Nepal’s PM angered by arrests in journalist murder case January 9, 2013 Siromani Dhungana Nepal’s prime minister Baburam Bhattarai has reportedly expressed anger over the arrests of individuals allegedly involved in the 2004 murder of journalist Dekendra Thapa in Dailekh, in mid-western Nepal. At an event organised in Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, on Jan 8, PM Bhattarai stated that the government did not support the arrests. In fact, Bhattarai condemned […] Read more »
IPI India Award for Excellence in Journalism goes to The Tribune January 2, 2013 The International Press Institute’s Indian National Committee has named Chandigarh-based English-language newspaper The Tribune as the 2012 recipient of its IPI India Award for Excellence in Journalism. IPI India, in a press release noting the newspaper’s “outstanding journalistic work done during 2011,” specifically recognized Tribune Bureau Chief “Prabhjot Singh’s in-depth series on the looting of […] Read more »
Blog: Despite revolution, press freedom remains under attack in Egypt December 30, 2012 Shahira Amin I was deputy head of Nile TV International. I was also one of the network’s senior anchors and correspondents and I had traveled the world covering major events. Then came the revolution. I was away for the first five days in London attending an EU-sponsored workshop on free expression. I was following closely the events […] Read more »
Bolivian journalist wounded in arson attack returns home after treatment December 14, 2012 Scott Griffen The International Press Institute (IPI) today welcomed news that Bolivian journalist Fernando Vidal was released from an Argentine hospital where he had been treated for third-degree burns suffered during an arson attack in October. Vidal’s son-in-law, Esteban Farfán Romero, informed IPI that the journalist arrived in his hometown of Yacuiba, Bolivia, late at night on […] Read more »
Threat of imminent execution of Ukrainian journalist kidnapped in Syria December 12, 2012 ARTICLE 19, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Press Institute and Reporters Without Borders are deeply concerned that Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva, kidnapped by Syrian rebels in October 2012, is in grave danger of being murdered. Her kidnappers, allegedly members of the Free Syrian Army, have threatened to kill her tomorrow, 13 December 2012, […] Read more »
Syrian Journalists Association: 100 media activists & journalists killed in Syrian conflict December 3, 2012 Naomi Hunt The media freedom committee of the Syrian Journalists Association, with whom the International Press Institute (IPI) has cooperated in its efforts to verify information related to attacks against journalists in Syria, announced that 100 media activists, citizen reporters and journalists have been killed in Syria since the start of the conflict last year. Thirty-six journalists […] Read more »
Egypt set to enshrine press freedom confusion in new Constitution November 30, 2012 Naomi Hunt The 234 articles of Egypt’s new draft constitution have been approved by the country’s constituent assembly, and the charter will now be voted on by the public in a referendum. Proponents have hailed the arrival of a constitution they say enshrines the values of the revolution, but when it comes to journalists’ rights, observers fear […] Read more »
Turkish journalist freed after 3 years in prison November 29, 2012 Steven M. Ellis The International Press Institute (IPI) today welcomed news that journalist and publisher Bedri Adanir, who had been imprisoned in Turkey for nearly three years, has been released. A court in Diyarbakir on Tuesday ordered Adanir, owner of Aram Publishing and a writer for Kurdish daily newspaper Hawar, freed after convicting him of aiding a terrorist […] Read more »
Journalists under attack – a call for action to improve journalists’ safety November 23, 2012 Michael Spindelegger, Vice-Chancellor & Foreign Minister of the Republic of Austria and Alison Bethel McKenzie, Executive Director, The International Press Institute (IPI) Well over 100 journalists have been killed so far this year – the highest number since the International Press Institute (IPI) began keeping count of journalists’ deaths in 1997. All across the world – from Africa, Asia and Europe, to the Middle East and Latin America – journalists continue to be systematically and brutally […] Read more »
IPI urges Bahamas to repeal criminal defamation November 21, 2012 The International Press Institute (IPI) last week sent a letter to Bahamian Prime Minister Perry Christie urging the newly re-elected leader to decriminalise defamation offences and thereby bring the nation’s press-related laws in line with international standards. Under the Bahamian Penal Code, individuals convicted of intentional libel face up to two years in prison. Seditious […] Read more »
Palestinian journalist prosecuted, TV channel seeks justice following Israeli raid November 12, 2012 Nadia Danecek, Naomi Hunt Political commentator Jihad Harb could be prosecuted by the Palestinian Authority for a piece published on a news website, while Palestinian broadcaster Watan TV has turned to the Israeli High Court for justice months after a raid by the Israeli Defense Forces, in which the station’s broadcasting equipment and documents were confiscated. Jihad Harb Jihad […] Read more »
SEEMO observes deterioration of press freedom in Greece November 12, 2012 SEEMO Staff The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), said today that it has registered an increase in attacks and pressure on Greek journalists. “Greek police and courts appear to be slow when investigating and condemning attacks against journalists and extremely fast when detaining media representatives,” SEEMO Secretary […] Read more »
