Ethics under threat in sub-Saharan Africa, says IPI director
By Joseph Mwenda in Hamburg, Germany
Tue 11 Sep. 2012, 10:30 CAT
MEDIA ethics are under immense threat in sub-Saharan Africa because of poor salaries among journalists, says International Press Institute (IPI) director Alison McKenzie.
Lecturing International Academy of Journalism (Intajour) students in Hamburg yesterday, McKenzie said it was sad that journalists in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Zambia inclusive, are unable to pay their bills because of poor working conditions.
"Low pay is the biggest threat to upholding media ethics in sub-Saharan Africa. This is a huge problem around the world but it is worse in Sub-Sahara Africa and Asia," she said. "A small pay makes the journalist self censored because they take money and gifts from sources."
McKenzie said compromised media practitioners cannot speak with confidence against violation of press freedom.
"Political interference and violence against journalists is bad for a free press but small pay is worse because then journalists cannot report objectively. It's easier to speak from the palace, from the top, and tell someone to get a job and improve what they are doing because you don't know what they go through in their daily life," McKenzie said.
Asked how media institutions could pay sufficient salaries to journalists who
are either under-qualified or incompetent, McKenzie said it is the responsibility of the news organization to train journalists if they see the potential.
"When you invest in training, the quality of work attracts more advertising. As IPI we are trying to organise a retreat for publishers and media owners on the importance of these things," said McKenzie.
Labels: ETHICS, IPI, JOURNALISM
Read more...
Support self regulation, IPI urges government
By Chansa Kabwela in Taipei, Taiwan
Tue 27 Sep. 2011, 12:20 CAT
THE International Press Institute has urged the new government of Zambia to support a self regulatory mechanism for the media. And IPI says 82 journalists were killed between January and August this year, a bleak reminder of the continuing perils faced by reporters globally.
Presenting the Director's Report on Media Freedom 2011 on Sunday, IPI director Alison Bethel Mackenzie said the Zambian government should support self regulation and free the public media.
"In Zambia, IPI continues to urge the government to support a self-regulatory mechanism and to free the public media, especially the public broadcaster, from ministerial oversight," Mackenzie said.
She said Uganda's February election was also marred by attacks and reporters there faced excessive use of violence by security forces and political party supporters who acted with impunity while the Ugandan information minister told the BBC that laws would be amended to deal with any journalist who was a so-called "enemy of the state."
She said in Somalia continuing anarchy posed a mortal threat to journalists, who were targeted by militants and caught in the crossfire.
In Sudan, Mackenzie said, security forces confiscated copies of newspapers that reported on attacks on protestors and other sensitive matters, and journalists faced detention and criminal defamation charges.
"In Ethiopia where press freedom has been increasingly limited over the past few years, six journalists have been jailed this year on anti-terror charges. In addition … an editor at the privately-owned Awramba Times was arrested, and Deutsche Welle and Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) both reported that their broadcasts have been jammed," she said.
Mackenzie said 82 journalists had been killed globally of which eight were in Africa.
She said the Middle East and North Africa had been a focus of global political attention owing to the people's uprising, which saw the overthrow of dictators in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
"We have seen remarkable scenes of courageous citizens pursuing democracy at the risk of death, torture and imprisonment. At the same time, though, the region has proven deadly for journalists. In fact, the second most dangerous country in the world for journalists so far this year is Iraq - where nine journalists have been killed in a tragic upsurge in violence toward journalists, according to IPI's Death Watch.
That figure compares to the six colleagues killed in Iraq in the whole of 2010," Mackenzie said. "Throughout the Middle East and North Africa, a total of 24 journalists have been killed, compared with eight in 2010. Although Iraq is the second most dangerous country for journalists this year, many of the remaining journalist deaths in the region were linked to the uprisings."
Mackenzie said governments throughout the region blocked communication particularly social media websites and shut down Internet and disconnected electricity.
She said journalists covering the unrest were subjected to threats, attacks, expulsion, torture and imprisonment on national security charges.
"In Egypt, just before former president Mubarak was forced to resign, dozens of journalists covering the demonstrations in Cairo and elsewhere were detained, interrogated, attacked and otherwise prevented from Covering the news.
On the day of Mubarak's exit, a mob sexually assaulted a female CBS correspondent. And things have not gotten better since the change in leadership. There have been serious press freedom setbacks in Egypt since the Supreme Military Council's takeover," she said.
