For the first time, media organizations in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal are coming together to report about the killings, attacks, harassment, and intimidation of journalists in these South Asian countries. It is the first such collaboration by media outlets in the region.
PARTNER MEDIA ORGANISATIONS
South Asia: Why is press freedom important for democracy?
To commemorate World Press Freedom Day 2022, members of the South Asia Editors’ Circle, a group of editors from top online and print outlets across South Asia, tell us why freedom of the press is essential for democracy.
“Everyone should care about press freedom because the press cares about everyone’s freedom. The press stands with the underdog.
A world without press freedom is a lesser world.”
Jayaschandran VS. senior editor at The Week (India)
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03.5.2022
To mark World Press Freedom Day 2022, IPI’s media partners in the South Asia Cross-borde…
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Mahfuz Anam
Editor
The Daily Star, Bangladesh
“South Asia has witnessed a rapid decline in press freedom and safety of journalists. At least seven journalists have been killed in the four countries this year and investigations in earlier killings remain pending. Governments have brought in laws and used draconian acts to stifle press freedom. The collaboration between publications in the region will shed light on this grave situation and allow us to highlight the challenges that we journalists face. The Daily Star looks forward to working together with partners in this endeavour.”
V.S. Jayaschandran
Editor-in-Charge
The Week, India
“THE WEEK magazine considers it a sacred obligation to be part of a thoughtful media partnership with IPI and UNESCO to investigate attacks against journalists in South Asia along with three other publications in the region. THE WEEK has been proud of standing by courageous journalists who risk their lives for truth and freedom, both of which are vital to the magazine’s own existence as an honest and unbiased publication, as well as to the growth of good journalism in India, a country that has seen a number of attempts at silencing journalists in modern times. THE WEEK feels this sense of responsibility all the more acutely, because it is India’s largest circulated English newsmagazine audited by ABC and because it is proud of being part of a 132-year-old media group, Malayala Manorama, that spoke against tyranny and was proscribed for nine years during the Indian independence movement.”
Zaffar Abbas
Editor
Dawn, Pakistan
“This cross-border collaboration is an excellent initiative. Safety of journalists is a common cause for all of us, and I am quite confident that together we will be able to highlight the issue of threat to journalists and journalism not just in our own countries but in the whole of South Asia.”
Guna Raj Luintel
Editor-in-Chief
Nagarik, Nepal
“It’s an important and timely effort to highlight the issue of safety of journalists in South Asia. I see it as an opportunity to reflect on difficulties of doing journalism. Happy to be part of the initiative.”
PROJECT SUPPORTERS
