mr. Mazen Darwish, President of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), together with two other SCM members, Messrs. Mohamed Hani Al-Zaitani and Hussein Hammad Ghrer, with publicizing terrorist actspursuant Article 8 of the 2012 Anti-Terrorism Law. Two of their other colleagues, Messrs. Mansour Omari and Abdel Rahman Hamada, who were conditionally released on February 6, 2013, will also stand trial for the same charges.

Defense lawyers challenged the jurisdiction of the Anti-Terrorism Court, arguing in particular that activities carried out by SCM, an NGO promoting human rights, could not be considered as terrorist acts. They also raised several procedural irregularities: the absence of arrest warrant at the time of arrest of the human rights defenders should render the case null and void; the fact that a Military Court ruled on September 11, 2012 that SCM staff members had served prison for a sufficient amount of time and that they should all be released; that the body which conducted the investigation and decided to bring charges had no authority to do so (Article 8 of the Criminal Procedure Code).

The next hearing is scheduled for June 18, 2014. Messrs. Mazen Darwich, Hani Zaitani, Hussein Ghrer, Mansour Omari and Abdel Rahman Hamada face a penalty of 15 years imprisonment.

The indictment of the five SCM members on terrorism charges is absurddeclared Karim Lahidji, FIDH President. It is a sad example of the mock justice delivered in Syria, which aims solely at sanctioning legitimate and necessary activities carried out by human rights defenders.

The Syrian government should not use its overbroad terrorism law to punish peaceful activists for their legitimate work, said Gerald Staberock, OMCT Secretary General. Further, their trial should not be held in the Anti-Terrorism Court, which does not afford defendants basic due process rights according to international fair trial standards.

Mazen Darwish, Hussein Hammad Ghrer and Mohamed Hani Al-Zitani are detained since February 2012, for promoting freedom of expression and monitoring gross human rights violations committed in Syria. During nine months they were held in conditions amounting to enforced disappearance and subjected to acts of torture. There has been no investigation into the abuses.

Despite repeated calls by the international community, including the United Nations, for the release of the three human rights defenders, the authorities have refused to release them. A May 15, 2013 UN General Assembly resolution included a demand for their immediate release and on November 15, 2013, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared their detention to be arbitrary and asked for their immediate release.

Bringing charges against the five human rights defenders, especially after the UN found their two-year pre-trial detention to be arbitrary, clearly breaches international norms. Accordingly, the Observatory calls on Syrian authorities to drop charges against them and release Mazen Darwish, Hussein Hammad Ghrer and Mohamed Hani Al-Zitani immediately and unconditionally as well as to order investigations into the above-mentioned allegations of torture and ill-treatment.

The Observatory urges more generally the Syrian authorities to release all human rights defenders detained in Syria for carrying out their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities.

For further information, please contact:
FIDH: Arthur Manet / Audrey Couprie: + 33 1 43 55 25 18
OMCT: Delphine Reculeau: + 41 22 809 49 39

***28.03.2014. Turkey: First Twitter, now YouTube – UN rights experts concerned at attempts to restrict access before elections

GENEVA (28 March 2014) – A group of United Nations independent experts expressed serious concern over the Government’s measures, taken in the context of forthcoming elections, to prevent access to YouTube a week after Twitter was shut down.

“The right to freedom of opinion and expression is a central pillar of modern democratic societies”, the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, said. “Blocking access to YouTube and Twitter entirely unduly restricts this fundamental right. This is all the more surprising following the recent temporary court injunction against the blocking of Twitter”, he added.

“Concerns about national security can be legitimate, but limitations to the freedom to seek, receive and impart information must conform to the strict test of necessity and proportionality to the aim pursued”, Mr. La Rue said.

“International standards are clear: the free communication of information and ideas about public and political issues among people, candidates and elected representatives is essential,” he noted. “This requires a free press and other media to facilitate debate on public issues without censorship or restraint, in particular in the context of elections. The public also has a corresponding right to access information freely.”

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, highlighted the key role of social media and access to information for those who defend and promote human rights, including by monitoring elections and public debate, and by raising issues of public interest.

“Blocking access to Twitter and YouTube is also a severe blow to the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, since social media is increasingly used by people to mobilize and organize peaceful protests, especially in the context of elections,” the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, pointed out.

“Such restrictions could undermine the legitimacy of the electoral process and call into question the guarantees of free and fair exercise of people’s civil and political rights,” they said.

The independent experts noted that they stand ready to cooperate with the Turkish Government with a view to ensuring that it meets its obligations under international human rights law.

***24.03.2014. EGYPT - Trial of Al Jazeera staff adjourned in Egypt (Al Jazeera)

The trial of three Al Jazeera English staff jailed in Egypt on charges of spreading false news and belonging to a "terrorist group" has been adjourned until March 31.

Peter Greste, Mohamed Fahmy, and Baher Mohamed, held in a Cairo for 86 days, appeared in court for the third time on Monday.

The three men are charged with spreading false news and aiding the blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood of deposed President Mohamed Morsi, who was overthrown by the army in July.

Al Jazeera rejects the charges against its staff and continues to call for their release.

The government has declared the Brotherhood a "terrorist" group. An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced 529 members of the Brotherhood to death on charges including murder, in a sharp escalation of a crackdown on the movement.

CNN correspondent Ian Lee, reporting from outside the court in the Egyptian capital, said the families of the jailed journalists were calling on authorities to expedite the trial and to allow the detainees longer time with their lawyers than the current 45-minute session alloted ahead of the trial.

Lee has been reporting on behalf of Al Jazeera as the network’s journalists are banned from reporting from Egypt.

The Al Jazeera staff's latest court appearance comes days after Egypt's interim President Adly Mansour pledged to help resolve the trial of Greste, an Australian award-winning journalist.

In the letter directed at Greste's parents, Mansour, appointed after Morsi's ouster, said: "Notwithstanding the independence of the judiciary authorities and the fullness of all the rights guaranteed by the law, I would like to assure you in my capacity as president of Egypt that I will spare no effort to work towards the speedy resolution of the case, in a fashion consistent with the law, and that guarantees the resumption of the family in the near future."

'Expedite trial'

As well as signing the letter as "president", he also used the title "chief justice", indicating his position as the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court, the highest judicial authority in the land.

Al Jazeera called the move an "encouraging sign".

The high-profile case, in which 17 others are also charged, has sparked a global outcry and fuelled fears of a crackdown on the press by the military-installed authorities.

Abdullah al-Shami, from Al Jazeera's Arabic channel, has been detained for more than six months without charge and has been on hunger strike since January 23. Al Jazeera’s correspondents Sue Turton and Dominic Kane, who covered events in Egypt and are now abroad, are being tried in absentia.

Institutions including the White House, the European Union and the United Nations have called for the release of the men, and for press freedoms to be upheld.

Freedom of speech in Egypt has been the focus of mounting global concern since the government adopted a hardline approach towards journalists.

The country has been ranked the third deadliest destination for journalists in 2013 by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

***19.03.2014. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) condemns violent attack on head of Ukraine TV

The EBU condemns as totally unacceptable a violent attack in which clearly identifiable members of Ukraine’s parliament forced the head of NTU, the country’s national television broadcaster, to resign. In a videoed scene posted on YouTube, a group of members of Ukraine’s far-right nationalist party Svoboda, including MPs, invaded the office of NTU Director General a.i. Alexander Panteleymonov yesterday evening. The men are seen to manhandle and strike Panteleymonov while shouting at him to write a letter of resignation. He was later reportedly bundled into a car and driven away, before being released.

The EBU was unable to reach Mr Panteleymonov, but he is said by colleagues to be in a state of shock following the assault.

“On behalf of the EBU and all the public service broadcasters of Europe, we condemn this vicious attack on the director general of NTU,” EBU President Jean-Paul Philippot said in a statement from Geneva. “Such actions are totally unacceptable, and we call on the Ukrainian authorities to react swiftly and resolutely. Independent public service media and freedom of expression are indispensable to a proper democracy.”

A staff meeting at NTU today elected one of Mr Panteleymonov’s deputies, Yuriy Romanchuk, to head the broadcaster pending Mr Panteleymonov’s return. NTU switched off its signals for one minute to protest against the attack.

***14.03.2014. UKRAINE/RUSSIE. Tour de vis sur l'internet russe en pleine crise ukrainienne (AFP)

Moscou (AFP) La Russie a bloqué l'accès au blog de l'opposant Alexeï Navalny et à trois des principaux sites internet critiques envers le Kremlin, une initiative dénoncée par certains comme visant à verrouiller l'information sur l'Ukraine. L'autorité de contrôle des médias, Roskomnadzor, a bloqué jeudi soir l'accès aux sites Grani.ru, EJ.ru et Kasparov.ru, fondé par le champion d'échecs et opposant Garry Kasparov, pour "incitation à des activités illégales et à participer à des rassemblements de masse qui violent l'ordre public". Les faits reprochés n'ont pas été précisés.

"C'est la façon la plus directe de verrouiller la communication sur les évènements en Ukraine", a estimé Alexandre Podrabinek, journaliste à Grani.ru. "Toute aggravation de la situation internationale incite le pouvoir à faire preuve de davantage d'autoritarisme", a-t-il ajouté.

Le blog de l'opposant Alexeï Navalny était lui aussi inaccessible vendredi: en résidence surveillée depuis le mois dernier, il a alimenté son blog alors que cela lui était interdit, a expliqué Roskomnadzor.

Cet opposant farouche au président russe, Vladimir Poutine, dénonçait mercredi dans son blog la politique du Kremlin en Ukraine, mettait en doute la légitimité du référendum organisé dimanche en Crimée et faisait l'inventaire des conséquences néfastes qu'aurait pour le pays le rattachement de ce territoire.

Le blocage de son blog et des trois sites intervient deux jours après le licenciement de la rédactrice en chef du site internet d'informations le plus ancien et le plus lu de Russie, Lenta.ru, congédiée pour "diffusion de documents à caractère extrémiste".

Roskomnadzor avait reproché à Lenta.ru d'avoir mis en ligne l'interview d'un membre de Pravy Sektor, mouvement radical et nationaliste ukrainien qui a été en première ligne dans les affrontements à Kiev le mois dernier, ainsi qu'un article citant le chef de ce mouvement, Dmytro Iaroch.

Selon les experts, la crise ukrainienne, et le changement de pouvoir à Kiev, présentés essentiellement dans les médias officiels russes comme un coup de force extrémiste soutenu par les Occidentaux à des fins géopolitiques, a déclenché à nouveau tour de vis sur les médias libres.

Accuser d'extrémisme un site est "un moyen pratique" pour justifier son blocage, explique Anna Katchkaeva, spécialiste des médias.

Une loi permet depuis le 1er février sur ordre d'un procureur et sans décision d'un tribunal de bloquer l'accès à des sites internet.

Dans un paysage médiatique cadenassé par le Kremlin, l'Internet est un des derniers moyens d'information indépendante, et d'expression pour les opposants.

"On assiste à un véritable ratissage des médias libres sur internet, rien de bon ne nous attend", s'inquiète Ioulia Berezovskaïa, directrice du site Grani.ru.

Le gouvernement tente de faire taire "ce qui ne va pas dans le sens de la politique dominante, de la rage patriotique, tout ce qui fait douter des actions du pouvoir", souligne Anna Katchkaeva, qui évoque aussi un "ratissage".

La prochaine étape pourrait être "le contrôle des réseaux sociaux", estime-t-elle.

"Le blocus sur l'information (...) s'accroît d'heure en heure", écrit sur son blog Anton Nossik, un des fondateurs de Lenta.ru, qui compare la situation actuelle des médias russes à celle connue sous l'URSS.

"Le souci n'est pas que nous n'avons nulle part où aller. Le souci, c'est qu'il semble que vous n'avez plus grand-chose à lire", ont souligné dans une lettre ouverte une quarantaine de journalistes qui quittent Lenta.ru à la suite de la rédactrice en chef.

D'autres médias indépendants sont aussi depuis quelques mois dans le collimateur du Kremlin, comme la chaîne de télévision câblée et satellite Dojd, qui a annoncé la semaine dernière n'avoir "plus qu'un mois à vivre", rejetée par les opérateurs en raison d'un sondage sur la justification des pertes humaines lors du siège de Leningrad pendant la seconde guerre mondiale, qui a fait scandale.

all/lpt/edy/fw/cj

***13.03.2014. UKRAINE. IFJ/EFJ Condemn Crimean Governments Attempts to Restrict Media Access

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have condemned the underhand attempts of Crimea's regional government to curtail media coverage of the region's referendum on March 16.

The regional government, the Verkhovna Rada Autonomous Republic of Crimea, yesterday, 12 March, published a statement (view the website statement here) on its website which says: "Applications for media accreditation are served to the press centre of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea up to 13 March 2014 by any means of communication on the official letterhead of the media, signed by the head and sealed."

Furthermore, the statement says the application should follow a number of strict procedures including:

- "stamped copy of the certificate on state registration of mass media or a copy of the license for broadcasting of audio-visual mass media;"

- "full name of mass media, its founder or the publishers, the location of media distribution area, work phone and fax number, surname, patronymic of the head of media, contact phone number;"

- "technical equipment which will be used by the journalist of accredited media to discharge their professional duties;"

The IFJ and EFJ have stated that the "ludicrously short" time period for media accreditation applications is completely unrealistic and unreasonable and the requirements of the accreditation simply cannot be obtained in time.

"This is clearly an underhand attempt by the regional government of Crimea to restrict and undermine media coverage of the upcoming referendum," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. "First of all we have this laughably short one day turnaround period for applications which ends today, then an attempt to wrap journalists up in so much red tape that they haven't a hope of meeting the deadline.

"The result is deeply concerning for media who plan to cover the referendum. It will mean that journalists will be forced to work illegally, without accreditation, an action which could put their safety at risk in a region where many journalists have already been attacked and abused in recent days."

The IFJ and EFJ have called on the regional government of Crimea to scrap the ludicrous media accreditation process and give open access to media covering the referendum on 16 March.

"This attempt to undermine press freedom and restrict media coverage of the referendum must be reversed and open coverage of the events must be allowed," said EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregrd.

***10.03.2014. UKRAINE. Two Ukrainian journalists missing in Crimea (read also IFJ/EFJ, OSCE statements below)

Reporters Without Borders is very concerned about the fate of two Ukrainian journalists who were kidnapped yesterday at the Crimean border and have been missing ever since.

“The forces controlling the Crimea are responsible for the fate of these journalists,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. “We demand that they provide immediate information about their location and state of health, and that they release them without delay.”

“We are alarmed by the steady escalation in violations of journalists’ right in Crimea, which is turning into a lawless region controlled by armed bands whose anonymity reinforces the impunity. The frequency of deliberate attacks on journalists and the scale of the censorship suggest a desire to turn the region into a black hole for news and information.”

One of the missing journalists is Olena Maksymenko of Ukrainsky Tizhden, who disappeared with Kateryna Butko and Aleksandra Ryazantseva, two activists in the Auto-Maidan movement, which supports the new government in Kiev. After setting off in a car from Kherson, in southern Ukraine, the three young women were stopped a checkpoint in Perekop at around 4 p.m. yesterday.

After spotting a pro-Maidan tattoo on the hand of one of the women, the soldiers searched the car and found Ukrainian national symbols, letters and cameras, which they threw on the road.

A Glavkom journalist who was at the checkpoint, Oleksiy Byk, said Maksymenko was wearing a press badge identifying her as a journalist. The last time he saw the three women, they were kneeling near a military tent with the hands bound, and then they were taken off to an unknown destination.

Byk was himself arrested shortly afterwards at the same checkpoint along with his driver, Yevhen Rakhno, and freelance photographer Oles Kromplyas.

Soldiers without insignia detained them after searching their car and finding cameras, which they threw on the ground. Byk was released shortly thereafter thanks to intervention of his brother, who arrived at the checkpoint and was able to prove that he is a Crimean resident.

But there has been no word of Kromplyas and the driver. According to some accounts, another woman journalist is missing, but Reporters Without Borders has not been able to confirm this.

Analogue over-the-air transmission of all Ukrainian TV stations except the science channel Tonis was meanwhile suspended in Crimea yesterday and their frequencies were re-assigned to Russian national TV stations. Their transmission on digital frequencies was terminated today.

Some cable TV operators have also stopped retransmitting Ukrainian channels in Crimea. The secessionist republic’s deputy prime minister attributed this to “technical reasons” but information minister Dmitri Polonsky said the censorship was required by “moral principles” and legal imperatives.

Reporters Without Borders was relieved to learn last night (Wednesday 12) that Ukrainian journalists Olena Maksymenko and Oles Kromplyas have been released and have left Crimea. There had been no news of them since their abduction at the Perekop border post between Crimea and the rest of Ukraine on 9 March. The two activists and the driver who were seized at the same time as the two journalists have also been released. Exactly what happened to the five of them after they were taken prisoner is still not known.

A crew with Italy’s Sky TG24 TV channel – consisting of journalists Jacopo Arbarello and Fabrizio Stoppelli, a fixer and a driver – were stopped and threatened yesterday by armed men in charge of the same checkpoint. The gunmen finally let them leave, but confiscated their laptops, memory cards, camera batteries and the device that allowed the to stream video online.

UKRAINE. IFJ/EFJ Deeply Concerned for Media Safety in Crimea

Soldiers without insignia detained them after searching their car and finding cameras, which they threw on the ground. Byk was released shortly thereafter thanks to intervention of his brother, who arrived at the checkpoint and was able to prove that he is a Crimean resident.

Byk was himself arrested shortly afterwards at the same checkpoint along with his driver, Yevhen Rakhno, and freelance photographer Oles Kromplyas.

journalist who was at the checkpoint, Oleksiy Byk, said Maksymenko was wearing a press badge identifying her as a journalist. The last time he saw the three women, they were kneeling near a military tent with the hands bound, and then they were taken off to an unknown destination.A

After spotting a pro-Maidan tattoo on the hand of one of the women, the soldiers searched the car and found Ukrainian national symbols, letters and cameras, which they threw on the road.

One of the missing journalists is Olena Maksymenko of Ukrainsky Tizhden, who disappeared with Kateryna Butko and Aleksandra Ryazantseva, two activists in the Auto-Maidan movement, which supports the new government in Kiev. After setting off in a car from Kherson, in southern Ukraine, the three young women were stopped a checkpoint in Perekop at around 4 p.m. yesterday.

“We are alarmed by the steady escalation in violations of journalists’ right in Crimea, which is turning into a lawless region controlled by armed bands whose anonymity reinforces the impunity. The frequency of deliberate attacks on journalists and the scale of the censorship suggest a desire to turn the region into a black hole for news and information.”

“The forces controlling the Crimea are responsible for the fate of these journalists,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. “We demand that they provide immediate information about their location and state of health, and that they release them without delay.”

Reporters Without Borders is very concerned about the fate of two Ukrainian journalists who were kidnapped yesterday at the Crimean border and have been missing ever since.The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have reiterated their appeal for all sides involved in the political unrest in Ukraine to respect the rights and freedom of journalists.

The IFJ/EFJ call follows reports that journalists are facing increasing harassment and intimidation in Crimea as political unrest continues, with news emerging that unidentified men are attacking journalists, brandishing guns and snatching cameras.

In response to the escalation in violence, the IFJ/EFJ are holding a meeting in Brussels on 17 March that will bring together representatives from the journalists union in Russia (RUJ) and Ukraine (NUJU and IMTUU) to discuss further measures to support journalists to uphold professional ethical standards and safety.

According to reports, on 5 March a journalist from News of the Week - Crimea' was attacked as he filmed a peaceful protest by a group of women in Crimea's capital, Simferopol, and on 6 March a journalist from Kerch.fm was threatened when she and a colleague visited the border ferry crossing.

In another chilling incident, a security camera in Simferopol captured the image of a Bulgarian freelance journalist and his assistant being attacked as they filmed masked men removing equipment from a television company. A gun was held to one of the men's heads and their equipment was taken.

In the latest incident, on Friday evening, 7 March, armed gunmen in civilian clothes are reported to have attacked journalists outside a military facility in Sevastopol. According to IFJ/EFJ's Greek affiliate, the Journalists' Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN), the men blocked the journalists at the entrance to the facility then attacked them, beating them, and ripping their gear and identification papers.

One of those attacked was Greek journalist Kostas Onisenko (photo and caption attached), from the Kathimerini newspaper, who was hit in the head, suffering bad bruises to his face and a fractured nose.

"We call on all factions involved in the ongoing unrest in the Crimea region to ensure that media freedom is upheld and journalists are allowed to report the truth without fear of intimidation or violence," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha.

The IFJ and the EFJ have also reminded journalists covering events in Crimea and across Ukraine to take every measure to ensure their safety, advising them to follow the Federation's Media Safety Guidelines.

"We urge journalists covering events to remain mindful of their safety at all times and to ensure they take every step necessary to protect themselves during this very troubling period," said EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregrd.

Stop attacks on journalists, de-escalate situation by allowing media to report freely in Ukraine, says OSCE representative

KYIV, 7 March 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today warned that the current situation in Ukraine has led to a media freedom crisis as she ended a four-day visit to the country.

“I am extremely worried about the media freedom situation, we are seeing cases of intimidation, beatings and media censorship every day. I call on all those responsible to stop the information war, ensure journalists’ safety in Crimea and elsewhere and immediately start to de-escalate the
situation by allowing media to report freely,” Mijatović said.

“In times of crisis, members of the media are among the first to be attacked to deprive citizens from receiving information from a variety of
sources. The recent demonstrations in Kyiv and other cities and what we are seeing across Crimea are clear examples of this.

Mijatović met with media associations and local journalists in Simferopol on Wednesday to discuss media freedom issues.

“The biggest problem is journalists’ safety. In addition, signals of Ukrainian television stations have been cut in Crimea, including the signal
of the independent Chernomorskaya TV,” Mijatović said.

She said Tatar journalists at the state broadcaster Krym are under political pressure from the broadcaster’s administration and that access to official information from local authorities is provided only to loyal journalists

“History has shown that attempts to silence critical voices are never successful and restrictions on media can have disastrous consequences. From personal experience I know very well what the destructive power of controlled media can be,” Mijatović said.
During her meetings in Kyiv with senior government officials Mijatović stressed that there must be no impunity for attacks
against journalists, and she raised the case of the murder of Vesti journalist Vyacheslav Veremyi.

“I noted that the public prosecutor will focus on these cases and I expect justice to be served”, she said. “Veremyi's family, friends and
colleagues deserve it.”

In her meetings with government officials Mijatović also noted that recent proposals by some parliamentarians to ban Russian television channels have been withdrawn.

“These are positive steps. But in order for media freedom to be restored, I stressed that there is a need for thorough and comprehensive actions in the media legislation reform to ensure media pluralism,” Mijatović said.

She expressed hope public service broadcasting law would be adopted to establish a politically and financial independent and impartial broadcaster, improve access to information, enhance the regulator, and continue the digitalization process without delay.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments.

***10.03.2014. The International News Safety Institute (INSI) and the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) are launching a joint report on violence and harassment against women in the news media.

The 40-page report, entitled “Violence and Harassment against Women in the News Media: A Global Picture”, reveals the findings of a global survey conducted among nearly 1,000 female journalists. It provides the first comprehensive picture of the dangers faced by many women working in news media around the world.

Core findings of the report include:- Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents said they had experienced some form of intimidation, threats, or abuse in relation to their work, ranging in severity from name-calling to death threats. - The majority of threats, intimidation, and abuse directed toward respondents occurred in the work place, and was perpetrated most often by male bosses, supervisors, and co-workers. - Most incidents of harassment and violence were never reported, even though a majority of women who experienced them said they were psychologically affected.

“When we talk about the safety of journalists, we often think in terms of the risks we face in war zones, civil unrest and environmental disasters, but how often do we think of the office as being a dangerous place?”, said INSI Director Hannah Storm. “This survey shows that women journalists are often at risk in their own work places: targeted by their colleagues, and let down by the very people they should be able to trust.”

“It is telling that most respondents to our questions about reporting incidents of harassment, threats and violence they encountered chose not to do so,” said Elisa Lees Munoz, IWMF Executive Director. “Action must be taken to assure that all women in the news media have recourse against such incidents.”

In addition, the survey gathered data regarding sexual violence, physical violence, sexual harassment, and digital security threats experienced by women journalists as well as what measures have been taken for prevention, protection, and preparedness within news organisations.The survey was conducted jointly by the London-based International News Safety Institute and the Washington, D.C.-based International Women’s Media Foundation. The survey and this report were carried out with funding from the Government of Austria and supported by UNESCO.

The full report, including information about the survey methodology, is available here.

***06.03.2014. Venezuela/Demonstrations: UN experts ask for clarification on alleged arbitrary detentions and use of violence against protresters and journalists

GENEVA (6 March 2014) – A group of United Nations independent experts* have asked the Government of Venezuela for prompt clarification of allegations of arbitrary detention and excessive use of force and violence against protesters, journalists and media workers during the recent wave of protests in the country.

“The recent violence amid protests in Venezuela need to be urgently and thoroughly investigated, and perpetrators must be held accountable,” the experts stressed. They also expressed their shock at the reported deaths of at least 17 persons during the demonstrations.

“We are deeply disturbed by the allegations of multiple cases of arbitrary detention of protesters. Some were reportedly beaten -and in some cases severely tortured- by security forces, taken to military facilities, kept in incommunicado detention, and denied access to legal assistance,” they said. “These reports need to be urgently clarified and anyone who remains arbitrarily detained should be released without condition.”

The independent experts also drew attention to reports of violence against journalists and media workers monitoring and reporting on demonstrations in Venezuela: “Ensuring full protection to journalists and media workers covering the difficult period experienced by the country today is crucial.”

“The reports of the arbitrary detention of various journalists and the suspension of the broadcasting activities of TV channel NTN24 covering the protests are very worrying,” they said. “The country needs more, not less information on the ongoing protests.”

The human rights experts, who acknowledged the call for a national dialogue made by President Nicolás Maduro, emphasized the importance of fully guaranteeing the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association, opinion and expression in this critical context.

“The reconciliatory dialogue that is so deeply needed in Venezuela is not going to take place if political leaders, students, media groups and journalists are harassed and intimidated by the authorities,” they stressed.

The group of UN independent experts noted they stand ready to visit the country and engage in a constructive dialogue with all parties. “We call the Government to respond positively to pending requests to visit Venezuela, and extend a standing invitation to the UN special procedures mandate holders,” they concluded.

(*) The experts: Mr. Frank La Rue, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Mr. Maina Kiai, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Mr. Mads Andenas, Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on arbitrary detention; Mr. Juan Méndez, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; Mr. Christof Heyns, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Ms. Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

***05.03.2114. PALESTINE. MADA’s annual report on media freedoms violations: 229 violations of media freedoms in Palestine during 2013

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) held its annual press conference to review its Annual Report on the status of Media Freedoms in Palestine during 2013. The conference was held at MADA’s headquarter in Ramallah.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr. Ghazi Hanania, began the conference by expressing that 2013 witnessed a serious escalation of violations against journalists by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in west Bank, who violate the basic right of freedom of expression that is guaranteed in the international declaration of human right under article 19, and omitting commitment to international laws and acting above the law.

Dr. Hanania added: “The reported Israeli violations do not mean the absence of Palestinian violations against media freedoms. Although we always confirmed that the Israeli violations against Palestinian journalists are the most dangerous, life threatening, and the most frequent, but the Palestinian violations are still high in numbers, recording a slight increase during 2013 especially in Gaza, where the number of violations were higher than in the West Bank. In the west bank media freedoms violations decreased comparing to 2012”.

Dr. Hanania then explained that the Fatah-Hamas division still constitutes a fertile ground for violations to arise in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and MADA and other institutions defending human rights and Media freedoms have continuously demanded the end of the Palestinian internal division because it’s still a main cause of the continuing Palestinian violations against media freedoms, in addition the events in Egypt on the 30th of June and beginning of July had negative impacts on the development of media freedoms in Palestine as well.

Dr. Hanaia thanked Open Society Foundation(OSF) for supporting MADA’ s monitoring and documenting of media freedoms program.

151 media freedoms violations committed by Israeli Occupation and 78 by Palestinian parties

MADA’s general director Mr. Mousa Rimawi discussed the statistics of violations against Media Freedoms reported by MADA during 2013 in Palestine

The total violations of media freedoms in Palestine during 2013 monitored by MADA were 229 violations, the Israeli occupation committed 151 violations, the equivalent of 66%, and various Palestinian parties in the West Bank and Gaza committed 78 violations, which is equivalent to 34%. While all Israeli occupation violations were committed in the West Bank only, the Palestinian violations were concentrated in Gaza by 50 violations, and violations reported in the West Bank were 28.

Rimawi added “When comparing the total number of violations in 2013 with the previous year, you will find it relatively better, where violations fell from 238 to 229, and in terms of the nature of the violations, where no case reported of a journalist killed in Palestine, unlike in 2012 the Israeli occupation forces killed three journalists during its aggression on Gaza. Rimawi emphasized that MADA has monitored disturbing trends and patterns of violations this year, such as the heavy targeting of journalists in the West Bank by the Israeli occupation, where they were exposed to the greatest number of violations since 2008, especially in the province of Ramallah and Jerusalem, in addition to the security services in Gaza campaigns against journalists which tightened a rope around the voices of freedom of opinion and expression of journalists and media outlets.

These violations embodied in eleven types: physical assault, detention, arrest, prevention from coverage, travel bans, interrogation, threat, raiding, closing and blocking, trial, and confiscation of equipment.
 
The Israeli Occupation attacks on journalists in the West Bank Increased in 2013

MADA" monitored a total of 151 Israeli violations of media freedoms distributed among the cities of the West Bank only, and no Israeli violations monitored in Gaza. 2013 can be described as very difficult for journalists in the West Bank, where the number of violations on their rights increased from 101violations in 2012 to 151 in 2013. The main reason for this is the high number of popular resistance events in a number of West Bank cities and villages, where the Israeli occupation forces suppressed and attacked journalists during their attempts to cover these events, especially when the Israeli soldiers attack the peaceful demonstrators. MADA monitored about 60% of the occupation violations in Ramallah area (50 violations) and Jerusalem (41 violations). Israeli occupation forces have also committed violations in other cities in West Bank distributed as following; Hebron (20), Nablus (23), Bethlehem (8), Jenin (2), Tulkarem (1), Salfit (1) and Jericho (5).

Regarding types of violations MADA has monitored seven forms of violations committed by the occupation forces against the journalists in 2013; physical assault (87), detention (30), arrest (13), prevention from coverage (15), travel bans (1), interrogation (1), and trial (4).

Significant and Gradual improvement of freedom of press in the West Bank and a decline in Gaza

In 2013, various Palestinian parties committed a total of 78 violations against journalists and media outlets in Palestine. 63% of the total of violations were concentrated in Gaza (50 violations), and 37% of them in the West Bank (28 violations), and so the violations monitored over the past year were more by four violations of the total monitored by MADA during the year 2012 (74 violations).
 
Media freedoms violations has been influenced negatively over the past year, by the repercussions of the events in Egypt, especially in Gaza, where the journalists were arrested, interrogated, and threatened simply for expressing their opinions about what is happening in Egypt in general, and in particular about the events relating the isolation of the former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, which caused a deterioration in the status of media freedoms in the Gaza. In the West Bank there is still a gradual improvement of media freedoms, but the internal Palestinian division remains one of the main reasons that lead to the continuation of human rights violations in Palestine.

Palestinian violations were concentrated in four major cities: Gaza (35 violations), Ramallah (11 violations), Khan Younis (11 violations) and Hebron (6 violations). Because media and journalists are concentrated in the cities of Gaza and Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, while in the West Bank, Ramallah city is packed with popular opposition protesting some policies of the Palestinian National Authority, and the city of Hebron is considered one of the most cities with popular support for Hamas. The rest of the cities witnessed a relatively less number of violations: Bethlehem (5), Deir al-Balah (3), Salfit (3), Nablus (2), and one violation in each of Tulkarem and Rafah.

Palestinian violations epitomized of 9 forms: arrest (22), detention (11), prevention from coverage (6), threat (5), physical assault (4), closing and blocking (2), raiding (1), interrogation (24) and confiscation of equipment (3).

In its annual report, MADA expressed its grave concern at the unprecedented escalation of the Israeli occupation forces violations against journalists in the West Bank, and demanded the official international bodies to force the Israeli occupation authorities to abide by international conventions which guarantee the right to freedom of expression, in particular Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,to hold those responsible for the violations accountable and to pressure the Israeli authorities to allow Palestinian journalists freedom of movement between the provinces and the various Palestinian cities in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and Gaza strip.

Regarding the Palestinian violations against Media Freedom, MADA stressed the need and the importance to respect freedom of expression, a right guaranteed in the Palestinian Basic Law, and to hold those responsible for the violations accountable. MADA also calls the Official Palestinian parties to stop all forms of attacks on journalists and enable them to work freely and safely, Allow for newspapers issued in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to be distributed in both parts of the country, and to enact the right of access to information law.

To Read full Report:
http://www.madacenter.org/report.php?lang=1&id=1400&category_id=5&year=2014

***20.02.2014. UKRAINE. Violence Against Journalists in Ukraine Demands International Engagement

(Kiev, 20 FEBRUARY) The International Partnership Mission on Safety and Protection of Journalists and Press Freedom in Ukraine, meeting in Kiev on 19 and 20 February 2014, heard testimony and witness accounts from a wide variety of stakeholders, including the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and found: an appalling number of cases of violence and harassment against journalists, including the murder of Vesti journalist Vyacheslav Veremyi; clear evidence that journalists, other media workers, and media organisations are being directly targeted and attacked because of their work; a culture of impunity caused by failure to investigate and prosecute crimes against journalists, media workers, and media organisations; that authorities have engaged in blocking, censoring and obstructing news organisations and news content, particularly during the current demonstrations and protests; that economic pressure and other indirect methods of inhibiting and discouraging critical reporting continue to be employed by Ukraine authorities.

The partnership mission, comprising international and local media and press freedom organisations, respectfully reminds the Ukraine government that it is the duty of the state to protect all citizens, including journalists, and to ensure that journalists and media organizations can carry out their duties without fear of violence or harassment.

The mission recognises and praises the courageous work of our colleagues in Ukraine in carrying out their essential duties in dangerous and difficult circumstances.

The mission: demands that Ukraine authorities fulfill their obligations and ensure that all attacks on journalists, media workers and media organisations immediately cease; calls on the Ukraine government to allow an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation to bring those responsible for attacks to justice; urges the Council of Europe to engage with Ukraine authorities to ensure this investigation, and to conduct their own investigation; calls on authorities to enact existing legislation, including Article 171 of the Criminal Code that forbids any obstruction of journalistic activity;
 strongly calls for joint efforts to seek international justice, including through potential submission to the European Court of Human Rights; calls on Ukraine authorities to recognise the fundamental right of the public to receive accurate and diverse information and to refrain from blocking, censoring or otherwise obstructing independent media, and encourage development of an independent and viable media market.

The International Partnership Mission on the safety and protection of journalists and press freedom in Ukraine includes representatives of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTU), the Ukrainian Association of Press Publishers, the Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine, the European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ), International Media Support (IMS), Open Society Foundations, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), Article19, and Reporters Without Borders.

One Journalist dead, 167 reported injured. (Download the full list)

19.02.2014. UKRAINE. OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today called on the Ukrainian authorities to ensure journalists’ safety following last night’s violence in Kyiv during which Vesti daily journalist Vyacheslav Veremyi was killed.

“I was very saddened to learn that Veremyi was killed last night and my sincere condolences go out to his family and colleagues“, Mijatović said.
“Veremyi’s death is the worst act of violence suffered by media members since the start of the protests in December. Journalists’ safety must be
ensured, especially during disturbances.”

According to media reports assailants opened fire on Veremyi who was shot in the chest and died in the hospital. According to information available to the Representative’s Office 27 journalists were targeted and injured during last night’s violence (see list of names below), bringing the total of
injured journalists to 165 since the unrest started.

“There is no excuse for not acting immediately. I repeat my call to the authorities to refrain from targeting members of the media and to ensure
journalists’ safety. Common sense and conscience must prevail, the media are not terrorists and are not at fault for the existing crisis,”
Mijatović said.

An adviser from the Representative’s office is now in Kyiv as part of an international mission of the International Federation of Journalists, the
European Federation of Journalists, the World Association of Newspapers, Article 19, Reporters Without Borders, International Media Support (IMS) and
the Open Society Foundations to assess the problems facing the country’s journalists. The Representative will visit Kiev in the coming days.

The journalists injured during last night’s violence are: Glib Garanych - Reuters, Maksym Trebukhov - news photographer, Yevhenia Taganovych and Leonid Taranenko - Channel 5, Yevhen Kotenko - Holos Stolytsi, Oleksander Kozachenko - UNN photographer, Maksym Trebukhov and Azad Safarov - Channel 5, Sergiy Klymenko - Channel 5, Anatoliy Morozov - HromadskyTV, Andriy Gudzenko - PHL, Alla Khotsianivska and Artem Bagrov - 1+1 TV channel, Olena Maksymenko - freelance photographer, Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey - 1+1 TV channel, Sergiy Holovniov - Insider, Oleksiy Byk - Glavkom, Yarmea Horodchuk - Dilova Stolytsia, Kyrylo Chebotin - Kommersant, Volodymyr Borodin - Vesti, Maksym Kudymets - Insider, Igor Lypynsky - Ukraina TV, Marianna Hardy - Chernihiv-info, Igor Volosiankin - Uyezdnye Novosti, Oleksander Ratushniak, Mykyta Didenko - Hromadske.TV, Oleksiy Kondakov - TV channel Business, Oleksander Mykhelson - Ukrainsky Tyzhden, Victor Hatsenko - From UA.

***15.02.2014. SYRIA: Mazen Darwish to commence his third year of pre-trial detention

Paris-Geneva, February 14, 2014. February 16 will mark the two-year anniversary of the arrest of journalist and human rights defender Mazen Darwish and two of his colleagues, who remain arbitrarily detained without trial in Damascus Central Prison in Adra. FIDH and OMCT, within the framework of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, reiterate on this occasion their solidarity with the human rights movement in Syria and call for the release of all human rights defenders detained or disappeared.

“Though, there is no greater happiness for a prisoner than the knowledge that the outer world is remembering him, as devastation and bloodshed has engulfed my homeland, happiness has become a kind of luxury for which I feel ashamed.”Mazen Darwish, June 10, 2013, Damascus Central Prison in Adra

Mazen Darwish, President of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), together with two other SCM members, Mohamed Hani Al Zaitani and Hussein Hammad Ghrer, lingers in pre-trial detention since February 2012 for advocating for freedom of expression and for monitoring gross human rights violations committed in Syria in particular since March 2011.

On February 16, 2012, Mazen Darwish was arrested along with 15 other persons. During approximately nine months, Darwish and some of his colleagues were assumed “forcibly disappeared” and subjected to acts of torture. Yet the judges have so far failed to open investigations into these allegations, contrary to their obligation under international law. In February 2013, five of them, including the three detained SCM members and two other colleagues, Mansour Omari and Abdel Rahman Hamada, were informed that they would be prosecuted by the Anti-Terrorism Court for “publicising terrorist acts”, charges which are completely unjustified. If convicted, the activists could be imprisoned for up to 15 years. The trial has been adjourned on numerous occasions. The next hearing has been scheduled for March 10, 2014.

“Human rights defenders have been paying a very heavy toll in Syria. Dozens of them are arbitrarily detained, sometimes incommunicado, or have been 'forcibly disappeared'. Meaningful negotiation for an end to the Syrian conflict requires that all peaceful advocates be immediately released”, declared Karim Lahidji, FIDH President.

“The continuous detention of Mazen Darwish, Hussein Hammad Ghrer and Mohamed Hani Al Zaitani clearly forms part of a wider campaign of threats and harassment against human rights defenders in Syria. We therefore call on the Syrian authorities to release them immediately and unconditionally as well as to order investigations into the above-mentioned allegations of torture and ill-treatment”, further urged Gerald Staberock, OMCT Secretary General.

On the occasion of the two-year anniversary of the detention of Mazen Darwish, Hani Al Zaitani and Hussein Ghrer, the Observatory reiterates its call to the Syrian authorities to immediately comply with the decision of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD), which recently declared the detention of the three human rights defenders as arbitrary and asked for their immediate release. More generally, the Observatory urges the Syrian authorities to release all human rights defenders detained in Syria merely to prevent them from carrying out their legitimate and peaceful human rights work.

***12.02.2014. New African free expression network highlights need for protection of journalists

The newly established freedom of expression network, African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) has deplored the current state of attacks, arrests, detentions, incarcerations and harassments meted out to journalists while on the job in many countries on the continent. The network specifically notes the troubling conditions in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Somalia which make the practice of journalism unsafe with a tendency to undermine the right to freedom of expression. These conditions came up at the first General Meeting of the network in Johannesburg, South Africa, which discussed issues such as the safety of journalists, freedom of expression and media practice on the continent.

AFEX is of the view that governments in Africa have the primary responsibility for guaranteeing the safety of all journalists working within their territories and urges them to ensure the safety of journalists and to end impunity for their killers.

Below is the full statement issued at the end of the General Meeting:

From the General Meeting of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on January 30, 2014

The first General Meeting of the African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a network of African freedom of expression organisations which are members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), was held on January 30, 2014 at Protea Hotel Balalaika in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The meeting addressed institutional issues concerning AFEX as well as challenges to freedom of expression on the African continent. It discussed and approved basic working documents of AFEX such as a Host Management Agreement between AFEX and the host organization for its secretariat, MFWA in Accra, Ghana, and a Memorandum of Understanding to guide its operations and the relationship among its members. The meeting also discussed the AFEX strategic plan and deferred formal approval to a later date.

The meeting, hosted by the African Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC), was presided over by AFEX Steering Committee Chairperson, Ms Zoe Titus, Regional Director of the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA), and was attended by leaders and officials representing AFIC, the Center for Media Studies and Peace-Building (CEMESP), Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda), Journaliste en Danger (JED), the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), MISA, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).

AFEX members present declared their commitment to making AFEX a strong, vibrant, united and democratic continental network of freedom of expression organisations that would work collaboratively to promote and defend freedom of expression in Africa.

The meeting resolved that AFEX and its members would embark on joint actions and campaigns to ensure access to information for African citizens, promote the safety of journalists, challenge impunity in the killing and other forms of attacks against journalists and bring about the repeal of repressive and obnoxious laws that curtail freedom of expression, among other issues.

The meeting also resolved to fight against the incarceration of journalists as a result of their work or for the peaceful expression of their opinions, describing the practice as a violation of basic human rights, including the right to free expression and a free media.

The meeting noted that the detention of journalists also interferes with the rights of ordinary African citizens to access information and diverse sources of news, which are critical for their decision-making in all aspects of their lives.

The meeting designated the Eritrean and Ethiopian governments as the foremost jailers of journalists in Africa with more than 30 journalists imprisoned for many years and resolved to mount an aggressive campaign against the situation. It also noted the appalling deterioration of media freedom and freedom of expression in Ethiopia, where five journalists have been convicted of terrorism-related crimes.

AFEX called on African governments, particularly those of Eritrea and Ethiopia, to immediately release all journalists in their custody, and allow them to practice their profession without fear of imprisonment or other forms of harassment. It urged African governments to stop the use and abuse of anti-terror laws to jail journalists for doing their job and to respect freedom of the media.

AFEX said it was appalled by the number of journalists killed throughout the continent while on the job, noting that Somalia and Nigeria have been Africa's deadliest countries for journalists for years. It called on governments in Africa to ensure safety of journalists and to end impunity for their killers. It noted that governments have the primary responsibility for guaranteeing the safety of all journalists working within their territories.

AFEX also expressed “grave concern” about the existence in many countries on the continent of media laws, which fail to meet international standards on freedom of expression and which allow excessively harsh judgments to be handed down to journalists and media organisations and thereby undermine the right to freedom of expression.

The meeting urged governments to reform such laws to bring them into conformity with international standards and ensure that they better promote freedom of expression.

Media Foundation for West Africa
Africa Freedom of Information Centre
Center for Media Studies & Peace Building
Human Rights Network for Journalists - Uganda
Journaliste en danger
Media Institute of Southern Africa
Media Rights Agenda
National Union of Somali Journalists
West African Journalists Association

***11.02.2014. COLOMBIA: Protesta: sin garantías para cubrir. Informe sobre el estado de la libertad de prensa en Colombia durante 2013

La Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa (FLIP) publica este 11 de febrero su informe anual ‘Protestas: Sin garantías para cubrir’, en el que hace una radiografía de la situación de la libertad de prensa en Colombia en 2013. Durante este año la FLIP registró 123 agresiones directas contra la prensa, dentro de ellas causan especial preocupación los asesinatos del periodista Edinson Molina, en Puerto Berrío (Antioquia), y del reportero y voceador José Darío Arenas, en Caicedonia (Valle del Cauca).

Además de esto, es lamentable la prescripción de algunos de los delitos por los que se investigaba a Jorge Noguera, ex director del Departamento Administrativo de Seguridad-DAS, investigado por el escándalo de las “chuzadas”; y la absolución en primera instancia de los presuntos autores intelectuales de la muerte del periodista Orlando Sierra, asesinado en 2002. En buena parte de los casos las agresiones más graves se perpetraron a periodistas que trataban asuntos relacionados con irregularidades al interior del Estado, que tuvieron como consecuencia atentados de muerte, asesinatos y amenazas colectivas.

Pese a que las agresiones durante el 2013 son menos que en el 2012, la cantidad de amenazas sigue siendo preocupante: 72 periodistas recibieron intimidaciones por hechos relacionados con su trabajo. Vale aclarar que aunque las agresiones durante este año disminuyeron, la cantidad de víctimas es la misma que en 2012. En la misma línea, hubo un decrecimiento de las amenazas acompañado de un aumento de las obstrucciones a la prensa. Por otro lado, preocupan las fallas administrativas en la Unidad Nacional de Protección que en algunos casos desencadenaron demoras de hasta seis meses para implementar medidas de protección aprobadas para periodistas.

Por otro lado, la protesta social se posicionó como un escenario de riesgo previsible para el periodismo y atendido de manera insuficiente por las autoridades: durante las diferentes manifestaciones la FLIP registró 23 agresiones a la prensa, con 44 comunicadores víctimas. Llama la atención que este tipo de incidentes sigan ocurriendo después de que en el 2012 ocurriera la muerte de Guillermo Quiroz, periodista de Sucre y la reciente condena de la Corte interamericana de Derechos Humanos contra el Estado colombiano por el caso de Richard Vélez, por hechos ocurridos en 1996. En ambos casos, las agresiones se presentaron mientras los comunicadores cubrían protestas.

La justicia sigue en deuda con el periodismo. El caso de Orlando Sierra y el de las “chuzadas” presentaron retrocesos en el 2013. Pero además de esto, se encuentra la vergüenza de cinco casos de asesinatos que prescribieron y quedaron en la total impunidad durante el año pasado. El único caso que se salvó de este destino fue el de Eustorgio Colmenares Baptista, ex director del diario La Opinión, de Cúcuta, que fue declarado delito de lesa humanidad. No obstante, a pesar de esta decisión de la Fiscalía, los avances en este caso no son significativos.

Por otro lado, se destacan dentro de los hechos positivos del año la absolución del periodista Luis Agustín González por parte de la Corte Suprema. González había sido condenado en 2012 por el delito de injuria a causa de un editorial crítico sobre la política Leonor Serrano. A pesar de esto, el acoso judicial sigue marcando pauta en las nuevas formas de censura. Los registros de la Fiscalía muestran 274 denuncias contra periodistas por injuria o calumnia desde 1998, con 15 de estos en el 2013. La cifra es alarmante, más si se tiene en cuenta que los números de dicha entidad son un sub registro, pues son pocos los casos en los que se indica la profesión del denunciado.

También se destacan otros avances para la libertad de prensa, como la sentencia C 274 de 2013, que declaró la constitucionalidad del proyecto de ley de acceso a la información pública, pendiente ahora de sanción presidencial. No obstante, la aprobación de un proyecto de ley que regula el derecho de petición y que resulta contradictorio con dicha iniciativa es una situación que debe tratarse con cuidado. En el mismo sentido, se resalta que la Unidad para la Atención y Reparación Integral a las Víctimas avanzó en el proceso de reparación colectiva a periodistas, pero no fue suficientemente ágil en la inclusión individual de casos relacionados con violencia contra la prensa. Además, el Grupo de Memoria Histórica está adelantando un informe especial sobre las consecuencias de la guerra para el periodismo.

Finalmente, existen retos para la libertad de expresión que tomaron fuerza durante el año. El primero de estos se refiere a la libertad de expresión en Internet, con decisiones de la Corte Constitucional que se pueden considerar como positivas en algunos aspectos y con decisiones desmedidas de bloqueo en razón del habeas data o de la prevención de la pornografía infantil. El otro, se refiere a un eventual acuerdo definitivo de paz por parte del Gobierno colombiano y las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). Durante la discusión del segundo punto de las mesas de negociaciones se abordaron y acordaron temas que se relacionan con la libertad de prensa y que deberán analizarse y debatirse más a fondo para que su implementación sea favorable para el periodismo, la democracia y la paz.

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***01.02.2014. THAILAND. Photographer James Nachtwey shot in Thai protests (AFP)

Washington (AFP) - Acclaimed US photographer James Nachtwey was shot in the leg but not badly hurt in pre-election clashes in Bangkok Saturday, his long-time employer Time magazine said.

"The bullet passed through but didn't hit the bone," said Kira Pollack, the publication's director of photography.

"Amazingly, he went right back out and started working again," Pollack -- who was in touch with Nachtwey via text message -- said in a story on Time's website.

"That's who he is."

Tensions flared in the Thai capital ahead of controversial snap elections Sunday, with explosions and heavy gunfire erupting as pro- and anti-government protesters faced off on the city's streets.

Nachtwey -- who has won numerous awards for his reporting from conflict zones around the world -- has been a contract photographer with Time Magazine since 1984.

However, he was not on assignment for Time when he was shot, according to the publication.

A photo tweeted by Thapanee Ietsrichai, whose profile says he is a reporter for Channel 3 Thailand, showed what appeared to be Nachtwey standing up as one of his legs was bandaged.

The Wall Street Journal's Southeast Asia Real Time blog quoted Nachtwey as saying it was unclear who shot him and that he later went to a hospital to get the injury examined.

"I consider myself extremely lucky," he told the Journal.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power tweeted that her thoughts were with the "living legend."

"Will always be a career & life highlight to have worked w/Nachtwey," she tweeted. "He cld always see what the rest of us cldn't—Nobody is invisible to Jim."

Opposition demonstrators have vowed to block Sunday's poll as they seek to prevent the likely re-election of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

***31.01.2014. UKRAINE. Police attacked dozens of journalists, medics (Human Rights Watch)

(Kiev) – Ukrainian police assaulted and injured dozens of journalists and medical workers while trying to disperse street fighters and protesters in Kiev from January 19 to 22, 2014. Ukraine’s international partners should press Ukraine to investigate serious human rights violations and prosecute those responsible in accordance with international due process standards.

During its ongoing investigation of the government response to protests in Kiev, Human Rights Watch documented 13 cases in which the police beat journalists or medical workers, shot them with rubber bullets, or injured them with stun grenades. Ukrainian nongovernmental groups documented more than 60 such cases. Available evidence suggests that in many cases police deliberately targeted journalists and medics who were not participating in the protests.

“It is possible to accidentally hit one journalist or medic during violent confrontations, but not dozens,” said Anna Neistat, associate program director at Human Rights Watch, who is in Kiev. “Police faced enormous challenges during the street fighting, but that’s no excuse for deliberately targeting reporters and medics or for not taking precautions to spare them.”

Most of the journalists and medical workers were injured during the violent clashes on Hrushevskogo Street on January 19. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets, stun grenades, and water cannons to disperse protesters, some of whom were throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks and were carrying baseball bats and large sticks with pointed ends. Other journalists were injured in confrontations in Kiev in the following days.

In all cases Human Rights Watch documented, journalists said they were wearing a brightly colored vest marked “Press,” or a helmet with the same marking, and were holding video cameras, photo cameras, or tripods.

On January 19, journalists stayed together as a large group away from the direct line of confrontation between the protesters on the one hand and riot police and Interior Ministry troops on the other. Several journalists interviewed independently told Human Rights Watch that police threw more than 20 stun grenades toward the group, injuring at least eight journalists with shrapnel.

Other journalists were hit directly by rubber bullets, some in the face or on their hands as they were holding their equipment. In one case Human Rights Watch documented, the police threw a young female photographer to the ground, hit her on the head, kicked her, and shot her with a rubber bullet at close range as she was trying to escape. Ukrainian groups documented additional cases of such direct attacks.

The paramedics and medical volunteers Human Rights Watch interviewed said they were wearing clothing clearly marked with a red cross. They said that as they rushed in to access and evacuate the wounded, the police made no attempt to hold fire, and some believed the police tried to hit them directly. The medics said that the indiscriminate, and possibly targeted, police fire made it very difficult to assist the injured effectively.

