The South Asia Media Commission expresses serious concern over an attack on The Times of India newspaper's office in Mumbai, saying the incident proves there is "no thaw" in targeting of media by non-state players due to perceived grievances against it.
"The attack on the office of Times of India group in Mumbai on Saturday is a matter of serious concern," KK Katyal, SAMC's country chapter Media Commission-India's President, said in a statement.
Suspected Shiv Sena workers had vandalised the reception area of Times of India (TOI) building apparently irked by a report in Marathi daily 'Maharashtra Times' which speculated that a sitting Sena MP was on his way to NCP. The newspaper belongs to the TOI group.
"The incident proved -- if a proof was needed – that there is no thaw in the activities of non-state players in targeting the media because of their perceived grievances against published reports," he said.
Holding that Mumbai has lived up to its "notoriety" because of recent anti-media cases, Katyal said the attacks on journalists by non-state sections is an "India-wide phenomenon".
He said incidents against the media in the interior areas often do not get attention.
Referring to arrests made by Mumbai police in the case, he said all those involved in the attack must be apprehended and cases must be taken to court expeditiously to get deterrent punishment for the accused.
Police have already arrested 28 persons suspected to be Shiv Sena members.
The Commission is an associate of South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA).
31 January 2012
26 January 2012
Challenges to media freedom galore: RSF ranks Sri Lanka 163 in the 173-nation index
“Crackdown was the word of the year in 2011. Never has freedom of information been so closely associated with democracy,” Reporters Without Borders’ annual world press freedom index says.
REPORTERS WITHOUT Borders’ annual world press freedom index showed that 2011 was a rich year for change, especially in the Arab world, but also one that saw growing crackdowns in media freedom worldwide.
Eritrea was the country with least media freedom, in 179th place, with North Korea one place behind.
“Crackdown was the word of the year in 2011. Never has freedom of information been so closely associated with democracy,” the group said as it released its 10th annual index.
Reporters Without Borders is a Paris-based non-governmental organisation that seeks to defend journalists’ freedom to work and combat censorship internationally.
In Afghanistan (150th) and Pakistan (151st), reporters remained under constant threat from the Taliban, religious extremists, separatist movements and political groups. With 10 deaths last year, Pakistan was the world’s most dangerous country for journalists for the second year in a row.
“Never have journalists, through their reporting, vexed the enemies of freedom so much. Never have acts of censorship and physical attacks on journalists seemed so numerous. The equation is simple: the absence or suppression of civil liberties leads necessarily to the suppression of media freedom. Dictatorships fear and ban information, especially when it may undermine them,” it said.
Nepal witnessed a modest improvement in press freedom last year improving the ranking in the Press Freedom Index by 13 positions.
“In Nepal, a decline in attacks by Maoist groups in the south and greater efficiency on the part of the justice system account for the modest improvement in the country’s ranking,” RSF said. “However, press freedom was marred by threats and attacks by politicians and armed groups throughout the year.”
Nepal is ranked 106th. The country was at 119th position in Press Freedom Index 2010.
Nepal’s ranking is however one of the best ranking that the South Asian nations received. Only Bhutan (70) and Maldives (73) are ahead of Nepal while Bangladesh (129), India (131), Afghanistan (150), Pakistan (151) and Sri Lanka (163) all rank lower than Nepal in the 173-nation index.
The media freedom watchdog also added that the Nepali journalists were regularly subjected to threats from rival political groups and their supporters in 2011.
The report noted that violence and censorship on the rise in Asia as violence and impunity persist in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Philippines. It also noted more repression on press in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China.
“With 10 deaths in 2011, Pakistan was the world’s deadliest country for journalists for the second year in a row,” the report said.
“This year’s index sees many changes in the rankings, changes that reflect a year that was incredibly rich in developments, especially in the Arab world,” RSF said on global review of media freedom.
“Many media paid dearly for their coverage of democratic aspirations or opposition movements. Control of news and information continued to tempt governments and to be a question of survival for totalitarian and repressive regimes. The past year also highlighted the leading role played by netizens in producing and disseminating news.”
Sri Lanka dropped down five places last year from 2010 to rank among the 20 worst countries in a leading survey of press freedom.
The annual World Press Freedom Index for 2011 compiled by Paris based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has ranked Sri Lanka 163 out of 178 countries ranked. Sri Lanka was ranked 158 in 2010.
The index widely accepted around the world indicates the increasing suppression on media freedom in the country, media organizations point out.
In an accompanying report, the RSF said while violence and impunity persisted in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Philippines, there was more repression in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China.
"In Sri Lanka (163rd), the stranglehold of the Rajapakse clan forced the last few opposition journalists to flee the country. Any that stayed behind were regularly subjected to harassment and threats. Attacks were less common but impunity and official censorship of independent news sites put an end to pluralism and contributed more than ever to self-censorship by almost all media outlets," the RSF statement said.
Elsewhere, in the South Asian region Pakistan at 151st position was the world's deadliest country for journalists for the second year in a row in 2011 with 10 deaths.
Nepal at 106th has shown modest improvement from the previous year due to a decline in attacks by Maoist groups and greater efficiency on the part of the justice system, the RSF said.
Ranking Bangladesh at 129th position, the RSF reported that opposition groups and the ruling Awami League took turns to attack and obstruct the press.
The survey ranked India at 131st position citing that journalists were exposed to violence stemming from the persistent conflicts in the states of Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir as well as to the threats from mafia groups.
The United States dropped 27 places in the rank to the 47th due to the many arrests of journalists covering the Occupy Wall Street protests.
The country with the freest media in the world was Finland, followed by Norway, Estonia, the Netherlands and Austria. Ireland came in 15th in the index.
Elsewhere within the European Union, countries such as Bulgaria (80th), Greece (70th) and Italy (61st) failed to address the issue of media freedom violations, largely because of a lack of political will.
Libya came in 154th in the list, while Yemen was in 171th place.
“The future of both of these countries remains uncertain, and the place they will allow the media is undecided. The same goes for Egypt, which fell 39 places to 166th place.”
Syria was 176th, because journalists were unable to work because of total censorship, widespread surveillance, indiscriminate violence and government manipulation.
The report also highlights how pro-democracy movements that tried to emulate the example of the Arab revolutions were brutally suppressed. Vietnam (172nd) saw many arrests, while China (174th) stepped up its system of controlling news and information in response to public dissatisfaction with corruption and other injustices.
The biggest falls in the index were in Africa – Djibouti fell 49 places to 159th, Malawi (146th) fell 67 places and Uganda fell 43 places to 139th.
REPORTERS WITHOUT Borders’ annual world press freedom index showed that 2011 was a rich year for change, especially in the Arab world, but also one that saw growing crackdowns in media freedom worldwide.
Eritrea was the country with least media freedom, in 179th place, with North Korea one place behind.
“Crackdown was the word of the year in 2011. Never has freedom of information been so closely associated with democracy,” the group said as it released its 10th annual index.
Reporters Without Borders is a Paris-based non-governmental organisation that seeks to defend journalists’ freedom to work and combat censorship internationally.