Mackenzie cited Mexico as a dangerous country for journalists who continued to battle with powerful drug gangs and at least 11 scribes had been killed because of their job while journalists in Colombia and were also under threat.
She said certain countries had recorded successes such as the capture in Argentina of the suspected killer of Bolivian journalist Adams Ledesma Valenzuela who was stabbed to death last year.
She said El Salvadore and Dominican Republic had also recorded deaths while Haiti's press freedom was dire, one year after the devastating earthquake.
However, Cuba had released the last of 29 journalists detained during the 2003 "Black Spring" crackdown, but earlier this month denied re-accreditation for a longtime foreign correspondent over his so-called "negative" reporting on the island nation.
Pakistan, Afghanistan and Philippines continued to be dangerous for journalists, with 13 deaths recorded in Asia this year.
"Journalists across the Asian continent, notably in China, Burma and North Korea, also faced arrest, torture, imprisonment after unfair trials, harassment, intimidation, censorship, criminal," she said.
Mackenzie said in sub-Saharan Africa, where five journalists had lost their lives so far this year, progress on some fronts was overshadowed by disturbing reports of press freedom violations.
She said while Nigeria became the second country in West Africa, after Liberia, to promulgate a Right to Information Act, Nigerian elections in April were unfortunately accompanied by a number of attacks on journalists.
"In South Africa, the legislature is still considering passage of a Protection of Information Bill to regulate the classification of government information under which harsh penalties for whistleblowers could lead to excessive secrecy. Finally, serious press freedom problems continue to cause concern in Europe," said Mackenzie, while pledging IPI's unwavering support to ensure that journalists globally operated freely.
Labels: IPI, JOURNALISM, PRESS FREEDOM
Read more...
IPI delegation in for discussions on media regulation
By Salim Dawood
Tue 12 Oct. 2010, 10:00 CAT
A Five-member International Press Institute (IPI) delegation has arrived in Zambia for a series of meetings with media bodies and is also expected to hold discussions with government on media regulation in the country.
The delegation headed by IPI acting director Alison Bethel McKenzie arrived in the country on Monday, October 11 and is expected to leave next Sunday.
IPI Press Freedom Advisor Naomi Hunt who is part of the delegation said the delegation was in the country to, among other activities, meet with information and broadcasting services minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha to find a common ground on media regulation in the country.
Hunt said the delegation was also looking forward to learning lessons about media environment in Zambia and to find journalists that would set up a national committee for the IPI.
She said another objective of the delegations’ visit was to raise awareness about press freedom issues and to meet with journalists to discuss the media environment.
Hunt said the delegation believed that self regulation was the best and most effective way and only acceptable form of media regulation.
“I believe that self regulation is the best and most effective way for the media to be regulated and really it’s the only acceptable way. We are hoping to have a meeting with the information minister which is yet to be determined in time, we are hoping that we really have a productive meeting with the minister to find some common ground on the regulation issue,” Hunt said.
The delegation is expected to meet with the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA), The Press Freedom Committee of the Post Newspapers (PFC), and the Media Liaison Committee (MLC) among others during its week-long visit.
Hunt said the arrangements for a meeting with Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha were yet to be finalised but indicated the meeting would most likely take place this Wednesday.
Two weeks ago Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said government would not change its position over its resolve to impose statutory media regulation for the Zambian media and would not listen to the IPI advice for the media to regulate itself.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said the IPI should be neutral and should not dictate to government on what should be done concerning the regulation of the media.
But PFC secretary general, Sheik Chifuwe said the IPI visit to Zambia was a welcome solidarity visit that would add value to the campaign for self-media regulation and other media freedoms.
“The IPI is worldwide organisations whose voice shall definitely add value to the campaign for self media-regulation,” he said.
On Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha’s statement that government was not willing to change its position regarding the regulation of the media, Chifuwe said he believed that the minister has had enough time to reflect on the matter between the time he made the statement and now.
“Because I don’t think he (Lt.Gen. Shikapwasha) should continue to be an enemy of the media - it doesn’t make him a champion at all,” said Chifuwe.
Last year government gave media bodies a six-month ultimatum to come up with a self-regulatory mechanism or face statutory media regulation.