A statement posted on the Interior Ministry’s website on January 23 said that police using a loudspeaker had ordered protesters to disperse several times on January 19, warned them that their violent actions were unlawful, and said that the police would have no choice but to use force [in Ukrainian, “special means”] against them. Such warnings, however, do not relieve the police of their duty to exercise restraint and in no way justify any deliberate attack against journalists or media workers.

Law enforcement agencies have the right and duty to stop violent attacks on police and public buildings, Human Rights Watch said. But in doing so, they are obliged to respect basic human rights standards in the treaties to which they are party, such as the European Convention on Human Rights and those specifically governing the use of force in police operations as embodied in the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

The Basic Principles, requiring restraint and proportionality in the use of force, explicitly call on law enforcement officials to “ensure that assistance and medical aid are rendered to any injured or affected persons at the earliest possible moment.” The failure to protect medical personnel, let alone deliberate targeting of medics, violates this principle.

Targeting journalists covering public protest is also incompatible with Ukraine’s human rights obligations, and specifically the requirement to respect the right to freedom of expression, including media freedom.

The Ukrainian authorities should conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the incidents in which the riot police used force against journalists and medical workers, Human Rights Watch said.

Given that the authorities have made little progress in investigating prior incidents of police violence, Ukraine’s international partners should press Ukraine for criminal investigations and prosecutions in accordance with international human rights obligations. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe, both of which include Ukraine as a member, should urgently consider their role ensuring independent and impartial monitoring and reporting on human rights developments and progress on investigations in Ukraine.

“Journalists and medical workers were performing their professional duties, were unarmed, and posed no danger to the police during the Kiev protests,” Neistat said. “Every instance of violence against them should be fully investigated and those responsible should be punished.”

Attacks on Journalists
A list of attacked and injured journalists maintained by the Institute of Mass Information, a Ukrainian group, contains 60 names. Forty-eight of the journalists listed were injured or attacked in Kiev, and the rest in other cities, including Cherkasy, Dnepropetrovsk, and Zaporozhye. The majority work for Ukrainian media outlets, three are Russian, another three are Belarusian, and one is described as an unidentified foreign journalist. The actual number of attacked journalists could be higher, as Human Rights Watch documented several cases not included in the list.

According to the Institute of Mass Information, 22 journalists were hit, many of them injured, by stun grenades shrapnel; 21 were shot with rubber bullets; 9 were beaten by the police, and another 6 by alleged pro-government thugs; and 7 were detained. Some were attacked more than once. The lists said that one journalist was hit by a rock thrown by protesters.

Human Rights Watch was able to independently verify and document a number of these cases. In the majority, available evidence strongly suggests that the police deliberately targeted the journalists while they were covering confrontations.

All journalists Human Rights Watch interviewed said they had been wearing vests or helmets clearly marked “Press.” Several said they wore the bright orange vests because the Interior Ministry had issued a directive requiring journalists to wear vests clearly marked “Press” as a protective measure against being attacked during confrontations, as a result of police violence against journalists in 2013.

All the journalists interviewed were also carrying equipment – photo or video cameras and tripods – making it difficult to confuse them with protesters, especially those who were attacking the police.

Anton Berezhnoi, a technician and cameraman for Spilno TV, an independent, Ukrainian live streaming Internet television channel, told Human Rights Watch that on January 19, he was filming the confrontations on Hrushevskogo Street. As the confrontations intensified, with the protesters throwing rocks at the police and police responding with stun grenades, he moved to the sidelines.

Berezhnoi told Human Rights Watch that he was first hit by what appeared to be a stun grenade on the upper arm. A large bruise was still clearly visible at the time of the interview on January 27. He then moved further away from the crowd and set up his camera to film:

I was standing at a distance, in the area where there seemed to be no shooting. Suddenly, I felt that something hit my hand with which I was holding the tripod. The tripod broke, and I felt pain in my hand. Trying to protect the equipment – we don’t have a lot – I then ran away from the scene, and when I took off my glove, my hand was covered in blood.

I wasn’t wearing my orange “press” jacket because we heard that journalists wearing them were being targeted, but I had my helmet on, with the words “Press” and “Spilno TV” written on it. I had my camera on the tripod, and I was standing away from the crowd – there was no way the police could have mistaken me for a protester.

Berezhnoi went to a hospital on the outskirts of Kiev to have his wound treated – he said he was afraid of going to any of the hospitals in the city because the police had arrested some injured people at the hospitals. Berezhnoi’s doctors said that his finger was broken. At the time of the interview, his hand was still in a cast.

Roman Malko, a photographer with Ukrainskiy Tizhden magazine, told Human Rights Watch that at around 7 p.m. on January 20 he was covering the confrontations on Hrushevskogo Street. He was wearing a bright orange vest marked “Press” and a white helmet, and had a long white lens on his camera.

At one point, Malko moved away from the crowd and took a few pictures standing on the left side, away from the line of fire:

I took a few pictures, staying on the same spot for a few minutes – before, I kept changing position all the time, making sure to avoid being shot. Then I lowered the camera to look at the photos, and a second later something my hit me hard in the right eye. Everything went black, but I didn’t fall down. I think they shot me deliberately, most likely, trying to hit the camera.

I ran to a makeshift medical center on the other side of the street, but they said my injury was too severe for them to handle and sent me to another one, where the doctors provided first aid. I didn’t want to go to the hospital because I heard that injured people get arrested at the hospital, but I had no choice. We called an ambulance, but it never came. After waiting for about half an hour, I walked for about a kilometer to a place where some ambulances were parked. They took me to the hospital.

Malko said that at the hospital he received multiple stitches in the eye area. Doctors told him if the rubber bullet had hit just a few millimeters to the right, he would have lost the eye. The doctors also told him that on January 19 and 20, more than 20 people were brought to the hospital with severe eye injuries and recommended that Malko register his injury with the hospital as not related to the protests.

Ola Shatna, a 21-year-old journalist, told Human Rights Watch that on January 22 she was standing on the sidewalk near European Square taking pictures of the riot police unit “Berkut” as its members moved in to disperse the crowd on Hrushevskogo Street. She wore a bright orange vest marked “Press” and a white helmet. She said that four policemen approached her and told her to leave. As she started to move away, however, they attacked her:

I turned around to walk away, and in a split second I found myself knocked to the ground, heard a dull sound, and saw my helmet, broken, on the ground. They must have hit me on the head with a baton, I didn’t even understand what happened, as they started kicking me. They took away my phone and threatened to break my camera.

They said, “Get lost, run and complain to the medical center, tell them you’ve been beaten up.” They were just making fun and insulting me. I managed to get up and started retreating backward, still begging them to return my cell phone. At this point, when I was five or six meters away from them, one of the policemen raised his rifle and shot me with a rubber bullet in the shoulder. The bullet didn’t go through my thick coat, but hit me hard.

Footage by Channel 5 Ukrainian TV, which captured the attack against Shatna on video, confirms her account.

Mstislav Chernov, a photographer who was on an assignment with the Ukrainian Red Cross, told Human Rights Watch that at around 4 p.m. on January 22 he was taking pictures of people on the barricades on Hrushevskogo Street. He said that at one point the confrontation lessened, with the crowd throwing some rocks, and police responded with stun grenades:

I did not expect to be attacked. I was in my orange vest, and things were – comparatively – quiet. I was looking through the camera and did not see a grenade that exploded right next to me. It seemed directed straight at me as it exploded right at my feet and there was nobody else nearby. I saw a flash of light, and for a few seconds [could not see or hear].

Then I saw blood on my pants and ran to a makeshift medical center nearby. The medics there took out one large and lots of small pieces of shrapnel out of my legs. It turned out that there were also pieces of shrapnel in my eyes. To treat my eyes, I went to a hospital in Kharkov fearing that in Kiev the police might arrest me if I sought medical treatment. In Kharkov the doctors helped me, but did not register my case to avoid having to report it to the police.

Human Rights Watch is not able to verify where Chernov was standing in relation to the protesters when he was hit, leaving it unclear whether the stun grenade was more likely deliberately targeted at him or indiscriminately fired in his direction. Either way, his case fits the pattern of police actions in which no effort seems to have been taken to minimize to the greatest extent possible risk of injury or life to protesters and those carrying out professional functions.

At least eight other journalists, most of them from Spilno TV, were also injured by stun grenade shrapnel and rubber bullets while they were standing in a large group of media workers covering the confrontations on January 19 on Hrushevskogo Street, according to five journalists from a group whom Human Rights Watch interviewed separately. Some had serious injuries to their eyes, faces, and legs.

The journalists told Human Rights Watch that almost everyone in the group was wearing an orange vest marked “Press,” and that they were hiding from the main line of confrontation behind a massive billboard. They said the police threw at least 20 grenades in their direction, and that four or five hit their group.

Galina Sadomtseva, a Spilno TV editor, told Human Rights Watch that, as she was talking to one of her crew members around 5 p.m., the police threw a stun grenade that landed and exploded next to their feet. Sadomtseva had serious cuts on her legs that required stitches and minor cuts on her face. At that point she told her cameramen to leave, but some of them stayed behind and continued filming.

She later found out that two had been seriously injured by rubber bullets when police apparently opened fire directly at them. Anatoli Lazarenko had serious arm injuries. Yanek Falkevich, standing next to him, was hit by several bullets in the left eye, chin, and legs.

The January confrontations were not the first time police have attacked journalists covering protests in Ukraine. In December 2013 Human Rights Watch and other organizations documenteda similar pattern of abuses against journalists during the dispersal of protests.

In a December 2 statement, Dunja Mijatović, the representative on freedom of the media for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, expressed concern about police violence against reporters at the demonstrations in Kiev and called on the Ukrainian authorities to investigate the attacks on journalists. Human Rights Watch is not aware of any efforts by the Ukrainian authorities to carry out such investigations.

Attacks on Medical Workers
Many witnesses interviewed by Human Rights Watch in connection with the protests in Kiev, including protesters, journalists, and medics, said the police either directly targeted medical workers trying to rescue and provide first aid to injured protesters – including those engaged in the violent confrontations – or continued firing indiscriminately during the evacuation efforts. As a result, medical personnel were injured, and the wounded were in some cases deprived of necessary and timely medical assistance.

Witnesses said that all doctors, paramedics, nurses, and medical volunteers assisting the injured during protests were wearing clothing unmistakably indicating their role: Ukrainian Red Cross jackets or a white T-shirt worn on top of winter clothes with red cross and “Medical Aid” written in red letters. Many wore white helmets with a red cross as well. As they ran to the scene to evacuate the injured and deliver them to ambulances parked at a distance, they carried stretchers and medical kits.

The witnesses said the medical personnel on the scene of the confrontations appeared to be neutral, assisting both the injured protesters and the police. Two of the medical workers Human Rights Watch interviewed cited two separate episodes in which they assisted members of the Berkut riot police unit injured by the crowd.

Medical workers told Human Rights Watch that the police fire made it challenging for them to assist and evacuate the wounded.

One of the Red Cross paramedics working on Hrushevskogo Street during the night on January 19, 2014, said the police grabbed injured protesters and dragged them into their buses, preventing the medics from providing assistance. Witnesses said that Red Cross paramedics managed to convince the police to release the severely wounded, mainly those who could not move or had serious head injuries. But the police did not release those with less serious injuries and did not allow the paramedics to provide them with first aid.

Vasil (not his real name), a paramedic with the Ukrainian Red Cross, told Human Rights Watch that a group of about 10 medics reached Hrushevskogo Street on the night of January 19 to assist and evacuate the wounded:

We were all wearing official Red Cross clothing – bright red jackets with glow-in-the-dark crosses, red helmets, [and we had] red medical kits and stretchers. We moved in groups and it was impossible not to see who we were.

At some point, together with a partner, we ran toward a protester who fell on the ground face down. I kneeled toward him to turn him and access the injuries, with my back to the police. At that moment, two [rubber] bullets hit me on the back, one after the other, right on the cross emblem. The impact was hard. I fell on the protester, my breath knocked out. I managed to get up but could not carry the guy and asked for support. I still have a large bruise on my back.

Another paramedic, who also asked to remain anonymous, also said that on January 19 at around 9 p.m., his brigade was rescuing the wounded from the confrontations on Hrushevskogo Street. At some point, their group of five, all wearing red jackets, helmets, and carrying stretchers and a radio, was crossing the street to pick up an injured protester who had fallen to the ground. The paramedic said he heard a loud explosion and immediately felt his left arm going numb and heat on his hip:

I was scared to even look at my arm. We were just evacuating a guy whose hand was blown off by a grenade explosion. But then I continued to work and realized that my hand was still functional; apparently, I was hit by a blast wave.

One of the medical volunteers, Taras (not his real name), told Human Rights Watch that on January 19 they were helping to carry the injured protesters to an ambulance parked 500 meters away:

We were carrying an injured guy away on stretchers. A stun grenade exploded next to us, [we put the stretcher down] and I tried to cover the face of our patient with my hands. At that point, another grenade hit, and injured both of my hands. I took off my gloves and saw that both of my hands were covered in blood. The shrapnel hit my head as well, but I was wearing a helmet and it didn’t go through.

I personally heard people begging the Berkut to let the medics through and to avoid hitting them.…

At the time of the interview on January 28, Taras’s hands were still in bandages – he said he had multiple burns, cuts, and bruises.

Several witnesses – two medical volunteers and a volunteer guard – also described to Human Rights Watch an attack on a makeshift medical center set up on Hrushevskogo Street to assist those wounded in confrontations.

The witnesses said that in the afternoon of January 22, as the police were pushing the crowd down Hrushevskogo Street, some of the crowd tried to seek shelter in the medical center. The center was clearly marked by two large white banners with red crosses hanging on the wall near the entrance. Members of the Berkut riot police unit, clearly identifiable by their uniforms, started shooting and throwing grenades at the doors of the center, and, once the glass on the doors was broken, threw several grenades inside.

The volunteer guards managed to lead the injured and the medical personal out through the back doors (they said they were prepared for this possibility), and nobody was injured. However, a group of about 20 policemen ransacked the medical center and destroyed its medical resources and instruments.

Human Rights Watch has also documented the case of a 22-year-old medical volunteer, Oleksandra Khailak, whom the police detained as she was boarding the train when they saw her volunteer medical service pass. They later dumped her in a forest.

***16.01.2014. EGYPT.  THE PEC DEMANDS THE EGYPTIAN AUTHORITIES TO RELEASE THREE JOURNALISTS OF AL JAZEERA and JOINS THE STATEMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL MEDIA FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ON THE DETENTION OF JOURNALISTS IN EGYPT

"We, the undersigned, demand the Egyptian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalists: Baher Mohamed, Peter Greste and Mohamed Fahmy.

The 3 Al Jazeera English journalists were arrested by Egyptian security forces on Sunday 29 December 2013. They were doing their job as professional journalists reporting in Egypt on several issues from various perspectives.

Baher Mohamed is a producer with Al Jazeera English.

Mohamed Fahmy is a seasoned producer who worked at CNN International prior to joining Al Jazeera English.

Peter Greste is an award-winning journalist and was the Cairo correspondent for Al Jazeera English at the time of his arrest. He also worked at BBC World.

Mohamed Badr and Abdulla Al Shami, the two other Al Jazeera Media Network journalists held by Egyptian authorities for over 6 months should also be released.

The Egyptian government should uphold media freedoms. The authoritarian crackdown on professional journalists operating in Egypt has brought about a chilling effect on any perspective deemed unfavorable by the current regime." 

29.01.2014. IFJ Demands Release of Al Jazeera Journalists Referred to Trial in Egypt

"The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has reiterated its call for Egyptian authorities to release Australian journalist Peter Greste and his fellow Al Jazeera colleagues after letters he has written from his prison cell in Cairo have revealed the harsh conditions in which they are being held.

Greste and four other Al-Jazeera journalists, Cairo Bureau chief Mohamed Fadel Fahmy, who has dual Egyptian/Canadian nationality, and Egyptian journalists Baher Mohamed, Abdullah al-Shami and Mohammed Badr, are among 20 people who Egypt's chief prosecutor has today, Wednesday 29 January, referred to trial on charges of joining or assisting a terrorist group and spreading false news that endangers national security.

This is the first instance of terror-related charges against journalists and foreigners since the government declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation in December. Al-Jazeera has denied the charges, demanding its reporters be freed.

During his time in Tora prison in Cairo, Greste, a Peabody-winning Australian journalist and former BBC correspondent, has written emotional letters to his family that have been smuggled from his cell.

In the letters, he said that he had his first walk in the "weak winter sunshine" after spending ten days being locked in his cell 24 hours a day when not being questioned, while he expressed his fear that writing the letters might result in his harsh treatment, saying: "I am nervous as I write this. I am in my cold prison cell after my first official exercise session - four glorious hours in the grass yard behind our block and I don't want that right to be snatched away."

Despite his fear, Greste said he had changed his mind about remaining silent about his detention, despite risking having his books and pen taken away from him, stating: "But after two weeks in prison it is now clear that this is a dangerous decision. It validates an attack not just on me and my two colleagues but on freedom of speech across Egypt. All of a sudden, my books seem rather petty."

Later in his letters, he added: "So, all we have is what we did - a routine body of reporting on the political drama unfolding around us, and what it might mean for Egypt. The fact that this has put us behind bars is especially alarming given the historical moment Egypt now finds itself in."

Writing about his colleagues, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, who were detained alongside him on 29 December, Greste said they were being held in worse conditions that he was and have been accused of being members of the Muslim Brotherhood. "Both men spend 24 hours a day in their mosquito-infested cells, sleeping on the floor with no books or writing materials to break the soul-destroying tedium," he said.

Greste has thanked the family and supporters of the journalists, stating that they are "moved and strengthened by the extraordinary support we have already had."

Christopher Warren, Federal Secretary of IFJ affiliate, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), has repeated the appeal for the Egyptian Government to immediately release Greste and his Al-Jazeera colleagues. The MEAA believe the journalists have been charged for simply carrying out their duties as professional journalists.

Backing the MEAA appeal, IFJ President Jim Boumelha has said Egypt's actions call into question the country's attitude towards basic human rights.

"By referring these journalists for trial the Egyptian government is undermining the right to press freedom and freedom of expression in the country and calling into question its attitude towards basic human rights," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. "These are working journalists who have committed no crime and must be released with immediate effect."

31.01.2014. Egypt - the High Commissioner for Human Rights extremely concerned about the increasingly severe clampdown and physical attacks on media in Egypt, which is hampering their ability to operate freely.

"We are extremely concerned about the increasingly severe clampdown and physical attacks on media in Egypt, which is hampering their ability to operate freely.

In recent months, there have been numerous reports of harassment, detention and prosecution of national and international journalists as well as violent attacks, including several that led to injuries to reporters trying to cover last weekend’s third anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. Unconfirmed reports suggest that several journalists were wounded by live fire as well as rubber bullets last Saturday, some of which may have been fired by opponents of the government as well as by police and other government forces. This accentuates the difficult and increasingly dangerous environment for journalists trying to carry out their work in the country.

A significant number of other journalists covering events related to the anniversary were detained by the authorities, although most are reported to have now been released.

Wednesday’s announcement that the Egyptian Prosecutor-General intends to bring to trial 16 local and 4 foreign journalists alleged to have worked for the international broadcaster Al Jazeera, on vague charges including “aiding a terrorist group” and “harming the national interest”, is also of great concern.

It has not only placed a sharp focus on the systematic targeting of Al Jazeera staff – five of whom are actually in custody -- since the fall of the previous government last July, but also led to increased fears among the media in general, both national and international, which is clearly deeply detrimental to freedom of expression and opinion.

Journalists working for other media organizations have reported being attacked by government supporters after being accused of working for Al Jazeera. A video has also emerged which appears to show a police officer threatening a camera crew working for another TV station that, if they did not stop filming, he would tell bystanders they worked for Al Jazeera so that they would be attacked. If confirmed, this lends credence to allegations that the anti-Al Jazeera campaign in Egypt is, on occasion, amounting to incitement to violence.

We have also received numerous reports of intimidation of journalists, who have had their equipment seized, and in some cases of local journalists who have been sacked for reporting on sensitive issues. There are also reports of journalists in detention being subjected to ill-treatment or being held in conditions that are not in line with international human rights standards.

We urge the Egyptian authorities to promptly release all journalists imprisoned for carrying out legitimate news reporting activities in exercise of their fundamental human rights. It is the State’s obligation to ensure that the right to freedom of expression is respected, and that journalists are able to report on diverse views and issues surrounding the current situation in Egypt.

All reports of violence against journalists, including the attacks on 25 January, must be independently and transparently investigated"

Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the Un High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva 

***08.01.2014. SYRIA. PEC welcomes the release of two swedish journalists abducted in Syria

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Two Swedish journalists who were abducted in Syria in November have been released, Swedish and Red Cross officials said Wednesday.

Sweden's Foreign Ministry confirmed the release of writer Magnus Falkehed and photographer Niclas Hammarstrom, and said both were receiving assistance from Swedish diplomats in Beirut.

The two freelance journalists were abducted as they were on their way out of Syria in November.

Swedish authorities wouldn't say who abducted them or how they were set free. But national police spokeswoman Jessica Krasser Fremnell said Swedish police had worked closely with other authorities to secure their release.

"We are grateful that they are safe," Krasser Fremnell said.

The International Committee of the Red Cross helped transport one of the journalists on Wednesday from the Syrian-Lebanese border town of Arsal to Beirut, where he was handed over to Swedish Embassy officials, said Samar el Kadi, an ICRC official in Beirut. The other journalist returned to Beirut earlier on his own, she said.

El Kadi said the ICRC was not involved in negotiations for their release, adding that the transport was carried out upon the embassy's request.

Their state of health was not immediately clear.

"Great relief that the two Swedish journalists are out of Syria. But unfortunately there are still others held against their will," Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt wrote on Twitter.

Press advocacy groups say Syria has become the most dangerous country in the world for reporters over the past two years, with kidnappings becoming a major threat.

Jihadi groups are believed responsible for most kidnappings since the summer, but government-backed militias, criminal gangs and rebels affiliated with the Western-backed Free Syrian Army also have been involved with various motives. Most kidnappings since the summer have taken place in rebel-held territories, particularly in chaotic northern and eastern Syria, where militant al-Qaida-linked groups hold influence.

***15.12.2013. Impunity breeds violence against journalists, UN rights expert tells the UN Security Council

NEW YORK (13 December 2013) The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue, today warned the UN Security Council that impunity is behind growing acts of violence against journalists in the world.

Without paying systematic attention to all attacks against the press, without ending impunity, it is very difficult to ensure the safety of journalists, Mr. La Rue told the Security Council during a special meeting on the protection of journalists.

Most cases of violence and threats against journalists are not investigated and those responsible are never identified, prosecuted or tried. The sense of impunity is a main cause for the recurrence of episodes of attacks against journalists around the world, he stressed.

The Special Rapporteur said that journalists continue to be frequent victims of violence both in conflict zones as well as stable countries, as he had documented in a report to the UN Human Rights Council, in which specific recommendations to enhance media professionalssafety were made.

At least 84 journalists have been killed in Syria since March 2011. Last month, two journalists were killed in Mali. These are simply very recent extreme cases that give some idea on the risks journalists face to inform us every day, Mr. La Rue noted. Only in the last two years, I have prepared letters on attacks against 171 journalists to 40 different countries.

For the UN expert, more systematic attention of international bodies to all events of violence and harassment against journalists is crucial to change this trend: Only some extreme cases of violence raise some attention. The far majority remains totally invisible.

Before a journalist is killed, threats and other forms of attacks take place without any attention from the national authorities or the international community, the Special Rapporteur said.

In times of war or peace, when the public right to know the truth of events is threatened, all human rights can be undermined, Mr. La Rue concluded, calling the UN Security Council to pay greater attention to attacks against journalists and other threats to freedom of expression within its regular agenda.

(*)Check the full report: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/FreedomOpinion/Pages/Annual.aspx 

***11.12.2013. News outlets urge Syria rebels to halt abductions (Associated Press)

Major international news organizations sent a letter to the leadership of the armed opposition in Syria Wednesday, calling for urgent action against rebel groups increasingly targeting journalists for kidnappings.

The letter, signed by 13 news organizations including The Associated Press, is in response to a sharp rise in the kidnapping of journalists while on assignment in opposition-held areas in northern Syria.

The widespread seizure of journalists is unprecedented and has so far been largely under-reported by news organizations in the hope that keeping the kidnappings out of public view may help with negotiating the captives' release. The scale of the abductions — more than 30 are believed to be currently held — and the lack of response to individual mediation efforts have encouraged some families and employers to speak out.

Most kidnappings since the summer have taken place in rebel-held territories, particularly in chaotic northern and eastern Syria, where militant al-Qaida-linked groups hold influence. Among the most dangerous places are the northeastern city of Raqqa, which was taken over by al-Qaida militants shortly after it became the first city to fall entirely into rebel hands; the eastern Deir el-Zour province; the border town of Azaz; and the corridor leading to Aleppo, once a main route for journalists going into Syria.

"As long as kidnappings are permitted to continue unabated, journalists will not be willing to undertake assignments inside Syria, and they will no longer be able to serve as witnesses to the events taking place within Syria's borders," the letter said.

Signatories to the letter are the AP, Agence France Presse, Reuters, BBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Atlantic Media, The Economist, Getty Images, The Guardian, the Los Angeles Times and The Telegraph.

The open letter is being sent to the leadership of the Western-backed mainstream Free Syrian Army and to individual armed groups including the Islamic Front, an umbrella organization of six of the most powerful brigades in Syria.

Syria's rebels are a disparate group of brigades and battalions, increasingly dominated by Islamic extremists, including al-Qaida-linked groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Jabhat al-Nusra.

The closest thing to a central command is the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army, headed by Gen. Salim Idris, a secular-minded moderate. But he holds limited sway over the myriad groups inside Syria, some of which have broken away from the Free Syrian Army, announcing that the group did not represent them. Infighting between the extremists and moderates is on the rise, undermining their fight against President Bashar Assad.

While jihadi groups are believed responsible for most kidnappings since the summer, government-backed militias, criminal gangs and rebels affiliated with the Free Syrian Army also have been involved. Their motives have ranged from ransom to prisoner exchanges.

The Syrian National Coalition, Syria's main opposition group in exile considered to be the political arm of the Free Syrian Army, condemned the kidnapping of journalists in a statement issued Wednesday.

"The Syrian Coalition and the General Staff of the Free Syrian Army reiterate their commitment to exerting all efforts necessary to secure the release of all kidnapped persons and provide protection to journalists and human rights activists operating in Syria," the statement said.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists says approximately 30 foreign and Syrian journalists are missing and 55 have been killed since Syria's civil war began in early 2011. CPJ also has documented at least 26 other journalists who disappeared this year but are now safe.

Many of the abduction cases go unreported at the request of the families or employers. News organizations on a case-by-case basis are inclined to respect such requests, regardless of the identity of the person abducted, if they are convinced that publication would increase the danger for the victim.

On Tuesday, the families of two Spanish journalists abducted nearly three months ago appealed publicly for their release, after failing to make contact with the captors via intermediaries. Javier Espinosa, Middle East bureau chief of El Mundo newspaper, and Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, a freelance photographer who was traveling with him, were taken captive Sept. 16 by members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant at a checkpoint in the northeastern Raqqa province, the families said.

In the letter, the 13 news organizations said it was "imperative" for the leadership of the armed opposition to commit itself to assuring that journalists can work within Syria, secure from the threat of kidnapping.

"Among other things, we ask the leadership to assist in identifying those groups currently holding journalists and take the steps necessary to bring about their release," the statement said.

***11.12.2013. IFJ/EFJ Welcome Release of Dutch Journalist Judith Spiegel in Yemen

he International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have welcomed the release of Dutch journalist Judith Spiegel and commended their Dutch affiliate, the Dutch Association of Journalists (NVJ), for its tireless work and commitment in helping secure her freedom.

Spiegel and her husband, Boudewijn Berendsen, were kidnapped from their house in the Haddah area of Yemen's capital city Sana'a around the beginning of the second week of June by a group of gunmen. According to reports, they were released at the weekend and are expected to return to the Netherlands on Wednesday.

"We welcome the fantastic news that Judith Spiegel and her partner have been released after being held in Yemen for over seven months and can now return to their family, loved ones and colleagues," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha." On this day of great relief and joy we congratulate our affiliate, the Dutch Association of Journalists, and thank them for their dedication and commitment in helping to secure Judith and her husband's safe return. We also send out thanks to our affiliate, the Yemeni Journalist Syndicate (YJS), for their unwavering support for the couple."

Over the last few months, the NVJ has kept in contact with the person who has been negotiating with the kidnappers, while also maintaining close contact with government officials, including the ministry of Foreign Affairs, who have been working behind the scenes to secure the couple's release.

It is believed that Judith and her husband were abducted in an attempt to extract a ransom or potentially exert political pressure on the Yemeni government.

"The release of Judith Spiegel is a positive step forward in the struggle for press freedom, justice and the right of journalists to work freely and safely in Yemen," said EFJ President Mogens Blicher-Bjerregård.

"But the country remains a dangerous location for both local and international journalists. Local authorities and security agencies must step up their efforts to protect the safety and freedoms of journalists, while journalists working there must remain vigilant at all times."

***19.11.2013. Syria - Human rights organizations call on Syrian government to implement the UN Resolution - the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) joined the call

The Syrian government should immediately release human rights defenders, Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer and Hani Al-Zitani, members of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), and drop all the charges against them. Another hearing of their trial held on 18 November 2013 at the Anti-Terrorism Court in Damascus on alleged terrorism charges brought against them by the Syrian Governments Air Force Intelligence. Reports confirmed that once again the trial was postponed to 27 January 2014, at the request of the prosecution which has failed to prove the charges against them.

Mazen Darwish is a journalist and head of the Damascus based SCM, which was instrumental in disseminating information regarding the situation in Syria to sources outside the country. He was arrested on 16 February 2012 along with 15 others including Hussein Ghareer and Hani Al-Zitani when Air Force Intelligence conducted a raid on the offices of the SCM in Damascus.

We the undersigned organizations express serious concern for the security and physical and psychological integrity of human rights defenders, Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer, and Hani Al-Zitani and we strongly believe that they are targeted solely due to their peaceful and legitimate human rights activities in Syria. We are also very concerned about their current situation which has had more of a political grounding rather than any legal basis, in particular given that their office was raided without a warrant and in light of the failure of the judiciary to provide any evidence against them.

Our organizations also recall that on 15 May 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 67/262 on "The situation in the Syrian Arab Republic" which strongly condemned:2 .. all violations of international humanitarian law and the continued widespread and systematic gross violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Syrian authorities and the Government-affiliated shabbiha militias, such as () massacres, arbitrary executions, extrajudicial killings, the killing and persecution of protestors, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, violations of the rights of the child, (...) unlawful interference with access to medical treatment, failure to respect and protect medical personnel, torture, systematic sexual violence, including rape in detention, and ill-treatment, including against children as well as any human rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law by anti-Government armed groups;

The resolution also called on the Syrian authorities to:

5. .. immediately release all persons arbitrarily detained, including the members of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression, publish a list of all detention facilities, ensure that conditions of detention comply with applicable international law, and immediately allow access of independent monitors to all detention facilities;

We believe also that their continuous detention forms part of a wider campaign of threats and harassment against human rights defenders in Syria in order to prevent them from carrying out their legitimate and peaceful human rights work.We, the undersigned groups, therefore:

1. Call on the Syrian authorities to immediately implement the UN General Assembly resolution 67/262 and release immediately and unconditionally Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer, and Hani Al-Zitani as well as all human rights defenders in Syria since their detention is arbitrary as it only aims at sanctioning their human rights activities;

2. Call on the Syrian authorities to drop all the charges against Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer, and Hani Al-Zitani as well as all human rights defenders in Syria;

3. Call on the Syrian government to respect its international obligations including those outlined in the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and guaranteed under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Syria is a state party;

4. Call for the UN and the international community, in particular States supportive of the Syrian regime, to press for the immediate and unconditional release of all those currently detained in violation of their right to freedom of expression, guaranteed under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Syria is a state party.

Co-signatories: 1. Alkarama Foundation 2. Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) 3. Front Line Defenders 4. Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) 5. Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) 6. PEN International 7. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 8. Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) 9. Violations Documentation Centre in Syria (VDC) 10. Press Emblem Campaign (PEC)

***15.11.2013. A group of the world’s leading international broadcasters say that the dangers facing their journalists are such that it is difficult to provide accurate reporting from some parts of the world. PEC welcomes and supports this call.

The statement, issued on behalf of the representatives of Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) [Australia], British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) [United Kingdom], the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) [US], Deutsche Welle (DW) [Germany], France Médias Monde [FMM], Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) [Japan] and Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW), said:

“Increasing violence and intimidation against journalists means that the work of international broadcasters is being impeded. We are deeply concerned that in some parts of the world acts and threats of violence against journalists are growing in scale and intensity. This month, two journalists working for French broadcaster RFI, (part of FMM and signatories to this statement) have been killed in Mali. Elsewhere this year, six journalists have been killed in Egypt and eight in Syria. A further 12 have died in Somalia and Pakistan. In Mexico, two have died and in Yemen incidents of arrests, threats and violence have increased. A total around the world of over 60 journalists, bloggers and citizen journalists have been killed with around 340 imprisoned.*

"We are also concerned that the UNSC Resolution 1738 of 2006 (which reminds states that attacks on journalists as civilians in conflict situations may constitute a war crime, and that all states are under an obligation to investigate and prosecute such cases) has not led to an overall improvement in the situation. We welcome the Security Council debate of July 17 this year and note the statement of UN deputy secretary-general Jan Eliasson urging the SC to stand up against suppression of media freedom. However, we urge the Security Council to be more proactive in making the world aware of this problem – especially with regard to the impunity of those who attack journalists and media workers. In too many cases, journalists are killed and governments do little, or nothing.”

Journalistes tués: la PEC salue et soutient l'appel lancé par plusieurs médias audiovisuels internationaux demandant à l'ONU d'agir

 (AFP) Un groupe de sept grands médias audiovisuels internationaux, dont la BBC et France Médias Monde, a dénoncé vendredi une hausse des violences visant les journalistes en zones de conflit, appelant le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU à agir contre l'impunité.

Près de deux semaines après le meurtre de deux journalistes de Radio France Internationale (RFI) au Mali, ces organisations, regroupées sous le sigle DG7, ont exprimé "leur vive préoccupation face l'augmentation et l'aggravation des actes de violence et des menaces contre les journalistes dans plusieurs régions du monde".

"L'escalade de la violence et des intimidations envers les journalistes fait obstacle au travail des diffuseurs internationaux", ont souligné ces médias de radio et télévision, rappelant que cette année huit journalistes avaient été tués en Syrie et six en Egypte.

Selon Reporters sans Frontires (RSF), depuis le dbut 2013, 73 journalistes et blogueurs ont été tués, et 341 emprisonnés.

"Il arrive trop souvent que les gouvernements ne fassent rien ou presque lorsque des journalistes sont tués", dénonce également le DG7, appelant le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU à "être plus proactif pour sensibiliser le monde entier à ce problème, et notamment à l'impunité des auteurs d'attaques contre les journalistes et les travailleurs des médias".

Le groupe rappelle que le Conseil de sécurité a adopté en 2006 la résolution 1738 qui précise que les professionnels des médias ont un statut de civil dans un conflit armé et considère leur ciblage comme un crime de guerre. Mais les médias regrettent que ce texte "n'ait pas permis d'améliorer globalement la situation".

Outre la BBC et France Médias Monde, le DG7 comprend l'Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC, Australie), le Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG, Etats-Unis), la Deutsche Welle (DW, Allemagne), Nippon Hoso Kyokai - Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK, Japon) et Radio Netherlands Worldwide (RNW, Pays-Bas).

***05.11.2013. Journalists are not Terrorists - Urgent Appeal of Life Sentences Given to Turkish Journalists (EFJ/IFJ)

Journalists are not terrorists - this is the powerful message the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is sending to the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Stand Up for Journalism Day following the life sentences given to six Turkish journalists yesterday.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has joined the EFJ to demand an urgent appeal against the life sentences given to Füsun Erdoğan and five other journalists.

According to local media, ETHA, journalists Füsun Erdoğan, Ziya Ulusoy, Bayram Namaz , Arif Çelebi , Ibrahim Cicek and Sedat Şenoğlu were accused of being members of a Marxist organisation (MLKP) that is banned under Turkish anti-terror laws. Erdoğan was accused of being the leader of MLKP as she is the founder of the radio station Özgür Radyo which is critical of the government. On top of the life sentences, each journalist was also given extra punishments which mean that, in total, the life sentences amount to 3000 years.

"This is completely absurd. The verdict is a disgrace to the Turkish judicial system and an expression of the absolute power of the government. It further shows that the regime does not tolerate any criticism," said Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, EFJ President.

We demand an urgent appeal of the verdict,'' said Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. The international journalist community is saddened by the court decision that is misguided by political influence.''

"We share our solidarity with Erdoğan and the other journalists and will continue putting pressure on the Turkish government." added Mogens Blicher Bjerregård. "It may well be that Prime Minister Erdogan will not officially bow to the pressure. Nonetheless, the pressure from international journalist community and civil society organisations will reach new heights after this outrageous decision."

The IFJ/EFJ, together with their Turkish affiliate, the Turkish Union of Journalists (Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikasi TGS), is taking action today against the decision. The TGS, and the Freedom for Journalists Platform (FJP-GÖP), are taking part in a March for Justice now towards Taksim Square in Istanbul. The TGS has called upon all journalists, including those who are currently in prisons and their families, as well as all the press workers, writers, intellectuals, artists, lawyers, trade unionists, students, and citizens, to Stand Up For Journalism, and for press freedom in Turkey.

In the coming days, the EFJ, with its Turkish colleagues, will discuss ways to fight back. This treatment of critical journalists is a huge setback for the already heavily beleaguered freedom of the press in Turkey. The EFJ will pressure on European institutions to react to the situation.

For more information, please visit the observer report by the EFJ representative Esben Ørberg on 30 October: http://europe.ifj.org/en/articles/the-international-media-turns-the-spotlight-on-turkey. To know more about our on-going campaign, visit Set Journalist Free in Turkey campaign site.

***10.10.2013. Blaise Lempen: «Ne pas aller dans les zones de conflit, c'est renoncer à notre mission d'informer...» Propos recueillis à Genève par El Hadji Gorgui Wade Ndoye

Entretien publié par le journal du Sénégal Walfadjri (Dakar) et sur le site de l'Organisation de la francophonie: www.francophonie.ch

Lire l'entretien : http://www.francophonie.ch/nouvelle_detail_francophonu.php?pk_news=2382 ou ci-dessous:

Interview de Blaise Lempen réalisée par El Hadji Gorgui Wade Ndoye et publiée dans le quotidien Walfadjri à Dakar

MOTS CROISES AVEC…BLAISE LEMPEN

«Ne pas aller dans les zones de conflit, c'est renoncer à notre mission d'informer...»

(GENEVE-SUISSE) - La Presse emblème campagne (Pec) a dû intervenir plus que d'habitude depuis le début de l'année à cause
des violences subies par les journalistes. Membre fondateur du Pec, le journaliste-écrivain suisse Blaise Lempen tire un bilan noir
des atrocités subies par les journalistes, à travers le monde, dans l'exercice de leur fonction. 90 tués entre janvier et septembre de
cette année. En 2012, on comptait 141 tués ! Pourtant le Henri Dunant de la presse mondiale n'en démord pas, car pour lui,
soutient-il lors de cet entretien exclusif, la presse ne peut s'exclure de là où son rôle est le plus important. Il se bat au sein
des Nations Unies pour obtenir une Convention protectrice des journalistes.

Bilan alarmant

De janvier à fin septembre 2013, 90 journalistes ont été tués dans 26 pays. La Syrie occupe le haut du palmarès avec 13 tués suivie du
Pakistan 11, l'Inde et les Philippines sont ex-æquo avec 8, de même ex æquo l'Egypte et la Somalie occupent la 5ème place avec 7 tués.
Suivent, le Brésil, le Guatemala, le Mexique avec 4 tués . Deux journalistes sont tués dans ces pays : Colombie, Haiti, Irak, Kenya,
Paraguay et Russie. Chacun des pays suivants, enregistre un journaliste tué : Afghanistan, République Centrafricaine, Equateur,
Honduras, Libye, Nigeria, Ouganda, Pérou, République Démocratique du Congo, Tanzanie, Yemen.

A titre d'exemple, l'année dernière il y a eu 141 journalistes tués dans le monde, dont 34 en Syrie. Ce qui constitue un record absolu
depuis qu'on tient les statistiques. Evidemment en Syrie, il se passe une situation grave, un conflit très difficile à couvrir et beaucoup
d'acteurs sur le terrain ne respectent pas le droit international humanitaire. Actuellement, il y a plus d'une dizaine de journalistes
détenus et ou enlevés en Syrie dont deux Français depuis le mois de juin dernier, deux Américains depuis des mois. Il y a eu également un
journaliste Italien qui a été libéré et qui a révélé avoir subi de mauvais traitements lors de son détention par un groupe armé rebelle. Les
exactions contre les journalistes sont autant le fait des troupes gouvernementales que des rebelles. Ce fut le même cas en Irak ! On
sait par ailleurs que les rebelles détiennent des journalistes pour faire du chantage.

Et l'Afrique 
                        
Malgré certains progrès notés ici et là dans la protection des journalistes, notons quand même que la Somalie s'était classée
deuxième l'année dernière dans le palmarès des pays les plus dangereux pour un journaliste. Il y a eu beaucoup d'assassinats de
journalistes dans ce pays où nos confrères n'ont aucune garantie de sécurité. D'autres pays comme la République Démocratique du Congo
(Rdc), la Centrafrique, le Nigeria demeurent des pays difficiles pour l'exercice serein du journalisme. En Afrique du Nord, en Egypte, cinq
journalistes ont été tués lors des troubles. Un des journalistes proche pourtant du gouvernement a été tué alors qu'il était dans sa voiture.
Les militaires n'ont pas respecté les procédures d'identification d'usage. Par ailleurs, dans ce pays, on note actuellement une
répression très sévère à l'égard des journalistes qui étaient proches des Frères musulmans. La Pec a fait une intervention à ce sujet lors du
récent Conseil des Droits de l'Homme. Nous allons continuer notre travail de sensibilisation auprès des gouvernements et de tous les
acteurs concernés par la protection des journalistes que nous voulons voir se réaliser sur le terrain.

Protection des journalistes

Les cas de détention de journalistes, d'assassinats, d'emprisonnements arbitraires ont augmenté ces dernières années.
Cette situation est liée à l'évolution des conflits et en grand nombre aux soulèvements dans les pays arabes. Jamais depuis sa création en
2004, la Presse emblème campagne (Pec) n'avait eu autant à intervenir. Il n y a pas de convention spécifique sur la protection des
journalistes. Ces derniers sont protégés par le Droit international comme la Convention de Genève comme n'importe quel civil. Au vu de
la spécificité du travail de journaliste (prise de risque, témoignage sur les violations des droits humains etc.) qui requiert que le reporter soit
présent sur les lieux des conflits etc., nous pensons important que le Droit international s'enrichisse d’une Convention sur la sécurité du
personnel des médias en zones de conflit. Le journaliste a, comme vous le savez, un rôle prépondérant de rendre compte des violations
des droits de l'Homme souvent dans des contextes très dangereux.

Nous nous battons pour obtenir qu'une Convention internationale avec des mécanismes précis, d'enquêtes, de suivi de l'information, d'aide
pour les victimes soit consacrée à la protection des journalistes. La situation est grave et l'on ne peut décréter que la liberté d'expression
est la pierre angulaire de la démocratie en sacrifiant celles et ceux dont le métier est basé sur ce droit !Les kidnappings ont augmentéLe phénomène des kidnappings ou d'enlèvement des journalistes a fortement augmenté ces dernières années. On peut se dire, on n'abandonne, on ne fait plus rien, c'est trop difficile de couvrir des zones de guerre etc. Mais cette attitude là n'est pas celle d'un journaliste : Ne pas y aller, c'est renoncer à notre mission d'informer, car c'est justement là où se déroulent les pires exactions, nous sommes utiles, car notre présence permet de documenter ces
violations.

Avancée

Avec le travail de la Pec et d'autres organisations journalistiques, des Etats sont de plus en plus conscients de la nécessité d'avoir une
Convention protectrice du métier de journaliste. A cet effet, à New York, le Conseil de sécurité de l'Onu, a organisé, en juillet dernier, un débat
sur la protection des journalistes. Le Conseil des droits de l'homme, qui siège à Genève, a adopté, pour sa part, une résolution. En outre, le
Conseil a décidé d'organiser un panel sur la protection des journalistes.

Notons par ailleurs que pour la première fois, il y a eu un rapport du Haut Commissariat aux Droits de l'Homme sur la protection des
journalistes qui a identifié les bonnes pratiques des Etats dans ce domaine. Grâce donc à la mobilisation de la société civile, les Ong, les
associations de journalistes, les Etats sont conscientisés à cause de la gravité même de la situation.

Réaction à propos de l'hommage rendu aux journalistes par l'Ambassadrice américaine Mme Donahoe

Nous accueillons positivement cette déclaration de Mme Donahoe très présente au Conseil des Droits de l'Homme. C'est vrai que les
Etats-Unis sont les champions de la liberté d'expression dans le monde. Ceci dit, c'est aussi un pays qui a deux visages. On connait
aussi les Etats-Unis d'être à l'origine de la tentative de fermeture de wikileaks, il y a aussi le cas de Snowden et des journalistes qui ont
voulu publier ses documents. Il y a toujours une ambiguïté mais nous sommes très contents pour les propos tenus par la diplomate
américaine , car les Etats-Unis sont du côté de la liberté de la presse et pour sa défense dans le monde. On aimerait que cette position soit
plus concrète.

Propos recueillis à Genève
par El Hadji Gorgui Wade NDOYE

(ContinentPremier.Com)

***10.10.2013. IFJ/EFJ Condemn Continued Detention of Journalists in Russia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have reiterated their call for the immediate release of the journalists who were on the Greenpeace ship that was seized by Russian authorities.

British journalists Kieron Bryan and Phil Ball, and Russian journalist Denis Sinyakov, were among 30 people on board the Greenpeace ship who were detained by Russian authorities on September 19 for allegedly trying to board a Gazprom Oil Platform in a protest against oil drilling in the Artic.

According to media reports, a court in the Russian city of Murmansk has ordered that freelance video producer Bryan be charged with piracy, a charge that carries a maximum prison sentence of up to 15 years, while photographers Ball and Sinyakov have been placed in preventative custody for two months. A bail appeal for Sinyakov has already been denied, while the appeals for the British journalists are currently pending.

It has been reported that some of those being detained are being kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, while others are held in "extremely cold" cells.

"The decision of the Russian court to detain these men and charge them with piracy is simply absurd," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. "They are journalists and were doing their jobs. The court's ruling violates press freedom and freedom of expression and we call on the authorities in Russia to drop the charges and release the journalists immediately."

A petition demanding the immediate release of Sinyakov has been signed by a number of IFJ affiliates and fully backed by the IFJ. The appeal has been signed by the Russian Union of Journalists, Journalists' Trade Union of Azerbaijan, the Journalists' Union of Armenia, the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the Independent Asssociation of Georgian Journalists and the Journalists' Union of Moldova.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) for the UK and Ireland, has also condemned the decisions and called on the Russian authorities to release the journalists immediately.

"To accuse these journalists of the criminal act of "piracy" when they were simply doing their job as journalists is deeply worrying," said EFJ president Mogens Blicher Bjerregrd. "If Russia's Constitutional guarantees to protect freedom of expression have any foundation then both journalists must be released immediately."

***26.09.2013. US dilemma: Who is a journalist?

The Free Flow of Information Act of 2013, if passed by the US Senate, will be the first Federal Shield Law. Critics feel it divides journalists into two classes: traditional newsroom journalists, and freelancers, bloggers and citizen journalists. EUGENE CORREIA explains.

Read on: http://www.thehoot.org/web/US-dilemma--Who-is-a-journalist-/7054-1-1-7-true.html

***25.09.2013. Uzbekistan: Journalist Forcibly ‘Disappeared’ (HRW)
Detention Appears to be Retaliation for Independent Journalism

(New York, September 24, 2013) – Uzbek authorities should immediately disclose the fate and whereabouts of Sergei Naumov, an independent journalist who disappeared after being detained by the authorities on September 21, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should afford him full due process rights if he is in detention. The case of Sergei Naumov, who was last heard from in police custody on September 21, highlights the Uzbek government’s continuing crackdown on independent journalists and peaceful civil society activists, and its attempts to stifle independent monitoring.

“The brutal practice of ‘disappearing’ government critics is a terrible blight on Uzbekistan’s already abysmal human rights record,” said Steve Swerdlow, Central Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The enforced disappearance of an independent journalist is going to cause the criticism to swell, not to stop.”

Uzbek authorities should immediately reveal Naumov’s whereabouts and, if he’s still in custody, either release him or bring formal charges against him, Human Rights Watch said.

Naumov, 50, is an award-winning independent journalist and a contributor to several independent media outlets, including the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), Fergana.ru, and Jarayon.com. Based in Urgench in northwestern Uzbekistan, Naumov is known for his willingness to address politically sensitive issues in his work. He has collaborated closely with human rights activists on a number of multimedia projects.

In the days preceding his disappearance, Naumov had been shooting video footage in local cotton fields about the government’s practice of forcing over a million children and adults to pick cotton during the annual harvest, from mid-September to early November. Representatives of the International Labour Organization (ILO) are currently in Uzbekistan to monitor its compliance with ILO conventions banning the use of child labor.

Witnesses told activists that police officers from the Urgench police station came to Naumov’s home on September 21, claiming they had been sent in response to an allegation that Naumov had stolen a gold necklace from an unnamed woman and telling Naumov that he could face up to seven years in prison for theft. At around 7 p.m., Naumov sent a text message to a colleague at the IWPR to say that he was at the local police station and that, “I have a problem.” All subsequent attempts to reach him on his cell phone have been unsuccessful. Over the past three days, local rights activists have visited police stations and the offices of the prosecutor-general and security services in his home region to determine his whereabouts. All officials have denied that they had arrested him or were holding him.

Under international law, authorities commit an enforced disappearance when they refuse to acknowledge holding someone in custody or conceal the person’s fate or whereabouts, thereby placing them outside the protection of the law. “Disappearances” increase the likelihood of torture or other ill-treatment, Human Rights Watch said.

Naumov’s close colleagues told Human Rights Watch they fear that Naumov, like many independent journalists and human rights defenders, has been detained to prevent him from carrying out his journalistic work, in his case specifically during the cotton harvest when ILO monitors are present in the country.

His colleagues also told Human Rights Watch that security services had warned him in recent months to stop his independent reporting. Naumov was most recently detained for an interrogation on August 30 when returning from Nukus, Karakalpakstan, where he had been reporting on one family’s protest of their forced eviction from their home.

“Sergei Naumov’s detention bears all the hallmarks of an illegal, enforced disappearance and appears aimed at silencing his independent reporting,” Swerdlow said.

Well over a dozen human rights defenders and numerous independent journalists and opposition activists are in prison in Uzbekistan in retaliation for their work or criticism of the government. Many activists are in serious ill-health and have been tortured in pretrial custody or in prison.

Naumov’s case is part of a pattern in which Uzbek authorities hold government critics in unacknowledged custody. In June, security services detained Hasan Choriev, father of the leader of the peaceful political opposition party Birdamlik (“Solidarity”) at his home and held him in unacknowledged custody for several weeks.

In September 2012, during the peak of the cotton harvest, authorities beat and held in unacknowledged custody Uktam Pardaev, a rights activist well known for reporting on police abuses, torture, and forced labor. After his release 15 days later, Pardaev told Human Rights Watch he believed he was arrested to prevent him from monitoring the rights of the children and adults forced to carry out the harvest.

Uzbek authorities should grant Naumov immediate access to independent counsel and allow him to contact close relatives and friends.

“Uzbekistan’s international partners, including the United States and the European Union, are by now extremely familiar with the Uzbek government’s pattern of stamping out independent journalism and human rights monitoring,” Swerdlow said. “The question now is how forcefully they will choose to condition their relationships with Tashkent on Uzbekistan immediately ending these egregious abuses.”

For more Human Rights Watch reporting on Uzbekistan, please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/en/europecentral-asia/uzbekistan

***25.09.2013. SYRIA. IFJ/EFJ Appeal to Syrian Free Army to Help Secure Release of Spanish Journalist

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have appealed to the Syrian Free Army to make every effort to secure the release of Spanish journalist Marc Marginedas who has now been missing in the country for nearly three weeks.

According to media reports, Marginedas, a special correspondent for the Spanish newspaper El Periodico, was kidnapped by a rebel group on the outskirts of the city of Hama in the west of Syria on 4 September, the last day that he made contact with his editors. A report in El Periodico said that the journalist was travelling by car with a driver when he was stopped and kidnapped by jihadist fighters.