In Afghanistan (150th) and Pakistan (151st), reporters remained under constant threat from the Taliban, religious extremists, separatist movements and political groups. With 10 deaths last year, Pakistan was the world’s most dangerous country for journalists for the second year in a row.
“Never have journalists, through their reporting, vexed the enemies of freedom so much. Never have acts of censorship and physical attacks on journalists seemed so numerous. The equation is simple: the absence or suppression of civil liberties leads necessarily to the suppression of media freedom. Dictatorships fear and ban information, especially when it may undermine them,” it said.
Nepal witnessed a modest improvement in press freedom last year improving the ranking in the Press Freedom Index by 13 positions.
“In Nepal, a decline in attacks by Maoist groups in the south and greater efficiency on the part of the justice system account for the modest improvement in the country’s ranking,” RSF said. “However, press freedom was marred by threats and attacks by politicians and armed groups throughout the year.”
Nepal is ranked 106th. The country was at 119th position in Press Freedom Index 2010.
Nepal’s ranking is however one of the best ranking that the South Asian nations received. Only Bhutan (70) and Maldives (73) are ahead of Nepal while Bangladesh (129), India (131), Afghanistan (150), Pakistan (151) and Sri Lanka (163) all rank lower than Nepal in the 173-nation index.
The media freedom watchdog also added that the Nepali journalists were regularly subjected to threats from rival political groups and their supporters in 2011.
The report noted that violence and censorship on the rise in Asia as violence and impunity persist in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Philippines. It also noted more repression on press in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China.
“With 10 deaths in 2011, Pakistan was the world’s deadliest country for journalists for the second year in a row,” the report said.
“This year’s index sees many changes in the rankings, changes that reflect a year that was incredibly rich in developments, especially in the Arab world,” RSF said on global review of media freedom.
“Many media paid dearly for their coverage of democratic aspirations or opposition movements. Control of news and information continued to tempt governments and to be a question of survival for totalitarian and repressive regimes. The past year also highlighted the leading role played by netizens in producing and disseminating news.”
Sri Lanka dropped down five places last year from 2010 to rank among the 20 worst countries in a leading survey of press freedom.
The annual World Press Freedom Index for 2011 compiled by Paris based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has ranked Sri Lanka 163 out of 178 countries ranked. Sri Lanka was ranked 158 in 2010.
The index widely accepted around the world indicates the increasing suppression on media freedom in the country, media organizations point out.
In an accompanying report, the RSF said while violence and impunity persisted in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Philippines, there was more repression in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China.
"In Sri Lanka (163rd), the stranglehold of the Rajapakse clan forced the last few opposition journalists to flee the country. Any that stayed behind were regularly subjected to harassment and threats. Attacks were less common but impunity and official censorship of independent news sites put an end to pluralism and contributed more than ever to self-censorship by almost all media outlets," the RSF statement said.
Elsewhere, in the South Asian region Pakistan at 151st position was the world's deadliest country for journalists for the second year in a row in 2011 with 10 deaths.
Nepal at 106th has shown modest improvement from the previous year due to a decline in attacks by Maoist groups and greater efficiency on the part of the justice system, the RSF said.
Ranking Bangladesh at 129th position, the RSF reported that opposition groups and the ruling Awami League took turns to attack and obstruct the press.
The survey ranked India at 131st position citing that journalists were exposed to violence stemming from the persistent conflicts in the states of Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir as well as to the threats from mafia groups.
The United States dropped 27 places in the rank to the 47th due to the many arrests of journalists covering the Occupy Wall Street protests.
The country with the freest media in the world was Finland, followed by Norway, Estonia, the Netherlands and Austria. Ireland came in 15th in the index.
Elsewhere within the European Union, countries such as Bulgaria (80th), Greece (70th) and Italy (61st) failed to address the issue of media freedom violations, largely because of a lack of political will.
Libya came in 154th in the list, while Yemen was in 171th place.
“The future of both of these countries remains uncertain, and the place they will allow the media is undecided. The same goes for Egypt, which fell 39 places to 166th place.”
Syria was 176th, because journalists were unable to work because of total censorship, widespread surveillance, indiscriminate violence and government manipulation.
The report also highlights how pro-democracy movements that tried to emulate the example of the Arab revolutions were brutally suppressed. Vietnam (172nd) saw many arrests, while China (174th) stepped up its system of controlling news and information in response to public dissatisfaction with corruption and other injustices.
The biggest falls in the index were in Africa – Djibouti fell 49 places to 159th, Malawi (146th) fell 67 places and Uganda fell 43 places to 139th.
Nominate an organisation for IPI's Free Media Pioneer Award
Which organisation do you think improved press freedom in its country or region this year? Nominate it for the International Press Institute (IPI) Free Media Pioneer Award - before 10 February 2012.
The annual award honours media or organisations that have fought to ensure freer and more independent media in their country - by raising public expectations of the news, through innovations that have improved news quality or access, or through their tireless defence of press freedom.
All nominations should be submitted via email to: office (@) freeemedia.at
For more information, see:
Call for IPI Free Media Pioneer Award Nominations
http://www.ifex.org/international/2012/01/25/ipi_free_media_pioneer/
The annual award honours media or organisations that have fought to ensure freer and more independent media in their country - by raising public expectations of the news, through innovations that have improved news quality or access, or through their tireless defence of press freedom.
All nominations should be submitted via email to: office (@) freeemedia.at
For more information, see:
Call for IPI Free Media Pioneer Award Nominations
http://www.ifex.org/international/2012/01/25/ipi_free_media_pioneer/
24 January 2012
Data journalism awards
Journalists working for media companies and non-profit organizations, freelancers or individuals can enter a competition.
Sponsored by Google and organized by the Global Editors Network and the European Journalism Centre, the Data Journalism Awards is the first international contest recognizing outstanding work in data journalism.
The awards feature three categories - data visualization and storytelling, data-driven investigative journalism and data-driven applications (mobile or web). Six prizes totaling EU€45,000 (about US$58,283) will be awarded at national/international and local/regional levels.
The award ceremony will take place in Paris during the News World Summit, an annual event hosting 400 editor-in-chiefs worldwide.
The deadline is April 10.
For more information, click here.
http://ijnet.org/opportunities/data-journalism-awards-open-worldwide
Sponsored by Google and organized by the Global Editors Network and the European Journalism Centre, the Data Journalism Awards is the first international contest recognizing outstanding work in data journalism.
The awards feature three categories - data visualization and storytelling, data-driven investigative journalism and data-driven applications (mobile or web). Six prizes totaling EU€45,000 (about US$58,283) will be awarded at national/international and local/regional levels.
The award ceremony will take place in Paris during the News World Summit, an annual event hosting 400 editor-in-chiefs worldwide.
The deadline is April 10.
For more information, click here.
http://ijnet.org/opportunities/data-journalism-awards-open-worldwide
YouTube seeks short, story-driven videos for a global competition
Organized by YouTube, director Ridley Scott with Scott Free Productions, Emirates and the Venice Film Festival, Your Film Festival will award one 15-minute story a US$500,000 production grant.