The media bodies came up with the Zambia Media Ethics Council (ZAMEC) through the MLC but government has u-turned and insisted on statutory media regulation.
Labels: ALISON BETHEL MCKENZIE, IPI, MEDIA, REGULATION
Read more...
IPI delegation in for discussions on media regulation
By Salim Dawood
Mon 11 Oct. 2010, 14:04 CAT
A Five-member International Press Institute (IPI) delegation has arrived in Zambia for a series of meetings with media bodies and is also expected to hold discussions with government on media regulation in the country. The delegation headed by IPI acting director Alison Bethel McKenzie arrived in the country on Monday, October 11 and is expected to leave next Sunday.
IPI Press Freedom Advisor Naomi Hunt who is part of the delegation said the delegation was in the country to, among other activities, meet with information and broadcasting services minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha to find a common ground on media regulation in the country.
Hunt said the delegation was also looking forward to learning lessons about media environment in Zambia and to find journalists that would set up a national committee for the IPI.
She said another objective of the delegations’ visit was to raise awareness about press freedom issues and to meet with journalists to discuss the media environment.
Hunt said the delegation believed that self regulation was the best and most effective way and only acceptable form of media regulation.
“I believe that self regulation is the best and most effective way for the media to be regulated and really it’s the only acceptable way. We are hoping to have a meeting with the information minister which is yet to be determined in time, we are hoping that we really have a productive meeting with the minister to find some common ground on the regulation issue,” Hunt said.
The delegation is expected to meet with the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA), The Press Freedom Committee of the Post Newspapers (PFC), and the Media Liaison Committee (MLC) among others during its week-long visit.
Hunt said the arrangements for a meeting with Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha were yet to be finalised but indicated the meeting would most likely take place this Wednesday.
Two weeks ago Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said government would not change its position over its resolve to impose statutory media regulation for the Zambian media and would not listen to the IPI advice for the media to regulate itself.
Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha said the IPI should be neutral and should not dictate to government on what should be done concerning the regulation of the media.
But PFC secretary general, Sheik Chifuwe said the IPI visit to Zambia was a welcome solidarity visit that would add value to the campaign for self-media regulation and other media freedoms.
“The IPI is worldwide organisations whose voice shall definitely add value to the campaign for self media-regulation,” he said.
On Lt. Gen. Shikapwasha’s statement that government was not willing to change its position regarding the regulation of the media, Chifuwe said he believed that the minister has had enough time to reflect on the matter between the time he made the statement and now.
“Because I don’t think he (Lt.Gen. Shikapwasha) should continue to be an enemy of the media - it doesn’t make him a champion at all,” said Chifuwe.
Last year government gave media bodies a six-month ultimatum to come up with a self-regulatory mechanism or face statutory media regulation.
The media bodies came up with the Zambia Media Ethics Council (ZAMEC) through the MLC but government has u-turned and insisted on statutory media regulation.
Labels: ALISON BETHEL MCKENZIE, IPI, NAOMI HUNT, REGULATION, RONNIE SHIKAPWASHA
Read more...
IPI General Assembly urges govt to accept ZAMEC
By Chansa Kabwela in Vienna, Austria
Fri 17 Sep. 2010, 04:01 CAT
THE International Press Institute (IPI) has asked the government to accept the Zambia Media Council (ZAMEC) and refrain from pushing for statutory regulation of the media.
According to resolutions following the IPI’s general assembly on Monday, efforts by the media in Zambia to create a voluntary, self-regulatory mechanism had stalled with the government’s refusal to recognise ZAMEC.
“IPI members resolved that it is important that any media self-regulation be voluntary, and as the African Commission of Human and Peoples‘ Rights has found, the best and only acceptable method of media regulation is through independent, voluntary, self-regulatory bodies that are free of parliamentary oversight,” IPI resolved.
“IPI members call on Zambian authorities to accept the Zambia Media Ethics Council and refrain from statutory regulation of the media.”
IPI appealed to the Zambian government to relinquish its control of the media.
It noted that developments in Zambia indicated that the government was reluctant to accept the consequences of a free press, which included criticism, despite its proclaimed commitment to press freedom.
“The use of judicial sanctions against independent newspaper The Post continued over the past year, with criminal prosecutions against news editor Chansa Kabwela and against editor Fred M’membe, who is appealing the imposition of a punitive four months jail sentence for contempt of court,” IPI observed.