"We strongly condemn the kidnapping of our Spanish colleague Marc Marginedas, a veteran of journalism who has covered conflicts all over the world over the past decade, from the former countries of the Soviet Union to the Algerian civil war," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha.

"We ask the Syrian Free Army, who may potentially have information about Marginedas' kidnappers or where he is being held, to do everything in their power to help ensure his release."

El Periodico has stated that it has not been able to contact Marginedas since his abduction, who was on his third trip to Syria since the conflict began in March 2011. The newspaper said the journalist had entered Syria on September 1 from southern Turkey "accompanied by members of the opposition Syrian Free Army" and that no Syrian opposition group has claimed to be holding him.

The Spanish Press Federations of Journalists Associations (FAPE) and the Federation of Spanish Journalists Unions (FeSP), both affiliated to the IFJ and to the EFJ, have spoken of the high regard and respect for Marginedas, highlighting the prizes and professional recognition he has gained for his journalist work.

FeSP called a gathering of journalists yesterday, Tuesday 25, at 5pm in Barcelona, in front of the El Periódico newspaper to call for Marginedas' immediate release. Hundreds of journalists showed their support and the plan is to repeat the gathering every Tuesday until the journalist is freed.

"We ask the Syrian Free Army to help secure the release of our colleague Marc Marginedas and we call on all sides involved in the war in Syria to cease the targeting of journalists, to respect media freedom and to immediately release all journalists currently under detention," said EFJ President Mogens Blicher-Bjerregård.

Earlier this month kidnapped Italian reporter Domenico Quirico was freed after five months in captivity in Syria, but a number of journalists are still missing. Polish photographer, Marcin Suder, French journalists Didier Francois and Edouard Elias and a number of Syrian television journalists have been kidnapped, while American journalists Austin Tice and James Foley have been missing for over a year and ten months respectively.

***26.08.2013. Global survey on violence against female journalists launched

The International News Safety Institute (INSI) has launched a global survey on violence against women journalists in collaboration with UNESCO as part of promotion of the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. All news media workers, and particularly women journalists, are invited to participate in the survey, which will run until 20 September 2013.

The survey is supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs and was created together with the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF). It is aimed at looking into the global situation of female journalists and the nature of the dangers they face in connection with their work.

“In many parts of the world, women are threatened and attacked for the work they do – work which, in some cultures and countries, challenges gender stereotypes,” said Hannah Storm, Director of INSI.

According to her, these attacks take the form in sexual assaults, rapes, cyber-bullying, emotional harassment and threats against their loved ones. “Sadly, many of these crimes are not reported as a result of powerful cultural and professional stigmas,” she added.

The findings of the survey will serve as the basis for INSI to work further with field experts, which will be followed by a series of recommendations to increase the safety of women journalists.

This survey will allow news producers to confidentially share the experiences of women journalists, in order to get a real sense of the dangers and threats they face in their day-to-day work, and work to find ways to make the situation safer for them and their families.

The survey itself will contribute to the “UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity” which is based a multi-stakeholder approach to create a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers, both in conflict and non-conflict situations.

The survey also complements INSI’s on-going efforts in the issue of safety of journalists, acknowledging that danger also spans all genders. Prior to this survey, INSI has published a publication titled ‘No Woman’s Land – On the Frontlines with Female Reporters’ and has kicked off with a safety training programme specifically aimed at female media workers in various parts of the world. Women working in the news media are especially invited to participate in this survey, although men with information to add are also welcome.

The survey can be accessed here.

***06.08.2013. TURKEY. Ergenekon Trial: Severe Sentences for Turkish Journalists Violate Freedom of Media, say IFJ/EFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have expressed their outrage at the heavy sentences handed out yesterday to 22 journalists involved in the Ergenekon trial in Turkey, stating that the decision is a direct attack on press freedom in the country.

A number of journalists were given lengthy prison sentences at the special trial hearing in Istanbul, ranging from six years to life imprisonment.

Among them was daily newspaper Cumhuriyet journalist Mustafay Balbay, whose case has been ‘adopted' by EFJ affiliate the Finnish Union of Journalists (UJF). Balbay, who has been in prison since September 2008, was given a sentence of 34 years and eight months. Journalist, politician and former Biz TV owner Tuncay Özkan, who helped organise a series of anti-government protests in 2007 and has been supported by EFJ affiliate the Norwegian Union of Journalists (NJ), was given the most severe sentence of life in solitary confinement, without the possibility of a pardon.

"Two weeks ago the Turkish Platform for Freedom of Journalists gathered in Istanbul for the second Congress devoted to journalists' rights and freedom, calling for the release of 64 (now 63) jailed Turkish journalists and hoping the international campaign for the freedom of journalists in Turkey, initiated by the EFJ, would finally be heard," said EFJ Vice President Nadezda Azhgikhina.

"The news about the fresh convictions of Turkish media professionals yesterday was a huge disappointment. We are deeply alarmed and angry at the severe and unprecedented sentences handed out to many of our colleagues in Turkey, a decision which immeasurably undermines the right to freedom of media and free expression in the country."

The court has jailed the journalists because it says they were involved in the so-called Ergenekon plot, a conspiracy allegedly aimed at toppling the government led by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP). Defendants faced charges ranging from membership of Ergenekon, an alleged underground terrorist network, to illegally possessing weapons and instigating an armed uprising against the AKP.

Dunja Mijatovic, Representative on Freedom of the Media, for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), has stated that the severe sentences violate free expression in Turkey and "the country's commitments to develop and protect free media."

The IFJ/EFJ have called on EU institutions to criticise Turkish authorities for the rulings and will be sending them letters calling for action to be taken.

"Throughout the process we warned that this has become a politically motivated trial," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. "There were so many violations of legal procedure and rights well documented by independent observers, that its credibility came into question. Such long jail terms for journalists who have already spent years in arbitrary preventive detention are unacceptable, and these heavy verdicts confirm the absence of rule of law."

The EFJ has repeatedly called on authorities in Turkey to free the journalists in the Ergenekon court hearing (10.05.13), expressing its concern at the fairness of the trials (12.12.12), and sending delegates (22.11.11) to observe trials, meet with families of the jailed journalists and press the authorities for their release.

***02.08.2013. SYRIA. Franco-US photographer released from captivity

A Franco-American photographer freed from captivity in Syria last week was kidnapped by a "Syrian militia" and held for 81 days, his photo agency Polaris Images said.

Jonathan Alpeyrie, who arrived safely in Paris this week, was kidnapped on April 29 in the town of Yabrud, 75 kilometres (47 miles) north of Damascus, the New-York based agency said.

Alpeyrie had been covering air strikes and shelling of the town by the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for 10 days before the militia took him to an unknown location, they added.

"He was abducted on April 29 by a Syrian militia," Polaris said in a statement. "On July 20, after 81 days in captivity, Alpeyrie was released, driven to Lebanon, and he finally arrived in Paris this week".

"His family, friends and colleagues are relieved by the happy ending to this ordeal," added Polaris.

All the photographer's equipment was taken from him by his kidnappers, the agency added.

Polaris did not specify whether Alpeyrie's kidnappers were a rebel contingent or one of Syria's feared groups of Shabiha, armed civilians loyal to Assad acting in parallel to the regular army.

French foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot confirmed Alpeyrie's release on Friday but refused to give any information on where he was held, who had detained him and how he was freed.

While some kidnappings and detentions are made public, others are kept under wraps by the family, employer and by governments in a bid to facilitate any potential release, as was the case for Alpeyrie.

Lalliot said it is France's policy to refuse any comment about hostage cases even after their release.

***17.07.2013. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) WELCOMES THE OPEN DEBATE AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL IN NEW YORK ON THE PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS TO ENHANCE THE RESOLUTION 1738 ADOPTED ON 23 DECEMBER 2006 - however the PEC regrets the absence of concrete decisions at the end of the debate - speeches are not enough to improve access and fight impunity (read below the UN press release and some statements)

UN DEPUTY CHIEF, VETERAN JOURNALISTS URGE SECURITY COUNCIL TO DO MORE TO PROTECT REPORTERS (UN press release)

New York, Jul 17 2013 3:00PM
With journalists working in dangerous corners of the world being thrown in prison or murdered in record numbers, the Deputy Secretary-General joined veteran reporters today urging the United Nations Security Council to stand up against all acts to suppress media freedom wherever and whenever they occur.

"When journalists are killed, information about threats to international peace and security is often buried," Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the Council in a special meeting devoted to the protection of journalists in armed conflict. He added that the 15-member body may wish to consider the targeting of journalists and other threats to freedom of expression when addressing situations on its agenda.

Every time a journalist is killed or intimidated into silence, "there is one less voice to speak on behalf of the victims of conflict, crime and human rights abusesone less observer of efforts to uphold rights and ensure human dignity," said Mr. Eliasson.

Today's meeting is the first time the Council specifically considers the issue of protection of journalists in armed conflict since it adopted resolution 1738 on the issue in 2006, and the first time four international journalists directly address the UN body.

Those providing often chilling accounts of the dangers they and their colleagues faced in the field included Kathleen Carroll, Associated Press executive editor and vice chair of the board of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Richard Engel of NBC News, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad from the Guardian, and Mustafa Haji Abdinur of AFP, a self-taught reporter working in Somalia, who told the Council sombrely: "I'm here simply because I'm lucky; because the gunmen who have killed so many of my friends have not yet found me. Still, it's not a matter of if, but when."

Mr. Eliasson said that in the past decade, more than 600 journalists have been killed, the majority local journalists and media staff often reporting on corruption and other illegal activities. It is "shocking and unacceptable" that more than 90 per cent of the assassinations on journalists go unpunished, he noted, urging that "the least we can do when a journalist is murdered, is to ensure that the death is investigated swiftly and justice is served."

The UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issues of Impunity aims to create a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers, both in conflict and non-conflict situations, as a prerequisite for freedom of expression and democracy. The Plan was approved in April 2012 by the UN Chief Executives Board and led by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

A multi-dimensional, multi-actor approach, the Plan requires cooperation from Governments -- particularly through Ministries of Information, academia, as well as media houses and civil society to conduct awareness about threats to journalists.

Mr. Eliasson encouraged all UN entities to submit information which could contribute to journalists' greater safety.

Stressing the importance of freedom of expression, Mr. Eliasson highlighted that the fundamental human right at the heart of journalistic work is in the report of the Secretary-General's High Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The report aimed to outline a new framework building on the eight anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

In her remarks, Ms. Carroll stressed that journalists represent the ordinary citizen. "An attack on a journalist is a proxy for an attack on the people, an attack on their right to information about their communities and their institutions."

Citing CPJ figures, she noted that 5 in 6 murdered journalists are killed in their own hometowns covering local stories, often related to crime and corruption, and that 90 per cent of the cases go unpunished.

Mr. Engel argued that protecting journalists is harder than ever because of the blurred delineation between who is a journalist and an activist.

"If the discussion today is about protection journalists, you have to decide who gets protection? Who deserves it? And who forfeits it," Mr. Engel asked, noting that professional journalists for State and private media, as well as freelancers who join rebel groups and carry guns, are often lumped in the same category.

"We're all troublemakers," Mr. Engel said stressing how journalists are perceived by Governments. "The guild of professionals isn't recognized anymore. It should be. Just like you in the diplomatic community need protection to be objective. If you want professionals who are also objective we need protection as well."

Saying that war-time reporters were often referred to as "dead men walking", Mr. Abdinur said that scores of journalists had been killed covering the decades-long conflict in Somalia. He longed for the day when the perpetrators of such crimes were prosecuted and punished, as the vast majority of perpetrators today continued to kill with impunity.

"When a journalist is killed, the news dies too," he said. The question today was, how long could that bravery continue? Indeed, "we are few remaining." The Council's discussion today would play an important role in answering that question, and in helping to encourage States to support journalist. In the meantime, the work of telling the truth would continue. "We will not fail the dream, we will never be discouraged."

For his part, Mr. Abdul-Ahad echoed many of the same sentiments, saying there is a sense of immunity for all those who captured journalists; they were never questioned and they never paid for it. That created a sense that professional journalists were "asking" for trouble just by being on a particular scene. "But we have to be there; we are telling the story," he said.

"We would happily be sitting in our countries and writing from our desks," he said, but by covering conflicts today, journalists became part of them. When he had been detained in Afghanistan and Libya, certain groups helped with his release, but other reporters had been left behind. Professional journalists were part of a community of informers who deserved protection. If the Security Council could do more to recognize journalists as a part of a "humanitarian effort to tell a story", perhaps the 15-member body could foster their protection, he suggested.
Jul 17 2013 3:00PM

Statement of the UNITED STATES. Remarks by Ambassador Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations, At a Security Council Open Debate on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: Protection of Journalists

Thank you, Deputy Secretary-General Eliasson, for your briefing and for your support to this issue. We also greatly appreciate the remarks of our four briefers, who have made a compelling case for the challenges and risks journalists face, and their experiences demonstrate the indispensable role that journalists play in focusing the world's attention on conflict. This is why the United States has convened today's open debate on protecting journalists.

Journalists are literally our eyes and ears in every corner of the world. They sound the warning when local tensions threaten to erupt into war. They document the suffering of civilians in conflict areas. And they expose human rights violations and war crimes. Journalists are critical to this Council's ability to remain well informed so that it may fulfill its mandate to maintain international peace and security.

Reporting from the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s brought attention to mass atrocities there and helped mobilize the international community's response, including support for a war crimes tribunal. More recently, this Council relied on videos, photos, and the reported accounts of citizens to understand the events taking place in Libya in 2011. This real-time reporting gave us the information necessary to act quickly to prevent even more horrific violence by the Qadhafi regime.

Tragically, this work is not without sacrifice, as the case of journalist Mohammed "Mo" Nabbous and his wife Samra Naas demonstrated. When a sniper killed Mo while he was broadcasting live during Qadhafi's assault on Benghazi, Samra, pregnant with their first child, took his place, declaring, "What he has started has got to go on, no matter what happens."

In Syria, the Assad regime continues to kill, imprison, and torture journalists. Mazen Darwish, head of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression-the only Syrian-based non-governmental organization accredited to the United Nations-has been held incommunicado since February 2012 and was reportedly tortured by the Assad regime. His so-called crime, like so many of his colleagues, was exercising his universal right to freedom of expression to show the world the regime's atrocities.

As others have noted, Resolution 1738 reminds us that journalists operating in armed conflict are protected under international humanitarian law. Given the invaluable contribution of journalists to our work, this Council must do all it can to ensure their protection. Therefore, we ask the Secretary-General to increase his focus on the safety and security of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel in his reports on the protection of civilians and in his reports on peacekeeping missions whose mandates include civilian protection. Furthermore, we urge Member States-especially those who contribute troops and police to UN peacekeeping missions-to ensure that their judicial officials, law enforcement officers, and military personnel know their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law regarding the safety of journalists.

Impunity for violence against journalists must end. The United States endorses fully the 2012 UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity. We encourage Member States to enact its provisions and put in place voluntary protection programs for journalists operating in conflict areas. We also underscore the specific risks faced by women journalists, including sexual and gender-based violence. A gender-sensitive approach is needed when considering measures to address the safety of journalists.

New and emerging forms of 21st century communication technology, including various Internet fora, blogging, texting, and other social media platforms have transformed the way journalists, including citizen journalists, work. These new forms of communication have allowed wider and more rapid dissemination of information from conflicts across the globe. We call on all Member States to maintain and safeguard the infrastructure that enables the work of journalists in situations of conflict.

In conclusion, recognizing the value of the work of journalists reporting on conflict, this Council has an obligation to help protect those who provide us with so much vital information. We thank journalists around the world who risk their lives to seek the truth and shine light on the darkness for the entire world to see. The Security Council could not do its job without you. We thank you.

Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by H.E. Thomas Mayr-Harting, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the Security Council Open Debate on Protection of Journalists in Conflict

I have the honour of speaking on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries Turkey, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, Montenegro* and Serbia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, Armenia and Georgia, align themselves with this statement.

We thank the Presidency for bringing this issue back to the Council after the landmark Resolution 1738 (2006). Let me also thank Deputy Secretary General Eliasson for his briefing and the journalists for their testimonies.

2012 saw the highest number of journalists killed while carrying out their vital task and the first part of 2013 is worrying. This obliges the international community to reflect on how to best protect journalists in conflict, and on how to better use the array of existing legal and political means to this end. This debate should serve as a reminder of the increasingly heavy price paid for information.

We are deeply concerned about the worrying trend of increased violence against journalists, including bloggers, and journalistic sources both in conflict and non-conflict situations, including by non-State actors. This violence includes torture, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention, harassment as well as killings of journalists and media workers. We are also alarmed by the restrictions to press freedom and to the use of the Internet and the increasing level of intimidation, violence and censorship that journalists, including bloggers face in many countries. At the same time we should also remember that female journalists are more often subject to harassment and sexual violence. We have repeatedly condemned these trends which must be urgently addressed.

A free, independent and vibrant press is a cornerstone of any democratic society. Freedom of opinion and expression is a fundamental right, and an inherent part of human dignity. It is also enshrined in many international and regional human rights instruments.

Freedom of expression also extends to the Internet and any other media. The EU is firmly opposed to any unjustified or disproportional restrictions of access to or its use. The European Union is developing Guidelines on Freedom of Expression, online and offline, including the protection journalists, including bloggers, in order to react coherently and efficiently to violations of the right to freedom of expression.

The EU is determined to continue standing up for press freedom worldwide. We call on all governments to promote a safe and enabling environment for journalists to perform their work independently, without undue interference and without fear of censorship, persecution or prosecution. We also call on States to ensure accountability, by investigating attacks against journalists, including bloggers, bringing perpetrators to justice and providing adequate remedies for victims. We look forward to the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on good practices regarding the protection of journalists, the prevention of attacks, and the fight against impunity for attacks committed against journalists. Ending impunity is a very effective measure to guarantee the safety of journalists in the long term.

We call upon all governments to respect the freedoms and rights of journalists and protect them especially in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict and call on all parties to armed conflict to respect their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols thereto. We further call on all parties to conflict to allow, within the framework of applicable rules and procedures, media access and coverage in situations of international and non-international armed conflict.

In this context we wish to recall the Presidential Statement of the Security Council of February 2013, which clearly states that journalists, media professionals and associated personnel engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians and shall be respected and protected as such. We encourage the Secretary-General to continue including the issue of protection of journalists in armed conflicts in his report on protection of civilians. We also encourage the Security Council to address the protection of journalists in situations of armed conflict, including through public statements, reporting requirements for peacekeeping missions or the secretariat and strengthening of mandates.

It is also important to underline the work of the Human Rights Council, which last September adopted a resolution on the safety of journalists, as well as that of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNESCO in protecting Freedom of expression and safety of Journalists. The UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity a work led by UNESCO, aiming at greater cooperation between UN organizations, is a key document in this debate.

We pay tribute to civil society organisations and journalist networks for their work, highlighting and exposing killings, detention and attacks on journalists and press premises. The EU lends its support to civil society organisations to increase the professional capacities of journalists, provide urgent protection and promote freedom of expression in law and in practice.

Let me finish by expressing the European Union's tribute to and support for all those who fight for the respect of freedom of expression and for free, pluralistic press and other media. The creation of a free and safe environment for journalists will undoubtedly strengthen peace, democracy and development worldwide.

Swiss statement - déclaration de la Suisse

Conseil de sécurité
Débat public sur

Protection des civils en période de conflit armé : protection des journalistes

Protection of civilians in armed conflict: protection of journalists

New York, le 17 juillet 2013

Déclaration de S.E. Paul Seger, Représentant permanentde la Suisse

Madame la Présidente,

Récemment, j’ai accordé un entretien au journaliste suisse Patrick Vallélian ; cet entretien n’aurait pas pu avoir lieu si le journaliste en question n’avait pas eu énormément de chance. Il a en effet survécu miraculeusement à un incident à Homs l’année passée. Si l’on en croit son récit, cet incident comportait tous les traits d’un piège. Son collègue français, Gilles Jacquier, en revanche, a été tué dans le même incident.

Ce n’est ici qu’un exemple parmi tant d’autres qui démontrent que, dans toutes les régions du monde, les journalistes sont confrontés à des menaces, des agressions, des enlèvements, des disparitions, voire des meurtres. Au niveau mondial, on constate une augmentation du nombre de meurtres et de détentions de journalistes au cours des dernières années. La Suisse rappelle que les journalistes accomplissant des missions professionnelles dangereuses dans des zones en proie à des conflits armés sont des civils, et qu’ils ne doivent donc pas être pris pour cibles, à moins qu'ils ne participent directement aux hostilités. Nous tenons aussi à rappeler la résolution S/RES/1738 (2006) du Conseil de sécurité, qui appelle les Etats à prévenir les attaques contre les journalistes et souligne l'importance des instruments juridiques de protection comme les Protocoles additionnels aux Conventions de Genève.

L'impunité, qui est souvent un corollaire de la portée politique du travail des journalistes, peut être considérée comme l'une des principales causes des attaques répétées dont ils sont victimes. Or, les médias ne peuvent être libres si les journalistes sont délibérément pris pour cibles, ou si leurs agresseurs restent impunis.

C’est pour cette raison que je remercie les Etats-Unis d'avoir organisé ce débat. Sans liberté d'opinion et d'expression, il ne peut y avoir de démocratie ni de bonne gouvernance. De plus, lors de conflits armés, la communauté internationale doit disposer d'informations fiables et indépendantes si elle veut être en mesure de remplir son rôle. Le travail des journalistes peut par exemple contribuer de manière significative à recueillir des informations sur des violations du droit international. Ainsi, les représentants des médias jouent un rôle non négligeable dans la prévention de telles violations et participent à la lutte contre l'impunité de leurs auteurs.

Tant que les journalistes continueront d'être harcelés ou même tués en raison de leur travail, la liberté des médias ne restera qu’un vain mot. Non seulement les journalistes ont le droit d’être protégés, mais les violences contre eux doivent faire l’objet d'une enquête rapide, impartiale et efficace.

Je vous remercie.

Unofficial translation


Madam President,

I have recently been interviewed by Swiss journalist Patrick Vallélian. The interview would not have taken place if the journalist in question had not been extremely lucky. Indeed, he miraculously survived an incident in Homs last year. His accounts show that the incident was nothing less than a trap. Gilles Jacquier, his French colleague, was killed in the same incident. 
 
This is but one example that demonstrates that around the world, journalists face threats, assaults, abductions, disappearances and even death. A worldwide increase in murders and imprisonment of journalists has been noted within the last years. Switzerland recalls that journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict are civilians and shall not be the object of attacks, unless and for such time as they are directly participating in hostilities. I should also like to recall the importance of S/RES/1738 (2006), which calls on States to prevent attacks on journalists and recalls the importance of protective legal instruments such as the additional protocols to the Geneva Conventions.
 
Impunity, often a by-product of the political impact of journalistic activities, is seen as the major cause of continuous attacks on journalists. And, if journalists are deliberately targeted, or if those who attack them go unpunished, the media cannot be free. 
 
This is why I thank the United States for organizing this debate. Freedom of opinion and expression is an indispensable component for democracy and good governance. Moreover, in situations of armed conflict, reliable and independent information is essential for the international community to play its role. The work of journalists can for instance make an important contribution to the recording of information on violations of international law. Hence, journalists assist in preventing violations of international law as well as facilitating the fight against impunity for such violations.
 
Freedom of the media will remain nothing but an empty promise as long as journalists continue to be harassed or even killed because of their work. Not only do journalists have the right to be protected, but the conduct of investigations into crimes of violence against them must also be conducted promptly, impartially and effectively. 
 
Thank you.

***JUNE 2013. SIGNS OF HOPE IN IRAN FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) CALLS ON IRAN NEW PRESIDENT HASSAN ROHANI TO LIFT CENSORSHIP, STOP BLOCKING WEBSITES AND TO RELEASE ALL JOURNALISTS DETAINED

Press Freedom Should Be Key Indicator of Democratic Change in Iran

The election of President Hassan Rohani in Iran provides a window of opportunity for democratic change, a round table discussion hosted by the European Parliament June 25 concluded.

The event, jointly organised by the Tarja Cronberg MEP and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), brought together members of the European Parliament, IFJ leaders, Iranian journalists and writers.

"There is a window of opportunity for change in Iran," said Ms Cronberg, Chair of the European Parliament delegation on Iran, who moderated the discussion. "On the eve of the election, candidate Rohani promised to release all political prisoners."

IFJ President, Jim Boumelha, described the President-elect as a man the international community can do business with, on the basis of his inside knowledge of Iranian politics. He held senior positions in the government and served as Iran's chief negotiator in the nuclear talks.

However, Boumelha cautioned against high expectations on what President Hassan can achieve for press freedom in the immediate future.

"The excitement over his election must be tempered with the expectation that he will want to tread carefully so as not to antagonize the hardliners in Iran," said Boumelha.

In the meantime, he said that the IFJ will continue campaigning for independent media, in solidarity with its affiliate in the country, the Association of Iranian Journalists (AoIJ), which was shut down in the wake of the clampdown on media in 2009.

Iranian journalists agreed that change may take time and called for European governments maintain pressure on Iranian authorities and demand genuine independence of media.

"President Rohani carries the hopes of Iranian people but it is too soon to tell what will happen," added Ali Mazrooei, AoIJ President. "But the situation of journalists remains bleak. At least 40 journalists are still in jail and there is no free flow of information. Very few newspapers are independent."

IFJ General Secretary, Beth Costa, said that Iranian journalists deserve global solidarity in their struggle for a free press.

"In this regard, the IFJ World Congress, which took place in Dublin from 4 - 7 June, adopted an urgent motion supporting Iranian journalists and calling for the release of all journalists and the AoIJ offices as well as a new chapter in relations between media and the government," she said.

Iran's track record on workers' rights also came under severe criticism. Stephen Benedict, Director of Human and Trade Union Rights of ITUC, accused Iran of continuously violating the rights of trade unionists, writers and journalists. These include poor working conditions, denial of licences for publications, retribution from officials and unpaid work. He also cited cases brought against Iran by the ITUC to the Committee on Freedom of Association which found on many occasions Iran to be in breach of the workers' right to organise and bargain for collective agreements.

"The only answer is more intense solidarity and focused denunciations of workers' rights violations," said Mr Benedict.

***JUNE 2013. IRAN. The PEC joined the International Federation of Journalists' call on Iran’s President – elect Hassan Rohani to make good on the promises he made after clinching the presidency in last week’ s poll.

At his first press conference on Monday June 17, President-elect Rohani was asked about the closure of the office of the Association of Iranian Journalists ( AoIJ), an IFJ affiliate. He replied that “guilds and associations are the best ways to run social affairs of the society.”

The IFJ reacted by writing to the new leader, welcoming his new approach to civil liberties , especially journalists’ rights.

“We welcome your response regarding the Association of Iranian Journalists closed down since 2009,” said the letter signed by IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “Your view has been applauded throughout the global community of journalists worldwide.”

The IFJ reminded him of missed opportunities in the past when all appeals to the Iranian authorities for an end to violations of journalists’ rights, including intimidation of journalists and their families, censorship as well as the blocking of websites and bans on reporting issues of public interest, fell on deaf ears.

In particular, the Federation referred to the situation of dozens of journalists who languish in Iranian prisons where they are subjected to inhuman treatment ranging from flogging, solitary confinement and denial of hospital and family visits.

The IFJ expressed its hopes that the President-elect’s public declarations signal a change from the hostile attitude against independent media of the outgoing administration.

“Your words of ‘new opportunities ‘and ‘constructive interaction’ and your emphasis on ‘Iranian people bringing back throughout their turnout and participation’ ring true,” added Boumelha. “However, they will have a fuller meaning if you re-open the space for free journalism by ordering the lifting of the close of the Association and release journalists in jail.”

As part of its campaign for the re-opening of the AoIJ office in Tehran, the IFJ is taking part in two events on Iran. The first is a round table discussion to be held at the European Parliament on 25 June 2013 about the ‘Future for Freedom of Expression and Independent media in Iran.’ In early July, there will be another meeting at the House of Commons in London, also discussing Iran.

***19.06.2013. TURKEY. IPI and SEEMO condemn repression of journalists in Turkey
Numerous media representatives reportedly beaten, detained arbitrarily

By: Steven M. Ellis, IPI Senior Press Freedom Adviser

The International Press Institute (IPI) and its affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) on June 19 condemned a campaign of repression targeting journalists covering ongoing protests in Turkey.

IPI Press Freedom Manager Barbara Trionfi said: We are deeply disturbed by accounts of numerous journalists being beaten, detained arbitrarily and forced to delete footage. We are similarly disturbed by reports of outright hostility towards journalists coming from the highest levels of government. We urge Turkeys government to respect the fundamental role that journalists play in a democracy and to ensure that media representatives are allowed to do their job.

Turkish news website Bianet reported on June 18 that police conducted early-morning raids on the offices of Ozgur Radio, the Etkin News Agency and the newspaper Atilim, detaining numerous individuals. The raids followed reports Monday by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) cataloguing approximately 20 instances in recent weeks in which foreign and domestic journalists were beaten, hit by tear gas canisters or rubber bullets, or detained, particularly on Saturday night as police evicted demonstrators from Gezi Park near Taksim Square in central Istanbul.

The reported targeting of journalists has come amid a climate of intolerance for news coverage of protests emanating directly from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogans office. The prime minister on Sunday accused foreign media outlets such as CNN, the BBC and Reuters of fabricating newsabout the protests that have wracked Turkey for weeks, alleging that the outlets were conspiring against Turkey.

USA Today reported that Erdogan on June 18, in a meeting with legislators from his Justice and Development Party (AKP), praised the conduct of security forces and said he would seek to expand their powers to give them more leeway in dealing with protests. The daily also said that Turkeys justice ministry was putting together legislation on Internet crimethat would regulate and restrict the use of social media platforms such as Twitter.

We are working on a series of regulations for Facebook and Twitter against those who provoke the public, manipulate people with fake news, or forwards [sic] individuals to social turmoils and incidents jeopardizing property and human security, Turkish news website Bianet quoted Interior Minister Muammer Guler as saying earlier this week.

Echoing Erdogans comments about foreign media, the pro-government daily Takvim yesterday published a fabricated interview with senior CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour alleging that she said she was ordered to cover the ongoing protests in order to destabilise the country on behalf of international business interests.

Amanpour took to Twitter yesterday to condemn the defamatory article, posting: Shame on you @Takvim for publishing FAKE interview with me.

Takvim is part of the Turkuaz Media Group, which also includes the major daily Sabah. The group is owned by Calik Holding, whose CEO, Ahmet Calik, is Erdogans son-in-law.

The Turkish public initially was forced to rely on social media platforms and foreign news outlets to obtain news of the protests after they erupted in late May following the brutal police treatment of demonstrators seeking to prevent the demolition of Gezi Park. Many domestic media outlets gave little to no coverage to the story in its early days and some of those that did cover protests have been subject to official sanctions.

Last week, Turkeys High Council of Radio and Television (RTUK) fined four television networks Ulusal TV, Halk TV, Cem TV and EM TV reasoning that their coverage of protests encouraged violence and was harming the physical, moral and mental development of children and young people.

Also last week, Hurriyet reported Sunday, a court in Ankara banned daily newspaper Taraf from publishing claims that Turkeys National Intelligence Organization (MIT) illegally spied on Turkish businessmen with alleged ties to opposition parties. Taraf claimed that the surveillance occurred in order to use information collected to prevent those individuals from bidding in public tenders.

The court in Ankara concluded that the reports were targeting the institution, Hurriyet said, and Taraf on Sunday protested the ruling by publishing a graphic depicting a number of penguins. The birds have become a symbol of the reported failure by media outlets to cover the protests in their early stages, reportedly in reference to CNN Turks broadcast of a wildlife documentary on penguins rather than coverage of the initial police action against demonstrators.

Journalist and media scholar Prof. Haluk Sahin, a member of the board of IPIs Turkish National Committee, was critical of domestic media outletsearly coverage in an interview published by online magazine Jadaliyya last week.

Of course we should not generalize to the media as a whole, but the mainstream big media performed dismally which was another manifestation of its moral bankruptcy because the big media have not been doing their job for quite a while,he said. The media bosses and tycoons have decided that doing business with the government is more profitable than doing their job, which is informing the people about what is going on. So this Gezi Park uprising has show[n] very clearly that these media are not in the news business. And one of the good things that will come out of this event is the realization that a new media is badly needed in Turkey.

The recent violence against journalists in Turkey represents a troubling new nadir in the state of press freedom in Turkey, which has continued to decline in recent years. Nearly 60 journalists remain imprisoned in Turkey reportedly more than in any other country in the world. The vast majority of those journalists are being held on as-yet unproven allegations of links to terrorist groups, but supporters maintain that the journalists have been detained in retaliation for coverage that shed a critical light on government actions.

***18.06.2013. Montenegro: “Impunity of violence against journalists is unacceptable” (UN)

Podgorica/Geneva (17 June 2013) – The Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Mr. Frank La Rue called for effective accountability in all cases of violence against journalists. “Insecurity will prevail as long as cases of attack against journalists and media property remain unresolved. The impunity of well-known cases of violence against journalists is unacceptable.”

While recognizing that steps were taken to respond to recent episodes of violence, Mr. La Rue underlined the need to ensure the effective conclusion to all outstanding cases, while preventing the recurrence of such lapses. “Montenegro should establish a special mechanism to coordinate State efforts to protect journalists, and the rapid investigation of offences. Such a mechanism must include not only representatives of the police and justice systems, but also representatives of the media and human rights organizations.”

According to Mr. La Rue, who presented his findings* after a five day visit to the country, the press plays a vital role for the consolidation of democracy. “A critical and independent press, that is capable of investigating and denouncing abuses and corruption plays a central role informing the public and provoking debate.”

“At the same time that the State must ensure the complete independence of the media, the media itself is responsible for maintaining high standards of professionalism,” said Mr. La Rue. “The Montenegrin media can, and must, do more to ensure better standards of quality in journalism.”

The Special Rapporteur urged the media to ensure high professional and ethical standards through voluntary self-regulation. “I was surprised by the extreme polarization among media representatives. It is very unfortunate that efforts to establish a single self-regulatory body have so far produced very limited results. Openness to self-evaluation and criticism are essential components of professionalism and maturity for any form of media.”

Mr. La Rue commended Montenegro for its recent work in improving its national legal framework for freedom of expression. “The decriminalization of defamation was crucial for aligning national laws to international standards. The improvements to the laws on Public Broadcasting Services, Electronic Media and Access to Information represent important additional steps. Attention must now be paid to ensure they are fully implemented into practice by authorities and the justice system.” During his visit to the country, Mr. La Rue met with senior Government officials, including the Prime Minister, members of judiciary and legislative bodies, representatives of civil society, lawyers, human rights defenders, and journalists. He will present his findings and recommendations in a report to the Human Rights Council in June 2014.

(*) Check the full end-of-mission statement by the Special Rapporteur: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13463&LangID=E 

***17.06.2013. Journalists Call for International Action to End Crackdown on Media in Turkey

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its regional group, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), today condemned unreservedly the violence and arrests of journalists that took place during the crackdown on the Taksim Square protesters this weekend.

According to the TGS (Turkish Journalists Syndicate), at least four journalists have been arrested, photographers have had their pictures deleted, and cameramen have been targeted by tear gas and water cannon. In a more sinister move, four TV companies have been fined by the Radio and Television High Council over their reporting of the demonstrations while the Daily Taraf publication has also been banned.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to investigate social media and national media publishing photos on the demonstrations and the violence.
"The Turkish government must stop targeting and intimidating journalists and allow them to report protests without fear and censorship," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "We therefore call on the authorities to respect the right of journalists and its citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration."

In a letter sent to journalists' unions across the world, the IFJ and EFJ condemn unreservedly the brutal attacks on journalists and civilians during the recent crackdown. They urge national governments and European institutions to take immediate actions to stop the crackdown from escalating.

According to the TGS, journalists who were arrested include Ferhat Uludaglar, Gokhan Bicici and Ugur Can all of Dogan News Agency, and Okan Altunkara of IMC TV. The police forcibly deleted the images of photojournalist Cem Turkel of Aksam daily. Meanwhile Turkey has the largest number of journalists in jail, at least 60, and facing prosecution under one of the most draconian anti- terror legislation of in the world.

The IFJ affiliate in Portugal, the Sindicato Dos Jornalistas (SDJ) also accused Turkish Police of assaulting Portuguese journalist Paulo Moura. The union said that Moura was attacked in the Taksim Square despite the fact that he had identified himself to security forces as a journalist.

"The inescapable conclusion of the targeting of journalists, fining of media and public threats of investigations is that the authorities are using all the tools at their disposal to pressure media into censoring their coverage of the events in Taksim Square and Gezi Park," added Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, EFJ President. "The true story behind the events in Turkey can only be revealed if the journalists are allowed to do their job."

Take action now - download our sample letter and send it to the head of your government.

***05.06.2013. IFJ Congress Holds Commemoration and Freedom Walk for Killed Journalists Across the World

A special Freedom Walk to commemorate the 408 journalists across the world who have died in the service of their profession in the last three years was held in Dublin this evening.

Around 300 journalists from around the world involved in the International Federation of Journalists(IFJ) World Congress took part in the moving Stand Up For Journalism Freedom Walk, from Dubh Linn Garden to Dublin City Hall.

Delegates carried 408 carnations, one for each journalist who has lost their life over the last three years.

Commenting on the commemoration event, IFJ General Secretary, Beth Costa, said: This Freedom Walk demonstrates our solidarity with those who have died because they were journalists.

In saluting the men and women who have died because of their profession we also show our commitment to the profession of journalism and send a clear signal that the IFJ is vigilant in defence of journalists and journalism.

The event, which also demonstrated the IFJs commitment to media diversity and freedom, began with a symbolic wreath laying at the Veronica Guerin monument, in Dubh Linn Garden at Dublin Castle.

Veronica Guerin was an Irish crime reporter who was murdered on 26 June 1996 by drug lords because of the stories she wrote for Irish newspaper the Irish Independent exposing their criminal activity.

This was then followed by the Freedom Walk involving all 300 delegates through the streets of Dublin, from Dubh Linn Garden to Dublin City Hall.

Seamus Dooley, General Secretary, NUJ Ireland, said: This Freedom walk not only commemorates those men and women who have died in service of their profession, but also underlines our commitment to diversity and pluralism in journalism across the world.

A PDF copy of the list of killed journalists from the past three years is available at http://ifjcongress.trynisis.com/fileadmin/documents/IFJ_Journalists_KIA.pdf

***12.05.2013. AFP: reinforcement of security guidelines for coverage in Syria (AFP press release)

AFP has been covering the bloody conflict in Syria for more than two years. Conditions inside the country are extremely dangerous and many journalists have been killed, injured or kidnapped since the conflict started. A contributor to AFP’s video service disappeared in November 2012. Faced with the worsening of conditions on the ground for journalists, AFP has reinforced its procedures for covering the conflict in Syria with the aim of improving safety for everybody working for the agency inside the country. 

- All journalists working for AFP in Syria (text, photo and video) must have volunteered to cover the conflict.

- All AFP staff working inside Syria must have taken an AFP-approved hostile environment training course.

- AFP will continue to cover the conflict on the ground with its own staff journalists, as it has done since the beginning of the unrest.

- AFP will also continue to use independent contractors (stringers) inside Syria. These contributors fall into two categories:

- Independent journalists who offer their production to AFP occasionally. In most cases, these journalists would be photographers or video producers with whom AFP has no links. AFP will ensure the reliability and credibility of the journalist and sign the necessary copyright documents;

- Independent journalists with whom AFP has a regular ongoing relationship. In this type of situation, AFP would put the following measures in place:

- These journalists would be approved in line with the editorial principles of the agency (reliability, quality of work, experience) under the authority of the Editor-in-Chief.

- If AFP believes the minimum security conditions for a reporting assignment are not met, AFP will inform the stringer in writing and state that AFP will not buy any production from the assignment if it goes ahead.

- These stringers are obliged to have insurance.

- A hostile environment training course will be provided for regular contributors to AFP.

- AFP will provide the relevant safety equipment for war zones including a bullet proof vest, helmet, protective suit and first aid kit.

- These contributors are free to work for other media, but when they are working for AFP their production will be exclusively for AFP clients.

***11.05.2013. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL - FEATURE : Ten ways to repress a journalist

Governments and other organizations across the world are perfecting techniques to prevent journalists from shining a light on corruption and human rights abuses. From trumped-up charges, removing work licences to murder, here are 10 ways journalists are repressed and prevented from reporting freely and fairly.

Physical attacks
In some countries such as Syria, Turkmenistan and Somalia, governments, military forces and armed groups attack and even kill journalists who are seen to be critical of their policies and practices.

Last November, Palestinian cameramen Hussam Salameh and journalist Mahmoud al-Koumi, from the Hamas-affiliated Al-Aqsa TV, were killed by a targeted Israeli missile strike on their car in Gaza City. Amnesty International found no evidence that either was anything other than a civilian journalist, despite claims by military authorities in Israel that both were “Hamas operatives”.

In May 2012, 18-year-old citizen journalist Abd al-Ghani Ka'ake was fatally shot by a government sniper in Syria while filming a demonstration in Aleppo. Armed opposition groups have also attacked and killed journalists.

Journalist Miguel Ángel López Velasco, his wife and their son were shot and killed at their home in Veracruz, Mexico, by unidentified gunmen in June 2011. He had previously received death threats.

Abdihared Osman Aden, from Somalia, was shot dead by unidentified men while walking to work on 19 January 2013. He is one of at least 23 journalists killed in the country since 2011.

Threat of prison
Journalists also risk being charged under legislation that criminalizes the peaceful expression of views, or with trumped-up, politically motivated charges (such as possession of drugs and fraud) to stop them from reporting is common.

On 12 March 2013, Avaz Zeynali was found guilty of bribery, extortion by threats, failure to implement a court decision and tax evasion and sentenced to nine years in prison in Azerbaijan. He has regularly reported on corruption and criticised the President’s clampdown on the media and activists.

In Iran, at least 18 journalists have been arrested since January 2013, accused of cooperating with "anti-revolutionary" media organizations outside Iran. Dozens of journalists and bloggers are now behind bars in Iran.

On 5 February 2013, Abdiaziz Abdnur Ibrahim was sentenced to one-year imprisonment in Mogadishu, Somalia, for insulting a national institution after interviewing a woman who reported being raped by government forces. The case was quashed in March by the Supreme Court.

In January 2012, journalists Reyot Alemu and Woubshet Taye were convicted of terrorism offences in Ethiopia. During the trial, access to lawyers was restricted, defendants were not provided with effective interpretation and evidence obtained under coercion was admitted.

Harassment
Many governments find that threatening journalists or their relatives is effective in silencing them.

Relatives of the Voice of America reporter Negar Mohammadi, from Iran, have been banned from travelling and the passport of one of them was confiscated in February 2012.

In Yemen, Abdul Karim al-Khaiwani has been under threat since early 2013 after he wrote articles about secret detention centres and torture by the First Armoured Division. Weapons were twice fired outside his home and he received anonymous phone calls asking him if he could hear the shooting.

Musa Mohammad Auwal was arrested by the State Security Services in his home in Kaduna, Nigeria, last February, held for eight days and interrogated about his news organization and the whereabouts of his Editor-in-Chief (currently in hiding in fear of his life). He was released on bail.

Monitoring
In countries including Cuba and China, activists and journalists find it particularly difficult to report on human rights issues because their communications can be monitored by state officials.

In March 2012, Cuban blogger and journalist Yoani Sánchez was unable to receive text messages or calls during the Pope’s visit to the country.

In China many people were sentenced to long prison terms in 2012 for posting blogs or sending information that was deemed sensitive.

In March 2013, the authorities in Saudi Arabia reportedly threatened to block access to Skype, WhatsApp, Viber and Line, if these telecommunication companies do not enable their encrypted applications to be monitored.

Banning access to the internet
Some repressive regimes seek to control internet access in order to regulate journalists’ activities.

The authorities in China temporarily blocked access to the New York Times and Bloomberg websites and banned searches for ‘New York Times’ after the news organizations exposed controversial financial details of some of China’s leaders.

Set up excessive libel laws
Libel laws in countries can be misused in an attempt to prevent journalists from criticising government officials and powerful individuals.

In Timor-Leste Oscar Maria Salsinha and Raimundo Oki were accused of “slanderous denunciations” after publishing articles on a District Prosecutor who allegedly received a bribe in a traffic accident case that occurred on 18 October 2011.

In August 2012, Islam Affifi, editor of Egyptian newspaper El-Dostor, was brought to trial for publishing false information “insulting the President”. The trial is still continuing.

The Palestinian Authority’s security forces in the West Bank and Hamas’ Internal Security in the Gaza Strip both have a record of interrogating and harassing journalists. In March 2013, Palestinian Mamdouh Hamamreh was sentenced to one year in prison for allegedly insulting President Mahmoud Abbas. He was released after the President pardoned him.

Removing visas and work permits
In some countries, including Syria, governments deny or remove visas from foreign journalists to stop them from investigating human rights abuses while national journalists face the same risk to their work permits.

In 2011, Ayad Shabi’s permit was revoked in Syria after he failed to comply with official guidelines provided by the Ministry of Information on how to report on the protests.

Andrzej Poczobut is serving a three-year suspended prison sentence in Belarus – imposed in July 2011 – on charges of “libelling the President” for articles about prisoners of conscience in Belarus. Under the conditions of this ruling he has to register with the police regularly and cannot leave the country.

Last August a BBC journalist who had travelled to Gambia to report on a resumption of executions was held at the airport and told he had to leave the country, despite having authorization to be there.

In May 2012, Al Jazeera English closed its Beijing bureau in China after the authorities refused to renew the visa of Melissa Chan, whose stories included reports on secret jails and forced abortions.

Failure to investigate attacks against journalists
By failing to bring to justice those responsible for attacks against journalists, governments send the message that preventing reporting on what they see as sensitive issues is permitted.

One of the individuals accused of torturing journalist Nazeeha Saeed after she was arrested in Bahrain in 2011 was acquitted, despite forensic evidence of her torture. Nazeeha was detained and tortured after speaking out about the killing of a protester she witnessed at the Pearl Roundabout.

In April 2012, Idrak Abbasov and Adalet Abbasov were hospitalized in Azerbaijan after they were attacked by around 25 state employees and police. They had tried to film illegal house demolitions on the outskirts of Baku. The attack was never fully investigated.

No one has been brought to justice in Pakistan for the May 2011 abduction and killing of Saleem Shahzad. Just two days before his death Shahzad published a story on alleged al Qaeda infiltration of the military, one of the most sensitive and taboo topics in the country.

Shutting down media outlets
The authorities in many countries shut down newspapers and radio stations deemed critical of them.

In the first two months of 2012, the authorities in Sudan suspended three newspapers using laws that allow them to ban any publication containing information considered a threat to national security.

Last September, The Standard and Daily News newspapers in Gambia were forced to close after plain-clothed men suspected to be intelligence officers, entered their offices and ordered them to suspend all activities.

In Somalia, in April 2013, the authorities in Puntland banned three radio stations in what is seen as the latest in a string of attacks on the media ahead of local elections.

Promote smear attacks
In many countries, governments promote smear attacks against journalists critical of the authorities.

In Sri Lanka a state-sanctioned smear attack forced Gnanasiri Kottegoda to flee his home in 2012 and go into exile as his safety was compromised.
Venezuelan Rayma Suprani has been receiving threats and insults via text message and social media sites. She thinks this is a coordinated attack due to her work as a political cartoonist and journalist. 

***04.05.2013. SYRIA. James Foley, U.S. journalist abducted in Syria, likely detained by government: investigation

Reporter James Foley, who disappeared in Syria in November, is most likely in a Syrian Air Force detention center near Damascus, a lengthy investigation has determined.

By Michael Walsh / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

American conflict journalist James Foley disappeared in Syria 163 days ago, leaving his family with questions about his whereabouts — questions that a five-month investigation may have answered. Foley's family and GlobalPost, for whom he regularly reported, think that he is most likely in a Syrian Air Force detention center near Damascus.

"With a very high degree of confidence," said GlobalPost CEO and president Philip Balboni, "we now believe that Jim was most likely abducted by a pro-regime militia group and subsequently turned over to Syrian government forces."

Foley was last seen Nov. 22, 2012, in a car heading for the Turkish border when unidentified gunman, firing shots into the air, forced him into an unmarked car, eyewitnesses say.

"The not knowing is the hardest part," his father, John Foley, said. "He hasn't been seen. He hasn't been heard from. We don't know the state of his health."

"Very credible" confidential sources told GlobalPost that he has been detained by the Syrian government.

"Based on what we have learned, it is likely Jim is being held with one or more Western journalists, including most likely at least one other American," said Balboni.

Balboni said that they are pursuing all available options to negotiate Foley's release. GlobalPost met with the Syrian ambassador to Lebanon in Beirut to gain his support. He has delivered letters on their behalf to the Syrian government.

"We remain hopeful and totally committed to bringing Jim Foley home safely and as quickly as possible," said Balboni.

This is not the first time Foley has been locked up. In April 2011, Libyan forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi captured him along with three other journalists, one of whom was killed. The others spent 44 days in a prison before being released.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/james-foley-held-syria-investigation-article-1.1335141#ixzz2SVfwhDez

RELATED: FAMILY OF REPORTER NABBED IN SYRIA WANTS ANSWERS

***02.05.2013. Syrie. Journaliste en Syrie, le métier de tous les dangers (AFP)

BEYROUTH (AFP) Couvrir la guerre qui ravage la Syrie depuis deux ans est devenu le métier le plus périlleux de la planète car les reporters sont non seulement exposés aux dangers des combats mais aussi la cible d'enlèvements politiques ou crapuleux de la part du régime et des rebelles.

Alors que l'ONU célèbre vendredi la journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse, au moins sept journalistes sont portés disparus, dont le journaliste américain James Foley, qui avait fourni durant des mois des reportages vidéo à l'AFP et dont on est sans nouvelles depuis novembre.

Le dernier reporter à être porté disparu est Domenico Quirico du quotidien italien la Stampa qui, après être entré clandestinement, n'a pas donné signe depuis vingt jours. En raison de la distribution au compte-goutte de visas par le régime, beaucoup n'ont d'autre choix que de pénétrer clandestinement à travers la frontière poreuse, notamment par la Turquie, avec les insurgés.

Mais, en raison de la multiplication des groupes rebelles, le chemin est semé d'embûches. Certains insurgés sont accusés d'avoir volé des journalistes ou d'avoir réclamé des rançons et les jihadistes, plus radicaux encore, considèrent tous les reporters comme des espions à la solde de leur ennemi.

Le régime est lui aussi d'une rare brutalité. Il existe de sérieux soupçons que plusieurs reporters disparus seraient aux mains de services de renseignements syriens, comme Austin Tice, disparu le 13 août à Daraya, dans la région de Damas, où l'armée avait mené une opération de ratissage.

Le nombre de morts dans les rangs des journalistes est impressionnant: en deux ans, 23 d'entre eux ont été tués et 58 journalistes-citoyens ont subi le même sort. Ces derniers, favorables à la rébellion, avaient décidé d'écrire et de filmer le quotidien des villes assiégées et bombardées qu'aucun journaliste étranger ne peut atteindre.

"Le travail des journalistes pour couvrir le conflit en Syrie devient chaque jour plus compliqué et leurs conditions de travail ne cessent de se détériorer", assure à l'AFP Christophe Deloire, secrétaire Général de Reporters sans Frontières (RSF).

"Si au début du soulèvement en mars 2011 le danger ne venait +que+ de l'armée gouvernementale et si les journalistes continuent à être la cible d'attaques de la part du régime de Bachar Al-Assad, aujourd'hui les groupes armés de l'opposition sont également responsables de nombreuses exactions, notamment à l'encontre de journalistes étrangers. Les enlèvements deviennent monnaie courante" constate-t-il.

"Tout ceci, sans compter le caractère intrinsèquement biaisé de la couverture du conflit: du fait de l'absence de délivrance de visa de la part des autorités de Damas, très rares sont ceux qui peuvent se rendre dans les zones toujours sous contrôle du régime", ajoute M. Deloire.

"Les journalistes se trouvent contraints d'entrer en Syrie de manière illégale, par les zones libérées, et ne peuvent se déplacer de part et d'autre des lignes de front. Ce qui nuit gravement à la couverture de ce conflit", ajoute-t-il.

L'AFP par exemple est ainsi contrainte d'avoir des journalistes de part et d'autre des lignes de démarcation comme à Alep, la principale ville du nord, pour tenter d'obtenir l'image la plus claire et la plus honnête possible dans un pays où chacun défend "sa vérité".

A la veille de la journée mondiale de la liberté de la presse, l'AFP a réaffirmé sa détermination à continuer à couvrir le conflit sur le terrain, comme elle le fait depuis le début, et a publié une actualisation de ses procédures de couverture avec comme objectif principal la sécurité de tous ses collaborateurs y compris ses pigistes.