The Scott Free team will select 50 semi-finalists and YouTube users will vote for their favorites. 10 finalists will have their videos screened at the 2012 Venice Film Festival where one grand winner will be chosen.
Anyone 18 or older can submit videos in any format, including live action short, animation, documentary, web-series episode, TV pilot or others. Videos can't have been publicly shown or distributed prior to January 1, 2010.
Submissions open February 2. The deadline is March 31.
For more information, click here.
The Scott Free team will select 50 semi-finalists and YouTube users will vote for their favorites. 10 finalists will have their videos screened at the 2012 Venice Film Festival where one grand winner will be chosen.
Anyone 18 or older can submit videos in any format, including live action short, animation, documentary, web-series episode, TV pilot or others. Videos can't have been publicly shown or distributed prior to January 1, 2010.
Submissions open February 2. The deadline is March 31.
For more information, click here.
Leica Oskar Barnack Award for Professional photographers
Professional photographers can apply for an award.
The Leica Oskar Barnack Award seeks entries depicting the relationship between man and the environment in a sequence of 10-12 images.
The winner receives a Leica M9-P camera, a EU€5,000 cash prize (about US$6,365) and a EU€10,000 (about US$12,730) lens.
The contest also features the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award, featuring the same prizes and open to any (prospective) professional photographer age 25 or under at the time of entering.
Entries must have been published in 2011 or 2012, or be long-term projects with at least one recent photo. Apply by March 1.
For more information, click here.
http://ijnet.org/opportunities/photo-contest-seeks-submissions-worldwide
The Leica Oskar Barnack Award seeks entries depicting the relationship between man and the environment in a sequence of 10-12 images.
The winner receives a Leica M9-P camera, a EU€5,000 cash prize (about US$6,365) and a EU€10,000 (about US$12,730) lens.
The contest also features the Leica Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award, featuring the same prizes and open to any (prospective) professional photographer age 25 or under at the time of entering.
Entries must have been published in 2011 or 2012, or be long-term projects with at least one recent photo. Apply by March 1.
For more information, click here.
http://ijnet.org/opportunities/photo-contest-seeks-submissions-worldwide
Nieman-Berkman fellowship in innovative journalism
Journalists worldwide working for a news organization in a business, technology, or leadership capacity can apply for a US$60,000 fellowship at Harvard.
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society will host one fellow for an academic year to carry out a research project on journalism innovation.
Candidates must propose a project relating to journalism’s digital transformation. Examples might include ideas for new revenue streams to fund journalism, the construction of new tools for reporting or research into news consumption patterns.
Fellows receive additional allowances for housing, childcare and health insurance.
Applicants must submit a personal statement, project proposal, work samples, four recommendation letters and a leave of absence letter by February 15.
For more information, click here.
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society will host one fellow for an academic year to carry out a research project on journalism innovation.
Candidates must propose a project relating to journalism’s digital transformation. Examples might include ideas for new revenue streams to fund journalism, the construction of new tools for reporting or research into news consumption patterns.
Fellows receive additional allowances for housing, childcare and health insurance.
Applicants must submit a personal statement, project proposal, work samples, four recommendation letters and a leave of absence letter by February 15.
For more information, click here.
19 January 2012
The Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA): What implications for Sri Lanka?
The Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA): What implications for Sri Lanka?
18 Jan, 2012 Sanjana Hattotuwa International, Media and Communications, Politics and Governance
There are a lot of websites in the US that have gone black to protest against the proposed Stop Internet Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA). Wikipedia has gone to the extent of taking down its site for the day, and lists its reasons here. Action across such a large number of key internet companies based in the US is unprecedented, and demonstrates clear opposition to the two pieces of legislation. The White House has itself distanced itself from both in their current form. And yet, they remain for consideration by lawmakers. As Wikipedia notes,
…neither SOPA nor PIPA is dead. On January 17th, SOPA’s sponsor said the bill will be discussed in early February. There are signs PIPA may be debated on the Senate floor next week. Moreover, SOPA and PIPA are just indicators of a much broader problem. In many jurisdictions around the world, we’re seeing the development of legislation that prioritizes overly-broad copyright enforcement laws, laws promoted by power players, over the preservation of individual civil liberties.
Neither SOPA nor PIPA affect Sri Lankans today. But if passed, they can contribute to web censorship on a massive, global scale, led by the US entertainment industry. The clear dangers of the legislation to censor existing content on websites and key social media platforms is brought out in the following video. As it notes, the indirect effects of these acts, if passed into law, can quite literally mean the end of the Internet as we recognise it today. Worse, such legislation in the US can spark off similar legislation in other, more repressive regimes. This domino effect could spell the end of not just online dissent, but all dissent given how much of it today is published on, produced for, mediated through, disseminated, archived and engaged via the web and the Internet.
Few may recall that Sri Lanka also tried to bring about its own variant of SOPA and PIPA in 2008. Called the Private Television Broadcasting Station Regulations of 2007, the Government attempted to pass it into law in October 2008. It’s so alike SOPA and PIPA in spirit and form that it’s uncanny. At the time, I wrote a detailed brief of how detrimental this bill was for freedom of expression online, that fed into the affidavit of a case lodged in the Supreme Court – one of many – that challenged the proposed Bill. As noted in it,
The stipulation for all ‘broadcasters’ to enter into an ‘agreement’ that is unspecified in the Gazette, with the Internet Service Provider who provides access to the web and Internet is a draconian measure pointedly designed to curtail and block independent and free production, access and transmission of, inter alia, video content over the Internet and the web.
This is particularly concerning since, to expand on what was flagged in Point 4 of this document, video over the Internet also encourages and facilitates easy audience participation in the form of text and video feedback and comments. Holding ‘broadcasters’ in Sri Lanka, including ISPs, responsible for not just user generated content, but also user generated comments to content published from other sources, is a regulatory nightmare and technically impossible to comply with.
The lack of any clearly defined framework for the nature and scope of the ‘agreement’ enumerated in Regulations 9 (b) and 10 (b) has disturbing and negative implications for the rights of all wired and wireless broadband customers in particular – including all ADSL, 3G mobile telephony and 3G HSPA mobile broadband modem users – as well as all citizens, since those who may not be a customer of an ISP could still use the internet to disseminate video productions (e.g. video content that is uploaded through a cybercafé).
SOPA and PIPA, if allowed to pass in the US, will under the guise of progressive legislation contribute to precisely this sort of regulatory control in the US. It will occur, as flagged in the video above, to a point of absurdity. For example, a copyright violation claim over the soundtrack of a song on the domestic video of a cute cat playing with a ball of wool, uploaded to the web, can result in the entire website being blocked (think about YouTube).
As the Globe and Mail notes, serious concerns with the bills include, inter alia, the fact that,
…. provisions of PIPA and SOPA allow the government – and, in some cases, the individual copyright holders – to compel online payment services, ad networks and search engines to stop doing business with or listing targeted websites. And unlike other laws that focused on websites involved primarily in piracy, the bills expand the focus to include sites on which any infringing content is found, no matter how minuscule. As such, American users of cloud storage or video hosting sites could find the entire site, along with their own content, suddenly much more difficult to access, because a single user uploaded a piece of copyrighted content.