“ The state broadcaster, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, continues to be accountable to Parliament and therefore lacks independence. IPI members further call on the Zambian authorities to ensure that the public broadcaster is independent of government influence. IPI members call on the government to cease immediately its harassment of daily newspaper The Post.”
IPI expressed shock that the South African government appeared to be embarking on conduct, which could result in the destruction of that country’s democracy, after 16 years of attaining it.
It noted that US-based Freedom House, an institution that monitors freedom in countries of the world by measuring the state of the media and general freedom of expression, had downgraded South Africa from a free country to a party free nation.
“Since that rating change in April this year, South Africa has introduced in Parliament a Protection of Information Bill that lays out how official secrets should be graded. It has also begun steps to introduce into law a proposal by the ruling African National Congress that a statutory media appeals tribunal should be set up for action against print media found transgressing ethical and professional standards, so far not defined,” IPI stated.
“ANC spokesmen have referred to such punishments as imprisoning journalists and heavily fining newspapers. IPI has expressed its disquiet to President Jacob Zuma over the bill that is framed in language that allows virtually any issue to be declared secret, allows a cabinet minister to declare material classified and also provides for the very existence of a classified document to remain a secret. It would be possible for someone coming into possession of a document not to know that it is classified. Penalties under this Bill range up to 25 years' jail for possessing or disclosing the contents of classified documents.”
IPI also raised concern about the proposed media appeals tribunal in South Africa which it believes would provide a means to censor information and punish journalists.
It observed that the Bar Council, Law Society and civil society organisations and business people as well as the World Association of Newspapers, international news agencies and the US ambassador had all voiced concern over the legislation.
IPI called on the President Zuma’s government to reconsider the legislation and the potential damage to could do to the country and its standing in the world since the defeat of apartheid.
It suggested that the bill be replaced by one that severely restricts the types of information that could be classified to the absolute minimum so as not to encroach on the media’s constitutional freedom.
IPI also called on the Rwandan government to prosecute and punish those responsible for Umuvugizi deputy editor Jean-Leonard Rugambage’s murder.
It asked President Paul Kagame to end his suppression of the media by shutting down media houses and condemned the repression that surrounded his re-election.
“The government of Paul Kagame suspended critical publications “Umuseso” and “Umuvugizi”, shut down radio stations, arrested journalists and brought spurious lawsuits against them. After “Umuvugizi” defied its suspension by the government-controlled Media High Council, deputy editor Jean-Leonard Rugambage was shot and killed on 24 June,” IPI noted.
IPI also asked the Sri Lankan government to restore press freedom in that country and ensure that those who killed, attacked, imprisoned or otherwise violated the journalists’ rights during the civil war were punished.
It observed that recent constitutional amendments in that country would impact negatively on the media’s ability to act in a free and fair manner.
IPI noted the unprecedented power introduced through amendment on the Executive and the additional powers to seek election to office for unlimited time outside the two-term period that was in force would greatly affect the media’s operations.
IPI stated that the government’s hostility to dissent and intimidation of the media had led to self-censorship.
“The recent spate of court actions and the use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act to incarcerate journalists is condemned. The IPI is also dismayed by attacks and killing of journalists in Sri Lanka. None of these criminal acts have been successfully investigated. The murder of IPI World Press Freedom Hero Lasantha Wickrematunge, and many others, is yet to be solved, although the government has pledged to do so,” IPI stated.
It stated that the plethora of court actions against journalists and media groups in Sri Lanka was viewed with alarm, adding that the senior officials’ intimidation of free media through the public media negatively affected the journalists’ ability to inform the public.
IPI asked the Iranian government to release all journalists currently in detention.
IPI observed that since the re-election of President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in June last year, dozens of journalists, political reformers and human rights activists among others were imprisoned without fair trial because of their participation in or coverage of protests of election results.
“While many journalists have been released, others have been detained, subjected to cruel conditions and in some cases psychological and physical torture.The IPI members resolved that the imprisonment of journalists for their work or opinions is contrary to basic human rights, including the right of free expression and a free press,” IPI stated. “The IPI members calls on the government of Iran to release immediately all journalists in its custody, and allow them to practice their profession without fear of imprisonment.”