Dans ce cadre, un stage de formation sur le travail en zone de guerre sera dispensé aux stringers réguliers comme c'est déjà le cas pour les journalistes de l'AFP envoyés sur le terrain.

Mais le journalisme est devenu aussi un métier de détective pour tenter d'informer face à la multiplication des annonces fallacieuses.

Jamais dans l'histoire de ce métier, il n'y a eu un tel déluge de "nouvelles" relayées par les réseaux sociaux, ce qui nécessite de véritables "enquêtes" quotidiennes principalement quand il s'agit de défections de dignitaires, de massacres, de combats, de bombardements, de rapts.

sk/ram/sw#

***02.05.2013. IRAQ. IFJ Conference Outlines Key Reforms for  Democratic Iraqi Media

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and its affiliate, the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate (IJS), today denounced the ongoing attacks against journalists in Iraq and issued a series of recommendations to improve the safety and rights of journalists in the country.

The recommendations were made at the conference ‘Iraqi Media: Ten Years On – Journalists Rights, Safety and Legal Reform’ held in Istanbul, 28-29 April, to mark the 10th anniversary of the occupation of Iraq.

"Our affiliate in Iraq, the IJS, and its members have shown an extraordinary tenacity in standing up, for over a decade, to some of the toughest challenges encountered by journalists,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “They ranged from sectarian deadly attacks making the grim toll of killed journalists in Iraq the worst in the world to their courageous fight for a free and independent media.”

“Ten years on, collective action by journalists delivers every day on many fronts, from the campaign for a strong professional culture, to building quality in media, defending public values and campaigning on self-regulation.

“Despite the still uncertain political landscape, this has placed Iraqi journalists in a key position to gather the widest coalition to help build the new democratic Iraq and look forward to the next 10 years."

Participants, including journalists, media editors, members of the Iraqi parliament, the Ministry of Human Rights and the Iraqi High Commission of Human Rights, UNESCO, the Federation of Arab Journalists and the Centre of Law and Democracy debated the reforms needed to tackle issues such as impunity, journalist safety and journalists professional and social rights in Iraq.

In a joint statement, the representatives involved remembered the 380 journalists and media workers who have lost their lives in Iraq in the last ten years, denounced the ongoing attacks and violence against Iraqi journalists and expressed their deep concern at the failure to bring killers of journalists to justice.

They recommended the following:

Safety of journalists and the Issue of Impunity - Continued safety training for journalists, the need to establish a dialogue between, journalists, the state and media owners on the duty of care for the safety and welfare of journalists, and the requirement for authorities in Iraq to take ensure freedom of expression and bring aggressors to justice.

Journalists’ Professional and Social Right and Media Development – Call on companies to co-operate with the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate to negotiate agreements providing better protection for journalists and improve their employment rights, and call for media to make all information about their ownership and mission statement available to the public.

Media Laws – Call for all decision makers in Iraq, led by the government and parliament in cooperation with the Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate and other organisations, to urgently work together to ensure the adoption of a set of laws to underpin the regulation of the media and protect its independence.
Iraqi Journalists’ Syndicate – to build a database recoding the deaths and acts or violence against Iraqi journalists and work towards a strong, professional culture within journalism.

As the meeting was held in Istanbul, the Iraqi participants expressed their solidarity with Turkish journalists in prison and called on Turkish authorities to release them immediately and unconditionally.

***30.04.2013. YEMEN. ATTACKS AGAINST JOURNALISTS CONDEMNED

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and its affiliate,  the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS), have today condemned an attack  
on an Al Jazeera TV crew in the southern city of Aden in Yemen.

According to media reports, the crew was attacked on Saturday, 27 April, 2013, by members of the separatist movement, the South Yemen  
Movement, in the port city of Aden while they were filming a protest. Reports say that Al Jazeera correspondent Yasser Hassan had his nose  
broken, and photographer Samir Nimry was assaulted and had his camera confiscated.

“This is the latest in a series of attacks in Yemen in recent weeks that have left journalists of their family members injured. Such acts  
must not be tolerated,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “The authorities in Yemen must immediately investigate this incident,  
identify those responsible and hold them accountable.

The YJS has condemned the recent attacks on media staff in Yemen and renewed its call for freedom of the media throughout all the country.  
The union has also called for the confiscated camera to be returned.

“We are concerned about the increasing violence against and harassment of journalists in Yemen,” said IFJ General Secretary Beth Costa.  “We  
call on the government of the country to adhere to the requirements of  international law and ensure the rights and freedoms of journalists  
are upheld.”

***08.04.2013. RUSSIA. Journalist in Russia, Badly Beaten in 2008, Dies (The New York Times)

By ELLEN BARRY 

MOSCOW — The Russian journalist Mikhail Beketov, who became a symbol of Russia’s culture of impunity after he was brutally beaten in 2008, died of heart failure on Monday, his lawyer announced. After Mr. Beketov had called for the resignation of the municipal government in the city of Khimki, where he lived, his car was blown up. He later wrote about that in his newspaper, as well, and then was beaten so severely that he spent the rest of his life using a wheelchair, unable to form sentences. Three of his fingers and one of his legs had to be amputated.

The police barely investigated the crime, ignoring witnesses who came forward offering information and surveillance videos that could have identified Mr. Beketov’s assailants. By then, Mr. Beketov had become a hero to many and the recipient of several journalism prizes, including one bestowed by the state.

Yevgenia Chirikova, an environmental activist from Khimki, said Mr. Beketov, who was 55 when he died, never recovered from the attack.

“In essence, they killed him back then,” she said in a telephone interview. “He was just dying all these years. That’s all.”

Yelena Kostuchenko, a journalist and friend, told the Committee to Protect Journalists that Mr. Beketov choked on a piece of food at lunch on Monday, which she linked to deep tracheal scarring that he sustained after the attack.

Mr. Beketov used his own money to finance the publication of a newspaper, Khimkinskaya Pravda, which had a circulation of about 10,000. He wrote scathingly about plans to build a major highway through the Khimki Forest, and of a decision to move a monument to servicemen killed in World War II. In May 2007, someone beat his dog to death and set his car on fire.

Mr. Beketov told journalists he suspected the mayor, Vladimir Strelchenko, but the case was closed shortly thereafter for lack of evidence. Months later, Mr. Beketov was still writing: “Last spring, I called for the resignation of the city’s leadership. A few days later, my automobile was blown up. What is next for me?”

Before he was attacked, Mr. Beketov had warned Ms. Chirikova that something might happen to him, and told her the police should “look in the Khimki administration.” But investigators eventually suspended the investigation for a lack of evidence.

“The fact that the mastermind of this crime has never been punished, that means that they simply don’t want to look for him,” she said. “They know exactly who did it.”

Mr. Strelchenko, who said he played no role in the attack, won a slander case against Mr. Beketov in 2010, when the journalist was unable to speak or walk. He remained mayor of Khimki for four years, stepping down for what the authorities said were unrelated reasons.

Ms. Chirikova said she was never sure whether Mr. Beketov understood that the mayor had left office.

Municipal authorities in Khimki announced Monday that they would assist in arranging Mr. Beketov’s burial.

In comments to the Interfax news service, Lyudmila M. Alekseyeva, the head of the Moscow Helsinki Group, hailed the “tenacity and heroism with which he defended the dignity and rights of citizens, despite his grave physical condition.”

***03.04.2013. SYRIA. Syria: 15 journalists and media activists killed in March - 153 within two years of the revolution (Syrian Journalists Assoication) (FYI - please note that PEC considers only professionnal journalists on its Ticking clock)

The number of media victims in Syria increased to 153 professional and citizen journalists who were killed since the beginning of the Syrian revolution in 2011. The Media Freedom Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association has documented killing of 15 journalists in March 2013. 10 in Damascus, 3 in Daraa, and 2 in Homs.

Syrian authorities released the German journalist Billy Six on 05-03-2013. After being held two and a half months.

On 11-03-2013 the journalist Shada al-Maddad was converted to terrorism court for interrogation. Al-Madda was arrested by the State Security Branch on 11.01.2013. After her visiting to the USA.
 
Media activist Mohammad Fawaz al-Shara was injured in Khirbet Ghazaleh in Daraa province on 14-03-2013. While he was covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army. 
 
The Kurdish People Protection Units of The Democratic Union Party (PKK branch in Syria) arrested the media activist Sardar Ahmed in Afrin town in Aleppo. On 16-03-2013.

The German public television channel "ARD" announced on 30-03-2013. That its correspondent Joerg Armbruster was seriously wounded by bullets, during covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Aleppo.

Victims of March 2013:
 
1.      Waleed Jamil Amira, photographer and media activist: was killed while filming clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in Jobar neighborhood in Damascus. On 03-03-2013.

2.      Mohammed Bashir Shkhshiro, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in Jobar neighborhood in Damascus. On 08-03-2013.
 
3.      Saqr Abu Nabot, media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in Daraa Albalad in Daraa. On 10-03-2013. Abu Nabot was a member of the Media Office of the Local Coordination Committees.
 
4.      Ghaith Abdul-Jawad, a media activist: was killed after targeting the media office of Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus. On 10-03-2013.
 
5.      Amer Badr al-Din Junaid, a media activist: was killed after targeting the media office of Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus. On 10-03-2013.
 
6.      Osama Abdel Basset Altaleb, a media activist: was killed while covering the bombing in the al-Quser town in Homs. On 11-03-2013.

7.      Ahmed Khaled Shehadeh, a journalist: was killed during shelling Darya town by rockets, in Damascus suburbs. On 12-03-2013. Shehadeh was managing editor of Enab Baladi newspaper, and active in the field of aid. He worked at the Office of the Commission of the European Union in Damascus.

8.      Anas al-Batsh, a media activist photographer: was shot by a sniper while he was filming clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army, in Harasta neighborhood in Damascus. On 13-03-2013.
 
9.      Mahmoud Alnatouf, a photographer and media activist: was killed while filming the Syrian Regime Army targeting Medmah al-Sham town in Damascus suburbs. On 14-03-2013.
 
10.  Mahmoud Abdul-Karim al-Aqraa, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in Douma town in Damascus suburbs. On 15-03-2013.
 
11.  Laith Mohammed al-Homsi, a photographer and media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army in the Sheikh Miskin town in Daraa. On 22-03-2013.
 
12.  Hamed Abu Yasser: a media activist: was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime army in the Darya town in Damascus suburbs. On 27-03-2013. Abu Yasser grounded al-Sahwa newspaper with some activists, and worked in Media Office of the Daria Coordination.
 
13.  Mohammed Ibrahim Alaasmi, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Daal town in Daraa. On 28-03-2013. 
 
14.  Amer Diab, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and of the Syrian Regime Army in Al Otaiba town Damascus suburbs. On 30-03-2013
 
15.  Walid Khaled Aljalkh, a media activist: was killed in an ambush by the Syrian Regime Army in Kalat al-Husin region in Homs with another 14 people. On 31-03-2013.

Media Freedoms Committee at the Syrian Journalists Association
Damascus 1/4/2013 

***27.03.2013. ISRAEL/PALESTINE. MADA: 238 violations of media freedoms in 2012, with the killing of three journalists as most dangerous violations

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) held a press conference which reviewed the Annual Report on the violations against Media freedom in Palestine during 2012. The conference was held at MADA’s headquarter in Ramallah this morning.

The conference was opened by the Chairmen of the Board of Directors Dr. Ghazi Hanania, who expressed that the past year witnessed a serious escalation of violations against journalists by the Israeli occupation forces IOF, who had no qualms to kill three journalists deliberately during its latest aggression on the Gaza Strip. Dr. Hanania added: "the occupation authorities did not hesitate or flinch to justify its murders, which points to the extent of Israeli disregard not only for the laws and international conventions, but for the lives of Palestinian journalist, thus violating freedom of expression and the most important human right “the right to live."

Dr. Hanania then explained that reporting Israeli violations does not mean the absence of Palestinian violations: “Although we always confirmed that the Israeli violations are the most dangerous and threatening to the lives of Palestinian journalists and the most frequent, but the Palestinian violations are still high in numbers, although they have decreased compared to 2011, where the Fatah Hamas division still constitutes a fertile ground for violations to arise in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip”.

Dr. Hanania spoke to the audience about MADA’s role in defending media freedoms, either by monitoring violations and publishing press releases, monthly reports, annual reports, and special reports, or through the activities of the Legal Unit in defending journalists and spreading legal awareness through seminars and workshops.

Dr Hanania added: “the center resumes its efforts in launching campaigns to strengthen freedom of expression in Palestine and to spread awareness on the importance of the Access to Information Law, where we believe that the enactment of this law will play a big role in strengthening freedom of expression and the journalists ability to access relative information to their work, and strengthen the ability of citizens to participate in public agenda. The center also published two new studies on the Legal Regulations of Media Freedoms in Palestine, and on the Judiciary and Media: Freedom of Expression between Theory and Practice, as an effort by the center to help enact modern laws that are in line with international standards of freedom of expression”.

In his closing remarks, he thanked the Open Society Foundation for its support for the issuance of the report and the monitoring and documentation program, and he also thanked all MADA’s partners.

MADA’s annual report for 2012 explains that Media freedom status in Palestine had no promising signs since the start of the year. As journalists began the year with violations and attacks on their rights, they said their farewell to 2012 with the loss of three colleagues: Aqsa TV cameraman Mahmoud Alkoumi 30 years old, Aqsa TV photographer Hussam Salameh also 30 years old, Executive Director of the Jerusalem Educational Radio Muhamed Moussa Abu Eisha 24 years old.

MADA center reported 238 violations against journalists and Palestinian media outlets during the past year.  The Israeli Occupation Forces IOF has committed approximately 70% of the overall total with 164 violations, while different Palestinian sides committed 74 violations, the equivalent of about 30% of the total violations. And in comparison with 2011 the violations have increased approximately about 11.5% (32 violations).

The general director of MADA Mr. Mousa Rimawi outlined the violations committed by the Israeli forces in Palestine, and mentioned that the Israeli Occupation turned 2012 into hell for journalists and Media outlets, where they committed egregious perpetual violations against Journalists, most notably the killing of three journalists, the bombing of media organizations headquarters and journalists’ homes, and the serious physical assaults. Mr. Rimawi added that the Israeli Occupation not only committed awful violations but have also amplified them by %65 with 164 violations committed in 2012 comparing to 100 violations committed in 2011.

Mr. Rimawi explained that the increase in the number and quality of violations is due to several factors, most notably the power of the Palestinian image and word, and the key role played in the world public opinion by the Palestinian press in detecting the occupation violations. The other factor is that the occupation has never been held accountable and punished for its crimes against journalists and media freedoms, which encourages the occupation to commit more violations without consideration to any human rights, and international laws and conventions that guarantee freedom of expression and protection for journalists.

Mr. Rimawi pointed that the Israeli violations were mostly committed in eight areas: Gaza, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Nablus, Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Qalqilya. 70% of Israeli violations were committed: in Gaza with 63 violations, in Jerusalem with 26 violations, and in Ramallah with 25 violations.

MADA also monitored 10 types of Israeli violations: Killing (3 cases), prevention from travel (1 case) bombings (37 cases), raiding (4 cases) closing and blocking of media sites (3 cases), prevention from coverage (5 cases), confiscation of equipment (4 cases), arrest (13 cases), physical abuse (80 cases), and detention (14 cases).

The annual report also explains that many violations cannot be monitored by MADA since journalists don’t commute freely between West bank cities, Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip, for example journalists from West Bank don’t hold permission papers needed to enter Jerusalem nor Gaza, and Gaza journalists are also not allowed to enter the West Bank nor Jerusalem .

The Secretary of the board of MADA Mr. Majid Alarui reviewed the Palestinian violations against media freedoms monitored by the MADA over the past year, pointing out that the state of media freedoms is dramatically still worrying in Palestine, despite the drop in the number of Palestinian violations by 31% over the past year compared to 2011.

Mr. Alaruri reported that Palestinian violations were equally committed in Gaza and the West Bank as each witnessed 37 violations. Most notable types of violations were: prevention from travel, raiding of media institutions, preventing journalists from coverage, arrests, detentions, physical abuse, interrogations, trails, threats, and closing and blocking media sites.

Mr. Alruri pointed that detention is still the most prominent violations that have been monitored as it recorded during 2012 12 cases in comparison to 5 cases in 2011, in addition to the continued policy of calling journalists for investigation and interrogation with 13 violation reported, in addition to closing and blocking media sites, and prevention of travel.

The 2012 annual report: “MADA center noted a clear negligence of the authorities concerned in the investigation of violations against journalists and media institutions, where most cases of violations passed without serious investigation, and the impunity of the aggressors. This creates questions about the statements made by some officials in the West Bank and Gaza Strip regarding their full commitment and support to freedom of opinion and expression in Palestine”.

The annual report contains important details about the number of violations of media freedoms, their types, their dangers, and the cities most vulnerable to violations, per each side which commits violations against journalists in Palestine. And in regards to violations by Israeli occupation, MADA demanded the formation of an international investigating committee to inquire the circumstances relating to the killing of three journalists, and to hold the aggressors accountable for all violations and to pressure the occupation to comply with the laws and international conventions relating to freedom of opinion and expression and the safety of journalists, especially Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to facilitate the movement of journalists.

And in regards to the Palestinian violations, MADA demanded to Respect freedom of expression and opinion, the end of censorship on freedom of expression, allowing all media to operate freely and without Political restrictions, and to reconsider laws which organizes various sectors of the print and audio-visual media, in addition to the enactment of the Access to Information Law.

The press conference began with a minute of silence in tribute to the martyrs of the press in Palestine and around the world.

***04.03.2013. SYRIA: 11 media activists, including a French journalist killed in February

The Syrian regime is still targeting media activists and journalists. Media Freedom Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association has documented killing of 11 journalists in February 2013 to increase victims to 138 professional and citizen journalists have killed since the beginning of the Syrian revolution in 2011.
 
Olivier Voisan a French journalist, was killed of wounds sustained by shrapnel, while covering military operations for Free Syrian Army in Idlib. On 24-02-2013. Olivier Voisan worked for several French media and international, including newspapers Le Monde, Liberation, L'Express, the Guardian, and Agence France Presse AFP.

Also Mohammed Saeed al-Hamwi a journalist, was killed during bombing Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus. Hamwi was a student in the Faculty of Information at the Damascus University, known as (Ghias Shami) as one of the most prominent media activist. Hamwi injured by a mortar shrapnel pierced his eye on 02-05-2013  while covering clashes, and killed of his wounds on 17-02-2013.

The media activist Youssef Adel Bakri was killed during shelling on Karam Altarab neighborhood in Aleppo. On 15-02-2013. Yousef Bakri was correspondent of Aleppo News Network. He photographed many military operations of the Free Syrian Army.

On the 1st of February Reporters Without Borders said that Ayham Mostafa Ghazzoul, a contributor to the Damascus-based Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM), died under torture four days after being arrested on 5 November 2012. Ghazzoul was arrested during the 16 February 2012 raid on the SCM in which all of its employees and contributors, including its director, Mazen Darwish. 

Ghazzoul freed after 67 days in detention. He was arrested again on 5 November  2012at the office on the National Union of Students on the University of Damascus campus and was again taken to air force intelligence headquarters.

A year passed on Mazen Darwish detention. Darwish is the director of the Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression. Who was arrested with employees and contributors of SCM on 16-02-2012. Darwish and his two colleagues Hani Zitani and Hussein Al Ghurair still in arbitrary detention. According to news from Damascus, they were transferred to Adra central prison near the capital Damascus.

The brigade of Free Syria (Free Syrian Army) arrested journalists of the Aleppo Media Center and Aleppo News under the pretext of publishing false news about the brigade. On 15-02-2013. It was then released shortly after.

 Fighters of Free Syrian Army  take up arms at faces activists of Radio Free Deir al-Zour, which prompted radio to advertising a strike on 18.02.2013.
An expression of their rejection of restrictions on media, and their attacks on freedom of expression.

Victims of February 2013:
 
1.      Nabil al-Nabulsi, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Izraa town in Daraa. On 02-02-2013.

2.      Abdul Latif Khalil Khuder, a citizen journalist: was killed after succumbing to the wounds. He sustained by bombing of Medmah Sham town in Damascus, on 03-02-2013.

3.      Mohammed Kurdi, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Zamalka town in Damascus. On 06-02-2013.
 
4.      Zaid Abu Obeida, a media activist: was killed during the bombing of Daria town city of in Damascus, on 11-02-2013.
 
5.      Hamada Abdel-Salam al-Khatib, a citizen photographer: was killed while filming bombing on Talbisa town in Homs. On 12-02-2013.
 
6.      Youssef Adel Bakri, a media activist: was killed during shelling on Karam Altarab neighborhood in Aleppo. On 15-02-2013. Yousef Bakri was correspondent of Aleppo News Network. He photographed many military operations of the Free Syrian Army.
 
7.      Mohamed Mohamed, a media activist: was shot by a sniper while filming clashes between the Free Syrian Army, and the Syrian Regime Army, in al-Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood in Damascus, on 17-02-2013.
 
8.      Mohammed Saeed al-Hamwi, journalist: was killed during bombing Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus. Hamwi was a student in the Faculty of Information at the Damascus University, known as (Ghias Shami) as one of the most prominent media activist. Hamwi injured by a mortar shrapnel pierced his eye on 02-05-2013  while covering clashes, and killed of his wounds on 17-02-2013.
 
9.      Adnan Abu Abdo, a media activist: was killed by tank shelling on Darya town in Damascus, on 19-02-2013.

10.  Olivier Voisan: French journalist: was killed of wounds sustained by shrapnel, while covering military operations for Free Syrian Army in Idlib. On 24-02-2013. Olivier Voisan worked for several French media and international, including newspapers Le Monde, Liberation, L'Express, the Guardian, and Agence France Presse AFP.
 
11.  Wael Abdul Aziz, a media activist: was killed while covering clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime army, in Baba Amr neighborhood in Homs, on 25-02-2013.
  
Press Freedoms Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association
1/3/2013

***20.02.2013. PALESTINE. The occupation authorities carried out 27 arrests of journalists during the past two years (MADA)

Ramallah 20th February 2013: MADA center organized, in collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Information and Journalists’ Syndicate, a protest this morning in front of Ofer prison near the city of Ramallah. The protest was against the policy of detaining journalists practiced by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF), and it coincided with the trial of Shehab agency reporter Amer Abu Arfah’s who is under an administrative detention since 21st August 2011.

Mousa Rimawi the general director of MADA center stated that the policy of detaining journalists has been going on for decades, where Israeli occupation authorities carried out 27 cases of journalists’ arrest during the last two years, and has released most of them. Rimawi adds that the persistence of Israel policy is a blatant violation of the law and the international conventions that ensured freedom of expression. Today’s protest was held to demand the release of the detained journalists and to protest against this policy. A new manifestation of this policy was the arrest of a cartoonist of Alhayat al Jadeda newspaper Mohammed Saba'na last Saturday 16th February 2013, whose detention  was  renewed for another 9 days at Aljalama prison today.

On the other hand, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) prevented three journalists yesterday from covering the IOF raiding of Aldoha town near Bethlehem. 

Alquds TV correspondent Mamdouh Hamamreh told MADA, that him and his colleagues PalMedia cameraman Samer Hamad and Alquds Dot Com Cameraman Abdulrahman Younis went to cover the IOF raiding operation of Aldoha town, and once their cameras were turned on they were stopped from covering by the IOF, and they were checked for identifications and Press IDs. Hamamreh also added, “They prevented us from continuing the coverage of the operation, and even erased any footage Abdulrahman managed to take”.

Rimawi called on the international community for an immediate intervention, in order to force Israel to stop all attacks on journalists, which puts journalists’ lives in danger and prevents them from performing their professional duty, especially since the attacks significantly escalated over the past year and at the beginning of this year.

***16.02.2013. SRI LANKA. Sri Lanka Sunday Leader reporter Faraz Shauketaly shot (BBC)

A reporter from a newspaper in Sri Lanka has been shot by a group of unidentified men at his home near the capital, Colombo.
Sunday Leader's Faraz Shauketaly, who holds dual British and Sri Lankan citizenship, was rushed to hospital after being shot in the neck.

A doctor who treated Mr Shauketaly said the journalist was now out of danger.

Rights groups say more than a dozen media employees have been killed in Sri Lanka over the past decade.
None of the murders has been solved.

Anti-establishment paper

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says Mr Shauketaly was on the phone to a colleague at the Sunday Leader on Friday evening at his home in Mount Lavinia when the call was cut.

Shortly afterwards he answered a call and said he had been shot in the neck by three intruders, who had then escaped.

A group of foreign lodgers at his house said he was covered in blood and calling for help. Mr Shauketaly, 52, was taken to intensive care, where doctors pronounced him out of danger and have been working to remove a bullet.

Mr Shauketaly holds British and Sri Lankan passports and the UK government has called on the authorities to bring the attackers to justice.

Our correspondent says Mr Shauketaly had voiced fears that his investigative reporting might be putting him in danger, especially after strangers had called at his house recently asking for his whereabouts.

Four years ago, the Sunday Leader's editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was shot dead by a group of masked men on motorbikes.

The case, which has never been solved, highlighted the dismal state of press freedom in the country, analysts said.

"There has been a range of attacks in Sri Lanka on journalists, civil society organisations and others in recent years. To date, too many incidents have had little investigation and no resolution," UK Foreign Office Minister Alastair Burt said in a statement.

The Sunday Leader had long had a reputation for being outspokenly anti-government.

Its profile changed last year when it was bought by a well-connected businessman and retracted some of its articles, but it still does a considerable amount of investigative reporting.

***09.02.2013. COLOMBIA. De Las Balas a Los Expedientes. Informe sobre el estado de la libertad de prensa en Colombia durante 2012

La Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa-FLIP publica este 9 de febrero, día del periodista, su informe anual en el que hace una radiografía de la situación de la libertad de prensa en el 2012. La FLIP ve con preocupación que se hayan registrado un total de 158 agresiones directas contra periodistas en el ejercicio de su oficio, entre las que se incluye el asesinato de Guillermo Quiroz en San Pedro, Sucre; el atentado contra Fernando Londoño en Bogotá; la amenaza colectiva a 10 periodistas de Santa Marta, Magdalena; el desplazamiento forzado de 6 reporteros y el exilio de uno.

Si bien las condiciones de seguridad para periodistas en otros países de América Latina, como México, Honduras y Brasil son muy delicadas, Colombia es uno de los lugares más peligrosos para el periodismo, especialmente a nivel local.

Igualmente preocupa el estado de impunidad en que se encuentran varias investigaciones. En 2012 prescribieron dos casos de asesinatos de periodistas: el de José Domingo Cortés Soto, del Diario del Otún, baleado el 15 de noviembre de 1992 en Valencia, Córdoba, y el de John Félix Tirado Castañeda de la emisora Ondas del Urrá, ocurrido el 5 de agosto del mismo año en Cartago, Valle. Esto significa que, de los 140 periodistas asesinados desde 1977, hay 59 casos que ya prescribieron.

Las investigaciones por las interceptaciones y seguimientos a periodistas por parte del DAS, parecen haber entrado en un letargo. Se dieron condenas contra mandos medios de la entidad, pero las investigaciones a funcionarios de alto nivel siguen sin mostrar avances.

Por otro lado, se destacan ciertos avances en el caso de Jineth Bedoya, que fue declarado crimen de lesa humanidad, así como en los de Orlando Sierra y Jaime Garzón, ambos en etapa de juicio.

La FLIP registró el incremento de procesos judiciales contra periodistas como método de censura. En el 2012 la inquietud ha llegado al extremo con la condena dada por el Tribunal Superior de Cundinamarca contra el periodista de Fusagasugá, Luis Agustín González, por el delito de injuria tras cuestionar en un editorial las aspiraciones políticas de una reconocida dirigente del departamento. Igualmente notorio, entre otros, fue el caso ocurrido en agosto, cuando la Sala Penal de la Corte Suprema de Justicia anunció una denuncia penal contra la columnista de El Espectador, Cecilia Orozco, por criticar el trabajo de esta Corporación. Al final, la Corte se retractó.

La FLIP destaca que en el 2012 los roces entre periodismo y fuerza pública se acentuaron. La muerte de Guillermo Quiroz involucró a miembros de la Policía en hechos que están por esclarecerse. A su vez, se dieron agresiones en Bogotá, Arauca y Santander. Por otro lado, se resalta la decisión de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos de condenar a Colombia por las agresiones cometidas por miembros del Ejército al camarógrafo Richard Vélez, en 1996, y por la falta de justicia en el esclarecimiento de los hechos.

Por último, en el 2012 se dieron algunos avances en el reconocimiento de los periodistas que han sido afectados por el conflicto. En el marco de la Ley de Víctimas, la Unidad de Atención y Reparación a Víctimas reconoció a los periodistas como una población beneficiaria de reparación colectiva y, la Alcaldía de Bogotá, a través del Centro de Memoria Distrital, hizo un monumento a los afectados por el conflicto, dentro de las que se incluyó a los periodistas.

Descargue el informe completo aquí

***06.02.2013. SOMALIA. Trial and sentencing of Somali journalist and alleged rape victim a serious blow to fight against sexual violence – Pillay

GENEVA (6 February 2013) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Wednesday that the widely criticized trial and sentencing of a Somali journalist, and the alleged raped victim he interviewed, risks seriously undermining the fight against sexual violence and urged that their case should be reopened as soon as possible.

“Sexual abuse in the camps for displaced people in Somalia is a real issue, and any effort to expose, denounce and deter these crimes should be supported,” Pillay said. “It is deeply disturbing that a woman alleging rape can be penalized for reporting such a crime, and a journalist jailed for investigating it.”

“This is a terrible blow to freedom of expression in a country where independent journalists have also been regularly targeted and killed,” Pillay said. “Sexual violence is a perfectly valid subject for any journalist to investigate. No journalist should be arrested and sentenced by a court to one year in jail for doing his work,” she added.

The freelance journalist, Abdiaziz Abdinur Ibrahim, who did not even publish any article based on his interview, was jailed for one year on Tuesday by a court in Mogadishu, along with Lul Ali Isman, the young woman who had alleged she had been raped by members of the security forces. Her husband and two others charged in the same case were released by the court.

Pillay condemned the statements made by some public authorities, including police commissioner General Sharif Shekuna Maye at a press conference on January 16, which exposed the alleged victim to public stigmatization, and potentially to personal risk, and in addition undermined her right to presumption of innocence. “The authorities should afford the necessary protection to victims reporting such crimes, and not seek to silence them,” she said.

“I am very concerned about the impact the penalization of the woman alleging rape could have in the fight against impunity in sexual violence cases, especially given the reports of increasing sexual violence in Somalia,” the High Commissioner said. “And I am particularly shocked by the exposure of the victim of the alleged rape to public stigmatization,” she added.

The High Commissioner also expressed her concerns about the handling of the pre-trial and trial phases, particularly the use of prolonged detention without charges – in contravention of Somalia’s own law -- and the limited space given to the defence.

“This sentencing of the alleged victim after such a perfunctory and procedurally questionable investigation into the veracity of her claim does a terrible disservice to the women of Somalia, who will now feel they have nowhere to turn if they are sexually abused  -- indeed will be actively deterred from doing so.”

“I raised this case ten days ago directly with the Government of Somalia,” Pillay said. “I am now calling on the Government to urgently re-open this case and launch a full inquiry to clearly establish what happened and, if any allegations of abuses against the victim and the journalist are confirmed, to hold those responsible accountable.”

***06.02.2013. TURKEY. Trial of 46 journalists and media workers (EFJ)

On 4 February, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) was represented by its president Arne König and by the president of the Turkish Union of Journalists (TGS), Ercan Ipekci at the trial of 46 journalists and media workers held at the special security prison Silivri, outside of Istanbul. The Journalists are accused of being members, or working on behalf of KCK, the so-called “city organisation” of the illegal and armed PKK, the Kurdish Workers Party.

“It was shocking for us to hear that normal journalistic activity can be considered illegal and an act of terror,” said EFJ President Arne König.

The trial is scheduled to last all week as the prosecutor is presenting his evidence running into 800 pages of indictment. Using tapped telephone talks with activists, the prosecutor claims for example that Ömer Celik, the editor of the Dicle News Agency, is close to the KCK and PKK, and uses his journalistic profession as a cover for terror activities. Yet, the accused makes it clear on the recordings that decisions to cover political issues had to be taken in an editorial meeting.

“If all talks of this sort in a newsroom are preparation for terroristic activities, then there would be several hundred thousands of terrorists all over Europe,” said Arne König, referring to the more than 300 000 journalists represented by the EFJ.

The EFJ has from the beginning tried to attend the trial of Turkish journalists. Currently, there are around 75 of them standing trial, down from 100 who were behind bars last year at the height of the media crackdown.

“But we do not see any real change of attitude from the Turkish authorities,” said Ercan Ipekci.

In fact, there was a big operation the last week against the lawyers of the accused journalists. As a result, many lawyers and six other journalists were arrested and accused of being members of an illegal terrorist organization (DHKP-C). The EFJ warns of a new threat from provisions of a draft bill which is before Parliament designed to ban Turkish organisations or individuals from receiving financial support from foreign sources.

The EFJ and the TGS call on the international community to help put an end to violations of freedom of expression in Turkey.

***05.02.2013. IRAN. UN experts call on Iran to stop journalist arrests and release those detained

GENEVA (5 February 2013) – A group of United Nations independent human rights experts* called on Monday for the Government of Iran to immediately halt the recent wave of mass arrests of journalists and to release those already detained.

Last week, security forces raided five newspaper offices and arrested at least 17 journalists, the majority of whom work for independent news outlets. Arrest warrants and summons have been issued for several others. Before these recent arrests, over 40 journalists were already imprisoned in Iran.

“The recent wave of arrests of journalists solely for carrying out their professional activities is a flagrant violation of Iran’s obligations under international human rights law,” the UN human rights experts said.

The group of rights experts underlined the fears that the 17 arrests carried out so far are part of a broader campaign to crack down on independent journalists and media outlets in Iran, under the accusation that they have collaborated with ‘anti-revolutionary’ foreign media outlets and human rights organisations. “The right to communicate with international organisations, including non-governmental ones, is a fundamental aspect of freedom of expression, and using such accusations to conduct mass arrests flies in the face of Iran’s international human rights obligations,” the experts said.

“It is disturbing that mass arrests and detention are being used in retaliation against the exercise of freedom of expression. Journalists must be able to speak and write without fear of persecution, arrest and intimidation,” the human rights experts said.

“Ahead of the June 2013 elections, the recent arrests may serve to reinforce self-censorship and severely constrict freedom of opinion and expression at a key moment in Iran’s political development,” warned the experts.

*The Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran.

***04.02.2013. SYRIA. 18 professional and citizen journalists killed in January (Syrian Journalists Association)

 Journalists were killed while covering fierce clashes between government forces and the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) last January.
Press freedom committee of the Syrian Journalists Association has documented killing 18 journalists in January and 8 media activists last December 2012. 127 professional or citizen journalists have died since the beginning of the civil war in 2011 as a result of their reporting.

Yves Debay, a Belgium journalist reporting for the French magazine Assault, was shot by a sniper stationed on the building of the central prison in Aleppo on 17 January. Debay covered several hot spots around the world, such as the Lebanese civil war, and the second Gulf War, the war in Yugoslavia, and the war in Afghanistan.

Mohamed Al-Messalmah, a Syrian journalist also known as Mohamed Al-Horani, was killed the next day while covering fighting in Bousra Al-Harir, a suburb of the southern city of Deraa. He worked for Al Jazeera TV  as a reporter.

 Al-Jazeera said Al-Horani was killed by a regular army sniper. Aged 33, he had worked for the Qatar-based TV news channel for more than a year. He had previously been an anti-government activist.

Three journalists from" network of free media" are being targeted by a mortar shell, Abdul Karim Nazir Ismail, Issam Obeid, Louay Nimer,  led  them to  death in Arbin town in Damascus suburbs On 01/31/2013.

Victims of December (2012)

1.         Naji al-Asaad, a journalist: was killed in front of his house in al-Taddamun neighborhood in Damascus, on 04-12-2012. Naji al-Asaad a retired journalist worked with Tishreen state newspaper. He was newspaper editor secretary, and head of Investigations section. After his retirement, he ran readers page at the newspaper.

2.         Mohamed Khair Sheikh Qwaider, a citizen journalist: was killed in a battle between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian regime army, in Erbeen town in Damascus suburbs on 06-12-2012. Sheikh Qwaider was ran page "We are all Erbeen martyrs" on Facebook. He was a member of the Erbeen coordinating in the Syrian revolution. He was one of the first journalists in town Erbeen. He contributed to documenting the names of the revolution martyrs and detainees.

3.         Mohammed al-Beesh, a citizen journalist: was killed during bombing of Daria in Damascus suburbs on 07-12-2012.

4.         Ahmed Abdul Salam Leila, a media activist: was killed while covering battle of Infantry Military College in Andan town in Aleppo. On 15-12-2012.

5.         Abdul Karim al-Ezzo, a citizen journalist: was shot by a sniper in al-Abbasia neighborhood in Homs, on 21-12-2012.
 
6.         Yasser Shaaban, a media activist: was killed by a bomb in Dara Azaa town in Aleppo. On 25-12-2012. Shaaban was an activist with Aleppo News Network, and Syrian Revolution General Commission.
 
7.         Abu Yazan al-Hamwi, a media activist: shot by a sniper while escorting Aljazeera live team in Wadi al-Daif region in Idlib countryside on 26-12-2012.
 
8.         Abdul Razak Abdul Rahim Al-Zoubi, a media activist: was killed during bombing of Tafas town in Daraa. 30-12-2012.

Victims of January (2013)

9.         Yasser Muwaffaq Nadam, a media activist: was killed during a clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Douma town, in Damascus suburbs . On 02-01-2013.
 
10.       Khaled Mohammed al-Khatib, a citizen journalist: was killed during an air raid on al-Medmah Sham town in Damascus suburbs, on 04-01-2013. Al-Khatib was director of the Press Office of al-Medmah Local Council.
 
11.       Motaz Khalil Mansour, a photographer and media activist: was killed during an air raid on al-Medmah Sham town in Damascus suburbs, on 04-01-2013. Mansour was the most important photographer in al-Medmah town. He filmed dozens videos during shelling his town.
 
12.       Sohail Mahmoud Ali, a journalist and a cameraman: was killed during coverage armed clashes taking in Aleppo, while he was present in the area belonging to the Syrian Army Regime, according to the Syrian Human Rights Observatory. On 04-01-2013. Ali was working with al-Dunia channel which is close to the Syrian regime.
 
13.       Ahmad Koussa, a media activist: shot by a sniper in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus. On 07-01-2013.

14.       Basim Fawaz Zoubi, a media activist: was killed by Syrian regime forces in Daraa, on 13-01-2013.

15.       Ahmed Asaad Shehab, a media activist: was executed by the regime troops after storming al-Hasawiyeh in Homs province, on 15-01-2013.
 
16.       Yves Debay, a Belgian-born French journalist : was killed by a sniper, in Aleppo. On 17-01-2013. Debay was based in Aleppo, where he covered clashes between the Syrian Regime Army (SRA) and Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the city for his online newsmagazine (Assault) . A veteran military correspondent, he contributed reports for the French military magazine Raid, and had written several books about military conflicts. Debay covered the second Gulf War, Lebanese civil war Yugoslavia war, and Afghanistan war.

17.       Muhammad al-Mesalma (al-Hourani), an Al-Jazeera reporter:  was killed by a sniper in Daraa, on 18-01-2013. al-Mesalma was shot while reporting on fighting in Basri Al-Hariri village in Daraa province. Al-Mesalma reported for al-Jazeera about a year on ongoing military clashes between the Syrian Regime Army (SRA) and Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Darra.
 
18.       Amjad al-Sioufi, a media activist: was killed during shelling on East Gouta in Damascus suburbs, on 18-01-2013.
 
19.       Munir al-Namous, a media activist: was shot by a sniper in Madaya town of in Damascus suburbs. On 18-01-2012.

20.       Faisal Al-Basha, a media activist: was killed in Ras al-Ain town in Hasaka, on 01/18/2013.
 
21.       Qasim Khalil al-Maaishi, a media activist: was killed in Ras al-Ain in Hasaka. On 18-01-2013.
 
22.       Yesr Fawaz Zoubi, a media activist: was killed during clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the Syrian Regime Army in Busr al-Harir village in Darra. On 20-01-2013.
 
23.       Mohammed Abdel-Rahman, a sports journalist: was assassinated with his father in Tishreen neighborhood in Damascus. On 26-01-2013. Abdul Rahman was working for "Syrian Soccer" sport website.
 
24.       Abdul Karim Nazir Ismail, a media activist: was targeted by a mortar shelling with a group of Free Syrian Army in Arbin town in Damascus suburbs. On 31-01-2013.
 
25.       Issam Obeid, a media activist: was targeted by a mortar shelling with a group of Free Syrian Army in Arbin town in Damascus suburbs. On 31-01-2013.
 
26.       Loay al-Nimer a media activist: was targeted by a mortar shelling with a group of Free Syrian Army in Arbin town in Damascus suburbs. On 31-01-2013.
-- 
Massoud Akko 004746262365Skype: akkopress

***02.02.2013. IRAK. Inquiétude pour un journaliste français emprisonné à Bagdad (AFP)

Nadir Dendoune, 40 ans, réalisait des reportages sur le dixième anniversaire de l'invasion de l'Irak. On lui reproche d'avoir pris des photos sans autorisation.LibérationUn journaliste français a été arrêté par la police irakienne pour avoir pris des photos sans autorisation à Bagdad et est détenu dans une prison de la capitale irakienne sans inculpation, a-t-on appris mardi auprès d’une source consulaire française et d’un responsable irakien. Nadir Dendoune, 40 ans, s'était rendu en Irak pour réaliser des reportages sur le dixième anniversaire de l’invasion du pays pour le mensuel français Le Monde Diplomatique, selon la source consulaire qui s’exprimait sous le couvert de l’anonymat.

Le reporter, qui détient également les nationalités algérienne et australienne, «ne s’est pas déclaré auprès des autorités locales et n’a pas demandé les autorisations pour prendre des photos», a-t-elle ajouté. Un responsable des forces de sécurité irakiennes a indiqué à l’AFP que Nadir Dendoune avait photographié des «sites sensibles appartenant au dispositif sécuritaire», sans préciser lesquels. Par ailleurs, le journaliste «est en détention provisoire et non en prison», a précisé ce responsable qui a requis l’anonymat.

En Irak, tous les journalistes ont besoin d’une autorisation avant de pouvoir travailler et, a fortiori, de prendre des photos de soldats et de policiers. Nadir Dendoune a été arrêté dans le quartier de Dora (sud-ouest) «en milieu de semaine dernière» et «est toujours en détention, il n’a pas été encore inculpé», a ajouté la source consulaire. Les autorités irakiennes ont assuré qu’il «est bien traité», selon elle.«Nous ne savons pas pourquoi il a été arrêté»

En France, Madjid Messaoudene, un ami de Nadir Dendoune et conseiller municipal de la ville de Saint-Denis (nord de Paris), a confié son inquiétude à l’AFP, car «nous ne savons pas pourquoi il a été arrêté, on n’a pas d’informations et rien qui rassure vraiment». De même source, Nadir Dendoune n’a pu prévenir ses proches que «cinq jours après son arrestation».

Selon Madjid Messaoudene, son ami était bien muni d’un visa de presse à son arrivée en Irak le 15 janvier et a été interpellé mercredi dernier. Des proches de Nadir Dendoune ont été reçus à l’ambassade d’Irak à Paris mardi matin. «Ils attendent eux-mêmes d’en savoir plus», d’après Madjid Messaoudene.

Nadir Dendoune devait rentrer à Paris pour assister à la projection de son documentaire «Palestine» à l’Institut du monde arabe (IMA), prévue mercredi soir. «La projection aura bien lieu demain à l’IMA, même s’il n’est pas revenu», a précisé Nadir Messaoudene. Nadir Dendoune est l’auteur de trois livres dont «Un tocard sur le toit du monde», publié en 2010 chez JC lattès.

***18.01.2013. SOMALIA. NUSOJ Condemns the Murder of the Somali Journalist, detained Journalist to appear in Court Next Week

Mogadishu, 18 January, 2012, The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns the murder of the Somali journalist on Friday Morning in the strongest terms possible and calls for prompt investigations into the murder case and along the other previous cases, meanwhile, the Somali Journalist held in communicado for conducting a interview of a woman who claimed she was raped by members of the Somali Security forces will appear in
court on next Tuesday 22 January, 2012.

Armed gunmen shot to death Abdi Hareed Osman of Radio Shabelle in Wadajir district on Friday morning. The motive of the killing is yet unknown.

NUSOJ condemns the killing of the journalists and calls for prompt investigation into the murder case. The union sends its sympathies and condolences families, friends and colleague who might have missed Mr. Osman.

"on behalf of the Somali Journalists, I send my sympathies and condolences to the families and friends of late Osman." Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, "We call for prompt investigations, so that the killers be brought to justice, to end the culture of impunity."

Osman is the first journalist killed in Somalia in 2013. 18 Media workers have been killed in Somalia in 2012 alone and none of the killers has been punished for their crimes. The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, His excellency, Hassan Sheik Mohamoud told journalists and union representative that "The era of impunity has finished and the criminals will be identified and brought to justice, during the meeting on 9 November 2012 at the presidential palace.

The National Union of Somali Journalists calls for government to speed up the formation of the task force against the crimes against the journalists in order for the criminals who are enjoying the impunity be brought to justice.

On a separate incident, the Somali Journalists and union officials gathered at the court on Thursday 17 January, 2013, where it was
expected from the police to bring the detained journalist Abdiasis Koronto of Radio Dalsan, but was later announced that it was delayed
until next Monday. The hearing of his case will take place next Tuesday 22 January, 2013 and Somali journalists are very well prepared
to defend the journalist in court by facilitating all necessary means to win the freedom of the detained journalist. Already, a lawyer has
been secured for the journalist who will defend him at the court.
 
For further information, contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Human Rights House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / newsletter@nusoj.org.so
Internet: http://www.nusoj.org.so

***01.01.2013. SYRIE. Défection de journalistes du camp Assad : "notre mission ' tuer par la parole" (AFP)

PARIS (28.12.2012) - Lama al-Khadra résume son travail à Radio Damas d'une phrase : "notre mission était de tuer par la parole". Avec deux autres responsables de cette radio officielle syrienne, elle a fait "défection" à Paris et rejoint le camp de l'opposition au président Bachar al-Assad. 

"C'est difficile de toujours porter un masque, ne rien montrer, penser, parler, comme eux, les hommes du régime", dit-elle après la lecture solennelle d'une "déclaration de défection" dans l'arrière-boutique d'une librairie du centre de Paris. 

Pendant des mois, cette responsable des programmes politiques et culturels de Radio Damas, la radio publique historique en Syrie, a dû "mettre des mots" sur les opposants au régime. "Il fallait se cantonner aux dépêches de Sana (l'agence officielle de presse syrienne), et dénigrer les opposants, ce n'est pas facile", assure-t-elle. Lama écrit alors "groupes armés" pour "manifestants", "complot" pour "contestation". 

La journaliste décrit un climat de paranoïa générale dans la rédaction, où on n'ose regarder que les télévisions officielles : "Il était dangereux de regarder al-Jazeera sans passer pour un révolutionnaire". 

"Au sein des rédactions des médias officiels, beaucoup de journalistes vivent la souffrance du peuple", assure-t-elle. 

"Certains d'entre nous ont été convoqués par les services secrets", précise Kamal Jamal Beck, directeur des programmes de la radio et également patron du site internet de la radio et de la télévision, lui-même interrogé à trois reprises. 

"Travailler pour un média d'Etat en Syrie, c'est comme être dans une prison invisible", confesse Baddour Abdel Karim, ancienne patronne du service culture de la radio. "Nous n'étions plus journalistes", regrette-t-elle, décrivant une rédaction où "certains soutiennent le régime et ne s'en cachent pas, d'autres restent en place parce qu'ils n'ont pas le choix". 

Lancer une nouvelle radio 

Kamal Jamal Beck raconte l'action d'"experts iraniens en informations". "A l'intérieur de la radio, un service a été créé avec ces experts iraniens parlant parfaitement arabe", affirme-t-il. Les journalistes "les plus zélés" ou les shabbihas, la milice de nervis du régime, sont formés par ces experts ou à Beyrouth auprès de la chaîne de télévision du Hezbollah, Al-Manar. 

Après l'enlèvement et l'assassinat par un groupe rebelle jihadiste en juillet de leur ami et collègue Mohammed al-Saïd, décision est prise : partir. 

Les trois journalistes quittent la Syrie pour le Liban, avant de rejoindre cette semaine Paris avec l'aide des autorités françaises. 

"Pour nous, assoiffés de liberté, le départ est amer", disent-ils. Mais ils ne veulent plus rester en Syrie, "avec des balles dans la bouche". 

Ils vivent désormais dans la banlieue sud de Paris et rêvent de lancer une nouvelle radio, "embryon d'une future radio publique de l'après-Assad". 

"En l'absence d'un canal de transmission médiatique, il y a un fossé entre le terrain et les responsables de l'opposition à l'extérieur", estime Baddour Abdel Karim. 

Tous trois veulent, avec la Coalition nationale syrienne, la principale instance de l'opposition, créer une radio qui "prenne le pouls de la révolution syrienne" pour "renforcer l'union nationale entre les Syriens". 

Depuis le début de la contestation qui a tourné à la guerre civile, des dizaines de journalistes ont fait défection. La plupart ont quitté leur poste en toute discrétion et ont pris la route de l'exil, en Turquie, en Jordanie ou au Liban comme des centaines de milliers de Syriens. D'autres, telle l'ancienne présentatrice Ola Abbas partie en juillet de la chaîne officielle d'informations télévisées en continu Al-Ikhbariya, ont déserté le micro et l'ont fait savoir. 

Pour tous ceux qui continuent de se rendre au siège de la radiotélévision d'Etat, place des Omeyyades, dans le centre de Damas, l'enlèvement ou l'assassinat par les rebelles sont des menaces de plus en plus fortes. 

17 journalistes professionnels, étrangers et Syriens, et 44 citoyens-journalistes ont été tués depuis le début du conflit en mars 2011 en Syrie, "cimetière des acteurs de l'information".  

***31.12.2012. IFJ Renews Call to UN and Governments to Halt Slaughter of Journalists after 121 Killings in Bloody 2012

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said that 2012 has been one of the bloodiest years for journalists and media workers after recording 121 killings in targeted attacks and cross fire incidents. The IFJ warned that these terrible numbers are the result of a systematic failure by governments and the United Nations to fulfill their international obligations to protect and enforce journalists’ basic right to life.

“The death toll for 2012 is another indictment of governments which pay lip service to the protection of journalists but have consistently failed to stop their slaughter,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “It is no wonder that these sky-high numbers of killed journalists have become a constant feature in the last decade during which the usual reaction from governments and the United Nations has been a few words of condemnation, a cursory inquiry and a shrug of indifference.”

According to figures released today by the Federation which has published annual reports of journalists and media workers killed in work-related incidents since 1990, 121 journalists and media staff lost their lives in targeted attacks, bomb attacks and other cross-fire incidents this year, up from 107 recorded in 2011. Thirty more died in accidents or of illness while they were at work in 2012, against 20 last year.

Syria tops the IFJ’s list of the most dangerous countries for media in 2012. More violence and lawlessness in Somalia turned the country into a media killing field while organised crime in Mexico and insurgents in Pakistan account for the high numbers of fatalities in these countries.

The Federation said that, in their majority, journalists were deliberately targeted because of their work and with the clear intention to silence them. This constant finding in IFJ annual reports bring into sharp focus the need for genuine measures to protect journalists and punish those responsible for violence against media.

Last month, the IFJ urged accountability for violence targeting media at the UN Inter-Agency’s conference in Vienna, Austria which officially launched the UN Action Plan on the safety of journalists and the issue of Impunity, noting that ‘ the new UN plan is akin to drinking in the last chance saloon."

“We now look to the UN Plan on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity to deliver on its mandate,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “The situation is so desperate that inaction no longer represents an option.”

As of 31 December, the IFJ recorded the following information on killings of journalists and media staff in 2012:

Targeted killings, bomb attacks and cross-fire incidents: 121

Accidental and illness related deaths: 30

Total Deaths: 151

The deadliest region in 2012 was the Middle East and Arab World with 47 journalists and media personnel killed.  Syria had the region's highest death toll with 36 dead.