It comes down to this. The bills are at present of greatest concern to those in the US. Yet their potential to influence bad legislation globally, and undermine key websites and social media platforms that are an integral part of democratic change, revolt, dissent and debate is very high. This is a cogent example where what the US preaches, it seems it is unwilling to practice – the freedom of expression it promotes, along with the circumvention technologies it directly supports are at complete odds with the thrust of SOPA and PIPA.
I’ve gone ahead and signed a petition on WordPress.org against the SOPA and PIPA.
I strongly urge you to do the same.
18 January 2012
Pulitzer crisis-reporting grant
Journalists interested in crisis reporting can apply for a US$7,500 travel grant. Applicants should live outside the U.S.
The Persephone Miel Fellowship will fund a reporting project that focuses on a global crisis under-reported in the mainstream American media.
The fellowship, overseen by the The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting in consultation with Internews, is designed to help media professionals outside the U.S do the kind of reporting they've always wanted to do, and enable them to bring their work to a broader international audience. The fellowship will benefit those with limited access to other fellowships or international distribution of their work.
The fellowships are open to all journalists, writers, photographers, radio producers or filmmakers; staff journalists as well as free-lancers and media professionals outside the U.S., who are seeking to report from their home country. Women are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must be proficient in English.
The application deadline is February 15.
For more information, click here.
http://ijnet.org/opportunities/pulitzer-crisis-reporting-grant-open-worldwide
The Persephone Miel Fellowship will fund a reporting project that focuses on a global crisis under-reported in the mainstream American media.
The fellowship, overseen by the The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting in consultation with Internews, is designed to help media professionals outside the U.S do the kind of reporting they've always wanted to do, and enable them to bring their work to a broader international audience. The fellowship will benefit those with limited access to other fellowships or international distribution of their work.
The fellowships are open to all journalists, writers, photographers, radio producers or filmmakers; staff journalists as well as free-lancers and media professionals outside the U.S., who are seeking to report from their home country. Women are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must be proficient in English.
The application deadline is February 15.
For more information, click here.
http://ijnet.org/opportunities/pulitzer-crisis-reporting-grant-open-worldwide
12 January 2012
UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2012 seeks nominations
Do you know an individual, organisation or institution that is defending press freedom? If so, send in your nomination for the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2012 by 15 February 2012.
Named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, a Colombian journalist who was assassinated in 1986 after calling for drug traffickers to be brought to justice, the award especially recognises those who defend press freedom at great personal risk.
The winner will receive US$25,000 at a ceremony on World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2012.
MORE ON THE WEB
UNESCO is seeking nominations for UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2012 (UNESCO)
Named after Guillermo Cano Isaza, a Colombian journalist who was assassinated in 1986 after calling for drug traffickers to be brought to justice, the award especially recognises those who defend press freedom at great personal risk.
The winner will receive US$25,000 at a ceremony on World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2012.
MORE ON THE WEB
UNESCO is seeking nominations for UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2012 (UNESCO)
2012 Jefferson Fellowships
We are pleased to announce that the East-West Center is accepting applications for the
Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships
The Jefferson Fellowships provide a three-week seminar and travel program for journalists from the United States and Asia Pacific to deepen their knowledge of regional issues and build international networks. The theme for the Spring 2012 program is “Changing Cities: Innovations for an Urban World” with travel to Honolulu, Singapore, Guangzhou, and Seoul/Songdo. Participants will explore the challenges of urbanization, one of Asia’s most important mega-trends of the next decade, and the innovations and models that are effectively solving current problems and those that will shape the cities of the future. Below is a summary of the program. The application deadline is Wednesday, February 15, 2012.
This special Jefferson Fellowships program will include participation in the East-West Center’s 3rdInternational Media Conference in Seoul, June 22-24, on the theme, “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” Journalists will explore the impact of new media on journalism, broaden their knowledge of Asia Pacific regional issues and expand their network of professional contacts with journalists and experts from across the region.
Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships for Journalists
Dates: June 3-25, 2012
Theme: “Changing Cities: Innovations for an Urban World”
Travel Destinations: Honolulu, Hawaii; Singapore; Guangzhou, China; Seoul/Songdo, South Korea
Who Can Apply: Working print, broadcast, and on-line journalists in the United States, Asia and the Pacific Islands. Five years of experience preferred. English fluency required.
Funding: Airfare, lodging, per diem and most other program expenses are provided through a grant from The Freeman Foundation of Stowe, Vermont. Participants are responsible for a $500 program fee and all applicable visa fees and any additional visa-related expenses. Additional funding is provided by the U.S. Embassy Islamabad for 2 Pakistani journalists. See website for details.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Information and applications: For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit:http://www.eastwestcenter.org/jefferson
Theme: “Changing Cities: Innovations for an Urban World”
Across the Asia Pacific region, a massive demographic shift is underway. For the first time in human history, more people now live in cities than in rural areas. In the next 20 years, the world population will grow from 7 billion to 8.3 billion people. The urban population will grow even faster, from 3.5 billion to 5 billion. Hundreds of cities will be built and expanded to accommodate migration and growth – particularly in India and China. Urbanization has led to expanded economic development, poverty reduction and increased wealth in the Asia Pacific region and cities are centers of knowledge and innovation. But rapidly growing cities across the region have struggled to manage demand for basic services, transportation infrastructure, housing, energy and employment. With humanity's urban footprint set to almost double in just 20 years, there is a new sense of urgency about finding ways to accommodate the future billions in sustainable, efficient and equitable cities that can foster productivity and continued economic growth. Cities, especially in Asia, are thus the focus of intensive efforts to find new approaches to energy efficiency, building design, transportation, waste management, water and sanitation, and energy use. The investments will be huge, and companies around the world see their economic futures tied to solving the social, economic, environmental, and engineering challenges of this urban transformation, which will largely define the 21st century.
The Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships will provide journalists from Asia Pacific and the United States with an opportunity to explore this regional mega-trend and the models and innovations that are solving current problems and will be key to managing cities of the future. The Honolulu program will provide a forum for journalists to share perspectives from their countries and communities and gain broad perspectives on urbanization challenges for the U.S. and Asia. Participants will then travel to Singapore, which has developed and implemented some of the world's most advanced solutions to address urbanization challenges such as road congestion, water management and housing, and has positioned itself as a regional hub and “living lab” of urban solutions for high-density and livable cities. In Guangzhou, participants will have a chance to see how China is adapting its existing cities to be more efficient with a new internationally award winning bus rapid transit (BRT) system, by far the largest in Asia and a model for other cities around the world, as well as other efforts to manage migration, pollution and industrialization. Korea is experimenting with “green growth,” setting aggressive low carbon goals, and as the most wired country in the world, is a test bed for new information technologies. Journalists will visit Songdo, an urban laboratory of digital-city innovation providing the focus and investments to re-engineer the way cities work. Companies are investing heavily in “smart cities” and are using Songdo to test new technologies that they hope to employ in cities across the world.