IPI appealed to Ukranian President Viktor Yanukovych and his officials to end attacks on journalists and ensure that the media in that country was free to operate without interference.
It observed that after improvement in that country’s press freedom climate, the situation had deteriorated with a spate of attacks against journalists.
IPI condemned the Turkish government’s imprisonment of dozens of journalists, with some awaiting trial.
“Reportedly more than 40 Turkish journalists are currently in prison, some awaiting trial, because of their reports or columns in Turkey, making Turkey one of the world's worst jailers of journalists. Some journalists have been held without conviction for several years. Over 700 other journalists are currently facing lawsuits, with the threat of imprisonment, under specific articles in the Penal Code, press laws and anti-terror laws,” it stated. “IPI further calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure that no journalist must face the threat of imprisonment because of their professional work.”
IPI condemned the censorship and oppression of the media in Fiji and the new legislation introduced this year which established criminal penalties and other sanctions for journalists whose work is deemed against “the public order or interest.”
IPI also condemned Cuba’s failure to process that country’s blogger and Press Freedom Hero Yoani Sanchez’s exit visa in time for her to attend the congress.
”Sanchez, who was named an IPI World Press Freedom Hero in September 2010 by an independent jury, and was to take her place among IPI’s 60 World Press Freedom Heroes at a ceremony at Vienna’s City Hall, was denied permission to leave the country. Sanchez had referred to the award as a “protective shield” that would help her break the “wall of censorship”,” IPI stated.
On Europe, the IPI members unanimously condemned the deterioration in the press freedom climate, notably a strong trend by some established democracies to backtrack on legal guarantees of media freedom.
IPI cited Italy, Hungary, France and Spain, as countries that were trying to introduce or enforce legislation to control the work of journalists.
“The IPI members urge the authorities throughout Europe to live up to their human rights and media freedom commitments and obligations and to ensure that journalists are free to report without fear of imprisonment, bankruptcy, intimidation or assassination,” stated IPI.
Labels: IPI, MEDIA, REGULATION, ZAMEC
Read more...
IPI questions govt over Kabwela
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and Mwala Kalaluka
Monday, July 20, 2009 7:30:57 AM
THE International Press Institute (IPI) has expressed concern that the Zambian government is using trumped-up criminal charges as a tool for intimidating and harassing critical journalists like Post news editor Chansa Kabwela.
And Zambia's women's rights activist Sara Longwe, who described Kabwela as a young leader, said those who described a woman's tortured body as pornographic and obscene should be shameful of themselves.
In a media statement, IPI director David Dadge stated that Kabwela should be warmly applauded for bringing the issue of a woman giving birth in public to the attention of the Ministry of Heath rather than making her face prosecution and imprisonment.
"I find it worrying that a nation's health minister could allegedly have his morals corrupted by a photograph of a woman giving birth," Dadge stated. "This case will have a chilling effect on the media, who will be reluctant in the future to report on such issues, to the detriment of the Zambian people. It would be better for the Zambian government to stop hiding its embarrassment behind a badly defined law, and actually work on solving the issue that has been exposed by the photograph. The fact that Kabwela is having to fight the charge is yet further evidence that The Post is being targeted for its critical reporting of President [Rupiah] Banda and the government."
Dadge noted that since the beginning of this year, there had been disturbing reports of journalists from The Post being singled out for harassment at government events.
"The newspaper's reporters have faced threats and beatings and have at times been banned from attending important public events," Dadge stated.
And Longwe stated in a press release that Kabwela should be commended for being a brave young woman who saw beyond the petty issue of a woman's nakedness. "Hurray for our hero Chansa Kabwela for standing up for women's rights! Hurray for this brave young woman who could see beyond the petty issue of a woman's nakedness," Longwe stated. "Hurray for her courage in using this shocking picture to illustrate the larger issue of government's shocking mistreatment of women! Hurray for this fearless female, who dared to confront our horrible leaders with the results of their blatant and horrific misrule."
Longwe described Kabwela as a latter day Julia Chikamoneka, who enraged the powerful by calmly speaking the truth.
"Hurray for this latter day Julia Chikamoneka, using women's nakedness to confront and shock our oppressors! Hurray for this young leader, who enrages the powerful by calmly speaking the truth," she stated. "But shame upon our evil government that leaves our mothers and newborn children to die naked in the street! Shame upon those who describe our tortured bodies as pornographic and obscene."