Among countries with the highest  numbers of media fatalities are:

Syria: 35
Somalia: 18
Pakistan: 10
Mexico: 10
Philippines: 5
Iraq: 5    

The list of journalists and media personnel killed in 2012 is available on the IFJ website:

www.ifj.org

For more information, please contact IFJ  :
Jim Boumelha, IFJ President                   :+44 1865723450
Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary           : + 32 2 235 22 10/ +32 279077194
Ernest Sagaga, Communications Officer   : +32 2 235 22 07/+32 477 71 40 29

***28.12.2012. UN Plan of Action on The Safety of Journalits and the Issue of Impunity: new draft version of the Implementation Strategy (for the period 2013-2014). This latest version has been prepared taking into account the discussions which took place at the 2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting on The Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, held on 22-23 November in Vienna, Austria.

go to the following link: www.unesco.org/webworld/en/UN-plan-safety

***20.12.2012. Global death toll for journalists \'third worst on record\' (INSI)

Journalists killed while covering the the violence in Syria made up the majority of news media casualties in 2012 in one of the bloodiest years on record.
Preliminary findings by the International News Safety Institute show that at least 156 journalists and other media staff were killed because of their work. The global death toll is the third worst on record since INSI began in 2003.
The 33 casualties in Syria were almost double those of the second most dangerous country for journalists, Somalia, where 18 media workers were killed.
News crews have faced unprecedented challenges while trying to report on the unfolding events in Syria, with journalists killed in crossfire or targeted by government or opposition forces. Other journalists have been attacked, tortured, kidnapped and threatened.
The first journalist to be killed in Syria was Shukry Abu Burghol of the state-run al-Thawra newspaper. He was shot by gunmen in Damascus in late December and died on January 2.
Few international journalists have been able to cover the conflict - Syria has been dubbed 'the most difficult one [conflict] we've done' by BBC Middle East correspondent Paul Wood.  
Last week, award-winning NBC correspondent Richard Engel and his team were kidnapped in Syria. They were released on Tuesday after five days in captivity. Other journalists are still missing, including Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva who was kidnapped in October.
And with local news outlets under state control, citizen journalists and activists took extreme risks to try to document the war with cameras and mobile phones.
It has been the deadliest year on record for journalists in Somalia, with 18 media workers killed – all of whom were murdered. Many of these cases were linked to militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab.
The third most dangerous country is Nigeria, where 12 media workers died. Seven of these were unidentified staffers for Nigerian newspaper ThisDay who were killed when suicide bombers detonated explosives by their offices in Abuja and Kaduna in coordinated attacks. A spokesperson for the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram later said the group attacked the newspaper's offices to send a strong message that it would 'no longer condone reports misrepresenting them in the press'.
Pakistan and Mexico were the fourth and fifth deadliest countries, with 10 and 11 fatalities.
The worst year on record was in 2007, when INSI counted the deaths of 172 media workers – 65 of whom were in Iraq. In 2006, 168 journalists died.
Richard Sambrook, Honorary President of the International News Safety Institute, said:
"These figures are a shocking testimony to the risks run by journalists in the course of their work. Not just those reporting conflict - but also those confronting corruption and crime. What's most shocking is how few murders of journalists are pursued to prosecution. All parties - agencies, governments and industry - must work together to reduce risks and end impunity for those who threaten journalists.
“In the words of Sunday Times Correspondent Marie Colvin, who we sadly lost in Syria this year, 'The real difficulty is having enough faith in humanity to believe that enough people, be they government, military or man on the street, will care when your file reaches the printed page, the website or the TC screen. We do have that faith because we believe we do make a difference.' (St Bride's London, 2010)”
The preliminary findings, compiled in liaison with INSI's regional contacts, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI), are a prelude to INSI's biannual 'Killing the Messenger' report, an analysis of media casualties around the globe.
As a safety organisation, INSI records all deaths, whether deliberate, accidental or health-related, of all news media staff and freelancers while on assignment or as a result of their news organisation being attacked because of its work.

***12.12.2012. SYRIA. IFJ and EFJ Warn of Media Safety Crisis in Syria after Rebels' Threats to Execute Reporter

Fears are mounting for the life of Anhar Kochneva, a female journalist and a dual national of Russia and Ukraine, who was kidnapped in October by the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Her captors are now threatening to execute her tomorrow unless their demand for a ransom is met.

The International Federation and its European group, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today called on those who hold the reporter to respect her right to life.

"This news is very alarming indeed and we are gravely concerned for the safety of Anhar  Kochneva," said IFJ President, Jim Boumelha. "Those who are holding her will be held responsible for summary execution if she is killed."

According to the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), an IFJ and EFJ affiliate, Anhar Kochneva was kidnapped near the Syrian city of Khoms at the beginning of October. The union says that the journalist, who was reporting for a number of prominent Russian media from Syria, appeared on 7 November in a video published on the Internet, in which she appealed to the Embassies of Ukraine and Russia as well as the Syrian government to meet the demands of her kidnappers. RUJ quoted family and friends as saying that she is held by two commanders of the Free Syrian Army, Aby Jamal and Farid Abu Hussein.

In a second video released on 28 November, the journalist read a text in Arabic, admitting to having "participated in the battles, translated for and supported Syrian and Russian officers, worked as a military interpreter," added RUJ, noting that both appeals seemed to be made under pressure. Her captors are believed to have demanded a ransom of 50 million US Dollars, threatening to execute the journalist on 13 December if the payment is not made, RUJ says.

The European Federation of Journalists has accused the FSA of putting the journalist's life in danger for financial gains.

"This blatant use of journalists as a money spinning scheme is outrageous,' added Arne König, EFJ President. "She and her family should not be subjected to such a cruel blackmail. She should be released immediately and unharmed to be reunited with her relatives and colleagues."  

The case of Anhar Kochneva is a reminder of risks to media in the current Syrian conflict in which both sides have been accused of serious violations, including arbitrary arrests and detention, kidnappings as well as killings of journalists and media workers.

At least three other journalists and media staff are either missing or held by warring factions in Syria. They include U.S. freelance journalist Austin Tice, who writes for The Washington Post and McClatchy newspapers and went missing in August 2012, Palestinian Bashar Fahmi al-Kadumi of the Arabic-language television channel Al-Hurra who disappeared during the same month in the city of Aleppo and Mustafa al-Khateeb, a Syrian interpreter who was arrested by the FSA in the city of Bab al Salameh in October.

***11.11.2012. Number of journalists in prison reaches record high (Source: Committee to Protect Journalists)

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, December 11, 2012 - The number of journalists imprisoned worldwide reached a record high this year, a trend driven primarily by terrorism and other anti-state charges levied against critical reporters and editors, according to a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

"We are living in an age when anti-state charges and 'terrorist' labels have become the preferred means that governments use to intimidate, detain, and imprison journalists," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "Criminalizing probing coverage of inconvenient topics violates not only international law, but impedes the right of people around the world to gather, disseminate, and receive independent information."

The three leading jailers of journalists were Turkey (49), Iran (45), and China (32), where imprisonments followed sweeping crackdowns on criticism and dissent, making use of anti-state charges in retaliation for critical coverage. This pattern is present in most of the countries in the census. In Turkey, the world's worst jailer, authorities held dozens of Kurdish reporters and editors on terror-related charges and other journalists for allegedly plotting against the government. Following an extensive case-by-case review in 2012, CPJ confirmed journalism-related reasons in numerous cases previously unlisted by the organization, thus significantly raising the country's total.

CPJ's 2012 census of imprisoned journalists identified 232 writers, editors, and photojournalists behind bars on December 1, an increase of 53 from 2011 and the highest since the organization began the survey in 1990. The 2012 figure surpasses the previous record of 185 journalists imprisoned in 1996, underlining a disturbing trend of conflating coverage of opposition groups or sensitive topics with terrorism, evident since 2001.

Rounding out the top five jailers were Eritrea, with 28 journalists in prison, and Syria with 15, the worst abusers of the rule of law. None of the journalists in jail in either country have been publicly charged with a crime or brought before a court or trial. In line with findings over the past five years, a little more than half (118) of those held globally were online journalists and more than a third were freelancers.

"With a record number of journalists imprisoned around the world, the time has come to speak out," said Simon. "We must fight back against governments seeking to cloak their repressive tactics under the banner of fighting terrorism; we must push for broad legislative changes in countries where critical journalism is being criminalized; we must stand up for all those journalists in prison and do all in our power to secure their release; and we must ensure the Internet itself remains an open global platform for critical expression."

All of the governments included in CPJ's 2012 census have received letters expressing serious concern. CPJ continues to advocate for the release of four recipients of its International Press Freedom Award who remain imprisoned: Dhondup Wangchen, a Tibetan held in China, Azimjon Askarov in Kyrgyzstan, Shi Tao in China, and Mohammad Davari in Iran. In 2012, CPJ helped 58 imprisoned journalists from around the world win early release.

CPJ also registered some improvement this year: For the first time since 1996, Burma did not rank among the nations jailing journalists. As part of the country's historic transition to civilian rule, authorities released at least 12 imprisoned journalists in a series of pardons in 2012.

Of the 27 countries imprisoning journalists, the top 10 jailers were:
* Turkey: 49
* Iran: 45
* China: 32
* Eritrea: 28
* Syria: 15
* Vietnam: 14
* Azerbaijan: 9
* Ethiopia: 6
* Saudi Arabia: 4
* Uzbekistan: 4

CPJ's annual census is a snapshot of those incarcerated at midnight on December 1, 2012. It does not include the many journalists imprisoned and released throughout the year, which are otherwise documented on http://www.cpj.org . Journalists who either disappear or are abducted by nonstate entities such as criminal gangs or militant groups are not included in the prison census. Their cases are classified as "missing" or "abducted."

An analysis of CPJ's 2012 imprisoned census is available along with detailed accounts of each imprisoned case.

The report is also available in Arabic, French, Russian, Turkish, and Spanish.
Download the report in English:
CPJ_Prison_2012_overview.pdf (291 KB)

***11.12.2012. Killing of a journalist in SOUTH SUDAN (Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville) 

We are concerned about a number of physical attacks on human rights defenders and the killing of a journalist in South Sudan in recent months, which can also be seen as an assault on freedom of expression.

In the most recent attack, Diing Chan Awol, a local blogger and well-known political commentator in South Sudan was killed outside his home in the Juba suburb of Gudek on the morning of Wednesday 5 December. Local witnesses have asserted that the victim was shot after being lured out of his house by unidentified gunmen. According to his family, he had been receiving a number of threats including a clear ultimatum to stop writing or face the consequences.

We welcome the fact that the President has ordered the security services to conduct a “thorough investigation,” into the murder of Mr Diing Chan Awol, who was also known by his pen name, Isaiah Abraham. Yesterday during the Human Rights Day celebration in Juba, many speakers spoke about his killing and the Legal Advisor of the President read a statement on behalf of the President in which he mentioned the Government's determination to seek justice and accountability for crimes committed.        

In addition to this tragic silencing of a prominent public commentator, during the past six months, there have also been similar attempts to intimidate local human rights activists belonging to the South Sudan Civil Society Alliance, two members of which have been kidnapped and badly beaten by unidentified armed men.  

One of the two men, Ring Bulabuk, a leading human rights and civil society activist, was kidnapped in October, and subjected to torture. Before his kidnap, the victim publicly criticized corruption practices by senior government officials.

We urge the Government of South Sudan to take remedial action and send a strong signal of its readiness to protect the safety of journalists and human rights defenders, as part of a wider effort to bolster support for freedom of expression in this young and fragile democracy.

In a separate incident, we are deeply concerned by the killing of 10 people in Wau, Northern Bahr al Ghazal State, when the South Sudan army allegedly fired at protestors at the weekend. Six people were reportedly killed late on Saturday and another four on Sunday morning. The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is investigating the incidents.  

***07.12.2012. IFJ Voices Concerns for Media Safety in Egypt Crisis after Reporter’s Shooting

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today raised concerns of the safety of journalists and media workers who are covering the unfolding crisis in Egypt. The Federation was reacting to reports of a serious incident in which journalist El-Hosseini Abul-Deif was shot on Wednesday.

The reporter, who worked for El-Fagr newspaper, was shot and critically injured during the clashes and doctors at Zahraa Hospital declared him clinically dead on Thursday morning, according to media reports. Five people were killed during violent clashes between opponents and supporters of President Mohammed Morsi.

“We condemn the shooting of El-Hosseini and urge the authorities to investigate thoroughly the circumstances of this incident,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. “The violence on the streets of Cairo must not serve as an excuse for mindless attacks on journalists, causing loss of life and serious injury.”

Reports say that El-Hosseini was seemingly shot at close range for photographs he had taken of the protests outside the Presidential palace in Cairo. The Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate has blamed members of the Muslim Brotherhood for the attack.

Egypt is in the grip of unrest following the decision of President Mosri to issue a decree, stripping the judiciary of power to challenge his decisions. His critics also oppose the draft of the country’s new Constitution to be voted on 15 December, saying it does not offer adequate protection of fundamental rights.

The IFJ is concerned that the escalation of the crisis in Egypt is attracting stronger media interest, raising the risks to the safety of journalists and other media workers who are likely to travel to the country.

“We urge journalists in Egypt to take extra precautions for their physical safety in this highly volatile situation,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “At the same time, the authorities have an obligation to protect our colleagues and to do everything in their power to prevent and punish acts of violence targeting media.”

***01.12.2012. SYRIA. Syria: 100 journalists and media activist where killed since revolution upraised. November is the bloodiest
(Media Freedoms Committee at the Syrian Journalists Association)

November was , the bloodiest records against media and journalists in Syria, as the Commission of the press freedoms in the Syrian Journalists Association, who involved in monitoring and documenting abuses against journalists and media activists has documented. The Commission has documented that / 13 / journalists and media activists were killed all over the country. In a clear, serious and dangerous indication indicates that the targeting of journalists and media workers. Three of them by armed forces of the opposition in Damascus and Hasakah. Four journalists were killed in Damascus and its countryside, three killed in Aleppo, and two each in Deir Ezzor and Hasaka and one in Idleb.

Mays Ghassan Alchihawi, a student in the third year in the Faculty of Information at the University of Damascus was released .after she was arrested on 02/10/2012.

Shaza Al maddad , was arrested at the beginning of November, She has summoned for investigation by the Internal forces in the capital, Damascus.

She has been summoned to the branch mentioned twice, first after returning from the United States after spending months as a guest in Visiting journalist Program, the second after she resigned from her job in Damas Post website because of her political view and the way she was covering Syrian revolution events.

Baraa Mays , a media and political activist working for Aleppo News network was arrested in a checkpoint near aL-HAYAT Hospital in Aleppo, there is no information about the circumstances of his arrest and whereabouts until this moment.

Arabiya TV channel correspondent Mohammed Dughmush wounded shrapnel, while covering a demonstration in the Al Bustan Al kaser in the city of Aleppo, on 11/16/2012. Where dozens of civilians has killed and wounded by bombing missile.

Media activist Mustafa Kerman, was killed there, during the shelling too.

The Turkish journalist Johnat Unal was released on 11.17.2012, he was abducted by Syrian intelligence last August, according to a statement the deputy in the Turkish parliament for the Republican People's Party, "Hassan Akgul."

While the situation of Bashar journalist Fahmi Kaddoumi, the reporter of Al Hurra still unknown. Where he has disappeared three months ago, since 20 -08 - 2012 third day of Eid al-Fitr, during his doing his job as a correspondent for the channel "a" l Hurra” at the outskirts of the city of Aleppo with his Turkish colleague photographer Johnat Unal. While Syrian regime formally denied his detention, no clue on his situation yet.

Below are the names of journalists and media activists who were killed in November:

Mohammed Khalil al-Wagaa, a media activist: was killed in artillery shelling on the Mayadeen town in Deir al-Zour. On 01-11-2012.

Hassan Haidar Sheikh Hamoud, a media activist: was killed while filming the bombing on Saan and Housh Hijo neighborhood in Talbisa town in Homs. On 02-11-2012

Jamal Abdel Nasser Malas, a photographer and media activist: was killed during the shelling on Maart al-Nouman town in Idleb. On 03-11-2012.

Samer Kherisha, a photographer and media activist: was killed while filming military operations with the Free Syrian Army, in the Arbin in Damascus Suburbs. On 05-11-2012.

Mustafa Kerman, a media activist: was killed during bombing Al Bustan al-Qasir neighborhood by rockets in Aleppo, on 16-11-2012.

Abdullah Hassan Kaaka, a media activist: was killed under torture in the Military Intelligence branch in Aleppo, on 17-11-2012. Abdullah is the brother of Abdul Ghani and Ahmed Kaaka who were killed during the Syrian revolution.

Mohammed al-Khalid, a media activist: was killed by "Namr" battalion gunmen of Diraa al-Shahba brigade in Aleppo. On 18-11-2012. al-Khaled was executed by firing squad for his repeated criticism of some elements of the Free Syrian Army.

Mohammad al-Zaher, a media activist: was killed by shelling on al-Bouaida town in Damascus suburbs. On 19-11-2012.

Abed Khalil, a journalist: was killed by the free Syrian army in Ras al-Ain town in al-Hasaka province. On 19-11-2012.

Hozan Abdel Halim Mahmoud, a media activist and photographer: was killed by the military forces of the Democratic Union Party in Ras al-Ain According to Syria Stamp Network. On 20-11-2012. Hozan has covered Kurdish demonstrations in Qamishli. He moved on 19-11-2012 to Ras al-Ain town to cover clashes between the Free Syrian Army and forces of the Democratic Union Party. Hozan was killed during the clash while he was filming. he was a correspondent of Syria Stamp Network.

Basil Tawfiq: a journalist: was killed by an "armed terrorist group" according to the Syrian Arab News Agency "SANA". In al-Taddamun neighborhood in Damascus. On 22-11-2012. Tawfiq was working as a journalist at the Syrian General Organisation of Radio and TV.

Mohammed Al-Khal, a photographer and activist media: was killed while filming military operations with the Free Syrian Army, in Deir ez-Zor, on 11-25-2012.

Mohammed Quraytam journalist: was killed by shelling Darya town, in Damascus suburbs. On 29-11-2012. Quraytam was working with (Inab Baladi) newspaper, and one important activist in the Syrian peaceful movement. He was a member of the media committee in the “Freedom Days” group. And a former prison in 2003.

Media Freedoms Committee at the Syrian Journalists Association
Damascus 1/12/2012

***23.11.2012. On the International Day to End Impunity - MADA: ‘Yes’ to holding those who abuse journalists to account

Ramallah 23/11/2012: on this day, 23rd November, human rights organizations in general and freedom of expression organizations in particular organize activities in honour of the International Day to End Impunity. Such activities include campaigns and various events in order to hold those who abuse journalists to account, especially in light of the international community’s failure to secure their protection. Crimes against journalists in the occupied Palestinian territories have been acutely witnessed during the latest phase of aggression against Gaza. Israeli occupation forces killed three journalists, namely Mahmoud Al- Komi, Hossam Salamah and Mohammed Abu Eisha, and bombed the headquarters of a number of media outlets; furthermore, occupation forces killed four journalists during its aggression on the Gaza Strip at the beginning of 2009. A total number of 23 journalists have been murdered since the commencement of the new millennium.

According to the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a total of 559 journalists have been killed worldwide since the turn of 2008, with 129 journalists losing their lives since the beginning of this year alone. Many of the casualties have included journalists operating in the Arab regions, particularly in Iraq, and throughout 2012 a great number have fallen victim in Syria where media freedoms have deteriorated in an unprecedented way over the last year and a half. The fate of Palestinian journalists Bashar Qaddoumi and Muheeb Nawati remains unknown, following their disappearance in Syria and the refusal of the authorities to supply information regarding their whereabouts or welfare.

Members of the Global Network for Free Expression (IFEX), which represents 95 international, regional and national institutions including the MADA Center (which is an IFEX Council member), elected 23rd November as the International Day to End Impunity during their General Meeting in the Lebanese capital of Beirut in June 2011. This date marks the anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre where 32 journalists were killed in the Philippines in 2009, the deadliest attack on journalists in recent history.

IFEX also launched its annual ‘23 actions in 23 days’ campaign at the beginning of this month in which the network profiled 23 individual stories around the world who have suffered gross violations and who have not yet experienced due justice. Palestinian photojournalist Jafar Ishtayeh is one such journalist and IFEX highlighted his story on the eighth day of the campaign. On the same day, MADA organized a sit-in in the city of Ramallah protesting the continued violations of journalists perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces.

On this marked occasion, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) demands accountability for all aggressors against journalists in Palestine and around the world. It demands the release of imprisoned journalists and appeals to international society and relevant United Nations organizations to employ and implement clear and specific mechanisms to ensure adequate protection for journalists, particularly during times of war and in conflict zones.

PAKISTAN - International Day To End Impunity - Impunity against Pakistani Media rises to unacceptable levels

Pakistan, November 23, 2012. Eighty eight journalists have been killed in Pakistan during last decade out of which 36 were shot dead in target killing. In 2012, ten journalists including one TV channel driver were killed in three provinces, Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of the country as impunity against Pakistani media rises to unacceptable levels. According to the figures compiled by the Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP) twenty six journalists have been killed in Balochistan province during last five years which Khuzdar district had been declared as one of the dangerous place for working journalist by the Reporters without Borders (RSF).Up to November 18, this year four journalists were shot dead in Balochistan province.

The biggest challenge apart from direct threat to the life of journalists in Pakistan is a culture of impunity.”The killers of not a single of the 88 journalists killed in Pakistan excluding US journalist Daniel Pearl have been arrested, tried and convicted. This promoted impunity and allowed anyone to threaten and target journalists because they know they can get away with murder. Journalists often complain about receiving threats, including from the country’s intelligence agencies which can lead to violent attacks against them. Investigations, when commissioned, tend to lack credibility and recent case of GEO TV channel reporter Wali Khan Baber who was shot dead in Karachi in January, 2011, saw the murder of all six witnesses who were willing to testify against the five dependants.

The areas bordering Afghanistan-FATA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are the most dangerous areas for journalists. Journalists hailing from Balochistan province face violence and threats from ethnic, sectarian and separatist groups as well as from security forces and intelligence agencies. Tribal leaders, militants ,district administrations, political agents and security agencies ask journalists in FATA, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to get clearance from them before filing their news to both print and electronic media.

Situation in the country’ biggest Punjab province is not even better where a young female journalist Seemab bibi committed suicide by jumping from the fourth storey of a hotel in provincial capital Lahore on August 15 this year over nonpayment of her several months salary while many anchorpersons and senior journalists were threatened by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.Similarly in small towns a large number of journalists were detained, injured, threatened and implicated in false cases on their reporting.

South Punjab, a home of 50 million people is in the grip of religious extremism and sectarian violence now days. Law enforcement agencies have arrested dangerous terrorists from various areas of South Punjab who are activists of banned religious organizations including their mastermind a PHD degree holder. Suicide jackets, hand grenades, mine, and explosive material in heavy quantity was also recovered from an area seven kilometers away where RMNP is based. This situation demands strict safety precautions from media men. They put their life in danger to cover different assignments. Religious extremism is spreading in different parts of the country. There are many sectarian organizations fighting for domination. Former Bahawalpur province is a part of South Punjab where militants have strong base. Religious extremists force journalists to cover their speeches and pressurize them to publish their news word by word. Recently a man was burnt alive in Chanigoth town of Bahawalpur province where

TV channels reporters received threatening messages from extremists on cell phones. Rural journalists in various parts of former Bahawalpur province and feudal dominated areas of South Punjab face three major problems and put their life in danger while they report on sectarian extremism, honor killings and corruption of feudals and government functionaries.

The security of the media persons remained a big question during the eleven months of 2012, and no proper steps have been taken to provide security by the authorities and even by the media houses. The attitude of media houses was more indifferent towards the safety and security of journalists as compare with the authorities. The journalists who are involved in their professional duties in the conflict areas are more vulnerable and exposed before the law enforcement agencies, militant groups and other non state actors. The majority of the journalists are under paid or allowed only to use ID cards of the channels they work for and have to arrange their own earnings.

Article 19 of the constitution of Pakistan guarantees that every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of press. RMNP urges the authorities to stop the impunity to the perpetrators who are involved in killings, abduction and disappearances of the journalists, attacks on journalists and media houses. The non committal and indifferent attitude of federal and provincial governments towards the killings of journalists has provided encouragement to the powerful groups to unleash against the journalists to suppress the freedom of expression and freedom of media. The killings of journalists and continuous attacks on them shows that policy of the civilian government towards the freedom of media and expression is no more different from the military rule and it may be called as extension of the policy of military dictators.

Journalists Killed in 2012 in Pakistan: 18 November 2012 Rehmatullah Abid - 3 October 2012 Musthaq Khand - 29 September 2012 Abdul Haq Baloch - 21 September 2012 Aamir Liaquat (TV Channel Driver) - 28 May 2012 Abdul Qadir Hijazi - 19 May 2012 Abdul Razzak Gul - 10 May 2012 Aurangzeb Tunio – 8 May 2012 Tariq Kamal 9 - 19 April 2012 Murtaza Razvi - 10-17 January 2012 Mukarram Khan Atif

Ehsan Ahmed Sehar is President Rural Media Network Pakistan

SOMALIA: International Day to End Impunity commemorated in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, 23 November, 2012

Somali journalists, media employers, union representatives, trade unionists and officials from the Somali presidency and the office of
the prime minister among other government officials who gathered at the conference hall of the presidential guest house to mark the World
Day to End crimes of impunity against the journalists in the midst of a year in which 18 media workers have been killed in Somalia and that
no one has been brought to court.

The participants condemned all the heinous murders against the journalist during the occasion of the International day to end
impunity organized by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and supported by the Media department of the Somali presidency, was
focused the safety of the journalists and the impunity as part of the union’s campaign in its fight against the continued impunity. During
the event, it was announced that the task force will be launched very soon and that both the prime ministers’ office and the office of the
presidency has been busy in the establishment of this important committee and that seven people have been shortlisted.

Officials from the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) on behalf of the Somali Journalists requested the Somalia’s President,
H.E. Hassan Sheik Mohamoud to launch a body that investigates the crimes against the journalist during a meeting with Somali journalists
and other media stakeholders on 9 November 2012 at the presidential palace in Mogadishu. President Hassan Sheik Mohamoud told the
journalists and other media stakeholders that the era of the impunity will soon finish and has asked the Prime Minister of Somalia H.E. Abdi
Farah Shirdon (Saa'id) to urgently set up a Task Force to thoroughly investigate all cases involving the killing of Somali Journalists with
a view to bringing those responsible to justice, which was an important step taken forward in the history of the Somali media
community.

The Secretary General of the National Union of the Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim called the Somali President’s
announcement in forming a task force a milestone achievement which has boosted the morale of the working journalists during the bloodiest
year for the Somali media community in its history, while noted that this event is a reminder to the murderers that they will be punished
for the crimes they committed.

“This important gathering of the International Day to end impunity serves two important issues; to remember our fallen colleagues and
sends a message to the criminals that they were not forgotten and will be brought to justice once and for all.” Mohamed Ibrahim, Secretary
General of the National Union of Somali Journalists said, “We welcome our president’s pledge in ending the impunity, which hope might
provide the media workers an safe environment which they can practice their profession freely without fear of being killed.”

The chairman of the Somali Congress of Trade Unions, Mr. Mohamed Osman condemned the targeted attacks against the media workers and
acknowledged that the media workers receive all sorts of threats, intimidations, arrests among the Somali workers at large and
encouraged the media workers to continue.

Several speakers from the Somali Media stations managers, youth representatives and other government officials pointed out that the
task force establishment is a great achievement which shows the Somali government commitment in ending the era of the impunity.

Garad Salad, an official from the Media department of the office of the prime minister said that the Somali government has taken your
concerns very seriously and is committed a real change, not only the safety of the journalists but also the whole country at large and
urged the journalists to stick to the ethical and professional standards while reporting and take part the country’s long road to
reconstruction, development and peace and reconciliation.

Finally, the Director of the Somali presidency, Mr. Kamal Dahir said that the Somali government is committed in ending the continued
impunity and condemns the assassinations against the media workers. Mr. Dahir told the event participants that the Somali Presidency and
the office of the prime minister has been working jointly in the formation of the task force from the day the journalists, NUSOJ and
other media stakeholders met with the president, H.E. Hassan Sheik Mohamoud on November 9, 2012 noting that the shortlisted people will
be announced by the office of the prime minister in the coming days to go.

“Both offices, the presidency and the prime minister’s office consulted with the ministry of information, police, judiciary and the
journalists’ union in the establishment of the task force, which shows how the Somali government is committed in ending the unpunished crimes
against the journalists.” Kamal Dahir, Director of the Somali presidency said, “We will continue to ensure the safety and the
security of the Somali journalists as your concern is out concern as well.” <END>

For further information, please contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Second Floor, Press House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / nusojsomali@gmail.com or nusoj@ymail.com
E-Newsletter: newsletter@nusoj.org.so
Internet: http://www.nusoj.org.so
Follow us on Twitter: @NUSOJ_Somalia

COLOMBIA - Lanzamiento del informe anual sobre impunidad en América Latina

23 de Noviembre de 2012

En el marco del Día Mundial Contra la Impunidad, que se celebra cada 23 de noviembre, IFEX-ALC, el capítulo de América Latina de la Red Internacional de organizaciones que promueven y defienden la libertad de expresión -IFEX, y de la cual hace parte la Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa- FLIP, lanza el Informe anual de impunidad 2012: Rostros y Rastros de la Libertad de Expresión en Latinoamérica y el Caribe.

Este informe resalta la situación deimpunidad por ataques contra periodistas en 12 países de la región, entre ellos, Colombia, México, Honduras y Brasil. Cada capítulo desarrolla un análisis del contexto social y judicial de cada país, en el que se presentan fenómenos de violencia e impunidad contra los comunicadores.

Igualmente, por cada país, el informe expone un caso emblemático. Para Colombia, IFEX-ALC seleccionó el caso de la periodista Jineth Bedoya, quien fue secuestrada, torturada y abusada sexualmente, en mayo del 2000, mientras cumplía con su trabajo periodístico. 12 años después de lo ocurrido ninguna persona ha sido condenada.

En cuanto a los asesinatos a periodistas, según el registro de la FLIP, en Colombia 139 reporteros han sido asesinados desde 1977 hasta el 2012, y de estos casos, 55 procesos continúan sin información oficial de la Fiscalía sobre el estado de las investigaciones.

El lanzamiento del informe de IFEX-ALC, se lleva a cabo en Ciudad de Guatemala, con el apoyo de CERIGUA, el Centro de Reportes Informativos sobre Guatemala, y coincide con las actividades del Día Mundial Contra la Impunidad, una fecha que conmemora el aniversario de la masacre de Ampatuan, ocurrida en Filipinas en 2009, donde 32 periodistas y trabajadores de medios fueron asesinados.

FUNDACIÓN PARA LA LIBERTAD DE PRENSA 

Tel. (571) 3406943 - (571) 2454734
Bogotá, Colombia
info@flip.org.co
www.flip.org.co
2012 Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa

***21.11.2012. Israel Has Journalists in its Sights as Gaza Strikes Kill Three more, Says IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused the Israeli army of waging war on journalists in Gaza. The Federation was reacting to yesterday’s strikes which killed three journalists travelling in their cars in two separate incidents in Gaza city.

“This latest deadly attack targeting journalists is clear evidence that the Israeli military has declared war on journalists in Gaza,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “There can be no more lame excuses from the Israeli Defence Force that it was targeting enemy communications. The army, which claims its strikes are surgically precise, must have known there were journalists in these cars and it must be held to account for what appears to amount to a war crime.”

Media reports say that Mahmoud Al-Komi, cameraman for Al-Aqsa TV and his colleague Hossam Salameh were killed when their car was hit by an Israeli missile near the Ashifa hospital. The two were reportedly on their way to the hospital to report on victims of the Israeli attacks. Another journalist, Muhammad Abu Aisha, Director of Al-Quds Educational radio, was also reported killed in his car in a separate incident.

Meanwhile, journalists in Gaza have reported more attacks on media offices and hotels where journalists are staying. The AFP offices in Gaza were among media facilities which have been hit, along with Deira and Beach hotels.

The Israeli Defence Forces warned journalists in a tweet to stay away from Hamas facilities whom they accuse of using media workers as human shields. But the IFJ says that warnings should be given ahead of any attack to allow for evacuation of civilians, including journalists.

“The intimidation of journalists has turned into an open war through the Israeli Defence Forces’ practice of shooting first and warning later,” added Boumelha. This is reckless and highly irresponsible and we are urging the world community to investigate potential breaches of international humanitarian law.”

The IFJ is examining options for an urgent mission to Gaza to investigate the targeting and killing of journalists.

***20.11.2012. GAZA. Israeli forces killed Aqsa TV cameramen Salamah and Al-Komi
MADA demands the formation of an international investigation commission

Ramallah- 21 November 2012: Israeli occupation forces committed a new crime against the Palestinian journalists when they killed Al-Aqsa TV cameramen  Mahmoud Al-Komi (30 years) and Hossam Salameh (30) years at about six o'clock in this evening, after their car  was targeted In Gaza City, by a Missile fired from an Israeli warplane, which led to their deaths immediately. 

MADA lawyer Karem Nashwan said that Salamah and Al-Komi were travelling in Al-Aqsa TV car, with press sign, but the occupation forces targeted it.  The crime took place in Alnaser (Victory) Street near alshifa Tower near Alshifa Hospital, and it seems they had intended to go to cover the martyrs and the wounded in the hospital, where occupation forces have escalated from its bombardment of the Gaza frantically through the last few hours, where about twenty martyrs fell.  Al-Komi and Salamah were married and each of them has four children. 

This heinous crime comes as part of the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestinian journalists since the beginning of the aggression on the Gaza Strip since seven days, and the Israeli attacks on them for decades, where twenty journalists have been killed over the past decade, four of them during the Israeli aggression on Gaza at the beginning of 2009.

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) expresses   condolences to their families, and repeats condemnation of this crime, which is considered a breach flagrant of the international conventions that protect journalists .MADA demands the formation of an international investigation committee, and hold accountable those responsible for this crime and crimes committed against Journalists. Israeli impunity for its crimes against journalists encouraged them to commit more of them.

***19.11.2012. GAZA. Arab Journalists Demand UN to Open Formal Investigation into Israeli Attacks on Journalists in Gaza

Journalists’ leaders representing 14 journalists’ syndicates and associations in the Arab World currently gathered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, strongly condemn the attacks of the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip and the deliberate targeting of journalists and media staff.

The participants, gathered to discuss press freedom in the Arab World and the protection given for killers of journalists and impunity, condemn and denounce the Israeli army’s deliberate attack on the headquarters of media organizations in Gaza on the morning of the 18th of November 2012, in particular ‘Quds TV’. The attacks injured at least six journalists, including photographer Khader al-Zahar, who lost his leg as a result.

The participants believe that the Israeli army attacks on Palestinian journalists and media in Palestine, and Gaza in particular, is part of a systematic and deliberate plan used by the Israeli occupation authorities to cover up the heinous practices and killings and destruction committed against the Palestinian people.

The participants support the Palestinian journalists and media professionals in their plight and support the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate in their demands to the United Nations to form an international commission of inquiry into the crimes of the occupation, to question and punish the perpetrators of these crimes and the violations against journalists and media organizations in the Gaza Strip.

Participants consider this attack to be a violation of international law and international humanitarian law, including the UN Security Council Resolution 1738, which criminalizes the intentional targeting of journalists in conflict zones. They further warn that failure to hold accountable and punish those responsible for this incident would be considered as providing a license from the international community to the Israeli authorities to keep on targeting the media and journalists.

The President of International Federation of Journalists, Jim Boumelha, who is participating in the conference, said: ”We demand the United Nations to set up a committee to carry out a full investigation into these attacks and take action against the Israeli government. Moreover, the international community must respond immediately to this heinous act. The United Nations confirmed in particular the rights of journalists working in conflict areas and member states cannot stand by when one state acts in a reckless and dangerous manner."

The participants appealed to their colleagues in the international community of journalists and union members in the International Federation of Journalists to express their solidarity with their fellow Palestinian journalists and their right to work in a safe and free environment. The participants recommended the International Federation of Journalists to work in collaboration with member unions in the region to continue organizing training courses, professional safety trainings and awareness activities for journalists and media professionals.

Participating unions include: Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Jordan Press Association, the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, Kurdistan Journalists Syndicate, journalists Association of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain Journalists Association, Yemeni Journalists Syndicate, Omani Journalists Association, Sudanese Journalists Union, National Union of Somali Journalists, Algerian journalists' union, National Union of the Moroccan Press, Mauritanian Journalists Syndicate, Mauritanian Journalists' Association.

***19.11.2012. GAZA: The occupation attacks on journalists are unrelenting (MADA) 

Ramallah, 19th November 2012: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) monitored fresh attacks on journalists and media outlets on 18th and 19th November 2012. These violations occur as part of the continued targeting of journalists and media outlets in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Palmedia cameraman, Samer Hamad informed MADA that the occupation forces prevented his reporting of clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces in the Dar Salah region near the city of Bethlehem this morning. Hamad added: "They prevented me and my colleagues, the photographers Mousa Al-Shaaer and Luay Sababa, from coverage.  The soldiers were pushing us and they put their hands on the cameras whenever we tried filming. They took my car keys until I stop coverage, but they returned them later. We told them that we are journalists, but they did not care and continued to prevent us from coverage and pushing us".

In another incident, a female Israeli soldier attempted to assault Muna Hasan, a correspondent of Raya FM radio this morning as she reported on clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces in the area of Jabal Almokaber in Jerusalem. According to Muna, the Israeli soldier prevented her from covering the events, pushed her several times and raised her hand to physically assault her, before she managed to escape. Muna added: "She screamed at me several times and she said to me “Get out of here”, but I did not care her".

On Sunday 18th November 2012, French Agency photographer Mahfouz Abu Turk and fellow agency colleague Ahmed Grabula attempted to cover the clashes at Qalandia checkpoint. Abu Turk stated: "When we started filming a group of soldiers approached us, so we showed them our press cards so they left us. But one of the officers pushed me several times during the covering, so i went away from the soldiers." He added: "During imaging I noticed that two soldiers are talking , laughing and looking at me, I felt that they were planning to target me, so I tried to withdraw from the region, but a sniper fired at me bullet with iron coated with rubber hitting my neck. Fortunately I was wearing a leather jacket and the belt of the camera saved my neck, I received treatment in the field". Abu Turk concluded: "I've been a photographer for 30 years, for the second time I feel that I'm targeted for killings by the Israeli occupation forces only for covering events”.

On Sunday 18th November 2012, Israeli occupation forces also attacked Palestine TV correspondent Ali Dar Ali while reporting on clashes near the Israeli Ofer camp. Ali informed MADA that as he covered the clashes, rubber bullets were being fired indiscriminately at young Palestinians; one of the bullets hit his waist, causing redness and swelling. Ali added: "We have been deliberately being targeted where the press signs were obvious, and I was holding the microphone and the cameraman was holding a camera.  There is no doubt that we are journalists".

Since the commencement of the aggression on Gaza six days ago, the occupation forces have started to interfere with radio and local television stations and penetrate their frequencies. Rabah Marzouk, Executive Director of Quds Radio in Gaza informed MADA that since the second day of the Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip, the occupation army has seized the radio station's airwaves and broadcast information to the people in Gaza "warning them not to cooperate with the Palestinian resistance". This message was repeated on several occasions in addition to interfering with the station’s operations. Interfering through ‘jamming’ is not considered as important an issue as physically seizing a station’s airwaves and broadcasting messages from the occupation army. The frequencies of other stations have also been seized, including Radio Al-Aqsa, and an Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed such actions in a statement to the AFP agency: "We controlled Hamas television and broadcasted warnings”.

Ahmed Kherti, director of audio engineering at Sawt Alshaab radio station informed MADA of the Israeli army’s interferrance with the station’s airwaves and control of its frequencies. Warning messages for the people of Gaza were broadcasted, instructing them to stay away from the resistance, from Hamas positions and from eastern regions (the border area).  The radio’s website was hacked and pictures of the Israeli flag along with phrases such as "peace for Israel" and "Israel is under threat" were posted. Other Palestinian news sites were also subjected to intense hacking attacks, a number of whom were forced to stop working for hours or days on end, including the SAFA and Pal Today agencies.

Sunday 18th November 2012, the Israeli Occupation Forces bombed the Shawa, Alhusari and Alshurouq towers, warning foreign journalists to evacuate the Alshurouq tower in particular. Many offices and employees of local, Arab and international media outlets operate in Gaza and this latest aerial assault has placed yet more obstacles in the path of journalists and media reporting. MADA issued a statement on Sunday 18th November 2012 denouncing the Israeli occupation strike against media headquarters and another press release in condemnation of killing the baby son of Arabic BBC journalist, Jihad Mashharawi, through the bombing and destruction of his home.

MADA center renews its condemnation of the increasing number of attacks on journalists, which constitute a flagrant violation of international laws and conventions. MADA calls upon the International community to immediately intervene to protect journalists. 

***19.11.2012. IFJ Calls for Probe into Media Targeting in Gaza Violence

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the international community to investigate deliberate attacks by Israeli military against media buildings in Gaza.

At least six journalists were injured, including cameraman Khader al Zarah who lost a leg after their offices came under sustained bombing from Israel's military which targeted in the early hours of Sunday Al Shawa and Husari where several media organisations, including Hamas' TB Al Quds TV, Al Qudsa radio, Maan network and many other radio stations are based. Another media facility, the Asshurouq building, which houses Sky, ITN, Al Arabiya TV and Abu Dhabi TV was also attacked.

"We demand a full inquiry by the United Nations to investigate the attacks and to take action against the Government of Israel," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "The international community must respond immediately to this outrage. The rights of journalists in conflict zones have been particularly highlighted by the United Nations and members states cannot stand by when one state acts in a reckless and dangerous manner."  

The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate (PJS) condemned the bombing and the National Federation of Israeli Journalists (NFIJ), has called for the respect of journalists' safety.

The Israeli authorities reportedly told the Foreign Press Association in Israel that the army targeted the antenna on the media buildings but journalists who escaped from the Al Quds TV building told the PJS affiliate that three floors of the building were bombed.

The IFJ says that these recent attacks serve as a reminder of the government's failure to protect journalists covering armed conflicts.  The Federation recalls a similar direct assault on media houses took place the 22-day military offensive by the Israeli army on Gaza in 2009.

The issue of journalists' protection is scheduled to be debated at a UN Inter-agency meeting in Vienna next week and the Federation is urging the UN to take governments to task over their international obligations on this matter.

"The reckless intimidation of media by the Israeli Defense Force on a shocking scale should not go unpunished. If it does, it leaves journalists and media exposed to the threat of attack in any conflict at any time in the future," added Boumelha.

***18.11.2012. MADA: the occupation is trying to silence the press in Gaza and its crimes against journalists must not go unpunished.

Ramallah – 18 November 2012: Again, journalists and media outlet headquarters were targeted directly by the Israeli occupation forces to silence journalists covering events and the crimes committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip.

This morning (18/11/2012), the occupation forces targeted the offices of Al-Quds TV and Al-Aqsa TV in the Gaza Strip, causing injury to six journalists and a driver working for Al-Quds TV. Their injuries ranged from minor to medium, in addition to causing severe damage to their offices.

Imad Ifranji, director of Al-Quds TV in Gaza, told MADA that the Israeli occupation forces fired three missiles at the TV editing and filming department and at the eleventh floor of Burj al-Shawa – Husari at 1:30 am. IFranji added: "shelling caused injury to all in the office of photographers and assistants and a driver, in addition to significant damage in the section, in addition to damages in the ambulance that rushed to the place for the transfer of injuries, and damage to the TV car." According to IFranji, the injured included the following:

- Khader al-Zahar: amputation of his right leg from below the knee and bruising.

- Hazem Da’our: wounded by shrapnel and bruising.

- Mohammed al-Akhras: shrapnel fragments throughout his body. His injuries are considered of medium severity.

- Ibrahim Lapad: wounds and bruising.

- Hussein al-Madhoun: suffocation and bruising.

-Omar Ifranji: wounds in the foot.

- Darwish Bulbul: minor injuries.

Saed Radwan, programme director at Al-Aqsa TV, reported that Israeli Occupation warplanes targeted the broadcasting section on the fifteenth floor of the Alshorouq (sunrise) tower, in the Alrimal area of Gaza city at 6:30am. Severe damage was caused and most of the equipment and studios were destroyed. Radwan added: "one rocket penetrated the office of ‘Palestine Media Production’ actually on the fourteenth floor, causing damage".

Last Friday (11/16/2012) the occupation forces targeted the house of European Agency photographer Ali Ibrahim resulting in moderate injuries to his father (71 years), his sister (40 years) and her daughter (8 years), as well as causing extensive damage to their home. On the same day, occupation forces targeted the headquarters of "Free Media" in the Sheikh Radwan area of the Gaza Strip, almost completely destroying it.

The Israeli occupation forces killed Omar Mashharawi, the 11-month-old son of a BBC Arabic employee Jihad Mashharawi when his home was targeted on Wednesday.

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) strongly condemns the renewed Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip and the direct targeting of a number of journalists and media institutions. It calls for the need to protect journalists and prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes against the press and freedom of expression. The evasion from punishment of the Israeli occupation forces (which coincides with the commencement of global events to end impunity at the beginning of this month and culminating on the 23rd November) especially with regard to its crimes against the four journalists killed during the aggression on Gaza in 2009, enabled such occupation forces to commit further crimes against journalists and the media and demonstrates the urgent need to prosecute the perpetrators of attacks on freedom of the press. 

Riham Abu Aita
Public Relation Officer
Riham@madacenter.org
www.madacenter.org
0097222976519

PCHR Strongly Condemns Targeting of Journalists in Gaza by Israeli Warplanes
 
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the wounding of 10 journalists and media professionals while they were carrying out their jobs, when Israeli Occupation Forces attacked the offices of al-Quds Television and al-Aqsa Television this morning.  PCHR stresses that journalists and media professionals, like civilian persons, enjoy special protection in time of war under international humanitarian law; targeting them constitutes a systematic crime to silence the press and prevent journalists from reporting on the crimes that are being committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.
 
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 01:35 on Sunday, 18 November 2012, Israeli warplanes fired 4 missiles at the office of al-Quds Satellite Channel, which is located on the top floor of the 11-storey Shawa and Hussari tower building in Gaza City.  The missiles penetrated the roof of the building and exploded inside the office.  As a result, 7 journalists and trainees who were in the office were wounded.  The wounds of two were described as serious; Khader al-Zahhar, 20, lost his leg in the attack and sustained shrapnel wounds throughout his body, and Mohammed al-Akhras, 20, also sustained extensive shrapnel wounds.  The other persons who were wounded are:
 
1)     Ibrahim Lubbas, 22, who sustained bruising throughout his body;
2)     Omar al-Efranji, 18, who sustained bruising throughout his body;
3)     Hussein al-Madhoun, 22, who sustained bruising throughout his body;
4)     Hazem al-Da'our, 25, who suffered from temporary suffocation; and
5)     Darwish Bulbol, 29, who suffered from temporary suffocation.  
 
The office and the nearby offices of al-Quds Radio and Ramattan News Agency were extensively damaged.
 
At approximately 06:55. also on Sunday, a missile was fired at the office of al-Aqsa Television on the 15th floor of al-Shorouq tower building in the west of Gaza City.  The missile penetrated to the 14th floor and exploded inside the offices of Palestine Media Production (PMP).  As a result, 3 journalists were moderately wounded:
 
1)     Mazen Naeem, 27, Correspondent of Press TV;
2)     Mohammed al-Sharafi, 30; a cameraman of PMP; and
3)     Mohammed al-Mubayidh, 25, a cameraman of PMP.  
 
The offices of al-Aqsa Television and PMP were damaged.
 
At the time of writing this press release, media reports indicate that, early this afternoon, Israeli forces requested international journalists to leave al-Shorouq tower building in Gaza City; this indicates that more crimes may be committed against journalists and media institutions in the Gaza Strip.  It is worth noting that many local and international press and media outlets use these offices, including Fox News, Abu Dhabi Satellite Channel, Dubai Channel, al-Arabiya News Channel, MBC and PMP, which provides media services to many international televisions.  
 
Additionally, in the early morning, Israeli forces jammed the broadcasts of a number of local radio stations, and broadcast messages on the waves of these stations.  Further to this, 4 local news websites were hacked by Israeli forces on Saturday evening and Sunday morning.  
 
It should be noted that Israeli forces have committed dozens of crimes against local and international journalists since 2000.  As a result of these crimes, 11 journalists, including two international ones, have been killed while carrying out their jobs reporting on crimes committed by Israeli forces against Palestinian civilians, and dozens of other journalists have been wounded.
 
PCHR strongly condemns crimes committed by Israeli forces against journalists and media professionals, who enjoy special protection in time of war under the international humanitarian law.  PCHR calls upon the international community, in particular the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, to fulfill their obligations to ensure respect for the Convention, and to effectively intervene to prevent grave breaches of the Convention by Israel.

RWB condemns air strikes on news media in Gaza city (RSF)

Reporters without Borders condemn Israeli air strikes targeting news organizations in Gaza City today and call for an immediate end to such attacks. At least night journalists were reportedly injured and several local and international media were prevented from operating.

“These attacks constitute obstruction of freedom of information,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. “We remind the Israeli authorities that, under humanitarian law, the news media enjoy the same protection as civilians and cannot be regarded as military targets.

“Even if the targeted media support Hamas, this does not in any way legitimize the attacks. We call for a transparent investigation into the circumstances of these air strikes. Attacks on civilian targets are war crimes and serious violations of the Geneva Conventions. Those responsible must be identified.”

At around 2 a.m. today, Israeli warplanes fired several missiles at the Al-Shawa Wa Hassri Tower, a building in the Gaza City neighborhood of Rimal that houses local and international media organizations. Around 15 reporters and photographers wearing vests with the word “TV Press” were on the building’s roof at the time, covering the Israeli air strikes.

Five missiles destroyed the 11th-floor offices used by Al-Quds TV. The station said six journalists were injured, four of them Al-Quds employees – Darwish Bulbul, Khadar Al-Zahar, Muhammad al-Akhras and Hazem al-Da’our. The other two were identified as Hussein Al-Madhoun, a freelance photographer working for the Ma’an news agency, and Ibrahim Labed, a reporter for the Palestinian news agency SAFA. Zahar’s condition was described as critical after one of his legs had to be amputated.

At around 7 a.m., three Al-Aqsa TV employees were seriously injured when two missiles were fired at the Al-Shourouk building, also known as the “journalists’ building.” A spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces said on the @IDFSpokesperson Twitter account that the air strike had targeted a Hamas communication centre.

Among the local and international media whose offices were damaged by Israeli missiles were Sky News Arabia, the German TV station ARD, the Arab TV stations MBC and Abu Dhabi TV, Al-Arabiya, Reuters, Russia Today and the Ma’an news agency.

Information was also one of the victims of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead against the Gaza Strip in December 2008 and January 2009 (read the RWB report). At the time, Reporters Without Borders condemned Israel’s decision to declare the Gaza Strip a “closed military zone” and deny access to journalists working for international media. The IDF also targeted pro-Hamas media during Operation Cast Lead.

***08.11.2012. RESTRICTIONS TO LIMIT INTERNET ACCESS ON THE RISE, WARNS UNESCO

New York, Nov 8 2012 2:10PM
The United Nations agency which deals with freedom of expression on the Internet today warned that restrictions directly limiting Internet access appear to be on the rise, and called on governments to implement policies that facilitate broadband connectivity instead of putting up barriers particularly during political developments.

“Knowledge and ideas today flow in volumes and at speed that we could not have imagined years ago, ‘regardless of frontier’ and at low cost,” the Assistant Director-General for Communication of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Janis Karklins, told participants at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). “However, barriers to this flow still exist, and new ones continue to emerge.”

The Forum, which opened in Baku, Azerbaijan on Tuesday, includes the participation of governments, intergovernmental organizations, business representatives, the technical community, civil society organizations, as well as any individual Internet users interested in Internet governance issues.

The theme for this year’s Forum is ‘Internet Governance for Sustainable Human, Economic and Social Development’ and reflects the increasing role of the Internet in the evolution of the various aspects of development, across all countries.

According to its website, UNESCO recognizes that the Internet holds enormous potential for development, providing an unprecedented volume of resources for information and knowledge and opens up new opportunities. “The principle of freedom of expression must apply not only to traditional media but also to the Internet and all types of emerging media platforms which will definitely contribute to development, democracy and dialogue,” it states.

In an IGF session focusing on online freedom of expression, Mr. Karklins said UNESCO has seen cases of Internet service shutdowns during times of political developments in some countries, limiting connection of specific communication platforms, arbitrarily blocking and filtering content, and criminalizing legitimate speech to silence dissent.

“Unwarranted surveillance and violations of the right to privacy have also been inflicted upon Internet users around the world,” Mr. Karklins said. “Many have faced imprisonment, harassment and cyber-attacks. In extreme cases, people who have expressed themselves on the Internet have been killed.”

The constant evolution of the Internet landscape, as well as its trans-national nature, present challenges to legal frameworks, with discrepancies arising in laws in different jurisdictions, Mr. Karklins noted, and warned that freedom of expression must be safeguarded to prevent abuses to this fundamental right.
The UNESCO official also underlined that States must promote accessible Internet connection and inexpensive equipment, as well as media literacy among their citizens.