The program will close in Seoul with the special opportunity to participate in the East-West Center’s 3rdInternational Media Conference, June 22-24, on the theme “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” The Conference is expected to draw more than 300 media professionals from around the world to engage with leading journalists, analysts, policymakers and one another through keynotes, panel discussions and workshops. Topics will include new media and its impact on journalism, society, and politics across the region, as well as analysis of current security, economic, energy and international relations issues. There also will be a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.
The Jefferson Fellowships program provides journalists with the chance to gain on-the-ground perspectives on the most important regional issues; access high-level and important speakers and resources; and engage in three-weeks of intensive study and dialogue with colleagues from across the Asia Pacific region.
For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit our website:
www.EastWestCenter.org/jefferson
Program Contact: Ann Hartman, jefferson@eastwestcenter.org or (808) 944-7682
Apply Now! Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships
The Jefferson Fellowships provide a three-week seminar and travel program for journalists from the United States and Asia Pacific to deepen their knowledge of regional issues and build international networks. The theme for the Spring 2012 program is “Changing Cities: Innovations for an Urban World” with travel to Honolulu, Singapore, Guangzhou, and Seoul/Songdo. Participants will explore the challenges of urbanization, one of Asia’s most important mega-trends of the next decade, and the innovations and models that are effectively solving current problems and those that will shape the cities of the future. Below is a summary of the program. The application deadline is Wednesday, February 15, 2012.
This special Jefferson Fellowships program will include participation in the East-West Center’s 3rdInternational Media Conference in Seoul, June 22-24, on the theme, “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” Journalists will explore the impact of new media on journalism, broaden their knowledge of Asia Pacific regional issues and expand their network of professional contacts with journalists and experts from across the region.
Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships for Journalists
Dates: June 3-25, 2012
Theme: “Changing Cities: Innovations for an Urban World”
Travel Destinations: Honolulu, Hawaii; Singapore; Guangzhou, China; Seoul/Songdo, South Korea
Who Can Apply: Working print, broadcast, and on-line journalists in the United States, Asia and the Pacific Islands. Five years of experience preferred. English fluency required.
Funding: Airfare, lodging, per diem and most other program expenses are provided through a grant from The Freeman Foundation of Stowe, Vermont. Participants are responsible for a $500 program fee and all applicable visa fees and any additional visa-related expenses. Additional funding is provided by the U.S. Embassy Islamabad for 2 Pakistani journalists. See website for details.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Information and applications: For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit:http://www.eastwestcenter.org/jefferson
Theme: “Changing Cities: Innovations for an Urban World”
Across the Asia Pacific region, a massive demographic shift is underway. For the first time in human history, more people now live in cities than in rural areas. In the next 20 years, the world population will grow from 7 billion to 8.3 billion people. The urban population will grow even faster, from 3.5 billion to 5 billion. Hundreds of cities will be built and expanded to accommodate migration and growth – particularly in India and China. Urbanization has led to expanded economic development, poverty reduction and increased wealth in the Asia Pacific region and cities are centers of knowledge and innovation. But rapidly growing cities across the region have struggled to manage demand for basic services, transportation infrastructure, housing, energy and employment. With humanity's urban footprint set to almost double in just 20 years, there is a new sense of urgency about finding ways to accommodate the future billions in sustainable, efficient and equitable cities that can foster productivity and continued economic growth. Cities, especially in Asia, are thus the focus of intensive efforts to find new approaches to energy efficiency, building design, transportation, waste management, water and sanitation, and energy use. The investments will be huge, and companies around the world see their economic futures tied to solving the social, economic, environmental, and engineering challenges of this urban transformation, which will largely define the 21st century.
The Spring 2012 Jefferson Fellowships will provide journalists from Asia Pacific and the United States with an opportunity to explore this regional mega-trend and the models and innovations that are solving current problems and will be key to managing cities of the future. The Honolulu program will provide a forum for journalists to share perspectives from their countries and communities and gain broad perspectives on urbanization challenges for the U.S. and Asia. Participants will then travel to Singapore, which has developed and implemented some of the world's most advanced solutions to address urbanization challenges such as road congestion, water management and housing, and has positioned itself as a regional hub and “living lab” of urban solutions for high-density and livable cities. In Guangzhou, participants will have a chance to see how China is adapting its existing cities to be more efficient with a new internationally award winning bus rapid transit (BRT) system, by far the largest in Asia and a model for other cities around the world, as well as other efforts to manage migration, pollution and industrialization. Korea is experimenting with “green growth,” setting aggressive low carbon goals, and as the most wired country in the world, is a test bed for new information technologies. Journalists will visit Songdo, an urban laboratory of digital-city innovation providing the focus and investments to re-engineer the way cities work. Companies are investing heavily in “smart cities” and are using Songdo to test new technologies that they hope to employ in cities across the world.
The program will close in Seoul with the special opportunity to participate in the East-West Center’s 3rdInternational Media Conference, June 22-24, on the theme “Networked News: How New Media is Shaping Stories in Asia and the Pacific.” The Conference is expected to draw more than 300 media professionals from around the world to engage with leading journalists, analysts, policymakers and one another through keynotes, panel discussions and workshops. Topics will include new media and its impact on journalism, society, and politics across the region, as well as analysis of current security, economic, energy and international relations issues. There also will be a visit to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea.
The Jefferson Fellowships program provides journalists with the chance to gain on-the-ground perspectives on the most important regional issues; access high-level and important speakers and resources; and engage in three-weeks of intensive study and dialogue with colleagues from across the Asia Pacific region.
For more information about the program and how to apply, please visit our website:
www.EastWestCenter.org/jefferson
Program Contact: Ann Hartman, jefferson@eastwestcenter.org or (808) 944-7682
Apply Now! Deadline: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
03 January 2012
RSF annual overview: 10 most dangerous places for journalists
(RSF/IFEX) - 22 December 2011 - Reporters Without Borders has this year, for the first time, compiled a list of the world's 10 most dangerous places for the media – the 10 cities, districts, squares, provinces or regions where journalists and netizens were particularly exposed to violence and where freedom of information was flouted.
Overall, 2011 took a heavy toll on media freedom. The Arab Spring was at the centre of the news. Of the total of 66 journalists killed in 2011, 20 were killed in the Middle East (twice as many as in 2010). A similar number were killed in Latin America, which is highly exposed to the threat of criminal violence. For the second year running, Pakistan was the single deadliest country with a total of 10 journalists killed, most of them murdered. China, Iran and Eritrea continue to be the world’s biggest prisons for the media.
The Arab Spring, the protest movements it inspired in nearby countries such as Sudan and Azerbaijan, and the street protests in other countries such as Greece, Belarus, Uganda, Chile and the United States were responsible for the dramatic surge in the number of arrests, from 535 in 2010 to 1,044 in 2011. There were many cases of journalists being physically obstructed in the course of their work (by being detained for short periods or being summoned for interrogation), and for the most part they represented attempts by governments to suppress information they found threatening.