Longwe stated that more shame should be piled on the evil and thieving leaders who had stolen the money intended for midwives and maternity hospitals. "Shame upon a government that tries to hide the horror and suffering that it inflicts upon us women! Shame upon our evil and thieving leaders who have stolen the money intended for midwives and maternity hospitals," stated Longwe. "All rise to salute our marvelous and courageous Chansa, who stands in court to speak for the downtrodden women of Zambia! So all to the court on Wednesday August 5th, 2009 to salute this young woman who speaks for us."
Labels: CHANSA KABWELA, IPI, THE POST
Read more...
IPI urges action against media attacks in Zim
By Mwila Chansa
Saturday June 21, 2008 [04:00]
INTERNATIONAL Press Institute (IPI) members have called on AU and SADC to take a public stand against the Zimbabwean authorities' action on freedom of expression in that country. According to the resolutions made by IPI members after their Annual General Assembly on June 16, 2008 in Belgrade Serbia, the members stated that uninformed and intimidated citizenry could not benefit from free and fair elections.
"IPI members call on President Robert Mugabe to take effective measures to stop the violence and judicial attacks against the media, and to permit fair elections which include unfettered access to information, and the unhindered presence of the international media," the members stated.
They also condemned the surge of attacks on the media in Zimbabwe sparked by disputed election results that had further deteriorated conditions for journalists and threatened the legitimacy of the runoff slated for next week Friday.
The members stated that cosmetic amendments to the 'notorious' Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act had triggered confusion with journalists required to seek accreditation from an agency that was yet to be formed, and electoral coverage requiring two levels of permission, one from a legally defunct entity.
"The country's bureaucratic requirements, long burdensome, have become increasingly inscrutable. As the recent banning of multiple media outlets and prosecutions of journalists, both local and foreign demonstrated, these inconsistencies have not prevented authorities from using legislation to stifle critical coverage," the members stated.
They stated that physical attacks were on the rise and that in the last few months, several freelancers had been brutally beaten.
They added that judicial harassment had also increased and that an editor was prosecuted for allegedly publishing false statements prejudicial to the state and contempt of court after running a column by an opposition politician, and a media lawyer charged with "undermining the authority or insulting the president" for an alleged remark suggesting that President Mugabe should step down.
They added that the State-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation had been particularly hit by the recent clampdown and that the head of the organisation was reported fired for refusing to comply with an order to deny positive coverage to the opposition.
"In a blatant attempt to intimidate, in early June, eight other ZBS employees were placed on two-month-long paid vacation, ordered to surrender their ZBS identity cards, and instructed to stay away from both other employees and ZBS premises," they stated.
And the members expressed concern at the failure by a number of countries to comply with provisions of Article 19.
Article 19 provides that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression and that this right include; freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
They stated that the failure to uphold Article 19 resulted into the media being frequently assailed by punitive and other measures that obstructed the free flow of information.
The Assembly was concerned at the growing number of arrests targeted at journalists and photographers reporting or photographing police's actions at crime scenes or other incidences in South Africa.
"On several occasions in the last year, journalists have been summarily bundled into police vans and imprisoned sometimes for a night. In all circumstances, the alleged crimes they had committed-never clearly spelled out at their time of arrest - have been thrown out of court mainly on grounds that there was no evidence on which to base a prosecution," they stated.
They also raised concerns over the impunity of perpetrators of killings of journalists in Serbia and urged the authorities there to intensify their investigations into such cases.
The members observed that failure to bring to justice the perpetrators of such attacks sent dangerous signals, with journalists increasingly seen as easy targets.
They also condemned measures that diluted journalists' right to protect the confidentiality of their sources everywhere, particularly in Europe.
The members stated that they were alarmed at the growing number of missing journalists in Mexico and the continuing failure of the authorities to bring to justice those who perpetrate attacks against members of the country's news media.
They also called on governments to respect journalists' rights to report freely on natural calamities and their aftermaths, permitting them to collect and disseminate information about such events.
The members also strongly condemned the recent bombings of offices of the Bilbao edition of the Spanish daily newspaper, El Correo.
and leading journalists dedicated to the protection of press freedom.
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, ELECTIONS, IPI, PRESS, ZIMBABWE
Read more...