“Within a multi-stakeholder Internet governance framework, the effective realization of freedom of expression should be considered just as critical as widening access to infrastructure. This is in the interest of individuals, the societies, of governments and the community of nations,” he added, and reiterated UNESCO’s commitment to promoting freedom of expression through traditional as well as online platforms.
Nov 8 2012 2:10PM

***31.10.2012. SYRIA. 85 journalists and media activists killed during the revolution -7 journalists and media activists were killed in October 2012 (Syrian Journalists Association) 

Seven journalists and media activists being killed in October 2012, according to the Media Freedoms Committee in the Syrian Journalists Association, which is monitoring violations against journalists and media activists in Syria.

The number of journalists and media activists who have been killed in Syria has risen to /85/ since March 2011.

Media Freedoms Committee documented in October 2012 the killing of /7/ journalists and media activists. Three in Damascus and its suburbs, two in Homs, one in Deir Ezzour, one in Aleppo.

Below are the names of journalists and media activists who were killed in October:

1.      Ahmed Ali Sa’ada, a citizen photographer: was killed in shelling by Assad's forces in Douma in Damascus suburbs. On 02-10-2012. Sa'ada was a photographer and reporter for the Syrian National Council, and a volunteer with the Syrian Red Crescent.

2.      Mona Bakkour, a journalist: was killed in the explosion of the officers' club, and Saadallah al-Jabri Square in Aleppo. On 03-10-2012. She was in a al-Siyahi hotel overlooking at Saadallah al-Jabri Square where explosion happened. Bakour was working in the office of Thawra newspaper in Aleppo, and manages "Syria al-Qaalla” site.

3.      Muhammad al-Ashram, a journalist: was killed by a bullet in his chest and the other in his foot, in al-Mwazafeen neighborhood in Deir al-Zour. On 10-10-2012. Al-Ashram was al-Ikhbariya channel correspondent, which is a state channel.
 
4.      Hisham Moussalli, Editor at the Syrian General Organisation of Radio and TV: He was killed under torture, after being detained for two months by Syrian Security .He was returned to his family in Damascus as corpse. On 15-10-2012.
 
5.      Omar Abdel Razzaq Al-Lattouf, a media activist: He was arrested at ICARDA checkpoint near Aleppo, he was brutally tortured and was killed under torture. On 21-10-2012. Al-Lattouf was from Talbisseh town ,Homs. He was returning from Turkey when he was arrested.
 
6.       Mohammed Jomaa Abdel Karim Al-Lattouf, a media activist: He was arrested at ICARDA checkpoint near Aleppo, he was brutally tortured and was killed under torture. On 21-10-2012. Al-Lattouf was from Talbisseh town ,Homs. He was returning from Turkey when he was arrested.
 
7.      Anas al-Ahmed, a media activist: was killed in a shelling on Muadamayet Al Sham town. On 23-10-2012. Al-Ahmad was an officially spokesperson of the Revolutionary Council in Damascus's suburbs.

Media Freedoms Committee at the Syrian Journalists Association
Damascus 1/11/2012

 ***30.10.2012. Attacks on journalists in Somalia and Bolivia (Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville)

"We are extremely alarmed by the continuing assault on Somalia’s media workers and journalists by Al Shabab and other elements. Yesterday, a well-known musician and poet working for Radio Kulmiye, Mr Warsame Shire Awale, was shot dead in what appears to have been yet another targeted killing of media workers.

The previous day (Sunday, 28 October) Mohamed Mohamud Turyare, a journalist and producer with another radio station, Radio Shabelle, died as a result of wounds received a week earlier on 21 October, when in a similar attack near his home he was reportedly shot by two men with pistols.
 
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSJ) has said that Warsame Shire Awale had received threats linked to critical comments he had made about gunmen targeting civilians, and added that it believes his murder may also be the result of his public commentaries.

According to the NUSJ, these two latest deaths take the number of media workers killed this year in Somalia to 18, the second highest toll in the world after Syria. Nine of them were killed in the past six weeks, including three in separate incidents in the past seven days alone.

We urge the new Government of Somalia to take urgent steps to protect journalists and other media workers, and to end the complete impunity that has been enjoyed by their killers. Each death should be properly investigated. Al Shabab has allegedly claimed responsibility for around ten of the killings, but the remainder may have been committed by other elements easier to investigate and arrest.

The role of the media is crucial as Somalia tries to get back on its feet, and the continued regular slaughter of the country’s journalists risks stifling the media’s ability to contribute to an improvement in law and order and good governance.

We also roundly condemn the vicious and brazen attack yesterday on Bolivian radio journalist Fernando Vidal, who reportedly had petrol poured over him and was set on fire while in the studio in the town of Yacuiba near the border with Argentina. Early reports suggest that he and the studio technician who also suffered burns, have survived the attack.

You may recall, at the press conference here 12 days ago, the High Commissioner said she was shocked by the number of journalists who are killed because of their work. She reminded governments that it is their responsibility to fully respect the right to freedom of expression and to protect those who exercise this right."

***30.10.2012. GREECE. EFJ calls Greek Court to drop charges against journalist Kostas Vaxevanis

Kostas Vaxevanis should not face criminal charges for doing his job, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) said today.  
After an inquiry by the Prosecutor of the Misdemeanor Court of Athens on Saturday 27 October, the police was seeking Greek investigative journalist Kostas Vaxevanis for publishing on HOT DOC magazine the "Lagarde List" consisting in 2059 names of Greek citizens with deposits in the Swiss HSBC bank. Mr Vaxevanis was briefly detained by the police the following day and he is now facing trial on 1st November for publishing the "Lagarde List" thus "violating privacy law".    

"We clearly think that the publication of a list already shown in public in 2010 by Ms Lagarde when she was still French Minister of Finance is only a matter of providing information to the public. Mr Vaxevanis was doing his job of a journalist working for the public good, not only in relation to the list itself but also in relation to the lack of reaction of the authorities to carry out inquiries about potential large-scale tax evasion".

Dimitris Trimis, the President of the EFJ/IFJ affiliate JUADN, said "I consider absolutely hypocritical the Court's fastidious inquiry against investigative journalism, in particular when evidence is brought to public attention concerning matters investigated with no success for months by Justice and politicians who blame each other for inefficiency. Press openness and transparency are the very soul of Democracy and Justice!"

The EFJ also points out that as Mr Vaxevanis  is brought to court,  one of the large dailies "TA NEA" also published the "Lagarde list", fortunately without any judicial prosecution up to now.

Almost two and a half years ago Ms. Christine Lagarde (French Minister of Finance at that time) gave to her Greek counterpart Minister of Economy Mr. G. Papakonstantinou a CD, with the names of 2059 Greek citizens having large bank accounts in Swiss Bank HSBC.  The Greek press continuously referred to the existence of the list. Mr. Evangelos Venizelos currently President of PASOK and a successor of Mr. G. Papakonstantinou in the Ministry of Economy at the time, admitted at a Parliamentary Committee hearing that he had a copy of the list in his office. However the authorities always considered that it could not be used "for reasons of violating privacy law".

For more information, please contact IFJ on + 32 2 235 22 00
The EFJ is the European group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

***29.10.2012. SEEMO/IPI Press Release: SEEMO condemns detention of Greek journalist and hopes for a fair trial
 
Vienna 29 October 2012- On 28 October 2012, Greek journalist Kostas Vaxevanis expected the police to come and detain him several hours after having published a list of 2,059 names of Greek residents who hold bank accounts at the HSBC bank in Geneva. Vaxevanis published a special issue of his Hot Doc magazine, dedicated to this list.
 
 He was arrested in the northern suburbs of Athens on Sunday, minutes after he had tweeted his whereabouts and challenged police waiting outside to pick him up, according to the Athens News.  He was released three hours later and ordered to appear in court on Monday, 29 October. However, the hearing has been deferred to 1 November. Kostas Vaxevanis is expected to be charged for violating personal data.
 
In 2010, Greek authorities received an alleged list of Greek account holders in the Swiss Bank from the then French Minister of Finance and present Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagard. For two years, according to numerous news accounts, this list circulated from one drawer to another, since several ministers tried to avoid taking action. Finally, Vaxevanis decided to publish the names, arguing official inaction. Media claim that some account holders may be tax dodgers. Apparently, high profile politicians and business people are named.
 
 The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI),  considers that that press freedom, data privacy protection and the right of the public to know have all to be respected. “I call on the court to establish if the list published by Hot Doc is a violation of privacy.  At the same time, the court should take into account that the public has the right to know if account holders are also tax dodgers, especially now, when Greeks are expected to endure severe economic cuts,” SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said. “As a press freedom organization, we believe that the public has the right to know and that journalists should not be detained. I condemn the detention of  Vaxevanis, “Vujovic added.

***29.10.2012. OSCE media freedom representative expresses concern over Greek journalist case, calls for open trial

ASTANA, 29 October 2012 - The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, expressed concern today about the arrest and the forthcoming trial of a Greek journalist, Kostas Vaxevanis, charged with violating privacy laws, and called on the authorities to ensure a fair and open trial.

Vaxevanis was arrested on Sunday morning and released several hours later. The detention followed a publication in his weekly magazine, Hot Doc, of the names of 2,000 Greek nationals, including prominent members of Greece’s political and business elite, who allegedly hold accounts in a Swiss bank for tax evasion purposes.

“I am relieved that Vaxenavis was released from custody after a brief detention, and trust that he will now be tried in a transparent manner considering the acute public interest in the case,” Mijatović said.

“I am confident that the Greek courts will find the right path between respecting confidentiality and privacy and at the same time ensuring the public's right to know,” she added.

“It is the responsibility of media as the watchdog of democracy to disclose information in the public interest even if it is considered sensitive by some,” Mijatović said. “OSCE commitments oblige participating States to safeguard and implement society’s right to freely discuss issues of public concern, including corruption or bureaucratic wrongdoing,” Mijatović said.

Mijatović is currently in Astana on an official visit.

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/fom/96683

For further information contact:
Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
Wallnerstrasse 6
1010 Vienna
Austria
Office: +43 1 514 36 6800
Fax: +43 1 514 36 6802
pm-fom@osce.org

***19.10.2012. TUNISIE. La FIJ se félicite du succès de la mobilisation des médias en Tunisie

La Fédération Internationale des Journalistes (FIJ) s’est aujourd’hui félicitée de la décision par le gouvernement tunisien d’appliquer deux décrets qui garantissent la liberté de la presse. L’annonce a été faite  mercredi suite à une mobilisation générale des journalistes qui ont fait grève pour exiger le respect de leur indépendance.

« Nous saluons cette décision des autorités tunisiennes dont nous attendons d’autres mesures en faveur des revendications des journalistes », a déclaré Beth Costa, la Secrétaire générale de la FIJ qui participait à la manifestation. « Le succès de la mobilisation de mercredi  démontre la détermination des journalistes tunisiens, sous la coordination de leur syndicat, à défendre le journalisme professionnel dans le pays ».

Les dirigeants du Syndicat national des journalistes tunisiens (SNJT), affilié à la FIJ, se sont déclarés satisfaits de la décision qui répond à certaines de leurs demandes mais regrettent « le temps perdu et les conflits que cela a engendré », selon le quotidien français, Le Monde.

La décision annoncée  concerne l’application du décret 115 qui porte sur les droits des journalistes. Cette disposition légale interdit toute restriction à la circulation de l’information et garantit la protection des journalistes. Le décret 116 crée une Haute Autorité indépendante de la communication audiovisuelle et garantit la liberté de la communication audiovisuelle. Cet organe est appelé à délivrer les licences des radios et télévisions tunisiennes, indique Le Monde.

Selon  le syndicat, la grève  a été bien suivie avec la participation de centaines de journalistes qui ont manifesté devant le siège du SNJT en brandissant es pancartes et autocollants dénonçant la  censure dans la presse tunisienne. La Secrétaire de la FIJ a pris part à la manifestation pour témoigner la solidarité de la Fédération et de ses affiliés qui ont répondu massivement à son appel pour soutenir les journalistes tunisiens.

La manifestation des journalistes s’est tenue dans un climat de tension entre le gouvernement dominé par le parti islamiste Ennahda et les journalistes. Ces derniers l’accusent de garder la main mise sur les médias avec des nominations de dirigeants controversés à la tête des médias publics.

La FIJ a récemment soutenu un autre mouvement de grève à Dar Assabah, le groupe  de presse tunisien, suite à la nomination de Lotfi Touati, comme directeur général. M.Touati est accusé d’avoir appartenu au régime répressif de l’ancien président, Ben Ali. Une délégation de la FIJ dirigée par son président Jim Boumelha avait rencontré le Premier ministre tunisien Hamadi  Jebali pour discuter de l’indépendance des journalistes.

M. Jebali avait assuré la délégation de son attachement à la liberté de la presse et s’était engagé à prendre des mesures nécessaires à cet effet.

« L’annonce de la décision sur les décrets 115 et 116 est une victoire de notre membre dans lutte pour une presse libre en Tunisie », a dit M. Boumelha. « Nous espérons que le gouvernement poursuivra dans la même lancée pour faire de la liberté de la presse une réalité irréversible dans le pays », a ajouté M. Boumelha.

***15.10.2012. FRANCE. At Bayeux, war correspondents stress duty to report

By Jean-Paul Marthoz/CPJ Senior Adviser

Winners of this year's Bayeux-Calvados prizes, which largely recognized reporting in Libya and Syria, are honored in Bayeux, France. (Anne-Marie Impe)Syria and Libya were the main themes at the 19th edition of the Bayeux-Calvados Prize for War Correspondents, which took place this weekend in the historical city of Bayeux, a few miles away from the Normandy beaches where Allied forces landed in June 1944 to liberate Europe from the Nazi yoke.Chaired by Magnum photographer Gilles Peress, the jury rewarded courage to report, while the laureates used the tribune to call on the international media to keep sending reporters to areas of brutal conflict.

"Today 80% of journalists covering Syria are freelancers. The big media have to send their people too," said Javier Espinosa, the winner of the print press award for his article "The last battle of Bab Amr." A Beirut-based correspondent for the Madrid daily El Mundo, Espinosa knows the risks involved. He was with French photographer Rémi Ochlik and Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin when they were killed by mortar fire in Homs. "We have the duty to tell the world what is happening there. I will go back to Syria as soon as I can," he said.

On the eve of the official ceremony Espinosa and a band of seasoned war reporters--Laurent Van der Stockt, Mani, Maite Carrasco, Rémy Ourdan--debated on the risks involved and insisted that they are not hotheads in need of adrenalin and in search of glory. Risk-taking, however, is one of the key criteria guiding jury members.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson took risks indeed to produce the gripping report "Syria, the frontline city" that won him the television award. He followed a team of African Union observers on a particularly scary mission in the middle of angry rebels and edgy soldiers. BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen also had to make his own informed judgment when he plunged into the midst of mayhem in Douma, a report for which he was awarded the radio prize.

The Bayeux-Calvados trophies also rewarded reporting on Libya (France 24's Mathieu Mabin, AFP photojournalist Aris Messinis and Associated Press photographer Manu Brabo), Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (Rémy Ourdan, Le Monde), Egypt (Ed Ou, Getty Images) and the battles of war wounded beyond the battlefield (David Wood, The Huffington Post).

Bayeux is also the site of the Mémorial des Reporters, an alignment of white stone steles that commemorate the memory of journalists killed in war. The names of the 2012 victims were unveiled on a rainy Saturday afternoon in front of some 200 journalists, municipal authorities, and others. During the evening ceremony, the directors of "Envoyé Special," the top current affairs program on the public service channel France 2, gave a moving tribute to Gilles Jacquier, the war reporter killed last January in Homs while embedded with Syrian security forces. "He was reporting on humankind in all its blackness and all its humanity," they said.

On June 6, 1944, Robert Capa, the legendary photojournalist, had landed a few miles away on Omaha beach, with the first wave of U.S. soldiers. His famous grainy images offer a powerful testimony of one of the most momentous battles in history. Two days later in the Lion d'Or hotel in Bayeux, he celebrated the successful landing with journalist pals Ernie Pyle, George Rodger, and a few bottles of Calvados.

The plaque that honors Capa's memory stands not far from the Mémorial. His famous sentence, "If your photos aren't good enough, you aren't close enough," was on everyone's minds this weekend in the bistros of Bayeux as an inspiring and daring celebration of the grandeur and the passion of war reporting.

***02.10.2012. IRAN. Iran clamp down on critical voices (UN Human Rights Office)

The UN Human Rights Office is seriously concerned by the arrest and imprisonment of several prominent human rights defenders, journalists and political activists in the Islamic Republic of Iran in the past two weeks. This appears to reflect a further severe clamp down on critical voices in the country.

In particular, we are concerned about the 29 September arrest of Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, a prominent human rights lawyer and co-founder (with Shirin Ebadi) of the Centre for Human Rights Defenders. Mr Dadkhah is now beginning a nine-year jail sentence previously imposed on him after he was charged with “membership of an association seeking to overthrow the government and propaganda against the system.”

The prison sentence was coupled with a 10-year ban on legal practice and teaching. Mr Dadkhah had been involved in defending many high-profile cases, and the case against him is widely believed to be linked to his work as a human rights defender.

Mr Dadkhah's case is reminiscent of those of other jailed human rights defenders in Iran, in particular that of the lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, whose case has been raised in the past by the High Commissioner.  Ms Sotoudeh is one of the three final nominees for the prestigious Martin Ennals human rights award, which is being awarded this evening here in Geneva, despite the fact she is serving a six-year jail term.
Last Wednesday (26 September), the authorities closed down an independent newspaper, the Daily Shargh, for publishing a cartoon, and arrested its director, Mehdi Rahmanian. A summons was also issued against the cartoonists.

Mr Ali Akbar Javanfekr, the press advisor to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and head of the state-run news agency (IRNA), was arrested on the same day to serve a six-month jail sentence issued previously for insulting the Supreme Leader. The Reuters bureau chief in Iran, Ms. Parisa Hafezi, has also been charged with spreading lies and propaganda, and the wire agency's entire operation has reportedly been suspended. The ongoing arrest and detention of media professionals and intimidation of media organizations is deeply worrying, especially given we are now entering the run-up to the June 2013 Presidential elections.

Also in the past ten days, Ms Faezeh Hashemi, and Mr Mehdi Hashemi Rafsanjani, the daughter and son of Mr Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former President of Iran, were both arrested by the authorities. Faezeh Hashemi was arrested on 22 September to serve a six-month jail sentence, apparently linked to her participation in an opposition rally in February 2011. Her brother, Mehdi, was taken into custody at Tehran airport two days later, on Monday 24 September, after returning from 36 months exile in London. He is facing charges related to his role in the 2009 post-election unrest.

Lawyers, human rights defenders and independent media make a key contribution in democratic societies and must be allowed to carry out their work without facing intimidation, harassment, arrest and prosecution. The arrests and harsh sentences imposed on such figures reflect a disturbing trend apparently aimed at curbing freedom of expression, opinion and association, which are guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a State party.

We urge the Government of Iran to promptly release all those who have been arrested for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights.

For more information or media requests, please contact Rupert Colville (+41 22 917 9767 / rcolville@ohchr.org) 

***01.10.2012. Syria: 78 journalists and media activists martyred during the revolution - 13 journalists and media activists were killed in September 2012 (SJA)

This month has been the most violent month since the Syrian revolution began in March 2011, with /13/ journalists and media activists being killed in September 2012, according to the Media Freedoms Committee in the Syrian Journalists Association, which is monitoring violations against journalists and media activists in Syria.

The number of journalists and media activists who have been killed in Syria has risen to /78/ since March 2011.

Media Freedoms Committee documented in September 2012 the killing of /13/ journalists and media activists. Five in Damascus and its suburbs, four in Deir Ezzour, two in Aleppo, and one in Hama and one in Homs.

Below are the names of journalists and media activists who were killed in September:

- Mohammad Badee’e Al Qasem: a media activist; killed on 4/9/2012 while covering the clashes between the Free Syrian Army and the regime’s forces near the mailbox center in Deir ez-Zor city; Al Qasem is one of the founders of the media center of Deir Al Zor.

- Anas Abdullah, a citizen cameraman: was killed by a shrapnel from a mortar shell, while he was covering the violent shelling on his neighborhood al-Tadamon, as well as the violations committed by Assad forces in Damascus on 06-09-2012.

- Tahseen al-Toom, a media activist: killed due to his wounds on 06-09-2012. After targeting his car by a tank shell in Arbeen in Damascus suburbs on 29-08-2012.

- Nawaf al-Hindi, a human rights and media activist: was killed by a mortar shell in Bait Saham, Damascus suburbs, on 06-09-2012.

- Tamer al-Awam, a film maker and media activist: killed due to his wounds. Tamer injured by a bullet while he was covering the events in Aleppo, on 09-09-2012.Al-Awam who returned to Syria secretly made several documentary films about Syrian revolution, the last film was about events in Idlib. Al-Awam reported a lot of events for German and international media, and he organized many demonstrations and activities to support Syrian revolution in Europe.

- Yusuf Ahmed Deeb, a journalist: killed by warplanes bombing printing house of “Liwaa al-Fatih” newspaper in Aleppo, on 16-09-2012.

- Abdul Rahman Maree al-Mashhour, a media activist: was killed in a demonstration in Hamidiya neighborhood in Deir ez-Zor, on 18-09-2012.

- Abdul Karim al-Oqda, a photographer and ground reporter: was killed with three of his colleagues, while the Syrian regime forces surrounded his house and burned, in al-Arbaain neighborhood in Hama, on 19-09-2012. Al-Oqda was one of the most prominent of Sham News Network reporters and photographers in Hama, he filmed of more than 1250 videos from the combat zones.

- Mamoun Ahmed al-Gghanndo, a journalist: was killed with his twin brother Faris, by falling a mortar shell on his house, in al-Madamia town in Damascus suburbs. On 25-09-2012.

- Abdul Aziz Ragheb El-Sheikh, a media activist: was killed by random shelling on al-Qousur neighborhood in Deir ez-Zor. On 26-09-2012. El-Sheikh was a correspondent of Sham News Network in Deir ez-Zor.

- Maya Nasser, an Iranian journalist: a correspondent of "Press TV" Iran channel, was killed by a sniper near of the Umayyad Square in Damascus, according to the "Press TV" channel. On 26-09-2012.

- Yusuf al-Aqraa, a media activist: was killed during filming a battle in the al-Soultaniya neighborhood, in Homs. On 27-09-2012. Al-Aqraa was one of media activists of al-Farouq Battalions Press Office in the Free Syrian Army.

- Mohammed Fayyad al-Askar, a citizen journalist: was shot on the ground by al-Assad forces in Deir ez-Zor, on 28-09-2012. Al-Askar was an activist in the Deir al-Zour News Network, and Free Deir ez-Zor Radio.

Media Freedoms Committee at the Syria Journalists Association
Damascus 1/10/2012

***25.09.2012. VIETNAM - Navi Pillay concerned about harsh sentences against journalists and bloggers

GENEVA (25 September 2012) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Tuesday expressed deep concern about the conviction and harsh sentencing of three  prominent Vietnamese journalists and bloggers, noting this reflected a trend of increasing restrictions on freedom of expression in Viet Nam, especially against those who use the Internet to voice their criticisms.

On Monday, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai (also known as Dieu Cay) received 12 years’ imprisonment and five years’ probation, Ms. Ta Phong Tan received ten years’ imprisonment and three years’ probation, and Mr. Pan Thanh Hai four years’ imprisonment and three years’ probation. The three were convicted of “conducting propaganda” against the State under article 88 of the Penal Code, for posting articles on the website of the Vietnamese Club of Free Journalists, of which they are prominent members.

"The harsh prison terms handed down to bloggers exemplify the severe restrictions on freedom of expression in Viet Nam," Pillay said, adding that the fact that the court's decision came after only a few hours of deliberation raises further questions about the defendants’ right to due process and a fair trial. Pillay also expressed concern about reports that several supporters were detained and prevented from attending the trial. In 2009, during the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Viet Nam’s human rights record, the State accepted a number of recommendations on freedom of expression, including one to “fully guarantee the right to receive, seek and impart information and ideas in compliance with article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

"Monday's verdicts are an unfortunate development that undermines the commitments Viet Nam has made internationally, including during the UPR, to protect and promote the right to freedom of expression," the High Commissioner said.

***21.09.2012. SOMALIA. Somalia: NUSOJ Condemns Killing of Journalists in a wave of Suicidebombings in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, 20 September 2012

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) vehemently condemns the barbaric attack that killed three journalists and wounded at least
7 other journalists after three suicide bombers blew themselves up at a cafeteria known for journalists’ gathering, on Thursday afternoon
around 5:50pm local time bringing the total journalists killed this year alone to 12, while the union sends its condolences and shares the
tragedy with the Somali media community at large.

The Journalists killed in the attack include Liibaan Ali Nor and Abdisatar Dahir Sabriye of Somali National Television and Abdirahman
Yasin, Director of local independent Radio station, Radio Hamar, VoD, on the spot. Whereas, Abdiqadir Ahmed Timoos, Mohamed Husein
“Gentleman”, Mohamed Ibrahim “Biibaaye” of  radio Mogadishu and SNTV, Abdullahi Mohamed “Suldaan” and Nuure Mohamed Ali of kulmiye radio,
Mohamed Bishaar of Mustaqbal Radio and Abdikarin Gutale of S24 Television were wounded among them severely, according to witnesses
accounts. All reporters and newscasters, anchors, editor and director at their respective media stations. Five of these wounds are currently
receiving treatment from Madina Hospital and other privately owned hospitals. There are other journalists slightly wounded, but were
discharged from the hospitals due to their injuries.

The attack, took place at the Village restaurant better  known as “Hooyooyinka” across from the National Theatre,  where journalists and
media workers regularly meet. Witnesses said that the attackers refused any chance of escape by first blowing up in the middle of the
restaurant and when people fled for survival, another suicide attacker blew himself up at the only entrance of the restaurant by killing
those who survived the first suicide attacker followed by another one outside the restaurant.

“I was completely lucky, I left the area five minutes before the attack.” Abdifatah Omar Halane, director of Gool FM Radio told NUSOJ
while he was on the way to the hospital carrying wounds “this is a complete tragedy and loss of many important friends and colleagues.”

No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack. But similar attacks were carried out previously by the Shabab militant group.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns this violent attack against the journalists in the strongest terms possible, while
the union sends its sympathies and condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those killed in the attack and wishes those
injured for immediate recovery.

“We are shocked by these Horrific attack against the journalists and we condemn the act in the strongest terms possible.” Mohamed Ibrahim,
NUSOJ Secretary General said, “Though words can not express how awful this is but We send our condolences to the families and friends of
killed journalists and share the pains of these disasters to all the Somali media community at large.”

“Somali Journalists and media workers should be vigilant about the public gatherings to avoid further risks and call for the  Somali
government to launch urgent investigations into the killings of Somali Journalists and bring the killers to court” Mr. Ibrahim added.

This year, 2012.  was a bloody year for the Somali journalists bringing the total journalists and media workers to 12.

The National Union of Somali Journalists once again warns all journalists and media workers in Mogadishu to stay away from public
gatherings and should take safety precautions as much as possible. Most of the Journalists and media workers lack the needed safety
trainings, an important skills for hostile environments.

The National Union of Somali Journalists urges to journalists and media workers who work in these difficult and dangerous situation to
continue their work and not be intimidated by these senseless attacks, which is meant to silence the Somalia media.

NUSOJ will update you the list of the slightly wounded journalists shortly.
 
For further information, please contact: National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Second Floor, Press House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / nusojsomali@gmail.com or nusoj@ymail.com
E-Newsletter: newsletter@nusoj.org.so
Internet: http://www.nusoj.org.so
Follow us on Twitter: @NUSOJ_Somalia

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) mourns the loss of the another prominent journalist who was assassinated in Mogadishu’s
General Daud High School in Yaqshid neighborhood on Friday noon around 11:30am heightening the dangerous work journalists do in Somalia and
bringing the total number of journalists killed this to 13.

Unknown assailants shot five bullets, three of them on the head of Hassan Yusuf Absuge, in his 40s,  a veteran and academic, who was the
head of Programs of radio Maanta, as he was heading his home, finishing his night shift, according to the Radio Maanta. Late Hassan
Yusuf  Absuge died on the scene.

“We have lost our colleague, he was killed at General Daud High school, after leaving the radio station.”  Hussein Abdulle Mohamed,
program producer of Radio Maanta told NUSOJ.

No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) outrageously condemns the act of assassination against our colleagues.  .

“We condemn this brutal assassinations against the media practitioners in Mogadishu, an act meant to intimidate the journalists either stop
the profession or force into exile.” Mohamed Ibrahim, Secretary General  of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) said, “We
call on the Federal government of Somalia to give priority on the security of the journalists and open independent investigations into
the murders of the journalists cases.”

“It is very unfortunate that journalists are killed in assassinations on the eve of the World Peace day.” Mr. Ibrahim added.

On Thursday afternoon, three journalists were killed in suicide bombing and 7 others were wounded.

***20.09.2012. SYRIA. APPEAL FOR ANY INFORMATION ON TWO JOURNALISTS MISSING (INSI)

The International News Safety Institute appeals for any information on two journalists missing in Syria for the past month.
Al-Hurra TV correspondent Bashar Fahmi, a Jordanian citizen of Palestinian origin, and his Turkish cameraman Cuneyt Unal, have been missing since they entered Syria on August 20.
Initial reports suggested they had been captured by Syrian loyalist forces in Aleppo.
On August 27 Unal appeared in an interview with a pro-government Syrian television channel. He said that he had been seized by Syrian soldiers in Aleppo and gave a brief statement in which he described himself as part of an international militant force. The Turkish Foreign Minister said that Unal was forced to make the statement.
There was no mention of Fahmi and nothing further has been heard from either man.
On September 4, the Syrian Information Ministry released a statement saying that Fahmi was not with the Syrian authorities.
"The safety of these men is of major concern and we appeal for any information on their whereabouts and wellbeing," said INSI Director Rodney Pinder.
"The Syrian authorities especially have a duty to ensure the safety of all correspondents in their country. They and others in Syria must know something and we ask them to please make contact. INSI assures any informant of the utmost confidentiality."
INSI has recorded the deaths of 23 journalists in Syria this year, and many more have been wounded and arrested and detained.

Anyone with information can contact Rodney Pinder email rodney.pinder@newssafety.org or mobile +44 7734 709267

***20.09.2012. OSCE media freedom representative visits Serbia, urges government to speed up media reforms

BELGRADE, 20 September 2012 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, today urged the Serbian government to accelerate reforms to safeguard media freedom.

“Independent journalism and free reporting do exist in Serbia, but looking at the cases of threats and violence against journalists, this still comes at a price,” said Mijatović, who paid her first visit as the OSCE media freedom representative to Belgrade, where she discussed Serbia’s media freedom situation with government officials and journalists.

She also emphasized that the murder cases of three journalists - Slavko Čuruvija, Milan Pantić and Dada Vujasinović – still remain unsolved and that the investigation into these cases should be intensified to bring those responsible to justice.

During her visit, the Representative met Prime Minister and Interior Minister Ivica Dačić, Speaker of Parliament Nebojša Stefanović, Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkić, First Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Aleksandar Vučić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić, Minister of Culture and Information Bratislav Petković, State Secretary of the Justice Ministry Danilo Nikolić, members of the Broadcasting Agency’s Council, the Director General of the Public Radio and Television Aleksandar Tijanić and media and civil society representatives.

In her meetings Mijatović underscored the need to address the challenges facing media freedom in Serbia: “Without a robust legal and regulatory framework, institutionally protected public and private media and a politically and financially independent broadcast regulator and public service broadcaster, it will not be possible to meet the challenges of digitalization and harmonization with international standards, let alone create a free and vibrant media environment.”

“There is also an urgent need for the state to completely withdraw from the media market and to foster an environment conducive to free media and safety of journalists,” she added. “The case of journalist Laszlo Sass showed that there is a need to fully decriminalize defamation as the threat of criminal sanctions for speech offences has the potential to stifle public debate.”

The Representative also called upon journalists and media owners to resist political and economic pressure and to serve the public and society at large.

Mijatović welcomed the readiness of the authorities to co-operate with her office, as well as to improve media legislation in a open and inclusive manner, support public service broadcaster RTS, ensure the independence of broadcast regulator RBA and to foster transparency of media ownership.

Mijatović is also opening the second South East Europe Media Conference on “Shaping Policy for the Future” today in Belgrade. Organized with the OSCE Mission to Serbia, the event brings together some 200 international and regional journalists, media professionals and experts.

For PDF attachments or links to sources of further information, please visit: http://www.osce.org/fom/93891

***17.09.2012. Mexican journalists covering drugs traumatised as if in war - Report

Journalists in peacetime Mexico trying to cover drug-related stories are suffering levels of traumatic stress similar to those of war correspondents, according to a scientific study.
The survey was carried out by Dr Anthony Feinstein, professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto, who 10 years ago also published the most authoritative study into trauma and stress among war reporters.
He found that 25 per cent of the 104 journalists he surveyed reported they had stopped covering drug news because of intimidation directed either at them or their family - and that they reported significantly more symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and general psychological dysfunction than colleagues.
Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world in which to be a journalist, largely due to targeting by drug lords trying to influence the news. INSI figures show it was the most murderous country last year with 11 deaths and is the fifth this year so far with seven dead. It has been in the top six deadliest countries consistently over the past 15 years. The rate of impunity is high with killers of journalists rarely brought to justice.
Feinstein's study, carried out with assistance from INSI, was the first of its kind on the effects of trauma on journalists covering their own country in peacetime. He found that more than 70 per cent of the journalists lived in a province where there was drug-related violence. Almost half of them knew a colleague who had been murdered by the drug cartels. More than half of those reporting drug-related news had been threatened. One in 10 had had a family member threatened.
Feinstein, whose landmark work Dangerous Lives: War and the Men and Women Who Report It exposed the trauma suffered by many war correspondents, said the percentage of Mexican journalists showing evidence of psychological distress fitted with data from the war reporters.
But he added:"Unlike the war group, who 'parachute' in and out of danger ... most Mexican journalists studied here both work and live in areas where extreme is endemic. There is no respite from danger..."
UNESCO, which funded the research, said it raised important questions about freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Mexico.
"If journalists are too intimidated to report the news and if their emotional stress is such that they can no longer continue working on a story, the supply of information to the public becomes undermined," it said.
"These disturbing psychological findings should come as a call to Mexican news organisations to support the men and women who, at considerable risk, tell the stories of a local conflict with regional implications for all of the Americas."

***11.09.2012. IFJ and EFJ Welcome Release on Pardon of Journalists Held in Ethiopia

Two Swedish journalists are among prisoners who have been pardoned in Ethiopia to mark the country’s New Year Day. Johan Persson and Martin
Schibbye were jailed in December 2011 for 11 years following their conviction for "supporting a terrorist organisation and illegally entering
Ethiopia". The two journalists, who were reportedly pardoned in July by former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who died in August, were freed
yesterday and are expected to fly home soon, according to media reports.

“We welcome the news of their release which will come as huge relief for their families and colleagues,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “They
have spent more than a year in prison on flimsy charges but it is now time to put their ordeal behind them and get on with their lives.”

Persson and Schibbye entered Ethiopia via Somaliland to investigate the oil project in the region, focusing on Lundin Oil, a company in which the
Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt was on the board and a shareholder, before becoming a government’s minister.

They were arrested after smirches between the Ethiopian military and the rebel movement fighting in the Ogaden region, on the border with Somalia,
where they were captured by the Ethiopian army in July 2011.

Last December, they were sentenced to 11 years in jail after an Ethiopian court convicted them of entering the country illegally and supporting
terrorism. Both journalists admit they entered Ethiopia without permission but strenuously denied any accusations of supporting terrorism.

They did not appeal their conviction, preferring to appeal for clemency based on the Ethiopian tradition of ‘pardoning’ prisoners on the country’s
New Year Day.

“There was never an admission of guilt to terrorism nor any credible evidence to justify their conviction. They were just two journalists
trying to tell a story on a conflict stricken area that needs to be told,” added Arne König, EFJ President . “But they saw little to gain from a
protracted appeal process and we are delighted that they are now free.”

***04.09.2012. Time is Running out for Eritrean Journalists held in Communicado for over Decade, Says IFJ

Fear is mounting over the fate of a group of Eritrean journalists who have been held without charges since 2001, following the regime’s clampdown on
independent media. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which has from the beginning campaigned for their release, today called on
the Eritrean government to disclose information about their situation amid reports that some have died.

“These journalists have been denied justice by the regime’s unconscionable disregard for their fundamental rights,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President.
“Now their very lives are at risk and time is running out to save them. The authorities must disclose their whereabouts and state of health.”

The IFJ says the Eritrean authorities have resisted previous calls for the journalists’ release, denying even requests to provide information about
their conditions of detention and to allow family visits. In 2007, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights found Eritrea in breach of
the journalists’ rights and ordered their release or a speedy trial and fair trial but the government failed to comply with the ruling.

The Federation estimates that at least 18 journalists have been detained without charges since the Eritrean government imposed a ban on independent
media in September 2001. They include Zemenfes Haile, founder and manager of independent weekly Tsigenay, his editor-in-chief Yosef Mohamed Ali and
reporter Ghebrehiwet Keleta, Selamyinghes Beyene, reporter for MeQaleh, Binyam Haile of Haddas Eritre, Seyoum Tsehaye, freelance and former
Director of Eritrean State Television (ETV), Temesgen Gebreyesus of Keste Debena, Mattewos Habteab (MeQaleh), Dawit Habtemicheal (MeQaleh), Medhanie
Haile, editor-in-chief (Keste Debena), Fessahye Yohannes, editor-in-chief of Setit, Said Abdulkadir, chief editor of Admas, Amanuel Asrat, chief
editor of Zemen, Amanuel Asrat (Zemen) and Dawit Isaac, a dual Eritrean and Swedish national. He had returned to his native Eritrea after
independence and helped launch the country's first independent newspaper, Setit. Dawit was briefly released in 2005 but re-arrested and there has
been no official information on the journalists’ situation.

This week in Swedish, an online campaign ‘4000 days’ is being organised on social media, Facebook and on Twitter ‘#fourthousand’, to mark the 4000
days he and his colleagues have spent in detention.

Recent reports have claimed that some of the detainees have died after the Eritrean officials acknowledged earlier in the year that some of the
journalists had died in detention but refused to give names.

“These reports will understandably add to the anguish and distress of the journalists’ families and colleagues,” added Beth Costa, IFJ General
Secretary. “This may be the last chance to save Isaac and his colleagues and we must pile on the pressure on Eritrea to release them.”

***02.09.2012. SYRIA. Nine journalists and media activists have been killed in Syria during August - The biggest number since the beginning of the revolution (Syrian Journalists Association)

This month has been the most violent month since the Syrian revolution began in March 2011, with nine journalists and media activists being killed in August 2012, according to the Media Freedoms Committee in the Syrian Journalists Association, which is monitoring violations against journalists and media activists in Syria.

The number of journalists and media activists who have been killed in Syria has risen to 65 since March 2011.

Below are the names of journalists and media activists who were killed in August 2012:

 1 - Zuhair Mohammed al-Shaher, a citizen photographer: killed in Deir al-Zour on 02/08/2012.

2 - Haitham Hamsho, a media activist: killed in Salah al-Din neighborhood in Aleppo on 09/08/2012.

3 - Baraa Yusuf al-Boushi, a journalist: killed in al-Tall, Damascus suburbs, on 11/08/2012.

4 - Ahmed Fouad al-Mohammad, a media activist: killed while filming in Daraa on 14/08/2012.

5 - Ghias Abdullah, a media activist: killed by a sniper in Saif al-Dawla neighborhood in Aleppo on 18/08/2012.

6 - Mika Yamamoto, a Japanese journalist: killed by heavy shelling by the Syrian army in Suleiman al-Halabi neighborhood in Aleppo on 20/08/2012.

7 - Mosaab Mohamed Said al-Odaallah, a journalist: killed by the Syrian regime’s forces after a raid on his home in Nahir Eisha in Damascus on 22/08/2012.

8 - Omar al-Hamed Al-Zamil, a media activist: died of his wounds as a result of shelling in the city of al-Hirak in Daraa province on 22/08/2012.

9 - Mahmoud Zakaria Al-Basha, a citizen journalist and photographer: killed in the  shelling of al-Bab city in Aleppo province on 31/08/2012.

Media Freedoms Committee of the Syrian Journalists Association
Damascus 01/09/2012

***16.08.2012. SOMALIA. NUSOJ launches campaign to end Impunity of Killing Journalists and Media Workers in Somalia

Mogadishu, August 16, 2012

Somali media representatives, civil society organizations, human rights advocacy groups, journalist and union officials gathered at
Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu on August 16, 2012 to discuss the raising concerns of the terrifying surge of journalists killings, the safety
of the working journalists, media impunity, lack of justice and way to assist families of fallen colleagues, as part campaign to combat the
impunity and injustice launched by the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ).

It has been a matter of concern that 10 journalists and media workers were killed in Somalia since December last year, most surprisingly all
the attacks are happening in the government controlled areas and no one has been held accountable for this heinous crimes against the
media practitioners, the conference noted raising concerns of who are the actual killers? Are all related to the Shabab or there are other
elements who are targeted the messengers?

On his opening remarks, Mr. Mohamed Ibrahim, the Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) highlighted the
dangers the media practitioners and human rights defenders are facing at a time the country is in transition which is due to end this month,
the continued targeted attacks and the government’s inability to conduct investigations and bring the killers to court, is becoming a
real threat to the lives of other living journalists.

“Enough is enough, we can not wait until we are all killed,” Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, “It is time we seek justice for
our fallen fellow journalists and the criminals are accounted and bring them to court.”

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) believes that if the government opens independent investigations into the killings and
bring them to court of law could lessen the targeted assassinations against the journalists and media workers, which is meant to sabotage
the free flow of information.

"We will not be intimidated by these heartless assassins and urge the government and the African Union mission in Somalia to carry out
investigations into the killings of journalists and do not let the killers to walk freely. NUSOJ and Somali Media fraternity will not
rest until the killers are accounted for their crimes." Mr. Ibrahim said, "I take this opportunity to thank Doha Center for Media freedom
for their vivid cooperation and generous support to the Somali journalists in need for help, thanking the support they have provided
the wounded journalists in Somalia."

The conference acknowledged the fact that the outnumbering targeted killings, death threats, intimidations and the lack of investigations
into the murder cases followed by fear for safety have profound affect to the lives of the media practitioners. It was also noted that there
are other elements besides Shabab that are targeting the journalists.

“Dear friends, there are other criminals who are targeting us in the government controlled areas besides the Shabab, which we will have to
be very careful about it.” Abdullahi Ali Farah, Director of SIMBA radio said.

The conference underlined that, condemnation was not helpful when one of our journalists is killed but more solidarity among the community
is needed. “We need to focus the reality and speak with the government, put them pressure to investigate these crimes.”

Osman Abdullahi Guure, Director of Radio Kulmiye urged conference participants to take measure in ensuring the safety of their staff,
“Every media station has to provide security, especially those working late at nights.”

The conference raised that the importance to assist families of fallen colleagues and seek way to support them. “As you know the widows and
orphans of killed journalists and media workers are in need of support and we must find ways to help them.” Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, NUSOJ
Treasurer said. It was agreed that this issue be discussed to another upcoming meeting.

Somalia is becoming one of the most dangerous places to be a journalist and each month a journalist is killed. The conference
participants praised the NUSOJ’s role in defending the rights of the journalists and promoting the freedom of expression and the freedom of
the press. The conference also thanked Doha Center for Media (DCMF) for their continued support to the Somali journalists in distress.

The Conference agreed NUSOJ take the lead in:
1. Engaging the relevant government institutions and discuss the best possible ways to conduct urgent investigations into the killings of
the journalists.
2. To engage the African Union in Somalia (AMISOM) and how they can be of help in carrying out such investigations.
3. To lobby among the local and the relevant international partners to pressure the government in conducting these investigations
4. Urged NUSOJ to continue the lobbies until the criminals are brought to justice.
5. Urged NUSOJ to conduct safety trainings in a bid to empower the journalists ability to manage the risks.
6. Noted the importance to conduct Election reporting workshops a time dozens of candidates are running for the presidential election by the
end of August.

By conducting these investigations could mean survival for the living journalists. The launch of this campaign comes a crucial time the
Somali journalists and media workers worry their safety.

Similar conference took place in Nairobi, Kenya organized by the union members led by Somali Exiled Journalists (SEJASS)

Click this link to see the photos:
nusoj.org.so/alerts/2012/August2012/NUSOJ_launches_campaign_to_end_impunity_of_killing_Journalists_and_Media_Workers_in_Somalia.htm
--
For further information, please contact:
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)
Second Floor, Press House, Taleex Street, KM4 Area, Hodan District,
Mogadishu, Somalia, Tel: +252 1 859 944,
e-mail: nusoj@nusoj.org.so / nusojsomali@gmail.com or nusoj@ymail.com
E-Newsletter: newsletter@nusoj.org.so

***13.08.2012. Somalia: NUSOJ Condemns the murder of two journalists in Mogadishu in a single day

Mogadishu, August 12, 2012

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) strongly condemns the murder of two Somali journalists in separate incidents in Mogadishu on
Sunday, August 12, 2012, the latest in a string of attacks against the media workers and journalists in Somalia and numbered the total
journalists and media workers killed in Somalia in 2012 to nine (9).

Three unknown gunmen dressed like school children shot to death Yusuf Ali Osman, a veteran Somali Journalist and former director at the
Somalia’s Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunication, several times on the head on Sunday morning around 7:00am local time.
Osman was killed in Mogadishu Dharkenley district near a garage where he used to park his car to go for work, according to witnesses. the
attackers immediately fled the area.

Witnesses reported that the gunmen called the journalists name to ensure it was him before he was shot. His funeral took place at
Baghdad area, 10km South of the capital Mogadishu. The tragic incident was notified to Mohamed Ibrahim, the Secretary General of the
National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) upon his arrival at the Mogadishu airport after finishing International Investigative
Reporting at the ABC News as a Galloway Family Foundation Fellow in the United States attended the funeral, calling the murder, “Cowardly
and barbaric.”.

“This is another tragic loss for the Somali media community and we should not be intimidated by these cowardly acts of assassinations
meant to silence the voice of the voiceless.” Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, “on behalf of the Somali journalists, we
condemn in the strongest possible to these heinous and targeted crimes and call for an immediate end of the senseless murders of the
journalists.”

“The criminals must not be let free and must be accounted for.” Mr. Ibrahim added sending condolence to the family and friends who might
miss him. “Our sympathies and prayers goes to him and his families.”

Some senior government officials also attended the funeral among them was the Director General of the Ministry of Information, Posts and
Telecommunication, Mr. Abdirisaq Bahlawi who condemned the murder.

Late Yusuf Ali Osman in his sixties served from as a journalist for more than 30 years from the Somali National Radio and Television,
Eastern Africa Radio Director in Mogadishu. He served as a media trainer and He was the former head of the National Media Council that
drafted the current Media Law in 2007.

“We are particularly saddened by the loss of a great colleague, Mr. Yusuf Ali Osman, who has been a remarkable manager and hardworking
staff in the Ministry of Information.” The Minister of Information, Posts and Telecommunications, H.E. Abdulkadir Hussein Mohamed said
today in a statement.

The United Nations Political Office for Somalia condemned the assassination of late Yusuf Ali Osman in a statement.

“It was only 12 days ago that the comedian and media worker “Marshale” was killed. Today we mourn another prominent member of the Somali
media community, Yusuf-Farey.” The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga said. “I send
my deepest condolences to his family and to all Somali media professionals, who for too long have seen their colleagues targeted,
injured and assassinated without a single perpetrator being brought to justice”,

In a separate incident, a broadcast journalist, Mohamoud Ali Yare better known as Buneyste, who is the Nairobi correspondent of the
Mogadishu based Radio Hamar – Voice of Democracy – (VoD) - was killed by straying bullet that hit him on the head, while he was watching a
football game at a playground at Towfiiq neighborhood of Yaqshid District in Mogadishu on late Sunday afternoon, around 5:30pm,
according to the Director of Radio Hamar, Voice of Democracy, Abdirahman Yasin who spoke with NUSOJ. Radio Hamar is a privately
owned Radio station.

Late Mohamoud Ali, in his 20, came to Mogadishu recently to visit his sick mom in Mogadishu and planning to return to Nairobi to continue
his reporting.

“He was hit by a straying bullet on the head as he was watching soccer game at a playground in Towfiiq neighborhood.” Mr. Abdirahman Yasin,
Director of Radio Hamar, Voice of Democracy said, “There was a firefight in the area among the Somali government forces.”

“He was our Nairobi reporter and recently came to Mogadishu to visit his sick.” Mr. Yasin added. <END>

The photos of the Funeral are posted on Union website:
http://www.nusoj.org.so/alerts/2012/August2012/NUSOJ_strongly_condemns_the_murder_of_two_Somali_Journalists_in_MOgadishu.htm

--
Gunmen Kill Somali Media Worker in Mogadishu

Mogadishu, July 31, 2012,

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) Denounces in the strongest terms possible to the killing of the Somali comedian and a
media worker in Mogadishu on July 31, 2012, making it the seventh to be killed in Somalia in 2012 alone.

Two unknown assailants shot to death a renowned Somali comedian and a media worker, Abdi Malaq Jeylani better known as Marshale, in front of
his home in Waberi district in Mogadishu at late Tuesday afternoon on July 31, 2012 around 5:30pm local time.

The attackers fled the scene immediately. No group has claimed the responsibility of the attack.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) condemns this heinous attack in the strongest terms possible. The Union’s sincere and
heartfelt condolences go out to the families and Friends of Late Jeylani who was assassinated near his home in Waberi district.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of late Jeylani affected this terrible tragedy." Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ
Secretary General said, “We must stand together in challenging the reckless impunity in a widespread and call for the government to
investigate these horrible crimes against the journalists and the media workers"

“We call upon the Somali government to protect the journalists at this critical stage in which the country is in transition as the
criminals are killing a journalist each month and walk freely without facing justice.” Mr. Ibrahim added.

Late Jeylani, 43, has worked several radio and Television stations and took part dramas that were critical to the Shabab. He has
previously reported to the union that he has received several threatening phone calls from the Shabab ordering him to abandon the
media.

He survived two wives and six (6) children. One of the wives is pregnant. He is the seventh to be killed in 2012 and several other
journalists survived from assassination attempts.

On July 8, 2012, A Somali Journalist, Abdulkadir Omar Abdulle survived from an assassination attempt near his home at Madina District in
Mogadishu when two unidentified gunmen approached him and shot him four times, he is recovering at the Nairobi Hospital and he is now in
good health. Similarly, Two armed men shot and seriously wounded Mohamed Shariif of Bar-Kulan Radio, a UN Funded radio, at hamarjajab
district minutes after he left the office Horn Cable television and was heading home on June 8, 2012.

***31.07.2012. SYRIA - INSI SAFETY ADVICE

Syria has become one of the biggest challenges facing news organisations the world over. Since the start of this year, at least 19 journalists and
members of the Syrian and international news media have died there covering the news and many more have been detained, assaulted and
threatened.
One of the key and recurring issues affecting the security and safety of both local and international journalists has been the paucity and
sensitivity of reliable information.
The International News Safety Institute has been working with its members, who include some of the world’s leading media organisations, since the
violence began in Syria last year, to share information that might impact on the safety of journalists and news crews covering the events there.
But because of the sensitivity of a lot of the information we have often had to do this by liaising directly with news organisations and individual
journalists rather than publicly discussing issues that might compromise their safety. For this reason, we have not been issuing as frequent safety
advisories as we did during the conflict in Libya.
However, as the focus of the fighting has moved to Syria’s second city, Aleppo, where the Syrian Army’s offensive has entered a fourth day, the
concerns around the safety of news crews have exacerbated and we are issuing this guide for journalists about Syria.

SYRIA SAFETY UPDATE
On Monday, an Al Jazeera correspondent was hit by shrapnel covering the clashes in Aleppo. Omar Khashram was evacuated across the border and is
now receiving medical treatment.
The BBC’s Ian Pannell, who has been inside Aleppo with his team described a “very confused” situation. Snipers are operating in many areas of the
city, and the government troops appear to be shelling indiscriminately.
News crews should be aware of this high level of uncertainty and volatility and have a solid evacuation plan.
News teams should also be aware that some of the fighters in Aleppo have been identifying themselves as belonging to Al Qaeda.
Meanwhile, thousands of Syrian people are fleeing the fighting in Aleppo and across Syria, heading for the borders with neighbouring countries
Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey.