The 43 per cent increase in physical attacks on journalists and the 31 per cent increase in arrests of netizens – who are leading targets when they provide information about street demonstrations during media blackouts – were also significant developments in a year of protest. Five netizens were killed in 2011, three of them in Mexico alone.
From Cairo's Tahrir Square to Khuzdar, in southwestern Pakistan, from Mogadishu to the cities of the Philippines, the risks of working as a journalist at times of political instability were highlighted more than ever in 2011. The street was where danger was to be found in 2011, often during demonstrations that led to violent clashes with the security forces or degenerated into open conflict. The 10 places listed by Reporters Without Borders represent extreme cases of censorship of the media and violence against those who tried to provide freely and independently reported news and information.
The 10 most dangerous places for journalists, listed by alphabetical order of country:
Manama, Bahrain
The Bahraini authorities did everything possible to prevent international coverage of the pro-democracy demonstrations in the capital, Manama, denying entry to some foreign reporters, and threatening or attacking other foreign reporters or their local contacts. Bahraini journalists, especially photographers, were detained for periods ranging from several hours to several weeks. Many were tried before military tribunals until the state of emergency imposed on 15 March was lifted. After months of demonstrations, order was finally restored thanks to systematic repression. A blogger jailed by a military court is still in prison and no civilian court ever reviewed his conviction. Bahrain is an example of news censorship that succeeded with the complicity of the international community, which said nothing. A newspaper executive and a netizen paid for this censorship with their lives.
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Abobo, Adjamé, Plateau, Koumassi, Cocody, Yopougon . . . all of these Abidjan neighbourhoods were dangerous places for the media at one stage or another during the first half of 2011. Journalists were stopped at checkpoints, subjected to heavy-handed interrogation or physically attacked. The headquarters of the national TV station, RTI, was the target of airstrikes. A newspaper employee was beaten and hacked to death at the end of February. A Radio Yopougon presenter was the victim of an execution-style killing by members of the Forces Républicaines de Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI) in May. The post-election crisis that led to open war between the supporters of the rival presidential contenders, Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, had a dramatic impact on the safety of journalists. During the Battle of Abidjan, the country’s business capital, at the start of April, it was utterly impossible for journalists to move about the city.
Cairo's Tahrir Square, Egypt
The pro-democracy demonstrations that finally forced Hosni Mubarak to stand down as president on 20 February began at the end of January in Tahrir Square, now the emblem of the Arab Spring uprisings. Foreign journalists were systematically attacked during the incredibly violent first week of February, when an all-out hate campaign was waged against the international media. More than 200 violations were reported. Local journalists were also targeted. The scenario was similar six months later - from 19 to 28 November, in the run-up to parliamentary elections, and on the weekend of 17 and 18 December - during a crackdown on new demonstrations to demand the departure of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Misrata, Libya
After liberating Benghazi, the anti-Gaddafi rebels took Misrata, Libya’s third largest city and a strategic point for launching an offensive on Tripoli. But the regular army staged a counter-offensive and laid siege to the city, cutting it off from the rest of the world and imposing a news and information blockade that lasted many weeks, during which the main road, Tripoli Street, was repeatedly the scene of particularly intense fighting. The Battle of Misrata highlighted the risks that reporters take in war zones. Two of the five journalists killed in Libya in 2011 lost their lives in this city.
Veracruz State, Mexico
Located on the Gulf of Mexico and long dominated by the cartel of the same name, Veracruz state is a hub of all kinds of criminal trade, from drug trafficking to contraband in petroleum products. In 2011, it became the new epicentre of the federal offensive against the cartels and three journalists were killed there in the course of the year. Around 10 others fled the state as a result of the growing threats to freedom of information and because of the inaction or complicity of the authorities in the face of the threats.
Khuzdar, Pakistan
The many cases of journalists who have been threatened or murdered in Khuzdar district, in the southwestern province of Balochistan, is typical of the extreme violence that prevails in this part of Pakistan. The province’s media are caught in the crossfire between the security forces and armed separatists. The murder of Javed Naseer Rind, a former assistant editor of the Daily Tawar newspaper, was the latest example. His body was found on 5 November, nearly three months after he was abducted. An anti-separatist group calling itself the Baloch Musallah Defa Army issued a hit-list at the end of November, naming four journalists as earmarked for assassination.
The Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro metropolitan areas on the islands of Luzon and Mindanao, Philippines
Most of the murders and physical attacks on journalists in the Philippines take place in these three metropolitan areas. The paramilitary groups and private militias responsible were classified as "Predators of Press Freedom" in 2011. The government that took office in July has still not come up with a satisfactory response, so these groups continue to enjoy total impunity that is the result of corruption, links between certain politicians and organized crime, and an insufficiently independent judicial system.
Mogadishu, Somalia
Mogadishu is a deadly capital where journalists are exposed to terrible dangers, including being killed by a bomb or stray bullet or being deliberately targeted by Islamist militias hostile to the news media. Although the Islamist insurgent group Al-Shabaab withdrew from the capital, fighting continues and makes reporting very dangerous. Three Somali journalists were killed in Mogadishu this year, in August, October and December. And a visiting Malaysian cameraman sustained a fatal gunshot injury to the chest in September while accompanying a Malaysian NGO as it was delivering humanitarian assistance.
Deraa, Homs and Damascus, Syria
Deraa and Homs, the two epicentres of the protests against Bashar al-Assad’s regime, have been completely isolated. They and Damascus were especially dangerous for journalists in 2011. The regime has imposed a complete media blackout, refusing to grant visas to foreign reporters and deporting those already in the country. The occasional video footage of the pro-democracy demonstrations that began in March has been filmed by ordinary citizens, who risk their lives to do so. Many have been the victims of arrest, abduction, beatings and torture for transmitting video footage or information about the repression. The mukhabarat (intelligence services), shabihas (militias) and their cyber-army have been used by the regime to identify and harass journalists. Physical violence is very common. Many bloggers and journalists have fled the country. Around 30 journalists are currently believed to be in detention.
Sanaa's Change Square, Yemen
Change Square in Sanaa was the centre of protests against President Ali Abdallah Saleh, and it is there that much of the violence and abuses against journalists took place. Covering the demonstrations and the many bloody clashes with the security forces was dangerous for the media, which were directly targeted by a regime bent on crushing the pro-democracy movement and suppressing coverage of it. Two journalists were killed while covering the demonstrations. Pro-government militias, known as baltajiyas, also carried out punitive raids on the media. Physical violence, destruction of equipment, kidnappings, seizure and destruction of newspapers, and attacks on media offices were all used as part of a policy of systematic violence against media personnel.
2011 in figures:
66 journalists killed (16% more than in 2010)
1,044 journalists arrested
1,959 journalists physically attacked or threatened
499 media censored
71 journalists kidnapped
73 journalists fled their country
5 netizens killed
199 bloggers and netizens arrested
62 bloggers and netizens physically attacked
68 countries subject to Internet censorship
Important notes:
The number of arrested journalists only refers to those who were arrested in 2011. This figure does not cover cases of detentions that started in previous years and went on through 2011.
The number of journalists killed includes only cases in which Reporters Without Borders has clearly established that the victim was killed because of his/her activities as a journalist. It does not include cases in which the motives were not related to the victim’s work or in which a link has not yet been confirmed.
Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
Overall, 2011 took a heavy toll on media freedom. The Arab Spring was at the centre of the news. Of the total of 66 journalists killed in 2011, 20 were killed in the Middle East (twice as many as in 2010). A similar number were killed in Latin America, which is highly exposed to the threat of criminal violence. For the second year running, Pakistan was the single deadliest country with a total of 10 journalists killed, most of them murdered. China, Iran and Eritrea continue to be the world’s biggest prisons for the media.
The Arab Spring, the protest movements it inspired in nearby countries such as Sudan and Azerbaijan, and the street protests in other countries such as Greece, Belarus, Uganda, Chile and the United States were responsible for the dramatic surge in the number of arrests, from 535 in 2010 to 1,044 in 2011. There were many cases of journalists being physically obstructed in the course of their work (by being detained for short periods or being summoned for interrogation), and for the most part they represented attempts by governments to suppress information they found threatening.
The 43 per cent increase in physical attacks on journalists and the 31 per cent increase in arrests of netizens – who are leading targets when they provide information about street demonstrations during media blackouts – were also significant developments in a year of protest. Five netizens were killed in 2011, three of them in Mexico alone.
From Cairo's Tahrir Square to Khuzdar, in southwestern Pakistan, from Mogadishu to the cities of the Philippines, the risks of working as a journalist at times of political instability were highlighted more than ever in 2011. The street was where danger was to be found in 2011, often during demonstrations that led to violent clashes with the security forces or degenerated into open conflict. The 10 places listed by Reporters Without Borders represent extreme cases of censorship of the media and violence against those who tried to provide freely and independently reported news and information.
The 10 most dangerous places for journalists, listed by alphabetical order of country:
Manama, Bahrain
The Bahraini authorities did everything possible to prevent international coverage of the pro-democracy demonstrations in the capital, Manama, denying entry to some foreign reporters, and threatening or attacking other foreign reporters or their local contacts. Bahraini journalists, especially photographers, were detained for periods ranging from several hours to several weeks. Many were tried before military tribunals until the state of emergency imposed on 15 March was lifted. After months of demonstrations, order was finally restored thanks to systematic repression. A blogger jailed by a military court is still in prison and no civilian court ever reviewed his conviction. Bahrain is an example of news censorship that succeeded with the complicity of the international community, which said nothing. A newspaper executive and a netizen paid for this censorship with their lives.
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Abobo, Adjamé, Plateau, Koumassi, Cocody, Yopougon . . . all of these Abidjan neighbourhoods were dangerous places for the media at one stage or another during the first half of 2011. Journalists were stopped at checkpoints, subjected to heavy-handed interrogation or physically attacked. The headquarters of the national TV station, RTI, was the target of airstrikes. A newspaper employee was beaten and hacked to death at the end of February. A Radio Yopougon presenter was the victim of an execution-style killing by members of the Forces Républicaines de Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI) in May. The post-election crisis that led to open war between the supporters of the rival presidential contenders, Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara, had a dramatic impact on the safety of journalists. During the Battle of Abidjan, the country’s business capital, at the start of April, it was utterly impossible for journalists to move about the city.
Cairo's Tahrir Square, Egypt
The pro-democracy demonstrations that finally forced Hosni Mubarak to stand down as president on 20 February began at the end of January in Tahrir Square, now the emblem of the Arab Spring uprisings. Foreign journalists were systematically attacked during the incredibly violent first week of February, when an all-out hate campaign was waged against the international media. More than 200 violations were reported. Local journalists were also targeted. The scenario was similar six months later - from 19 to 28 November, in the run-up to parliamentary elections, and on the weekend of 17 and 18 December - during a crackdown on new demonstrations to demand the departure of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.
Misrata, Libya
After liberating Benghazi, the anti-Gaddafi rebels took Misrata, Libya’s third largest city and a strategic point for launching an offensive on Tripoli. But the regular army staged a counter-offensive and laid siege to the city, cutting it off from the rest of the world and imposing a news and information blockade that lasted many weeks, during which the main road, Tripoli Street, was repeatedly the scene of particularly intense fighting. The Battle of Misrata highlighted the risks that reporters take in war zones. Two of the five journalists killed in Libya in 2011 lost their lives in this city.
Veracruz State, Mexico
Located on the Gulf of Mexico and long dominated by the cartel of the same name, Veracruz state is a hub of all kinds of criminal trade, from drug trafficking to contraband in petroleum products. In 2011, it became the new epicentre of the federal offensive against the cartels and three journalists were killed there in the course of the year. Around 10 others fled the state as a result of the growing threats to freedom of information and because of the inaction or complicity of the authorities in the face of the threats.
Khuzdar, Pakistan
The many cases of journalists who have been threatened or murdered in Khuzdar district, in the southwestern province of Balochistan, is typical of the extreme violence that prevails in this part of Pakistan. The province’s media are caught in the crossfire between the security forces and armed separatists. The murder of Javed Naseer Rind, a former assistant editor of the Daily Tawar newspaper, was the latest example. His body was found on 5 November, nearly three months after he was abducted. An anti-separatist group calling itself the Baloch Musallah Defa Army issued a hit-list at the end of November, naming four journalists as earmarked for assassination.
The Manila, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro metropolitan areas on the islands of Luzon and Mindanao, Philippines
Most of the murders and physical attacks on journalists in the Philippines take place in these three metropolitan areas. The paramilitary groups and private militias responsible were classified as "Predators of Press Freedom" in 2011. The government that took office in July has still not come up with a satisfactory response, so these groups continue to enjoy total impunity that is the result of corruption, links between certain politicians and organized crime, and an insufficiently independent judicial system.
Mogadishu, Somalia
Mogadishu is a deadly capital where journalists are exposed to terrible dangers, including being killed by a bomb or stray bullet or being deliberately targeted by Islamist militias hostile to the news media. Although the Islamist insurgent group Al-Shabaab withdrew from the capital, fighting continues and makes reporting very dangerous. Three Somali journalists were killed in Mogadishu this year, in August, October and December. And a visiting Malaysian cameraman sustained a fatal gunshot injury to the chest in September while accompanying a Malaysian NGO as it was delivering humanitarian assistance.
Deraa, Homs and Damascus, Syria
Deraa and Homs, the two epicentres of the protests against Bashar al-Assad’s regime, have been completely isolated. They and Damascus were especially dangerous for journalists in 2011. The regime has imposed a complete media blackout, refusing to grant visas to foreign reporters and deporting those already in the country. The occasional video footage of the pro-democracy demonstrations that began in March has been filmed by ordinary citizens, who risk their lives to do so. Many have been the victims of arrest, abduction, beatings and torture for transmitting video footage or information about the repression. The mukhabarat (intelligence services), shabihas (militias) and their cyber-army have been used by the regime to identify and harass journalists. Physical violence is very common. Many bloggers and journalists have fled the country. Around 30 journalists are currently believed to be in detention.