BORDERS
Turkey - There are signs that the number of news media travelling to the Turkish border with Syria is increasing.
Most foreign journalists are heading towards the Turkish border town of Antakya, where there are reports that prices for accommodation and other
facilities are being inflated substantially.
INSI is concerned that some journalists travelling to the border have not built up contacts in Syria, and do not have a ‘point person’ in Turkey.
All journalists should have good, reliable and trustworthy contacts in place before they attempt to cross into Syria. INSI is concerned that
without this preparation, the increasing number of journalists heading to the border could be risking their safety, or putting themselves in a
situation where they are charged exorbitant rates by smugglers to get across the border and then left to their own devices.
All journalists should ensure they have a reliable and trustworthy translator if they are not Arabic speakers.
The FSA command structure now appears to be very fractured. FSA commanders do not trust each other and some journalists have reported being handed
from one commander to another only to be told not to trust the second one.
However as the insecurity increases, journalists must ensure they know who the local FSA commanders are as they may be reliant on them in an
emergency.
In the past, journalists were able to rely to an extent on the activist network, but this now appears to be almost non-existent, although there is
still some activist presence from the Turkish side.
There has been evidence of Al Qaeda, and other Islamic extremist groups working in the border regions. A British and Dutch photographer were
released several days ago after being held by such a group for over a week.
Journalists should not assume that there is necessarily safety in numbers inside Turkey. There have been reports of PKK presence in the area of the
camps, and Turkey has expressed concern about the influence of the PKK supported by the Syrians, though reports suggest that the PKK is unlikely
to target Turkey from Syria.
Lebanon – The Lebanese border is extremely and increasingly challenging, with arrests reported of journalists and frequent shelling, and it is now
becoming very difficult for news teams to operate on the Lebanese side. A number of crews have attempted to enter Syria this way, but have faced
lengthy delays and some have turned back.
If crews are going from the Lebanese side, they should expect that the experience will be similar to an embed. Those trying to cross the border
are very much reliant on smugglers, and there is the possibility that someone else may offer a greater price than the news teams and they might
be ‘sold out’.

COMMUNICATIONS
Communications remain a major issue, as they have been throughout the conflict. The Syrian authorities have a very powerful technological
capability to jam, monitor and possibly track GSM and satellite communications, though its true reach and ability is not known for sure.
News crews are advised to act extremely cautiously to protect their technological equipment and all phones and laptops should be sanitised and
journalists should be incredibly vigilant about sharing information on social media sites and of those with whom they make contact doing the
same.
It has been very challenging for news teams to get lines of communication out of Syria and though some organisations say their Bgans and satellite
phones are not working, others are able to get brief lines out.
Likewise, some teams have been able to file by internet and others have been able to text locally.
Aleppo is currently causing a number of issues with communications with some news crews unable to file at all.

INSI is coordinating a secure email forum for its members to share confidential and time sensitive information about issues affecting the
safety of news crews and journalists covering events in Syria. For more
information, please contact Hannah Storm, Hannah.storm@newssafety.org or
+447766 814274

***27.06.2012. INSI appeals to Syrian combatants to respect safety of journalists

London, 27 June - The International News Safety Institute appealed to all sides in the Syrian conflict to respect the safety of journalists - and
reminded that deliberate targeting of the news media is a war crime.
Gunmen raided the headquarters of the pro-government Syrian TV station Al-Ikhbariya early Wednesday, killing seven employees, kidnapping others
and demolishing buildings, according to reports. The Syrian government accused rebel forces of a "massacre against the
freedom of the press".
According to INSI data, Syria is the bloodiest country in the world this year for journalists with 17 deaths out of a global total of 73. Several
citizen journalists also have been killed.
Syrian forces stand accused of being responsible for the great majority of the killings, but pro-government journalists also have been attacked on
several occasions during the 15-month uprising.
"Journalists are not combatants - they are innocent bystanders simply doing their jobs, either as independent reporters or as employees of news
organisations - and their safety must be respected," said INSI Director Rodney Pinder.
"Every attack on the news media is an assault on the freedom and human rights of all Syrians - the cause both sides claim to be fighting for."
Pinder drew attention to the Geneva Conventions which clearly state that to intentionally attack civilians not taking direct part in hostilities is
a war crime. Journalists are regarded as civilians, protected under international law.
"Journalists and other news media staff are not fair game for murder in any cause or conflict and those responsible should eventually be held to
account by the international community," he said.

***22.06.2012. IFJ Urges UN Human Rights Council to Act on Journalists' Summary Killings Report

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has said that recommendations by the Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings and summary executions to the 20th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council are a step in the right direction but urged the Council to hold states to their international obligations.

This followed the report of Christof Heyns, the UN Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings and summary executions, to the Human Rights Council on Tuesday in Geneva. In his report, Mr. Heyns focused on the killings of journalists whom he warned "are killed at an alarming rate by States and non-States actors while others are intimidated into self-censorship."

His report identifies impunity as one of the main reasons for journalists' killings, most of whom are local reporters covering corruption, crime and human rights issues. He notes that "The problem does not lie with gaps in the international legal framework. The challenge is rather to ensure that the established international framework is fully used and that its norms are reflected in domestic laws and practices." He recommends raising the awareness about the issue of journalists' killings "from the local to national and international levels."

The IFJ welcomed the report's findings and recommendations, saying that they represent an indictment of governments' failure to protect journalists.

"The fact that far too many journalists continue to lose their lives, in times of peace and for reasons related to their professional activities, is an indictment of many governments' failure to fulfill their obligations to protect our colleagues' most fundamental right --- the right to life," said IFJ Human Rights and Communications Officer, Ernest Sagaga in a statement to the Council.

The Federation also called on the United Nations and its specialized agencies, especially the Human Rights Council, to play a more engaging role.

"This involves taking a clear stand against states which systematically violate their own laws and international treaties they are a Party to, in denial of - or indifference to - what has become a regular pattern of targeted killings of journalists," added Sagaga.

***20.06.2012. UN HRC: Two Special Rapporteurs both call for those who violate journalists’ rights to be held accountable (article 19)

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the unusual event of two reports concentrating on the same issue being presented at the twentieth session of the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday 19 June 2012.

The reports, by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression and the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, both focus on the issue of impunity for violations of journalists’ human rights.

Both reports urge relevant state and non-state actors to secure journalists’ rights by implementing international human rights law and monitoring this implementation. ARTICLE 19 strongly endorses the Special Rapporteurs’ recommendations and hopes they signal the start of more concerted global efforts to protect journalists.

It is unusual for two Special Rapporteurs to focus on one particular issue. Each has done so from the perspective of their particular mandate: The Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions (SRESA), Christoph Heyns, has investigated the mechanisms in place to provide greater protection to the right to life of journalistsThe Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression (SRFOE), Frank la Rue, has focused on the protection of journalists and media freedom, particularly in situations which do not involve armed conflict.

The overlap of the reports’ content suggests that they are intended to be mutually supportive. This impression is reinforced by the fact that both documents are being presented on the same day of the current session of the Human Rights Council. It also shows how urgently the protection of journalists worldwide needs to be addressed.

The two reports should spur the international community to:take a more comprehensive look at the current shortfalls in the protection of journalists’ rightstake positive steps to implement the Special Rapporteurs’ recommendations for addressing these problems.

ARTICLE 19 welcomes both reports and hopes they will lead to states improving how they respond to violations of journalists’ rights: to date, these have been grossly inadequate.

more on: www.article19.org

***31.05.2012. SYRIA. Four journalists killed in two days (DCMF)

Four journalists were killed just one day apart in the Syrian cities of Homs and Damascus, increasing the death toll of journalists to 35 since the beginning of the anti-regime protests last year.

In a statement published on Facebook, Al-Sham Information Network confirmed the death of its director Amar Mohamed Souheil Zada, and of citizen journalists Ahmed Adnan Al Ashlaq and Fahmi Al Naiimi ambushed by the Syrian army on May 27.

Next day, Bassel Al Shahade, a Fulbright scholar and a student filmmaker, was killed in Homs by a shell explosion launched by the Syrian army.

Bassel Al Homsi, a Syrian activist, told Doha Centre for Media Freedom that Al Ashlaq, aged 20, was targeted by the army as he was filming the army attacking Al Khalidiyah, a city near Homs.

In a letter addressed to DCMF, Al Sham confirmed the loss of their young journalist, adding that the website would not give any additional details for security measures.

Al Ashlaq was studying engineering at Al Baat university in Damascus and was reporting for news website Al Sham. He was also helping managing the website from Homs.

Al Homsi also confirmed the death of Al Shahade on May 28 and highlighted that violence was intensified on all Homs and Alhamidiya areas on the day of the filmmaker's death.

Al Shahade, a student at Syracuse University in U.S, was in Homs despite the violence to conduct workshops on photography and filmmaking for activists.

He was arrested by the Syrian authority after Al Maydan demonstration last July and was freed shortly after.

Al Shahade was born in Damascus and was graduated from the Information Sciences University and also studied filmmaking in the United States during one year.

***30.05.2012. SYRIA. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) joined a statement about Mazen Darwish and the court cases against SCM activists

Yesterday, on May 29, 2012, seven employees of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) and one SCM visitor were summoned to stand on trial at a military court in Damascus. They have been charged with “possessing prohibited materials with the intent to disseminate them”. However, at the start of the court hearings, the judge decided to postpone the trial until June 25, because the Air Force Intelligence Service had failed to notify whether SCM Director Mazen Darwish would appear as a witness. This trial fits in a pattern of censorship and repression against journalists, media workers, bloggers and activists who defend freedom of expression in Syria. Our organisations consider that the charges against them are politically motivated.

We, the undersigned human rights organizations express our concerns about the personal safety of SCM Director Mazen Darwish. Therefore, we have kindly requested His Excellency Mr Kofi Annan and his team to visit Mazen Darwish during this visit to Syria, and get first hand information about his health situation.

We call for the immediate release of Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer, Abdelrahman Hamada, Mansour Al-Omari and Hani Zetani – the five people who remain in incommunicado detention in the Air Force Intelligence (AFI) detention centre without any charges, as well as the release of Bassam Al-Ahmad, Joan Farso, Ayham Ghazzoul, Yara Bader, Razan Ghazzawi, Mayadah Al-Khaleel, Sana Zetani and Hanadi Zahlout, who will stand on trial on June 25, 2012.

We express our our solidarity with these media activists and urge the judge to observe rigorously all the guarantees of a fair trial in accordance with international standards.

Trial against SCM

On February 16, 2012, the Air Force Intelligence (AFI) conducted a raid at the premises of SCM in Damascus during which they arrested 16 persons, including its Director Mazen Darwish. Seven of them were conditionally released on March 18, 2012, and had to report to the AFI detention centre every day for further interrogation. The others were kept in detention, some of them incommunicado.

On April 22, 2012, the Military Prosecutor in Damascus informed eight of the 16 initially arrested that they would be prosecuted by a military court for “possessing prohibited materials with the intent to disseminate them”, a criminal offense that is punishable by six months of imprisonment under Article 148 of the Criminal Code. These eight people would stand on trial yesterday, May 29. They are Bassam Al-Ahmad, Joan Farso and Ayham Ghazzoul (who were still detained on April 22) and Yara Bader, Razan Ghazzawi, Mayadah Al-Khaleel, Sana Zetani and Hanadi Zahlout (who were released on bail on March 18 and again detained on April 22). Mrs Zahlout is not a SCM staff member, but was a visitor to the centre on February 16.

Meanwhile, five other activists are still in held incommunicado in the AFI detention centre in Al-Mazzeh, Damascus. These are Mazen Darwish, Hussein Ghareer, Abdelrahman Hamada, Mansour Al-Omari and Hani Zetani. They have not been charged so far, but since their arrest on February 16 they have been denied access to their lawyers. Mazen Darwish and Hussein Ghareer are in solitary detention. Mazen Darwish has been subjected to torture and ill-treatment.

The undersigned international NGOs had organized an observation mission, composed of lawyers from the region. We have decided to cancel this observation mission, because we could not sufficiently guarantee the personal safety of these observers under the current high tension circumstances in Damascus.

Suppression of freedom of expression

This trial fits in a pattern of censorship and repression against professional journalists, media workers, citizen journalists (bloggers) and media activists who defend freedom of expression in Syria. Syria is one of the most unsafe countries for them, with the highest number of killings. Since the beginning of the uprising in March 2011 several journalists and media activists have been killed. They have been executed, killed by car bombs or tortured to death. A horrible example is Khaled Mahmoud Kabbisho, who was arrested on April 17 and whose head was crushed by a tank of governmental troops. Three days earlier, the body of citizen journalist Alaa Al-Din Hassan Al-Douri was delivered at his family’s home. There was evidence that he had been tortured to death. Citizen journalist Mohammed Abdelmawla Al-Hariri is now handicapped as a result of torture. At least 31 professional journalists, citizen journalists and media activists are currently detained by the Syrian authorities. This includes the staff of SCM who are still detained.

Signatories

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network
Front Line Defenders
Hivos
International Media Support
Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT))
Reporters Without Borders
Samir Kassir Foundation (SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom)

***24.05.2012. SOMALIA. NUSOJ is grieved by the Senseless Murder of Radio Journalist in Mogadishu.

National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is outraged and grieved by the increasing attacks against the journalists in Somalia,
following the brutal murder of Radio journalist in Mogadishu on Wednesday 24, may 2012, around 1:25 PM local time.

Four unknown assailants armed with pistols shot to death Ahmed Addow Anshur, a producer and reporter for the Mogadishu based Radio
Shabelle. The journalist died instantly with bullets hit on the head and the chest and the killers immediately escaped from the scene
according to the witnesses at market.

The incident took place near the home of the journalist at Suuq (Market) Bo’le in Dharkenley District of Mogadishu, an area controlled
by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

It is not yet known the motive behind the killing. The body of the victim has now taken to the family’ house and laid there until his
burial is arranged.

This is the latest of string of attacks against journalists and media workers meant to undermine the media freedom and the freedom of
expression, says NUSOJ.

“The death of Ahmed Addow Anshur is a great loss, a savage and inhuman act. We strongly condemn this barbaric attack,” says, Burhan Ahmed
Dahir, the President of the Supreme Council of NUSOJ. “On behalf of NUSOJ, I send my sincere condolences to the bereaved families and
friends of Mr. Anshur and ask Allah to rest his soul in paradise”.

“The mounting attacks against the media professionals in Somalia are a source of dire concern. Journalists play a vital role for informing,
educating and preparing the community to enable the society to take informed decisions. There can be no political or religious reason for attaking these media people,” added Mr Dahir.

The National Union of Somali journalists (NUSOJ) calls on the authority of Transitional Federal Government of Somalia to take prompt
and public to safeguard the journalists and thoroughly investigate the crime to bring justice those responsible for these murders to prevent
further killings.

Late Ahmed Addow Anshur is the sixth journalist and media workers murdered in Somalia in 2012 alone in the hands of the criminals in
Somalia. He survived a wife.

It is being planned to bury the body in this Wednesday afternoon at Jazeera cemeteries in Southern suburbs of Mogadishu according to the
victim’s family members.

In Somalia, where the violent attacks were raging over the past two decades, journalists and the media houses were under insistent
attacks. A significant number of journalists where killed, injures, arrested, as media houses were censored, suspended, or physically
raided as well.

***24.05.2012. DOHA FORUM - Journalists’ Safety Is Back on Top of World Community’s Agenda, Says IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) made a crucial contribution to a debate on safety of journalists at the 12th Doha Forum
which closed yesterday.

Bringing together over 600 international participants, including a Representative of the PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) (Red), political leaders, decisions makers, academics, media figures as well as representatives of civil society and regional and international organisations, the Forum held a two-day debate focussing on the Arab Spring and the global financial and economic risis.

One of its major sessions led by IFJ president Jim Boumelha and the General Secretary of the National Union of the Philippines, Nestor Burgos
Jr, built on the momentum created last January by an international conference for the protection of journalists in dangerous situation also
held in Doha.

“The Forum presented the IFJ with an important opportunity to highlight before an audience of world agencies and governments the vital issues
concerning safety of journalists and the urgency for strengthening national laws to end impunity,” said Boumelha.

Chaired by Dr Ali Bin Smaikh Al-Marry, Chair of the Qatar National Human Rights Committee, the participants reviewed the recommendations made by
the last international conference and plans to put safety on the agenda of the UN General Assembly and highlight the obligation of states to provide
more coherent and practical measures to combat targeted violence and to eradicate impunity.

Nestor Burgos Jr gave a moving account of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre where 33 journalists were murdered and its impact on journalists in the
Philippines. He also provided an update on the trials of the suspects in the massacre and on the campaign waged by the families of killed
journalists.

“The Doha Forum’s workshop on the recommendations of the International Conference on the Protection of Journalists is a welcome and significant
step in further calling international attention to and action on the unabated murders of media workers in many parts of the world including in
the Philippines,” he said.

The recommendations issued by the last Doha conference, organised by the Qatari National Committee for Human Rights, have become a key part of the global campaign to press governments on their responsibility to protect journalists. They emphasise the need to vigorously enforce the existing
legal instruments, binding national authorities to prevent and punish violence against journalists and request the UN to develop new strategies
to promote states' compliance with their obligations as well as the creation of a special unit in the Office of the High Commissioner for
Human Rights to follow up media cases. They call for the right of their families to receive compensation as well as the need for donors to link
aid assistance to countries' record on media protection. They further request news organisations to provide adequate safety training and all
appropriate support, including protection equipment and trauma counsel to their staff.

“These renewed activities have put media protection back on the top agenda of world institutions and the IFJ is now a key player in the global
campaign aimed at the UN and its agencies," added Boumelha.

***DOHA FORUM 2012. Journalist protection should be a priority (DCMF)
 
At the Doha Forum 2012, media experts urged news networks to train journalists in dangerous situations & recognise the importance of new media.
By Zainab Sultan (DCMF)

Journalists should undergo hostile environment training, try and record any attacks on them and be ready to handle interrogations if captured. These were some of the recommendations made by media experts at the recently concluded Doha Forum 2012.

Among the topics discussed during the three day event were the role of media post Arab revolutions and the impact of social and electronic media on Arab politics. A workshop was also conducted for journalists to train them on how to protect themselves in hostile situations.

“In 2011, 106 journalists died from 35 countries with Iraq, Pakistan and Mexico topping the list,” said Jim Boumelha, president of the International Federation of Journalists. “This year many journalists have died in Nigeria and Syria.”

According to IFJ, one out of four journalists working in a war or conflict zone is likely to die but two-third of the killers face no trial or punishment.

“In 15 years the global rate of impunity has remained constant and I think impunity is the best tool to assess press freedom,” said Boumelha.

Qatar National Committee for Human Rights organised the International Conference to Protect Journalists  in January 2012 and drafted out several recommendations for the UN, local and international governments, news organisations and journalists.

Some of them included recalling the declarations of the UN and Geneva Conventions, creating awareness among journalists about their rights and involving all NGOs to collaborate and evaluate the current status of media in conflict areas and discussing the draft convention to protect journalists in dangerous situations.

Hassan Rachidi, Doha Centre of Media Freedom consultant, called for all organisations to collaborate because “implementation of laws can be achieved based on cooperation not competition.”

Rachidi stressed that “we have to mobilise the management to believe that the protection of journalists is the responsibility of the employer and journalists should have the right to refuse to go to conflict zones.”

Role of new media and its future in the Arab world

At the session on social and electronic media, media gurus explored the impact and future of social media in the Arab world and the role of citizen journalists during the Arab revolutions.

Ben Bradshaw, former Secretary of State, Department of Culture, Media and Sport in UK said that it would be unfair to label the Arab Spring as Facebook or Twitter revolution because “other countries like Yemen and Libya who do not have many internet users were able to carry out a revolution successfully.”

However, Mustafa Sawaq, Director of Al Jazeera News in Doha did not want to undermine the impact of social media as “it gave us a better way to cover the revolution because we were prohibited to enter many countries for coverage.”

But all of this information flow comes with challenges. Sawaq explains that “Al Jazeera receives more than 1,000 videos each day and we need an army of staff to view this material and verify it for us.”

The panellists advised against ignoring the presence of new media and its usage because Arab countries’ media is evolving and the lines between traditional and other forms of journalism are  becoming blurred as news networks   increasingly rely on citizen journalists.

“Absence of freedom and censorship in totalitarian governments has led to the birth of citizen journalists and we need to note that this is a gift for us,” said Rachidi.

 The forum is in its 12th year and the theme this year was democracy, development and free trade in the Middle East and the Arab world. It was attended by 610 delegates from 84 countries. 

***17.05.2012. HONDURAS. Alerta del Secretariado Permanente de la Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia (Redlad):
Secuestro y asesinato de periodista en Honduras (English below)

El Secretariado Permanente de la Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia (Redlad) lamenta el secuestro y asesinato del periodista
hondureño Alfredo Villatoro, conductor del noticiario radial El Matutino en la emisora HRN, por mano criminal.

Villatoro, gran aliado de las Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil hondureña y director de noticias de la emisora más importante del país,
fue secuestrado por criminales el pasado miércoles 9 de mayo. El periodista fue encontrado muerto la noche del martes 15 de mayo, según lo
confirmó el Ministro de Seguridad, Pompeyo Bonilla.

Según la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, se contabilizan más de 21 asesinatos de periodistas en menos de 3 años, todos los casos
permanecen impunes. Honduras, el país más violento del mundo con más de 87 homicidios por cada 100 mil habitantes y en donde cada hora y media se contabiliza una nueva muerte violenta.

El Colegio de Periodistas de Honduras (CPH) condenó el secuestro de Villatoro y alertó sobre la pésima situación que vive la libertad de
prensa y expresión en el país centroamericano. Igualmente, el Cardenal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez, repudió el hecho delictivo. A su vez, la
Asociación de Medios de Comunicación de Honduras (AMCH) exigió al Gobierno del Presidente Porfirio Lobo que "investigue, identifique y castigue" al
crimen organizado que ha secuestrado, violentado y asesinado a tantos periodistas en Honduras.

Por ello, el Secretariado Permanente de la Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia, plataforma de impulso a la democracia y el
respeto de los derechos humanos, integrada por más de 300 organizaciones de la región. Miembro Oficial del Foro de Sociedad Civil de la
Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA) y Capítulo Regional del Movimiento Mundial por la Democracia (WMD):

· Alerta al gobierno del presidente Porfirio Lobo para que tome cartas en el asunto y no escatime gastos en asegurar el pleno respeto de
la libertad de prensa. La violencia en Honduras es una situación alarmante que requiere soluciones concretas y rápidas.
· Insta a la comunidad internacional y gobiernos democráticos del mundo a solicitar públicamente el respeto a la libertad de expresión y
prensa en Honduras y aumentar los vínculos de cooperación para la ejecución de proyectos encaminados a enfrentar el dilema de violencia
generalizada que azota al país.
· Urge a los medios de comunicación internacionales, organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil e instituciones defensoras de la
libertad de prensa y expresión a manifestarse sobre el hecho y respaldar acciones para una prensa libre en Honduras y el mundo entero.
· Se une los gremios de periodistas hondureños, organizaciones sociales y personalidades que reprocharon el secuestro del periodista y
han defendido la libertad de prensa.
· Se solidariza con los allegados, familiares y compañeros de lo que es otra víctima más de la intolerancia, la violencia y la violación de
derechos humanos llevada a cabo por parte el crimen organizado

La libertad de prensa debe ser obligatoriamente respetada y protegida. El tema de la violencia en Honduras es una cuestión que requiere de urgente
atención por parte del gobierno hondureño, gobiernos hemisféricos, agencias de cooperación y Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil del mundo
entero. ¿Cuántos periodistas más deben morir?

Alert of Permanent Secretariat of Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (Redlad):  Murder of journalist in Honduras.
May, 2012.

The Permanent Secretariat of Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (Redlad) deplores the murder of journalist Alfredo Villatoro,
host of The Morning radio news on the radio station HRN, by criminal hand in Honduras, .

Villatoro, a great ally of the Civil Society Organizations in Honduras and news director of the country's largest radio station, was kidnapped on
Wednesday May 9 by criminal hands. The journalist was found dead on Tuesday night May 15, as confirmed by the Minister of Security, Pompey
Bonilla.

According to the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras, are accounted for more than 21 murders of journalists in less than 3 years, all cases
have gone unpunished. Honduras is the most violent country in the world with more than 87 homicides per 100 000 inhabitants, in Honduras every
hour and a half happens one new violent death.

The Journalists Association of Honduras (CPH) condemned the kidnapping of Villatoro and warned about the terrible situation that live freedom of
speech and press in the Central American country. Similarly, Cardinal Oscar Andres Rodriguez, condemned the crime. In turn, the Asociación de
Medios de Comunicación de Honduras (AMCH) demanded the government of President Porfirio Lobo to "investigate, identify and punish" the
organized crime that has kidnapped, raped and murdered so many journalists in Honduras.

Therefore, the Permanent Secretariat of Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy, a platform for advancing democracy and respect for
human rights, integrated over 300 organizations in the region. Official Member of the Civil Society Forum of the Organization of American States
(OAS) and Regional Chapter of the World Movement for Democracy (WMD):

· Warning the government of President Porfirio Lobo to take action on the matter and spare no expense in ensuring full respect for press
freedom. Violence in Honduras is an alarming situation that requires specific solutions and fast.
· Urges the international community and democratic governments of the world to apply for respect of freedom of speech and press in Honduras
and increase cooperation to implement projects to address the dilemma of widespread violence plaguing the country.
· Urges the international media, civil society organizations and institutions that defend press freedom and expression that will manifest
publicly about the problem and will support actions to get free press in Honduras and the world.
· Joining to the Honduran journalists unions, social organizations and personalities who criticized the kidnapping of journalist and have
defended freedom of the press.
· Give solidarity with the relatives, family and colleagues of who is yet another victim of intolerance, violence and violation of human
rights carried out by organized crime.

Press freedom must necessarily be respected and protected. The issue of violence in Honduras is a matter that requires urgent attention by the
Honduran government, hemispheric governments, aid agencies and civil society organizations worldwide. How many journalists have to die?

Secretariado Permanente
Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe para la Democracia
San José, Costa Rica
http://www.redlad.org/

***14.05.2012. SYRIA. Eight journalists and bloggers freed, 31 still held (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders welcomes the provisional release of eight journalists and bloggers who were arrested by intelligence officials
during a raid on the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression (SCM) in Damascus on 16 February.
“The release of these eight news and information activists at the end of last week is a positive sign, but it should not divert attention from the
fact they are still facing a court martial and that dozens of other journalists and netizens are still languishing in Syrian jails,” Reporters
Without Borders said, reiterating its call for their immediate release.
Seven of the eight released – Yara Badr, Razan Ghazzawi, Mayada Khalil, Sana Zetani, Joan Farsso, Bassam Al-Ahmed and Ayham Ghazzoul – are SCM
members. The eighth, Hanadi Zahlout, was visiting the centre at the time of the raid.
They are all due to appear before a military court on 29 May on a charge of “possessing prohibited documents with a view to distributing them,”
which carries a maximum five-year jail sentence.
Five of the eight who are women – Badr, Ghazzawi, Khalil, Zetani and Zahlout – were released three days after the raid but were rearrested when
they first appeared before the military court in Damascus on 22 April. The other three – Farsso, Ahmed and Ghazzoul – had remained in detention but
were brought before the military court at the same time as the five women on 22 April. They spent at least part of their time in detention in
solitary confinement.
Five other SCM members who were also arrested during the 16 February raid – Hussein Gharir, Hani Zetani, Mansour Al-Omari, Abdel Rahman Hamada and SCM president Mazen Darwish – have been held apart from the others and have not as yet been brought before any court.
Human rights lawyer Anwar Al-Bonni told Agence France-Presse during the weekend that he had received word that they might in poor health. The
judge handling the case of the other eight has ordered that that Darwish appear as a witness at the 29 May hearing.
According to a Reporters Without Borders tally, at least 31 professional journalists, citizen journalists and cyber-activists are currently
detained by the Syrian authorities.

12.05.2012 - Two Turkish journalists released but more than 37 Syrian journalists still held
Reporters Without Borders is relieved to learn that two Turkish journalists who were captured while making a documentary in northwestern
Syria two months ago were released today. Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the Iranian government acted as mediator in their release.
Adem Özköse, a reporter for the magazine Gerçek Hayat and the daily Milat, and cameraman Hamit Coşkun were abducted by a pro-government militia near the northwestern city of Idleb on 10 March and were handed over to a government intelligence agency.
IHH, a Turkish Islamist humanitarian NGO, announced on 5 May that it had managed to visit the two detained journalists in Damascus. Turgut Alp
Boyraz, the head of foreign news at Milat, said they were able to telephone their families on 5 May for the first time since their capture.
Announcing their release, the Turkish foreign minister said: “We expect that they will arrive in Tehran shortly. At our prime minister’s request,
we have sent a plane to Iran to bring back journalists.” They are expected to arrive in Turkey this evening or tomorrow, the Turkish news agency
Anatolia reported.
Reporters Without Borders said: “Their release is a big relief but more than 37 journalists and citizen journalists are still detained in Syria.
We must not forget them.”

***14.05.2012. MEXICO. Mexico: international and regional experts urge swift action to protect human rights defenders and journalists

GENEVA / WASHINGTON D.C. (14 May 2012) – “The killings and threats repeatedly suffered by rights defenders and journalists in Mexico must
stop immediately,” urged a group of four experts from the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, calling on the
Government to move ahead with the swift promulgation and effective implementation of the ‘Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
and Journalists’.

Highlighting the immediacy of the threats facing defenders and journalists, the experts also urged the Government to implement existing
protection mechanisms as a matter of urgency, in order to avoid further attacks and loss of life and to complement the new provisions when they
come into effect.

The Bill, which has been approved by both chambers of the Federal Congress, seeks to guarantee and safeguard the life, integrity and
security of human rights defenders and journalists by creating a mechanism with the authority to implement measures to protect those at risk, as well
as at preventing such risks from arising in the future.

“Human rights defenders in Mexico desperately need the State’s effective protection now,” said Margaret Sekaggya, the United Nations Special
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. “They continue to suffer killings, attacks, harassment, threats, stigmatization and other
serious human rights violations.”

“The State has to implement, as a matter of priority, a global protection policy for human rights defenders. The lack of appropriate and effective
systems for implementing specialized protection measures are related to the situation of defenselessness in which many human rights defenders find
themselves, which has caused the death of many of them in recent years,” stressed Santiago A. Canton, the Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of the Rapporteurship of Human Rights
Defenders*.

“We have to break the cycle of impunity in Mexico, which is becoming an increasingly violent place for journalists,” said Frank La Rue, United
Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. “The recent killing of four press
workers in Veracruz underscores the dire need for concrete steps to be taken to guarantee the safety of journalists and put an end to impunity.”

Catalina Botero, Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, stressed that “safeguarding
journalists and human rights defenders is not only compatible with the fight against crime, it is an essential element of this struggle. The
Mexican authorities should take immediate measures to protect those journalists and human rights defenders that are being threatened, as well
as to make definitive advances in the struggle against impunity for the crimes that have been committed against them.”

The four experts commended the Federal Congress for approving the Bill, pointing out that it would provide added impetus and sustainability to
existing protection frameworks, while also strengthening these frameworks.

The Bill was drafted in consultation with civil society organizations, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Mexico provided
technical advice throughout the drafting process.

The human rights experts praised the consultative process which allowed multiple stakeholders to play an important role in the drafting of the
Bill, and called for the same participatory approach throughout the implementation process. However, they emphasized the urgency of providing
effective protection to those at risk and ensuring that human rights violations against journalists and human rights defenders do not go
unpunished.

(*) In keeping with Article 17(2)(a) of the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, Commissioner José de Jesús Orozco Henríquez, of Mexican
nationality, does not participate in matters concerning said country.
ENDS

***30.04.2012. Clombia - Todavía se desconoce paradero de corresponsal francés Roméo Langlois (FLIP)

La Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa – FLIP, manifiesta su preocupación por  la situación del periodista francés Roméo Langlois, quien está desaparecido luego de encontrarse atrapado en medio de combates entre el Ejército colombiano y la guerrilla de las Farc, en las selvas del departamento de Caquetá, al sur oriente del  país.
 
La FLIP hace un llamado para que se maneje con mayor prudencia la información sobre lo sucedido. Cualquier especulación e información no confirmada sobre los hechos y el paradero actual del reportero, pueden ponerlo aún más en riesgo. La FLIP espera que pronto se puedan tener noticias favorables sobre las condiciones de Roméo Langlois.
 
Lo sucedido
 
El sábado 28 de abril, el periodista Langlois, corresponsal de la cadena de televisión France 24 y el diario Le Figaro, acompañó una operación de militares y policías contra laboratorios de coca custodiados por las Farc en las selvas de Caquetá, como parte de la realización de un documental sobre el narcotráfico en Colombia.
 
Durante el operativo, el grupo cayó en una emboscada del Frente 15 de las Farc, lo cual inició los enfrentamientos militares. El periodista quedó entre el fuego cruzado.

El domingo el Ministro de Defensa, Juan Carlos Pinzón, señaló que, de acuerdo a información dada por los soldados, durante el combate el periodista, que portaba chaleco antibalas y casco blindado, quedó herido en un brazo. “En medio de la tensión seguramente tomó la decisión de quitarse el chaleco y el casco militar, y manifestar que era de la población civil para desplazarse al área desde donde disparaban los guerrilleros”, explicó.

Por su parte, el Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Francia, Alain Juppé, anunció ayer que el reportero había sido secuestrado por el grupo guerrillero. Sin embargo, en las últimas horas precisó que “no hay certeza absoluta” de que Langlois haya sido plagiado.

El gobierno colombiano dice no saber dónde se encuentra el periodista y hasta el momento las Farc no se han pronunciado sobre el tema.
  
Simone Bruno, periodista que trabaja en el documental junto con Langlois, pero que no fue al operativo, viajó a Caquetá junto con otros periodistas internacionales para tener mayor claridad sobre lo sucedido. "Hay muchos comentarios y rumores sobre su situación pero son simples rumores”, dijo Bruno.

Hasta el momento lo único cierto es que Langlois se encuentra desaparecido y se desconoce su estado de salud.

Roméo Langlois es un corresponsal con amplia experiencia en el cubrimiento del conflicto en Colombia y ha hecho varios reportajes sobre el tema.

Periodismo y conflicto

El Caquetá ha sido históricamente uno de los departamento más afectados por el conflicto armado colombiano. Para las Farc es un territorio estratégico para el cultivo y producción de coca, así como para la confrontación contra el Estado. En ese departamento el Ejército cuenta con la Brigada XII y dos birgadas móviles más.

El trabajo periodístico es fundamental para infomrar y comprender el conflicto en Colombia. La situación de Roméo Langlois, demuestra, una vez más, las difíciles condiciones y el peligro que representa para el periodismo cubrir temas relacionados con el conflicto armado.

***27.04.2012. Brazil. UN alarmed by another journalist killed in Brazil - statement by Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Rupert Colville 

We are alarmed that yet another journalist has been killed in Brazil, bringing to at least four the number of journalists murdered in the
country so far this year. Décio Sá, an investigative journalist reporting on local politics, corruption and organized crime, was gunned down in a
bar on Monday, 23 April. We condemn his murder and are concerned at what appears to be a disturbing trend of killing journalists that is damaging
the exercise of freedom of expression in Brazil. We have long been concerned about the need for Brazilian human rights defenders, including
journalists, to be able to conduct their work without fear of intimidation or worse.

We welcome the fact that state authorities have committed to conducting a thorough investigation and call for this and other similar cases to be
treated as a major priority so that perpetrators are not emboldened by the prevailing lack of accountability for such crimes. At the same time, we
urge the Government to immediately implement protection measures to prevent any more such incidents.

A bill introduced into Congress in 2011, ordering police investigations into crimes against journalists to be conducted at a Federal level, would
be a step in the right direction. We hope this and other measures to protect journalists will be adopted as a matter of some urgency.

***24.04.2012. UN approves common strategy on safety of journalists

The UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, led by UNESCO, was endorsed on 13 April 2012 by the UN Chief Executives Board, the highest level coordination mechanism of the UN system. The Plan of Action aims toward the creation of a free and safe environment for journalists and media workers in both conflict and non-conflict situations, with a view to strengthening peace, democracy and development worldwide. The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, told fellow board members that “the safety of journalists is essential to upholding Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that guarantees the right to freedom of expression.”
Over the last decade, more than 500 journalists and media workers have been killed worldwide, with many more wounded or threatened while carrying out their professional responsibilities. In 2011 alone, 62 journalists were killed, according to the latest biennial UNESCO Director-General Report on The Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity, presented in March. In most cases, noted this report, these journalists were not reporting on armed conflict but on local stories, particularly related to corruption and other illegal activities such as organized crime and drugs.
In light of these dramatic statistics, there has been a pressing need for the various UN agencies, funds and programmes to develop a single, strategic and harmonized approach in order to have greater impact on combating the issue.
The measures in the Plan include the establishment of a coordinated inter-agency mechanism to handle issues related to the safety of journalists, and the involvement of other intergovernmental organizations at international and regional levels to encourage the incorporation of media development programmes focusing on journalists’ safety within their respective strategies. The plan also foresees the extension of work already conducted by UNESCO to prevent crimes against media workers. This includes assisting countries to develop legislation and mechanisms favourable to freedom of expression and information, and by supporting their efforts to implement existing international rules and principles.
To further reinforce prevention, the Plan recommends working in cooperation with governments, media houses, professional associations and NGOs to conduct awareness-raising campaigns on a wide range of issues such as existing international instruments and conventions, the growing dangers posed by emerging threats to media professionals, including non-state actors, as well as various existing practical guides on the safety of journalists. Emphasis is also given to the importance of disseminating good practices on the safety of journalists and how to counteract impunity. Journalism education institutions will also be encouraged to include in their curricula, materials relevant to the safety of journalists and impunity.
The UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity is the result of a process that began in 2010 upon request of the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).

***23.04.2012. BAHRAIN. IFJ Condemns Media Restrictions in Bahrain ahead of Controversial Grand Prix

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused the authorities in Bahrain of deliberately obstructing the work of foreign reporters who sought to cover the anti-government protests ahead of the Formula One race which took place in the country yesterday. Bahrain denied visas to non-sport journalists and arrested those who were working in the country without journalists’ visas.

“This selective approach to media accreditation is arbitrary and totally unacceptable,” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “The authorities were only too happy to tout the return of the Grand Prix to Bahrain as a sign that the situation is normal. Yet, they deliberately set out to deny independent media to verify this claim on the ground.”

Reports say that a number of journalists were denied visas to enter the kingdom as the decision by Formula One to stage the race there sparked new anti-governments protests. Last year’s pro-democracy demonstrations marked by violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces led to the cancellation of the motor sport event.

Among journalists who were prevented from entering Bahrain were Financial Times’ Simeon Kerr, Sky News' chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay, Times' journalist Karen Lee, CNN correspondent Amber Lyon, two AP reporters and all Reuters' non-sport correspondents.

The authorities also detained on Sunday Jonathan Miller, reporter of Britain’s Channel 4 News, along with his team for working without accreditation, according to reports. They were released this morning and deported from the country. The news channel said that the team’s local driver was assaulted and separated from the foreign reporters and his whereabouts were unknown.

The IFJ voices concerns over the authorities’ commitment to implementing meaningful changes, including respect for press freedom. The Federation points to the failure of the government to implement in full the recommendations of the Bassiouni report, in particular to review court cases involving journalists as well as reinstating all sacked journalists. The case of France 24’s reporter Nazeeha Saeed has been referred back to the public prosecutor by the High Criminal Court while journalist Reem Khalifa was recently fined BD 600 (around US$ 1600).

“The government’s ongoing resistance to legitimate scrutiny by independent media renders its claim to genuine change less credible,”’ added Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. “Unless they match their words with verifiable action and stop interfering in media affairs, their already poor record on democratic rule will soon be beyond repair.”

***19.04.2012. SYRIA. Four citizen journalists killed despite ceasefire (RSF)

Reporters Without Borders has learned of the deaths of four citizen journalists in Syria: Ahmed Abdallah Fakhriyeh shot dead in Dmeir and Samir Shalab Al-Sham Abu Mohamed killed by a shell in Homs, both on 14 April, and Alaa Al-Din Hassan Al-Douri, whose dead body was recovered in Hama province yesterday, and Khaled Mahmoud Kabbisho, summarily executed yesterday in Idlib.

The information we have received about the identities of these four activists and the circumstances of the deaths is difficult to confirm, however.

“Every day the violence in Syria causes dozens of deaths and takes a heavy toll among journalists and citizen journalists,” the press freedom organization said.

“The government disregards its international commitments and shows little sign of ending its brutal crackdown. Information from Syria has become extremely difficult to obtain, to the point where we are unable to confirm with certainty our information about the deaths of the four citizen journalists.”

“We hope that the arrival of international observers will allow the government to end the media isolation it has adopted so that it can pursue its bloody crackdown, and we draw the observers’ attention to this issue.”

Fakhriyeh, 35, was shot dead while he was driving to film the arrival of Syrian army troops in the village of Dmeir, about 40 km northeast of Damascus. He was a member of the local coordinating committee and had been filming events in Syria for the past year.

Al-Sham, 26, was wounded when a mortar round hit the building from which he was recording the shelling of two Homs neighbourhoods by Syrian forces. Residents were unable to go to his aid and he died shortly afterwards. Known by the nickname Abu Layla, he had been covering the Syrian uprising in Syrian for the Syria News Network for more than a year.

Al-Douri, 44, was wounded by a bullet at a roadblock near the ancient ruins of Apamea, about 40 km northwest of Hama. He was held in custody by security forces and his dead body, showing signs of torture, was handed over to his family three days later. A leading rights activist, he had given up his job more than a year ago to devote his time to the revolutionary movement. He was married with two children.

Kabbisho was held for questioning then summarily executed in the town of Idlib in the northwest of the country. His head was reported to have been crushed by a Syrian army tank. The activist, who regularly posted videos of demonstrations in Idlib onhis YouTube channel, was married with three children. His wife is pregnant with their fourth child.

Reporters Without Borders has also learned, again without confirmation, the arrest of Mohamed Al-Hariri two days ago in Deraa. If this turns out to be the case, the worst is feared for this citizen journalist, who appeared on the TV channel Al-Jazeera describing the operations of the Syrian army in the town.

***05.04.2012. SYRIA. SAFETY ADVICE FOR JOURNALISTS (INSI)

LONDON (April 4/INSI) Syria was the most dangerous country for journalists in the first three months of this year, with 10 members of the news media killed there since the start of 2012.
As next week's deadline approaches for an internationally brokered ceasefire, the International News Safety Institute urges all journalists to take adequate precautions in what continues to be an extremely dangerous and unpredictable environment for those working in the news media.
 
The following advice has been collated by INSI for those working in Syria:
Share your travel plans with a trustworthy person who would be able to contact the authorities/international pressure groups in the case of an emergency;
Consider sharing passwords for your emails in case you are arrested and your accounts are hacked
Make sure you are discreet about moving into a building - when you move around during the day don't give away your night-time positions
Try to move locations during the night and change locations each day/night
Ensure you are not next to an anti Government forces position or any sort of political base
Where possible seek out a cellar with reinforced concrete, so you can take cover if they start shelling
If no cellar, then try to find a stairwell or an escalator shaft; they are normally made of reinforced concrete
Wear your flak jackets and helmets day and night - sleep in them if you feel the need
Make sure editors are sending in people with advanced trauma kits, who know how to use them and have the training in advanced life support
Think about taking a safety advisor as they can advise on military tactics, weapons systems and ranges of weapons and when to think about moving locations
Carry your first aid kit with you at all times, as well as communication equipment (satphone) grab bag, GPS and all emergency kit
Think about where, how and when you transmit and receive. Is it absolutely necessary to film or can you send a mobile message back - this is a lot safer (why? because transmissions can be tracked?)
Make sure you have an exit plan as well as an emergency escape plan
Make sure you are covered by life assurance for this area
Make sure the management is clear at what stage they need to pull people out - ask yourself whether the story still worth it?
Do not transmit from where you are staying
Find a location inside as far away as possible from your living location to transmit - do this with the least amount of people, so if there is a probability that fewer people get hurt
Transit in 2 minute bursts and then get off the phone and move location. The Government Forces will find it more difficult to get a location fix
Your management should not have a "I have to transmit" policy. If you cannot do the above then you don't file
Think about filming at night, they often have less people awake at night and it is more difficult to locate due to the darkness and lack of vision. Still file in 2 minute bursts and move location, but maybe just a few hundreds metres under cover of darkness.
Don't hang around in huddles of journalists and consider avoiding news hubs as they attract enemy fire

***31.03.2012. 23 journalists killed in Syria - Doha Center for Media Freedom (DCMF) documents the killing of 23 journalists in Syria as part of government crackdown on anti-regime protests.

Death toll of journalists and citizen journalists killed in Syria since the beginning of the regime campaign to flush out anti-government protests has jumped to 23, according to Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF).

The DCMF has documented the killings based on its sources in Syria, Local Co-ordination Committees, the Homs Revolutionary Council and the Syrian Journalists Association.

Some of the journalists were killed during Syrian army random shelling of some neighbourhoods, while others were killed by snipers or due to torture following their capture.

While the DCMF conveys condolences to the families of all journalists killed in Syria, it expresses shock and sadness at the deaths and pays tribute to the immense courage of all local and foreign reporters covering the events in Syria.

The Centre also condemns in the strongest possible manner the brutal killings of those journalists-- in bold violation of international human rights norms and freedom of expression --- and urges the Syrian authorities to end targeting local and foreign journalists and to guarantee their right to move freely to cover events currently taking place in Syria.

The following is the list of journalists killed in Syria as documented by the DCMF:

Ahmed Daheek, photographer, killed by tank gunship near Homs on 29-5-2011.

Farzat Yahya Jerban, broadcast technician and photographer. He was arrested by the Syrian intelligence service in the small city of Al-Qusayr, near Homs on 19-11-2011. His body was found dumped in the street the following day with clear signs of torture on his body.

Nizar Adnan Humsa, a photographer. He was detained by Syrian intelligence for one month and a half in Al Bayada neighbourhood in Homs. His dead body was handed over to his family on 26/11/2011.

Firas Barshan, a photographer shot and killed by Syrian security in the city of Hama on 07/12/2011.

Hamza Khalid Amer, a photographer. He was killed by an ARPJ rocket while filming the army’s incursion of Shamseen, near Homos on 15-12-2011

Bilal Jibss, a photographer killed by a sniper in Kafr Tkharam, Idlib on 16/12/2011.

Basil Al Sayed, photographer, killed in a random shooting. He filmed the shooting which cost his life in 22-12-2011

Muawiya Ibrahim Ayoub, photographer, killed by security forces while filming their incursion of Rasten neighbourhood near Homs on 28-12-2011

Muatassim al Saleh, broadcast technician, was killed near Hamah in 27-12-2011

Shukri Ahmed Ratib Abu Burghul, Radio presenter, received gunshot wound to the head on 30 December on arriving at his home in the Damascus suburb of Darya after hosting his weekly programme on Radio Damascus. He died of his wound in a Damascus hospital on 2-1-2012.

Usama Burhan Idriss, photographer, killed in a shelling of Inshaatt neighbourhood in Homs on 27-1-2012

Gilles Jacquier, French photographer killed by a rocket or a mortar shell in Homos 0n 11-1-2012

Madhar Amr Tayara, photographer, killed near Homs in 4-2-2012.

Saleh Samih Murjan, photographer, was killed by sniper fire in Karm Zeitun near Homs on 5-2-2012.

Rami al-Sayed, photographer, killed in an arbitrary bombardment of Baba Amr neighbourhood in Homs on 21-2-2012.

Anas Tarshah, photographer, killed in a random shelling in Homos on 24-2-2012

Abdullah Khaled Awad, photographer, killed in a random shelling of Al-Kusair city near Homs on 24-2-2012.

Amr Kaaka, photographer, killed by the security forces in Doma near Damascus on 9-3-2012

Marie Catherine Colvin American journalist, killed in a shelling of Baba Amr neighbourhood on 22-2-2012.

Rémi Ochlik French photographer, killed in a shelling of Baba Amr neighbourhood on 22-2-2012.

Jawan Mohammed Qatna, Kurdish photographer, was abducted by four men from his home in the town of Derbassiyeh, north of the eastern city of Al-Hassakeh on 25-3-2012. His body, which showed signs of torture, was found three hours later in a nearby village.

Nasim Entriri, Algerian journalist holding British passport, was shot dead by the Syrian army near Azmareen village on Turkish border on 26-3-2012.

Walid Blidi Algerian journalist holding British passport, was shot dead by the Syrian army near Azmareen village on Turkish border on 26-3-2012.

***25.03.2012. SOMALIA. JOURNALIST WOUNDED (NUSOJ)

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) is outraged over the incident in which two men armed with pistols shot and wounded a radio
journalist at the Madina neighborhood of the bigger Wadajir district on Sunday evening around 06:00pm, the latest in a series of attacks
against journalists and media workers in recent months.

Two men armed with pistols shot and wounded Mohyadin Hasan Mohamed, "Mohyadin Husni" , who is the head of the News for the Shabelle Media
Network,, after returning from his work place on Sunday evening around 06:00pm, 25 March, 2012, according to Mohyadin Hasan Mohamed,
"Mohyadin Husni" who spoke with NUSOJ.

"I was passing nearby Mogadishu Cinema in Madina neighborhood of Wadajir district, when two men armed with pistols started shooting at
me." Mohyadin Husni told NUSOJ, "Luckily, the first shot slightly penetrated the muscle over the left part of my chest, just close to my
heart. But I am feeling good now."

"I escaped with my foot. I am lucky I am alive." Mr. Husni added.

It is not clear the reason behind the attack and no group has yet claimed.

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) strongly condemns the shooting incident which was an apparent assassination attempt and
calls for the concerned authorities to investigate the incident immediately without delay.

"Journalists are working in a very difficult circumstances, despite their bravery to continue reporting the news to the Public and risking
their lives and it is unfortunate that they are targeted and killed." Mohamed Ibrahim, NUSOJ Secretary General said, "We call for immediate
and urgent investigation into the shooting incident and bring the assailants to a court of Justice."

"We Pray our colleague for his immediate and speedy recovery." Mr. Ibrahim added.

On March 4, 2012 Unidentified assailants shot and killed the journalist, Ali Ahmed Abdi, a young journalist in his 24, near Hotel
Guhaad, on his way home after returning from his work place on Sunday night around 10:00pm local time in the town of Galkacyo, controlled by
the Puntland authorities.

***24.03.2012. SRI LANKA. Alarming Increase in Hostile Rhetoric, Threats of Reprisals Against Journalists in Sri Lanka

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly deplores the alarming escalation in hostile rhetoric and the barely concealed threats
of reprisals that have been made against some of the country’s leading journalists and human rights defenders by representatives of the Sri
Lankan government and by state-owned media outlets.

This follows the adoption of a resolution by the U.N. Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on March 22, in which the Sri Lankan government was censured for
rampant human rights violations during the last phases of the country’s long civil war and urged to initiate urgent measures of reconciliation to
ensure a durable peace between the country’s main ethnic groups.

“We observe that state-owned media has in the days since the U.S. made known its intention to table a censure resolution against the Sri Lankan
government, been rapidly ramping up the tone of its attacks on the country’s journalists and media freedom defenders,” said the IFJ
Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park

On January 26, Dinamina, the Sinhala-language daily from the state-owned Associated Newspapers (or Lake House) group, carried a story quoting
senior minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, to the effect that exiled journalists who had taken up the campaign for human rights and
reconciliation were “traitors” who were bringing the country into “disrepute.”

Later, the English-language daily from the Lake House group, the Daily News, reported that human rights defenders, including journalist and press
freedom campaigner Sunanda Deshapriya, were betraying Sri Lanka and continuing to work with the terrorist rump of the defeated Tamil insurgent
group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

In an editorial on March 16, Dinamina described human rights defenders as “degenerates” and denounced Deshapriya as a “mouthpiece of the LTTE”. It
warned that in a country like Iran, “ these kinds of bastards would be stoned to death”.

Dharmasiri Lankapeli, one of the veteran leaders of the Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions (FMETU) has also been targeted by the
state-owned media. The attacks have become particularly harsh since the country’s main professional media associations and journalists’ unions
joined hands for a “black January” observance this year, to protest against the continuing climate of impunity for attacks on the right to
free speech.

The attacks have also extended to social scientists and political commentators such as P. Saravanamuttu, Nimalka Fernando and Sunila
Abeysekara, and prominent figures of the church who have argued the cause of national reconciliation and accountability for human rights abuses
since the end of the civil war.

The government-controlled ITN TV channel has been a platform for severe verbal assaults against journalists and human rights defenders. Between
January 9 and 24, the channel carried no fewer than five programmes in its daily slot titled “Vimasuma” attacking journalists who had been present
during the nineteenth regular session of the UNHRC, for having allegedly “betrayed” the country.

The IFJ learns that vivid and graphic photo-montages have been circulated by various political actors, which represent journalists and other
prominent human rights defenders as terrorists and traitors, working at the behest of alien forces.

On March 23, Sri Lanka’s Minister for Public Relations, Mervyn Silva addressed a public demonstration against the UNHRC resolution, threatening
to “break the limbs” of any of the exiled journalists if they dared set foot in the country again. Among the journalists mentioned was Poddala
Jayantha, who suffered a brutal assault in Colombo city in June 2009 that left him with permanent disabilities, and has lived in exile since January
2010.

Silva has been known for several bruising encounters with the media in recent years and was in July 2009, credibly reported as publicly claiming
credit for the murder of newspaper editor Lasantha Wickramatunge in January and the assault on Jayantha in June.

Though he later disavowed the statement attributed to him, Silva’s record as a baiter of journalists committed to human rights and free speech, has
continued to cause deep unease.

“We fear that the hostile climate created by the stream of rhetoric from government spokespersons and state-owned media, could engender serious
hazards to those who dare to speak up in Sri Lanka for peace and national reconciliation,” said Ms Park.

The dangers are clear and imminent and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has issued a public warning against reprisals
that target Sri Lanka’s journalists and human rights defenders.

“We call on the top political leadership in Sri Lanka to promptly distance itself from the manner of hostile rhetoric that has been seen and heard
over the last three months,, said Ms Park.

“We urge that serious consideration be given to the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission which recently submitted a
comprehensive report pointing the way forward for post-conflict Sri Lanka, after being invested with a wide-ranging mandate by the President of the
country.”

***13.03.2012. INSI. INSI book sparks lively debate on women journalists in danger zones

The challenges faced by women journalists working in conflict and danger zones around the world were highlighted at the launch of INSI's ground-breaking book 'No Woman's Land: On the Frontlines with Female Reporters'.

A panel of prominent journalists moderated by BBC special correspondent Lyse Doucet, ranged over critical issues raised by some of the 40 female journalists who had written for the book. The platform, at the Thomson Reuters building in London last Thursday also included freelance photographer Kate Brooks, Sky News Head of International News Sarah Whitehead, CNN Presenter Nima Elbagir, Reuters reporter Maria Golovnina and Head of News for BBC World News Andrew Roy.

Introduced by INSI President Chris Cramer, the event began with a silent tribute to 75 female journalists who have died covering the news since 2003, the year the International News Safety Institute was founded. The recent death of Marie Colvin in Syria was a tragic reminder of the dangers of frontline reporting.

CBS correspondent Lara Logan, whose shocking assault in Cairo's Tahrir Square last year inspired the book, wrote the foreword to 'No Woman's Land', a collection of compelling stories describing the risks, the challenges and the emotional and physical impact of danger on newswomen around the globe.

The book also contains safety advice and guidance for all journalists (more on: www.newssafety.org)

***12.03.2012. In honour of World Day against Cyber-Censorship, RSF releases new list of internet enemies (RSF)

(RSF/IFEX) - 12 March 2012 - To mark World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, Reporters Without Borders is today releasing its new list of "Enemies of
the Internet" and "countries under surveillance." This report updates the list released in 2011.

Two countries, Bahrain and Belarus, have passed from the "countries under surveillance" to the "Enemies of the Internet" category. Venezuela and Libya have been dropped from the "under surveillance" category while India and Kazakhstan have been added to it.

"The changes in this list reflect recent developments in online freedom of information," Reporters Without Borders said. "Netizens have been at the
heart of political changes in the Arab world in 2011. Like journalists, they have tried to resist censorship but have paid a high price.

"Last year will be remembered as one of unprecedented violence against netizens. Five were killed while engaged in reporting activity. Nearly 200
arrests of bloggers and netizens were reported in 2011, a 30 per cent increase on 2010. These unprecedented figures risk being exceeded in 2012
as a result of the indiscriminate violence being used by the Syrian authorities in particular. More than 120 netizens are currently detained.

"On World Day Against Cyber-Censorship, we pay tribute to the ordinary citizens who often risk their lives or their freedom to keep us informed
and to ensure that often brutal crackdowns do not take place without the outside world knowing."

Reporters Without Borders added: "As online censorship and content filtering continue to accentuate the Internet's division and digital
segregation, solidarity among those who defend a free Internet accessible to all is more essential than ever in order to maintain channels of
communication between netizens and to ensure that information continues to
circulate."

Social networks and netizens versus filtering and surveillance

The last report, released in March 2011, highlighted the fact that the Internet and online social networks had been conclusively established as
tools for organizing protests and circulating information in the course of the Arab world's mass uprisings. In the months that followed, repressive
regimes responded with tougher measures to what they regarded as unacceptable attempts to destabilize their authority.

At the same time, supposedly democratic countries continue to set a bad example by yielding to the temptation to put security above other concerns
and by adopting disproportionate measures to protect copyright. Technical service providers are under increasing pressure to act as Internet cops.
Companies specializing in online surveillance are becoming the new mercenaries in an online arms race. Hactivists are providing technical
expertise to netizens trapped by repressive regimes. Diplomats are getting involved. More than ever before, online freedom of expression is now a
major foreign and domestic policy issue.

Two new Enemies of the Internet - Bahrain and Belarus

Bahrain and Belarus have joined Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam in the "Enemies
of the Internet" category. These countries combine often drastic content filtering with access restrictions, tracking of cyber-dissidents and
online propaganda.

Bahrain offers an example of an effective news blackout based a remarkable array of repressive measures: keeping the international media away,
harassing human rights activists, arresting bloggers and netizens (one of whom died in detention), smearing and prosecuting free speech activists,
and disrupting communications, especially during major demonstrations.

As Belarus sinks further into political isolation and economic stagnation, President Lukashenko's regime has lashed out at the Internet in response
to an attempted "revolution via the social media." The Internet was blocked during a series of "silent protests," the list of inaccessible
websites grew longer and some sites were the victims of cyber-attacks. Internet users and bloggers were arrested or invited to "preventive
conversations" with the police in a bid to get them to stop demonstrating or covering demonstrations. And Law No. 317-3, which took effect on 6
January 2012, gave the regime additional Internet surveillance and control powers.

(. . .)
Click here to read more

http://12mars.rsf.org

***07.03.2012. RUSSIA. IFJ Condemns Media Crackdown in Russia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its European group the Federation of European Journalists (EFJ) today joined the Russian
affiliate, the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), in condemning serious violations of press freedom during the presidential poll held in Russia
last week. Media reports say that police in Moscow attacked journalists who were covering the presidential poll and arrested some of them.

“Evidence is emerging of numerous incidents across the country in which police deliberately attacked journalists who were duly accredited to cover
the elections, some of whom have also been arrested, ” said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. “ We condemn this thuggish behavior and we support the call from our members in Russia for an investigation into these acts.”

In a statement, the Russian Union of Journalists said that police in Moscow arrested journalists who were covering protests held on Monday to
denounce electoral irregularities during last Sunday presidential poll which was won by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The Union also accused
police of attacking some journalists, including Pavel Nikulin, correspondent of the Moscow News, Andrey Stenin of RIA Novosti, Alexandre
Borzenko of Echo of Moscow, Vladimir Romansky, correspondent of TV Dozhd TV and Ilya Barabanov of The New Times.

According to RUJ, police detained journalists despite the fact that they had been shown accreditation documents. The union has also written to the
Head of the Investigative Committee in the Office of the Russian General Prosecutor, demanding an investigation in the attacks on media, the
statement says.

The IFJ also learned that Igor Taro, the special envoy of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Service (Eesti Rahvusringhääling -ERR) to cover
elections in Russia was arrested on 1 March in the Pskov region. He was accused of filming without permission even though he was duly accredited
to cover the elections in the country. Police detained and interrogated him for several hours. The reporter later recovered his equipment but had
to return to Estonia on 2 March. The Estonian Journalists’ Union, an EFJ/IFJ affiliate, condemned the action of Russian police as” a rude
breach of journalistic freedoms “.

The EFJ also backed the RUJ’s call for investigation, saying that the recent attacks signal an aggressive approach the authorities have taken to
confront the opposition to President-elect Vladimir Putin.

“We are concerned that the crackdown on journalists we have seen over the last days is a sign of worse things to come,” added EFJ President Arne
König. “The authorities give every indication that they plan to suppress independent reporting on the political protests against the new leadership
in Russia.”

***05.03.2012. JOURNALISTS REPORTING ON HUMAN RIGHTS NEED GREATER PROTECTION, SAYS UN EXPERT

Recent global events have highlighted the fact that journalists and media workers reporting on human rights issues are particularly vulnerable to
threats and attacks, an independent United Nations expert <"
http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11905&LangID=E
">said today, calling for greater protection for those who carry out such vital work.

“Because of the potential impact on society that journalists and media workers can have by disseminating information about human rights through a
wide array of media, those individuals are often threatened, wounded and killed in an attempt to silence their voices,” stated Margaret Sekaggya,
the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

“Their work is of extreme importance in holding Governments accountable. However, those same Governments often crack down on them, including
through threats, harassment, arrests, detentions, and in the worst of cases killings,” she added in a <"
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/HRC/19/55">report submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, which is currently meeting in Geneva.

Restrictions on media and press freedom, and impunity around violations against journalists and media workers defending human rights can foster a
climate of intimidation, stigmatization, violence and self-censorship that can have a chilling effect on their work, according to the expert.

“States should publically recognize the role of these defenders and ensure prompt and impartial investigations and the prosecution of those
responsible for violations against them,” she wrote.

Presenting her report to the 47-member Council earlier today, Ms. Sekaggya said the ‘Arab Spring’ helped focus global attention on the extraordinary
risks rights defenders face while promoting and protecting human rights in all regions of the world.

She also expressed deep concern that State actors, including Government officials, State security forces and the judiciary, are reportedly the
perpetrators of many of the violations committed against these defenders.

“Journalists, environmental, student and youth rights defenders and those working on land issues are in significant need of protection,” she told
the Council. “Most of these risks directly affect their physical integrity and that of their family members, but also involve the abusive use of
legal frameworks against them and the criminalization of their work.”

The popular protests in countries across the Middle East and North Africa have also shed light on the situation of defenders of youth and student
rights. “History shows us that youth and students have played a key role in the promotion of human rights and in placing new ideas on the human
rights agenda.

“However, members of youth and student movements are in many cases seen as troublemakers rather than serious actors who can fruitfully contribute to public debate,” she said. “Their voices deserve to be heard, and they should not be threatened as a result of their engagement.”

The expert also highlighted the plight of defenders working on land and environmental issues, such as the impact of extractive industries. In her
report, she noted that both State and non-State actors are involved in violations against this group of defenders, and underlines the disturbing
number of killings and physical attacks reported to her.

“Human rights defenders have the right to protection, and it is the State’s responsibility to ensure this protection, so that defenders can
carry out their important and legitimate work in an enabling environment,” she underscored.

***01.03.2012. SYRIA. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) - UN Human Rights Council resolution calls for end to impunity for Syrian regime

http://www.fidh.org/UN-Human-Rights-Council-resolution,11388

1 March 2012 - While the human rights and humanitarian situation in Syria is still deteriorating rapidly, the UN Human Rights Council (the Council)  this morning concluded an urgent debate on the crisis in the country. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) commends the decision to convene this debate as both a significant and necessary display of responsibility by the Council.

Following the debate, the body adopted a resolution by an overwhelming margin of thirty-seven votes to three with three abstentions (1). Russia, China and Cuba were the only states to reject the text, and the near-consensus by the rest of the Council in support of the resolution unequivocally shows that the position of these three states is firmly out of step with the international community at large. While the last resolution on Syria adopted by the Council (in December 2011) enjoyed the support of 37 states, this already broad majority was widened still further today, with an unprecedented number of 39 member states standing in favour of the resolution (2). This week's debate marked the fourth major initiative undertaken by the Human Rights Council on Syria in the past nine months, following the three Special Sessions that took place last year, of which the first inaugurated a Commission of Inquiry.

As well as insisting on the importance of ending impunity for those violating human rights in Syria, the Council resolution also “deplores the brutal actions of the Syrian regime over the past 11 months” and calls for it to put an end to human rights violations and attacks against civilians. Furthermore, the resolution also calls for “free and unimpeded access by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies,” which is all the more crucial in light of a reported ground assault on the Bab Amr district of Homs today, as well as yesterday's refusal by the Syrian authorities to allow UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos access to the country (3).

Reacting to the adoption of the resolution, FIDH President Souhayr Belhassen commented that “the text is particularly significant due to its emphasis on accountability, which signals an important evolution in the discourse on Syria at the international level.” Belhassen continued by stating her hope that “the  members of the Security Council seize upon the momentum gained in Geneva by referring the Syrian crisis to the International Criminal Court (ICC).” As pointed out by FIDH during its oral intervention, “only when international law is applied consistently and universally does it allow for sustainable peace and democracy to emerge.” As Belhassen noted, “discord in the Security Council has created a wall behind which the Assad regime has been able to act with perceived immunity. This perception will only change when agreement is reached at all levels of the UN system.”

As pointed out in FIDH's oral statement to the Human Rights Council on Thursday, the decision to hold a debate within the Council could not be more timely, with hundreds of people killed over the past month alone and Homs remaining besieged by government forces. This position is confirmed by statistics emerging from the UN this week, which put the death toll in Syria in excess of 7,500 since the start of the uprising a year ago (4). At the opening of the debate, UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that conditions have significantly worsened in Syria as of late, and called for an end to the killings (5).

In highlighting the importance of a strong follow-up to the debate, FIDH made a series of recommendations and underlined a series of additional themes to the Council. These included the imposition of an arms embargo, the release of political prisoners and the importance of guaranteeing safe and unhindered access for humanitarian organizations.

Press contact : Karine Appy + 33 1 43 55 14 12 / + 33 1 43 55 25 18

ENDNOTES :

1) Yes: Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Chile, Congo, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Koweit, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Poland, Quatar, Republic Moldova, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States of America, Uruguay No: China, Cuba, Russian Federation Abstention: Ecuador, India, Philippines. Absent from the room: Angola, Burkina Fasso, Kyrgyzstan, Uganda (Kyrgyzstan and Burkina Fasso later declared they would have voted yes and Angola declared they would have abstained)

2) Bangladesh and Cameroon had abstained in December but voted yes today. Ecuador had voted no in December, but abstained this time.

3) The Syrian authorities have continuously refused to allow the Commission of Inquiry mandated by the Council access to the country.

***23.02.2012. PALESTINE. Violations of Media Freedoms in the oPt during 2011 (Mada)

MADA: 206 Violations of Media Freedoms in Palestine in 2011 - With the Murder of Italian Journalist Vittorio Arrigoni in Gaza Representing the Most Serious Violation of the Year  

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) released its annual media freedom violations report for the occupied Palestinian territories in 2011. The report includes documentation of all violations committed against journalists and media freedoms monitored by MADA, in addition to analysis of the most prominent and dangerous types of violations committed in 2011.

MADA identified a total of 206 violations against media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories during 2011, showing little improvement on 2010, which witnessed a total of 218 violations. Although the numbers show a decrease in the violations compared with 2010, with twelve less violations, they cannot be considered a qualitative improvement in media freedoms considering the seriousness and brutality of a number of the violations that occurred in 2011.

MADA general director Mousa Rimawi stated that the status of media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories remain tentative because of continued Israeli occupation forces violations against journalists and media freedoms, and ongoing Palestinian security forces violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  Rimawi stressed that without an end to the occupation and the ratification of the Palestinian political reconciliation it is difficult to talk about real improvements in media freedoms.

Rimawi said that the number of Palestinian violations exceeded Israeli occupation violations - by a small margin - for the first time. Palestinian security services committed 106 violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2011, marking a significant increase on 2010 which witnessed a total of 79 Palestinian violations, and marked decrease in IOF and settler violations in 2011 with a total count of 100 violations compared with 2010, which saw a total of 139 Israeli occupation violations.

Rimawi, however, stated two important factors in this regard.  Firstly, that although the total number of Israeli violations decreased, the violations committed constituted a greater threat to the health and wellbeing of the journalists, who were targeted with, for example, the excessive and inappropriate use of crowd control weaponry such as rubber coated steel bullets, tear gas, concussion grenades and the recently introduced Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), coined “The Scream”. Secondly, that in cases of non-violent abuses, such as restriction of movement, prohibition from travel or prevention from covering an event, many journalists do not report the incident. In addition, it is also important to note the different Palestinian security service trends seen in the two divided Palestinian territories, with 2011 seeing 62 violation in the Gaza Strip and 44 in the West Bank.

MADA also believes that this marked increase in Palestinian security service violations is spurred on by the continuing Palestinian political divisions. Despite the signing of a reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas in 2011, no real steps towards appeasement have been made and there remains a lack in accountability for perpetrators.

 The most serious and heinous violation seen in 2011 was the criminal murder of Italian journalist Vittorio Arrigoni by an armed group in Gaza. As a well known long-term solidarity activist and advocate of the Palestinian people, Arrigoni’s murder sent shockwaves through Palestinian society. Before his death, Arrigoni had spent three years living in and reporting from the Gaza Strip, writing articles and raising awareness of the terrible conditions suffered by the people of Gaza as a result of the Israeli blockade and siege.  Arrigoni was known throughout the Palestinian territories as a kind man who loved helping anyone anywhere he could, a dedication for which he received Palestinian citizenship in honor of all his efforts.

2011 also witnessed the severe injury of journalist Mohamed Othman who was shot in the chest and hand by Israeli occupation forces on 15 May 2011, while covering a march commemorating the 63rd anniversary of the Nakba. The severity of Othman’s injury, which included paralysis from the waist down, necessitated his transfer to a hospital in Turkey—where he remains today—for specialist treatment. After approximately 10 months of treatment his condition has improved.  Othman is now able to walk with the aid of a special device, however, his doctors estimate that it will take a further 2 years for him to be able to walk unassisted.  

MADA stressed in its report that Israel’s continued violation of international conventions, particularly article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and their continued assault on freedom of expression in the occupied Palestinian territories has made journalism one of the hardest and most dangerous professions practiced by Palestinians. MADA also denounced the widespread official international silence towards Israeli violations and the lack of any tangible steps taken to reduce the danger faced by journalists in the line of duty.

MADA additionally called upon the concerned Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to respect the right of freedom of expression and abide by Palestinian Basic Law, particularly article 19, which sanctions this right. MADA also called for an end to the division’s effect on the media, the allowance for all media outlets to work freely and without hindrance, and demanded that all those responsible for attacks on journalists be held accountable.

To read the complete report, please click on the following link:

www.madacenter.org/images/text_editor/annualR2011.doc
 

***21.02.2012. SYRIA. UN experts raise alarm over arbitrary detentions and likely use of torture

GENEVA (21 February 2012) – United Nations independent experts condemned the arrest of at least 16 persons, including prominent Syrian human rights figures, and voiced their concern that the individuals may be subjected to torture and ill treatment. It appears their arrests and detention are
directly linked to the activities of the Syrian Centre for Media and Freedom of Expression’s (SCM) in the defence of human rights.

“The Syrian authorities should end all acts of harassment against human rights defenders and release all those arbitrarily arrested and detained,”
said the UN Special Rapporteurs on human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya; freedom of expression, Frank La Rue; torture, Juan Méndez; and
the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, El Hadji Malick Sow.

On the afternoon of Thursday, 16 February, security forces raided the offices of the SCM, a prominent human rights organization, which enjoys UN
consultative status. All persons present in the centre, including its director, Mazen Darwich, blogger Razan Ghazawi, and at least 14 other
persons, were reportedly arrested, blindfolded and taken to Al Jawiya in Mezza airport.

“The arrest of these persons, including prominent human rights defenders, is emblematic of an alarming and recurrent pattern of arbitrary detention
in Syria since March 2011. Detention without legal basis should never be used as a method of repression,” independent expert Sow said.

Special Rapporteur Sekaggya underscored that States must ensure that no harm comes either physically or mentally to human rights defenders. “The
current situation in Syria does not provide a pretext for Governments to harass and arbitrarily detain human rights defenders,” she said. “On the
contrary, they play a crucial role in the protection of human rights in high-risk situations. The Government should work with them, not against
them.”

Similar concern was expressed by Special Rapporteur Frank La Rue about the arrests of several people, including human rights activists, bloggers and
journalists. “Their role is essential in protecting and promoting human rights in the country,” he stressed. “I am concerned that these arrests
and detention are related to the SCM’s work on human rights. If so, these persons should be released immediately and unconditionally.”

“I fear that Mr. Mazen Darwich and other persons arrested may be at serious risk of torture or ill treatment,” said Special Rapporteur Méndez.
“I am deeply concerned about their physical and mental well-being particularly in the current context of the ongoing violence in Syria.”

The four UN independent human rights experts called on the Syrian authorities to release the individuals immediately. Their arrest came on
the same day as the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution condemning the violent Government crackdown in Syria.

***29.01.2012. SOMALIA. NUSOJ and Somali Media Fraternity Grieve As They Take Part The Burial Ceremony On Sunday

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) organized the member journalists and Somali media fraternity to gather at Madina hospital
on Sunday morning to attend the funeral and show solidarity to our slain colleague who was killed in Mogadishu on Saturday evening,
meanwhile the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) welcomes the government’s probe into the killing of the Radio Director.

Late Hasan Osman Abdi (Fantastic), the director of Shabelle Radio, was killed by two unknown assailants armed with pistols, near his
home near his home in Nasteeho neighborhood of Wadajir district in Mogadishu on Saturday evening January 28, 2012, according to
witnesses.

The gunmen immediately fled from the area, according to Shabelle radio. It is not yet clear the reason behind his killing.He was rushed
to Madina Hospital, where he was declared dead, where his body has been kept in the overnight. It is not yet clear the reason behind his
killing and no group claimed the responsibility of the attack. NUSOJ officials and Somali media fraternity, some of the Shabelle
Radio staff, where Hassan has worked, and family members took the body to a cemetery at Baqdaad village, in the outskirts of Mogadishu,
almost 10km Southwest of Mogadishu, where late Hassan Osman Abdi’s burial took place. The burial took place at around 10:00am Sunday
morning.

NUSOJ Treasurer, who is also the union’s press freedom coordinator, Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, spoke to the local and international media 
soon after the burial ended and extended condolences to the families, friends and colleague of late Hassan. Mr. Abikar also called the
journalists and media workers to be vigilant and take safety measures following this murder.

“We pray Almight Allah to remain his soul in Paradise.” Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, NUSOJ Treasurer and Press Freedom Coordinator said
urging that the journalists should take urgent safety measures to ensure their safety in the wake of this horrendous murder.

Mr. Abikar also stressed such killings could only mean to silence the voice of the voiceless and called the journalists to continue their
normal work they serve to the public, while he thanked to the journalists in general for their bravery in continuing providing
accurate and balanced information to the public in line with the rules and regulations of journalism, which going against such rules could be
disastrous and unprofessional, which has nothing to do with journalism.

On Sunday, Somalia government condemned the brutal murder of the radio director pledged urgent investigations into the killing, according to
a statement.

Late Hassan Fantastic, 30yrs, is survived by a wife and three children - two girls and a boy and was the third Shabelle director killed since
2007. Three journalists have been killed in Mogadishu last alone Journalists in Somalia who are working in one of the most dangerous
environments in the world to be journalists lack the appropriate safety trainings and as well as need their level of professionalism to
be upgraded.

SEE HERE FUNERAL PHOTOS:
http://www.nusoj.org.so/alerts/2012/Jan2012/NUSOJ_and_Media_Fraternity_grieve_as_they_take_part_the_burial_ceremony_on_Sunday.html
 
***27.01.2012. INSI attends Doha conference on journalist safety

LONDON - The International News Safety Institute welcomes the recommendations of this week's international conference in Doha for the
Protection of Journalists in Dangerous Situations as an important contribution to the debate on safety standards. INSI hopes the
recommendations will help supplement international frameworks to protect journalists and media staff, and highlight the urgency of improved access
to safety training for all journalists around the world.
"This international conference is an important part of the safety jigsaw. We are pleased that safety is now forming part of the conversation in the
Middle East, which has provided the focus of so many of the major challenges to news crews in the past year. It's vital that the organisers
of this conference continue to build on the momentum created here and help make safety a part of the culture in every newsroom throughout the region and beyond," said INSI Deputy Director Hannah Storm, who attended the conference.
The conference called on the United Nations and its agencies to work with non-governmental organisations in promoting the issues of journalism
safety for all those working in dangerous situations, be they conflict or non-conflict. It urged governments to respect pre-existing conventions and
discussions focussed on journalism safety and recommended a strengthening of national laws to end impunity, which means that the majority of those
who target journalists never get prosecuted.
"By supporting international attempts to raise the awareness of safety issues, we hope this conference can put pressure on those governments
which are not yet doing enough to identify and prosecute the killers and attackers of journalists. We hope this will also help persuade news
organisations that they have a duty of care to all their news media employees and freelancers - be they reporters, fixers or drivers - and
they should provide them with adequate training, equipment and support wherever they are working - be that in areas of conflict, civil unrest,
organised crime or disaster zones."
The meeting was part of a jigsaw of international conferences aimed at addressing journalist safety issues. UNESCO last September organised a
meeting of relevant UN agencies, funds and programmes to design a joint UN strategy on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. INSI and
other journalist support groups spoke up at the conference, highlighting the issues before an audience of UN and other world agencies and
governments. Conclusions drawn from the meeting will be contained in an inter-agency plan of action, due by March, which will formulate a
"comprehensive, coherent and action-orientated UN-wide approach".
In November, News Xchange 2011, a global convention of broadcasters from around the world, passed a landmark resolution proposed by INSI and the
European Broadcasting Union demanding action by world bodies and governments to stop the killing and end impunity. More than 99 per cent of
the 440 delegates from 168 media organisations in 56 countries also pledged to research suspicious deaths, creating maximum exposure for each,
and report back to News Xchange 2012.
Later the same month the Austrian government, working with the International Press Institute, staged a conference of experts from UN
agencies, journalist support groups and governments to address means of establishing a more effective international framework for journalist
safety. INSI presented the News Xchange resolution to the conference, which concluded with a pledge by Austria to carry the issue forward during
its term on the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, to which it was elected earlier this year.
Sadly there were far fewer active journalists at the Doha event than there might have been. However, as the sole organisation run by journalists
focussing on journalist safety, INSI was able to share its expertise at the conference, and INSI's Hannah Storm was rapporteur for a workshop on
safety standards, the conclusions of which will feature separately on the INSI website. It will be a part of a delegation that represents the future
activities of the conference.
The conference, which was organised by the National Committee for Human Rights in Qatar, was attended by more than 100 delegates from countries as far afield as the Philippines and Pakistan, Mauritania and Mexico, representing media support groups, unions and human rights bodies.

***26.01.2012. PALESTINE. MADA and DCAF hold workshop on access to information in Bethlehem

Ramallah – 26 January 2012: The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) and the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) held a workshop for journalists on the right of access to information at Maan News Agency headquarters in Bethlehem, on Thursday 24 January 2012.

The workshop – which was conducted over four hours – covered important topics such as the concept of the right of access to information, local
legislation ensuring this right - particularly Palestinian draft law - as well as international standards and best practices regarding the right of
access to information, relevant international initiatives in this field, and compared them with the Palestinian legal status.

The journalists, who came from various media outlets in Bethlehem, spoke about the most prevalent obstacles facing them in their quest for
information and discussed methods for overcoming these obstacles.

MADA and DCAF will hold a series of workshops in the different cities across the West Bank and Gaza Strip to promote journalists’ knowledge about
access to information draft law, and to collect their notes and recommendations on this draft law to develop it.

Please visit www.marsad.info

***19.01.2012. SOMALIA - NUSOJ annual report says 2011 even worse for journalists

The annual report of the National Union of Somali Journalists paints a worrying picture of abuses suffered by the media in 2011 and condemns the silence and impunity that surround crimes against journalists.

The report on the state of press freedom, published yesterday, said 2011 was worse than 2010 and lists four journalists killed, seven wounded and 19 arbitrarily arrested, as well as seven attacks on media organizations and at least five prosecutions for criminal defamation.

The organization deplores the fact that journalists were targeted by the authorities and the security forces, and also by militias and individuals. It says attacks were not only politically motivated and systematic but also institutionalized, depriving journalists of the ability to carry out their work without fear.

The report, entitled “Lives and Rights of Journalists Under Threat”, notes an increase in prosecutions of journalists in the semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Puntland and the self-proclaimed state of Somaliland in the north, as a new means of clamping down on the media and restricting the flow of information.

The Mogadishu region, which is in the hands of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) was the most dangerous part of the country for freedom of information, it said. It was followed by Somaliland, where the number of prosecutions for criminal defamation, slander and false news has escalated.

In third place was Puntland, where there were closures of media organizations, criminal prosecutions and other mistreatment of journalists. 

The report says the NUSOJ considers impunity “the foremost, albeit silent, enemy of journalists and press freedom”.

It appeals to the TFG, Somaliland and Puntland authorities:

- To adopt and implement a consistent policy of zero-tolerance for crimes against journalists and media organizations as the only way to ensure reliable practice to respect, protect, defend and promote press freedom.

- To bring police and other security forces under control by immediately stopping the harassment, brutality, arbitrary arrests, and even killing, regularly perpetrated against journalists and media organisations and to ensure full accountability for previous violations.

- To promptly cease violations of journalists’ right to freedom of association and to stop threats of criminal prosecution against journalists, including their organisations and leaders.  

The NUSOJ calls on the international community to make their support of, and cooperation with, Somali authorities conditional on respect and protection of the fundamental rights of journalists, and of the people of Somalia in general.

NUSOJ annual report : http://en.rsf.org/somalia-nusoj-annual-report-says-2011-even-19-01-2012,41703.html

***18.01.2012. TURKEY. Hrant Dink Killing Verdict "Contradictory and Shocking" Says the EFJ

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), today expressed its surprise at the contradictions in the verdict concerning the murder of Turkish author and journalist Hrant Dink as his colleagues commemorate the fifth anniversary of the killing.

"The Court announced that the premeditated killing of a journalist was not an "organised" crime, while nearly a hundred Turkish journalists are currently in jail charged with organised terroristic activities. We are shocked by such a contradictory verdict" said the President of the EFJ Arne König.

Yesterday the "specially authorised" 14th High Criminal (Penal) Court in Istanbul found Yasin Hayal guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Erhan Tuncel, accused of planning Dink's murder, was not found guilty but was instead sentenced to 10 years and 6 months for his involvement in the bombing of a McDonalds restaurant before Dink's death. The actual gunman, Ogün Samast, was first sentenced to life imprisonment which was then reduced to 22 years and 10 months because he was a minor when he committed the crime.

Astonishingly, the court also ruled that Dink's killing was not an "organised crime": meaning the criminals did not act as an "organised group" but were assumed to have acted in a private capacity. For this reason, Erhan Tuncel is free today, following the normal criminal law procedure, because he had already spent five years in jail prior to the trial.

Tomorrow, the EFJ and some of its affiliates in Europe will commemorate the 5th anniversary of the killing of Hrant Dink, with celebrations or messages to their government in defence of press freedom in Turkey.

Currently 97 journalists are in jail in Turkey and many of them accused of being members of "terrorist organisations".  In November 2011 the EFJ led an international mission, in co-operation with other international press freedom groups, with the aim of showing support for the immediate release of all Turkish journalists who appear to have been jailed because of their work. The EFJ President was in Istanbul twice in the past weeks to witness the continuation of the trials.

***16.01.2012. SOMALILAND. IFJ Condemns Crackdown on Media in Somaliland

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the arrest of twenty five journalists in Somaliland recently, accusing the
authorities of waging a campaign of intimidation to silence independent reporting.

Reports say that 21 journalists were detained over the weekend by security forces and held in Hargeisa, Borame and Las Anod police stations. They
were released today, according to the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), an IFJ affiliate, but four who had been arrested earlier remain
in custody.

"We welcome the release of the journalists but remain concerned by the crackdown on media in Somaliland," said Jim Boumelha, President of the
IFJ. "These are wanton acts of intimidation against the journalists and the media in Somaliland. We support the right of journalists to report
independently and call for the release of the four colleagues still in detention."

On Saturday, 14 January, police in Somaliland stormed the main headquarters of HornCable TV in the capital town Hargeisa, threw out the
staff and sealed off the offices. Two production studios of the television network in Haregisa, which were not in the same building of the
headquarters, were also closed down.

According to NUSO, the authorities in Somaliland were angered by the channel's report on a tribal meeting in Taleeh district of Sool region, in
which tribal politicians and elders announced the establishment of an autonomous administration". The TV station also reportedly aired views of
people criticising Somaliland administration for not preventing this meeting from taking place, reports said.

On Sunday, 15 January, journalists organised a peaceful protest demonstration in front of Somaliland State House. The Presidential guard
attacked protesters, beating up journalists and arresting 18 journalists working for HornCable TV. Police also hunted down other journalists who
took part in the protest and arrested journalists and media practitioners.


According to NUSOJ, a total of 21 journalists, including 6 female, were arrested over the weekend and detained. They were Mohamud Abdi Jama,
editor-in-chief (Waaheen ), Mohamed Omar Abdi, editor-in-chief (Jamhuuriya ), Ahmed Aden Dhere, reporter (Haatuf ), Mohamed Said Harago,
head of news (Berberanews), Najah Adan Unaye, director (Hadhwanaagnews), Suhur Barre, reporter (HornCable TV), Abdiqani Abdullahi Ahmed, reporter (Hadhwanaagnews), Mohamed Ahmed Muse, reporter (HornCable TV), Mohamed Fayr , reporter, (Geeska Africa ), Saleban Abdi Ali Kalshaale, reporter (Waaheen), Khalid Hamdi Ahmed, reporter (Waaheen), Nimo Omar Mohmed Sabriye, presenter (HornCable TV), Hamsa Ali Bulbul, reporter (HornCable TV), Mohamed Ahmed Muse Kurase, reporter (HornCable TV), Abdirahman Sheik Yunes, newscaster (HornCable TV), Ayan Diriye, reporter (HornCable TV), Nimo' Diriye, reporter (HornCable TV), Hodan Ali Ajabi, reporter (HornCable TV), Safiya Nuh Sheikh, presenter (HornCable TV), Ahmed
Abdirahman Hersi, news editor (HornCable TV), Jama Omar Abdullahi, reporter (Waaheen).

Farhan Haji Ali Ahmed, owner of HornCable TV, was also summoned to report today at the Somali Presidency for questioning but the 21 journalists were released today.

NUSOJ also condemned the arrests and called for the release of the four journalists who are still held.

"The release of these journalists is good news but we also demand the immediate release of four colleagues who have no case to answer," said
Omar Faruk Osman, Secretary General of NUSOJ who called for their immediate and unconditional release. "This systematic harassment and
intimidation of journalists and media workers by the police and Somaliland security forces must end."

***06.01.2012. PHILIPPINES - THE PERSISTENCE OF IMPUNITY A BAD START FOR THE NEW YEAR
Statement of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ) on the killing of Christopher “Cris” Guarin
                                                                                                        
THE KILLING of General Santos newspaper publisher and RMN blocktimer Christopher Guarin hardly a week since the new year began is one more indication of the persistence of the culture of impunity that encourages the killing of journalists and media workers in the Philippines.

Unless the necessary steps are taken to speed up the ongoing trials of the accused in the killing of journalists as well as the masterminds , and to investigate, arrest, and try those involved in the killing of Guarin, as well as that of six other journalists in 2011, the killings are likely to continue in 2012 and the coming years.

Among the steps journalists and media advocacy groups including the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ) proposed to the Aquino administration  as early as August 2010 are strengthening the Witness Protection Program; rehabilitating the criminal investigation units of law enforcement agencies; organizing multi-sectoral Quick Response Teams; and reviewing the Rules of Court to speed up court trials. None of these proposals have so far been acted upon except that on the Witness Protection Program, the budget of which the government has increased.

The killing of Guarin demonstrates the urgency of the government’s acting on these proposals. FFFJ urges all media advocacy and journalists’ groups to intensify the campaign for government to do so, and calls upon civil society to add its voice to the imperative of punishing the guilty so as to end the culture of impunity that has claimed the lives of 124 journalists and media workers since 1986 to the detriment of the right of the people to information in a democratic regime. 

***30.12.2011. IFJ Presses UN for Action on Media Killings after Violence Claims 106 Lives of Journalists and Media Staff in 2011 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to take drastic action against governments of the most dangerous countries for media after it published its annual list of 106 journalists and media personnel killed in 2011. The Federation says 2011 has been another bloody year for media and blames governments’ failure to uphold their international obligations for the ongoing violence targeting media. In a letter to the UN Secretary General, the IFJ calls for effective implementation of international legal instruments to combat the prevailing culture of impunity for crimes against journalists.

“It is abundantly clear that deadly violence against journalists is not just a blip due to conflicts around the world but has become a regular cycle in many countries where journalists are hunted down, targeted and murdered by the enemies of press freedom,” said the letter signed by IFJ President, Jim Boumelha. “In a situation where governments are in denial or indifferent to what has become a regular pattern of targeted killings of journalists, it is incumbent upon yourself and the United Nations to remind them of their responsibility to protect journalists.”This year’s list confirms that journalists are among the primary victims of violence in armed conflict, ethnic and religious tensions as well as political upheavals which erupted in many countries during the past twelve months. Media professionals are exposed to serious risks, often with tragic consequences, as they report from the frontline of conflicts such as in Pakistan and the Arab world or crime prevention in the lawless parts of Mexico where they are considered unwelcome witnesses.

The IFJ list of work related media killings is coordinated with the International News Safety Institute (INSI) and contains 106 journalists and media personnel who died during 2011, up from 94 killings recorded in 2010. An additional 20 journalists and collaborators also died in accidents and natural disasters incidents.

The IFJ says that violence targets not just journalists but also colleagues from all sectors of the industry, including cameramen, drivers and fixers and other support staff which are all recorded to underscore their crucial role in news gathering and reporting.

The systematic failure of governments to protect journalists and punish those who are responsible for violence against them has entrenched the culture of impunity in most parts of the world and contributed to ever rising numbers of journalists’ killings. This prompted the IFJ and the press freedom community to hold for the first time the International Day against Impunity for Crimes against journalists on 23 November 2011.

"This year’s numbers just prove that violence targeting media workers continues unabated,” added Stephen Pearse, IFJ Deputy General Secretary. “We need to send out a strong message that action is needed to stop the violence and the bloodshed.”

As of 31 December, the IFJ recorded the following information on killings of journalists and media staff in 2011:

Targeted killings and homicides incidents        : 106
Accidental deaths                                             : 20
Total Deaths                                                     : 126

The deadliest region in 2011 was the Middle East and Arab World with 32 journalists and media personnel killed. Iraq had the region's highest death toll with 11 dead.

Among countries with high numbers of media fatalities are:

Iraq                  11
Pakistan           11
Mexico              11
The Philippines    6
Libya                    6
Yemen                 6
Honduras            5
India                   5                                                                                                                 

The list of journalists and media personnel killed in 2011 is available on this link: http://www.ifj.org/en/articles/ifj-presses-un-for-action-on-media-killings-after-violence-claims-106-lives-of-journalists-and-media-staff-in-2011
                                                                                                 

***23.12.2011. SOMALIA. Somali Journalists Walk to mourn for their murdered colleague for Justice in Hamarjajab neighborhood

Mogadishu, 23, Dec. 2011 - A walk event, co-organized by the campaigning team of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the commissioner of Hamarjajab district, started from the scene where the late Abdisalan Hiis was shot at Hamarjajab district in Mogadishu and ended at the Horn Cable Television station where the journalist had worked on Thursday, December 22, 2011

At least 100 journalists attended the walk event which was part of the NUSOJ campaigns to combat impunity and ask for justice to the killers
of our slain colleague late Abdisalan Sheik Hassan (Hiis).

All journalists and media officials and members of the Hamarjajab community wore red and white clothes on their heads, which they vowed
they will not put off until the killer is brought to court, portraits written on "The killing of Abdisalan Hiis is brutal, journalists are
non-combat civilians.". Women from Hamarjajab neighborhood also joined the walk wearing red, yellow and white dresses dressed in white scarf,
the same as the female journalists expressing sadness and solidarity for the death of the journalist held portraits written, "Don't kill
your Muslim brother, Respect the journalists, respect the non-combat civilians."

Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, NUSOJ treasurer who addressed the mourners said that Somali journalists are waiting from their government to
immediately bring to fair court the killer of our colleague/friend late Abdisalan Sheik Hassan, who was killed on 18 December, 2011 at
this neighborhood where the event is taking place.

"We want action!" Abdirashid Abdulle Abikar, NUSOJ official who was delegated to speak on behalf of the union in his opening remarks said,
"We want from our government that they immediately bring the killer to court."

Mr. Abikar later thanked to the journalists for the solidarity, courage and bravery they have shown in search for the justice.
The union campaigners also spoke at the event reiterated that the government must take action.

Mohamed Ali Ahmed, Hamarjajab district commissioner, where the crime has taken place, condemned the shooting incident, while he pointed out
the necessity to work closely with the security services, which will ease the capture of the killer and promised that he will give all
necessary help in this case.

The chief of the Somali Military court, Hassan Mohamed Hussein (Muun Gaab) who attended the walk event said that he was surprised by the
unity among the journalists who have been protesting since the journalist was murdered and vowed that the military court will take
action as soon as the murderer is brought to court.

"The targeted assassinations are the worst crimes among the society." Mohamed Hussein (Muun Gaab), The chief of the Somali Military court
said, "On behalf of the Somali military court, I promise that the killer will be brought to court and will be charged according to the
law."

Somali journalists with the help of the Somali media community has been launching campaigns for justice for the murdered journalist and
campaigns to support the family of the slain journalist late Abdisalan Sheik Hassan.

Somali Journalists vowed that they will not throw away the red and white signs and will not stop campaigning for call to justice until
the murderer is found and brought to court.

FOR THE STORY READ THIS LINK AND FOLLOW UP MORE UPDATES ABOUT OUR
CAMPAIGNS FOR JUSTICE TO COME SOON:
http://www.nusoj.org.so/alerts/Dec2011/Somali_journalists_walk_to_mourn_for_their_murdered_colleague_for_justice_in_Hamarjajab_neighborhood.htm

***22.12.2011. Journalists Dismiss as ‘Travesty of Justice’ Conviction of Swedish Reporters on Terror Charges in Ethiopia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called for the reversal of the ruling by a court in Ethiopia which found Swedish reporters, Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye, guilty of “supporting a terrorist organisation and illegally entering Ethiopia”. The pair, who was arrested in July while reporting on a project to exploit oil and its impact on the regional environment, faces up to 15 years in prison.
“We are outraged by this ruling which amounts to a travesty of justice,” said IFJ President, Jim Boumelha. “Journalists’ contacts with organisations do not in any way represent support for whatever causes they defend. This verdict will not only severely undermine press freedom in Ethiopia but also adversely impact on the country’s good standing and we
look to the higher court to set it aside and order the journalists’ release.”
Media reports say that the judge in the case of the two reporters accepted that they were “esteemed journalists” but held that “They have not been able to prove that they did not support terrorism.”
The IFJ voiced its grave concern over this finding which shifts the burden of proof from prosecution to the accused, noting that the standards of due process have been affected by a clear bias against the two reporters.
Today’s verdict has been widely criticised by journalists’ organisations in Africa and beyond. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) accused the Ethiopian authorities of engaging in a campaign of intimidation to suppress independent reporting on the country’s affairs.
“This is a political verdict intended to deter journalists from covering events in a major conflict zone,” EFJ President Arne König said. “We call on the Ethiopian authorities to respect the freedom of the press and release these two journalists who were clearly in the country for genuine journalistic reasons. We also call on the government to act to ensure that
all journalists in Ethiopia are free to do their job and not be suppressed through legal actions designed to silence critical voices.”
The Eastern Africa Journalists’ Association (EAJA) has also condemned the ruling, calling on the Ethiopian Government to release the two reporters and to respect the right of journalists, including foreign reporters, to report independently on Ethiopian matters.
“Our Swedish colleagues, Schibbye and Persson, cannot conceivably be considered terrorists or supporters of a terrorist group,” said EAJA General Secretary, Omar Faruk Osman. “They have suffered enough in detention and we call for their immediate release.”

***21.12.2011. 'Journalists are not Terrorists' Says EFJ ahead of Verdict for Swedish Journalists Arrested in Ethiopia

Today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) renewed its call for the release of two Swedish photojournalists Johan Persson and reporter Martin Schibbye in Ethiopia. They were arrested on 27 June 2011 while reporting on the rebel movement, the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), which is fighting the Ethiopian government in the region. The two journalists were also injured after coming under fire from the Ethiopian military.

"These colleagues are clearly not terrorists, and should be released immediately", says EFJ President Arne König. "This is what the EFJ has claimed since the first day, and we see that Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson have been able to show that without a shadow of a doubt in the court".

They will be in court again on Wednesday 21 December for what is expected to be the final day of the trial and also the day on which the court will present a verdict on their case. The journalists are said to be risking up to 15 years imprisonment, in a worst case scenario. They were originally accused of also working with ONLF guerillas in the Ogaden area. These charges were dropped, but the two journalists are still being accused of supporting the guerilla movement.

The Swedish Union of Journalists has had two representatives in Ethiopia since Monday this week. They will talk to the families of their colleagues and be in the Court to offer support on the 21 December.

According to Swedish media reports, the two colleagues were successful in the last parts of the Court hearings, as they were able to tell the court of the working methods of the media with help of American and British war correspondents. Two Swedish editors also acted as witnesses to support the statements of Schibbye and Persson that they were in Ethiopia only for a journalistic purpose. Both men deny any terrorist accusations but admit they entered Ethiopia without permission.

The aim of the two journalists was to investigate how the oil industry exploiting resources in Ethiopia is behaving in connection with human rights. They were specifically interested in Lundin Oil, a company in which the Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt was on the board, and had investments, before becoming a minister.

"We expect our colleagues to be able to enjoy Christmas at home with their families", said König.

Since June this year, eleven journalists have been accused of terrorist activities in Ethiopia, most of them locals. In November alone, six journalists were charged with terrorism.

***20.12.2011. UN CALLS ON RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES TO PROBE KILLING OF DAGESTAN JOURNALIST

New York, Dec 20 2011 10:10AM
Two United Nations agencies today called on Russian authorities to conduct an independent and transparent investigation into the recent murder of journalist Khadzhimurad Kamalov in Dagestan and to bring the perpetrators
to justice.

Mr. Kamalov, the founder and editor of the independent weekly newspaper Chernovik, was shot dead on 15 December as he was leaving his office. He was also the executive director of the Svoboda Slova (freedom of
expression) organization.

His killing is the latest in a series of attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and lawyers in Russia, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Mr. Kamalov had reported extensively on alleged abuses by the police and other human rights violations in Dagestan, OHCHR spokesperson Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva.

“His murder sends a chilling message to journalists seeking to cover such issues,” he added.

Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), condemned the killing and urged the authorities to ensure that those responsible are brought to trial.

“Fear must not be allowed to muzzle media professionals, deny reporters the basic human right of freedom of expression and bar citizens from accessing information,” she stated in a news release.

Mr. Kamalov is reportedly the fourth journalist killed in Russia this year, according to sources quoted by the International Press Institute.
Dec 20 2011 10:10AM

***19.12.2011. SOMALIA. IFJ Condemns ‘Cold Blood’ Murder of Prominent Journalist 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged the Somali Transitional Federal Government to launch an immediate investigation to identify the killer - and whoever ordered the murder - of Abdisalan Sheik Hassan, a prominent Somali journalist who was gunned down in Mogadishu on Sunday. The IFJ says that this incident will serve as a test case for the Government’s commitment to combating the impunity for crimes targeting media in Somalia.
“We are appalled by this cold blood murder of a journalist which has shocked the journalists’ community in Somalia,” said IFJ General Secretary, Beth Costa. “The authorities must do their utmost, including seeking outside help, to ensure this crime does not go unpunished. Their claim to respecting press freedom and restoration of rule of law will not
survive failure to bring to justice our colleague’s killers.”
The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), an IFJ affiliate, said in a statement that the journalist, who was shot after getting out of his car at the gate of HornCable TV offices, was rushed to Madina hospital where he was declared dead.
According to NUSOJ, the slain journalist feared for his life after receiving a string of death threats in recent weeks due to his reports.
Hassan recently filmed a meeting at the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament where a group of members sought to remove the Speaker. The footage of the proceedings was aired on HornCable TV which attracted unwelcome interest from some political forces within the Transitional Federal Institutions, his colleagues say.
“We strongly condemn this atrocious killing of Abdisalan Sheik Hassan. This murder is a massive loss for journalists and media in Mogadishu, the most dangerous place for Somali journalists in their country,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General.
The IFJ has learnt that journalists working in the private media are facing campaign of intimidation in Somalia and is concerned that such an environment can expose them to mob violence and acts of retaliation as a
result of their work.
“Somalia is already one of the toughest countries for journalists and any attempts to introduce political rivalries in the country’s media are bound to make the situation even more explosive,” added Costa. “We urge all
political forces to refrain from any undue interference in journalists’ affairs.”
Hassan becomes the fourth journalist to be killed in Somalia this year, making the war ravaged country a permanent feature on the list of the most dangerous countries for journalists in Africa since 2006.

***19.12.2011. Conference organized by The Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ) in Amman

The Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists (CDFJ organized a conference earlier this month during which key media
participants squarely ejected charges they were contributing to the ongoing revolts with their coverage http://www.huffingtonpost.com/magda-abufadil/www.cdfj.org> 

"Media did not foment Arab revolutions," headlined the English-language *Jordan Times * <http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=44036>  quoting former Al Jazeera director general Wadah Khanfar at the CDFJ's Media Freedom Defenders in the
Arab World Forum (#MFD2011), who added that "creating the revolutions would be an honor."

Participants agreed that freedom of expression isn't a luxury, it's a right, with CDFJ head Nidal Mansour insisting that "the era of oppression is over."

A major challenge facing the forum was the inability of Syrian blogger Razan Ghazzawi <http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/05/syria-arrested-blogger-razan-ghazzawi> 
to attend because she was stopped at the Syrian-Jordanian border and arrested for her opposition to the regime of President Bashar Al Assad. Mansour drew heated applause when he saluted those who were absent and
barred from attending.
A Syrian activist who made it to the conference told me that if a blogger or journalist traveling with a colleague is nabbed by security forces or border police crossing into a neighboring country like Jordan, the other person pretends not to know the detainee so that at least one of them can report the incident to the outside world and bear witness.
So are online activists and citizen journalists setting the media agenda? Said Emna Bin Joum'a from Tunisia, where the first spark of the so-called "Arab Spring" began: "I've become a blogger to whom journalists listen, although I'm a journalist."
Meanwhile, veteran Egyptian journalist-turned-activist Hedayat Abdel Nabi promoted the need for better protective measures for journalists in conflict zones.

She has been very involved with the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), an NGO with U.N. consultative status dedicated to combatting impunity, bringing perpetrators of crimes against journalists to trial and providing better protection. 

The campaign began following the U.S. invasion of Iraq when Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana was killed by American troops while on assignment there, she said.
Abdel Nabi called for an end to targeting journalists, the investigation of recent anti-media crimes, and asked that the CDFJ monitor violations. "International laws don't protect journalists," she said. "We need an international convention to protect them and must join forces with other organizations to do so."
The three-day event (two in Amman and one at the Dead Sea) ended with a workshop that drafted recommendations including creating an Arab network to monitor press freedom violations, an annual report, a training manual on
journalists' rights, establishing a legal team to pursue media freedom violators, and a unified model for documenting violations.

***09.12.2011. OSCE media representative urges Russian authorities not to harass journalists covering protests

VIENNA, 9 December 2011 -- The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović, urged today Russian authorities to protect journalists reporting from the scene of protests from detention and police harassment.

On 5, 6 and 7 December police apprehended about two dozens reporters covering post-election demonstrations in Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

“Journalists must be free to report on public events including protests and demonstrations. The duty of the police is to protect journalists, not harass and detain them. The Russian authorities should investigate all these incidents and ensure that the perpetrators are swiftly prosecuted, ” Mijatović said.  

At least two journalists, Forbes.ru editor Aleksei Kamensky and FORUM.msk editor Anatoly Baranov, were charged with refusing to comply with the lawful demands of police officers. Kommersant newspaper correspondent Aleksandr Chernykh said he was beaten by a law enforcement officer during his detention.

Other detained journalists included Bozhena Rynska, a columnist with the Gazeta.ru online newspaper; Timur Zaynullin of the Interfax news agency; Ilya Barabanov, the deputy chief editor of the New Times/Novoye Vremya magazine; Ilya Vasyunin, a reporter with the Dozhd television station; Yana Makarova of the RIA Novosti news agency; and Aleksandr Komelkov of the Arsenevskie Vesti newspaper. Most of them were released after a few hours.

“My Office will continue to follow the situation and the response by the authorities,” said Mijatović. She expressed hope that Russian authorities would recognize the important role journalists play in reporting on matters of public interest. “Safety of journalists throughout the OSCE region remains a major concern and a priority of my work. We are ready to support and assist Russian authorities in ensuring full implementation of their OSCE media-freedom commitments.”