Sanaa's Change Square, Yemen
Change Square in Sanaa was the centre of protests against President Ali Abdallah Saleh, and it is there that much of the violence and abuses against journalists took place. Covering the demonstrations and the many bloody clashes with the security forces was dangerous for the media, which were directly targeted by a regime bent on crushing the pro-democracy movement and suppressing coverage of it. Two journalists were killed while covering the demonstrations. Pro-government militias, known as baltajiyas, also carried out punitive raids on the media. Physical violence, destruction of equipment, kidnappings, seizure and destruction of newspapers, and attacks on media offices were all used as part of a policy of systematic violence against media personnel.
2011 in figures:
66 journalists killed (16% more than in 2010)
1,044 journalists arrested
1,959 journalists physically attacked or threatened
499 media censored
71 journalists kidnapped
73 journalists fled their country
5 netizens killed
199 bloggers and netizens arrested
62 bloggers and netizens physically attacked
68 countries subject to Internet censorship
Important notes:
The number of arrested journalists only refers to those who were arrested in 2011. This figure does not cover cases of detentions that started in previous years and went on through 2011.
The number of journalists killed includes only cases in which Reporters Without Borders has clearly established that the victim was killed because of his/her activities as a journalist. It does not include cases in which the motives were not related to the victim’s work or in which a link has not yet been confirmed.
Reporters Without Borders47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
01 January 2012
19 journalists killed in South Asia in 2011
19 journalists killed in South Asia in 2011: SAMC report
The year 2011 was bad for journalists working in South Asia as threat, from both non-state and state elements to their safety, especially in the conflict areas, kept taking its toll on them.
According to the South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) report launched on Friday, working conditions for journalists in Pakistan were more risky against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts in the vast north and south western regions of the country. While militants target them with impunity, fingers are also raised at the role of security agencies in their kidnapping and killing. The total number of journalists killed in South Asia was 17, of which 12 were Pakistanis. In India three and in Afghanistan two deaths were recorded, the report said.
It was also informed in the report that the impunity index of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has ranked Pakistan as the 10th most dangerous country in the world for journalists where the chances of getting away with murders are extremely high.
In 2010, the South Asia Media Monitor reported killings of 19 journalists and one media-worker in South Asia, most of them in the conflict-ridden regions. Pakistan was among the top in the list of the “most dangerous countries”.
The report revealed that eight killings had had a direct link to their work as journalists. Wali Khan Babar from the Geo News TV, Nasrullah Afridi from PTV/Urdu daily Mashriq, Saleem Shahzad from Asia Times Online, Asfandyar Khan from Akhbar-e-Khyber, Shafiullah Khan from The News, Muneer Shakir working for the Online News Network and a television channel Sabzbaat, Faisal Qureshi, the editor for a political news website London Post and Javed Naseer Rind, a senior sub-editor and columnist with the Urdu-language Daily Tawar have become victims of targeted killing, suicide bombing and the wrath of intelligence agencies.
It has not been ascertained whether llyas Nazar, a reporter with the Baloch-language magazine Darwanth, Abdost Rind from Daily Eagle, Rehmatullah Shaheen and Zaman Ibrahim, crime reporter with vernacular Daily Extra News, were targeted due to their journalistic work, the report said.
It said journalists were in increasing danger in the region with repression and violence directed at media workers.
Right to information and Internet activists reporting in blogs, on Facebook or via Twitter increasingly attracted the attention of authorities and of groups tending to violence.
The report said in the outgoing year, many incidents of violence and intimidation of journalists had been reported, involving police, Rangers and various other agencies which sent a message to the media that they better toe the line drawn by the extremists.
Media organisations were not spared from the anger and wrath of many non-state actors. Offices of private TV channels, Multan Press Club and Karachi Press Club were attacked and copies of national dailies were burnt, but no preventive steps were taken to end the violence against media organizations, it was alleged in the report.
Journalists in conflict areas were more vulnerable and exposed to the law enforcement agencies, militant groups and other non-state actors. No proper steps were taken to provide security, insurance and risk coverage by the media houses.
http://southasianmedia.net/Test21/DetailPage.aspx?StoryID=61874
The year 2011 was bad for journalists working in South Asia as threat, from both non-state and state elements to their safety, especially in the conflict areas, kept taking its toll on them.
According to the South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) report launched on Friday, working conditions for journalists in Pakistan were more risky against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts in the vast north and south western regions of the country. While militants target them with impunity, fingers are also raised at the role of security agencies in their kidnapping and killing. The total number of journalists killed in South Asia was 17, of which 12 were Pakistanis. In India three and in Afghanistan two deaths were recorded, the report said.
It was also informed in the report that the impunity index of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has ranked Pakistan as the 10th most dangerous country in the world for journalists where the chances of getting away with murders are extremely high.
In 2010, the South Asia Media Monitor reported killings of 19 journalists and one media-worker in South Asia, most of them in the conflict-ridden regions. Pakistan was among the top in the list of the “most dangerous countries”.
The report revealed that eight killings had had a direct link to their work as journalists. Wali Khan Babar from the Geo News TV, Nasrullah Afridi from PTV/Urdu daily Mashriq, Saleem Shahzad from Asia Times Online, Asfandyar Khan from Akhbar-e-Khyber, Shafiullah Khan from The News, Muneer Shakir working for the Online News Network and a television channel Sabzbaat, Faisal Qureshi, the editor for a political news website London Post and Javed Naseer Rind, a senior sub-editor and columnist with the Urdu-language Daily Tawar have become victims of targeted killing, suicide bombing and the wrath of intelligence agencies.
It has not been ascertained whether llyas Nazar, a reporter with the Baloch-language magazine Darwanth, Abdost Rind from Daily Eagle, Rehmatullah Shaheen and Zaman Ibrahim, crime reporter with vernacular Daily Extra News, were targeted due to their journalistic work, the report said.
It said journalists were in increasing danger in the region with repression and violence directed at media workers.
Right to information and Internet activists reporting in blogs, on Facebook or via Twitter increasingly attracted the attention of authorities and of groups tending to violence.
The report said in the outgoing year, many incidents of violence and intimidation of journalists had been reported, involving police, Rangers and various other agencies which sent a message to the media that they better toe the line drawn by the extremists.
Media organisations were not spared from the anger and wrath of many non-state actors. Offices of private TV channels, Multan Press Club and Karachi Press Club were attacked and copies of national dailies were burnt, but no preventive steps were taken to end the violence against media organizations, it was alleged in the report.
Journalists in conflict areas were more vulnerable and exposed to the law enforcement agencies, militant groups and other non-state actors. No proper steps were taken to provide security, insurance and risk coverage by the media houses.
http://southasianmedia.net/Test21/DetailPage.aspx?StoryID=61874
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