Wave of journalist arrests in Cuba November 12, 2012 Scott Griffen International Press Institute (IPI) World Press Freedom Hero Yoani Sánchez and prominent opposition journalist and attorney Yaremis Flores were among at least 27 Cuban dissidents arrested last week during what observers have called a new “wave of repression” on the Caribbean island. Flores was among a group of independent lawyers detained by authorities last Wednesday. […] Read more »
Press freedom advocate publishes English language report on the ‘Fences of Silence’ in Sudan November 8, 2012 Naomi Hunt If the flow of information and ideas in Sudan is ever to be free, Khartoum will need to change the way it treats journalists and the media, according to a new report by Sudanese journalist and press freedom advocate Abdelgadir Mohammed Abdelgadir. His research, which documents violations of press freedom and freedom of expression that […] Read more »
IPI Board congratules Grenada on decriminalising defamation November 6, 2012 The Executive Board of the International Press Institute (IPI) congratulated Grenadian Prime Minister Tillman Thomas on his government’s partial decriminalisation of defamation in a letter sent last week. Writing on behalf of the other 27 board members, IPI Board Chair and Head of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism – Foundation 19/29 (Russia) Galina Sidorova said […] Read more »
Groups criticize EU’s silence on case against Greek journalist November 2, 2012 The International Press Institute (IPI) and its affiliate, the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), have joined international freedom of expression groups in criticising the European Union’s silence on Greek prosecutors’ decision to appeal the acquittal of a journalist who published a list of names of some 2,000 Greeks who allegedly hold bank accounts in […] Read more »
Another journalist killed in Pakistan’s Balochistan province October 25, 2012 On Oct. 23, unknown assailants gunned down Pakistani journalist Khalid Musa Mengal, a reporter with the daily newspaper Ummat in Turbat, Balochistan province, the Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP) reported. Condemning the murder as a „barbaric act“, RMNP noted that most attacks against journalists are never investigated and go unpunished. Balochistan is the most dangerous […] Read more »
2012 deadliest year for journalists October 23, 2012 IPI Staff This year of continuing change in the world of news media has also been marked by an appalling and disturbing truth: an unprecedented 133 journalists were killed in the line of duty or as a consequence of their reporting in 2012. This year’s figure is the highest since the International Press Institute (IPI) started systematically […] Read more »
IPI Special Report: Criminal defamation laws remain widespread in the Caribbean October 15, 2012 Scott Griffen Where in the Caribbean can journalists be sent to prison for doing their job? The answer: Everywhere. A comprehensive legal review conducted by the International Press Institute (IPI) confirmed that every independent state considered geographically or culturally part of the Caribbean maintains some form of criminal defamation that could result in imprisonment. Of those 16 […] Read more »
IPI expresses concern over proposed changes to Italian defamation law October 12, 2012 Nadia Danecek The International Press Institute (IPI) today expressed concern over proposed amendments to Italy’s defamation law, the latest of which includes imprisonment as a possible penalty for criminal libel. Parliament has been considering changes to Italian defamation law since Italy’s highest tribunal last month upheld Il Giornale editor Alessandro Sallusti’s conviction and 14-month prison sentence for […] Read more »
IPI joins international groups in letter to Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn October 9, 2012 The International Press Institute (IPI) joined nearly thirty organisations in writing to Ethiopia’s new Prime Minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, to ask that his government prioritise human rights reforms, particularly with respect to press freedom and journalism. Over the last year, five journalists were detained and later sentenced to years in prison for “terrorism”, while several others […] Read more »
Italian president weighs in on editor’s conviction in criminal libel case September 28, 2012 Steven M. Ellis The International Press Institute (IPI) today criticised an Italian court’s decision upholding an editor’s 14-month prison sentence for criminal libel, but the press freedom group expressed hope that the decision could lead to long-overdue reforms of Italian defamation law. A statement posted on Italian President Giorgio Napolitano’s website yesterday said that he and Justice Minister […] Read more »
IPI kicks off Oil, Gas & Media Conference September 18, 2012 The International Press Institute (IPI) today kicked off its two-day “Oil, Gas and Media Conference” by calling on the Azerbaijan government to support a free media and to promote greater transparency in the oil and gas sector. More than 170 journalists from 27 countries gathered at Gulustan Palace to open the first-of-its-kind event, which began […] Read more »
International groups express alarm over deteriorating media freedom in Turkey September 17, 2012 Steven M. Ellis The International Press Institute today joined with its Turkish National Committee, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), EFJ affiliate the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikası – TGS) and the Freedom for Journalists Platform (Gazetecilere Özgürlük Platformu – GÖP) to issue a statement expressing alarm over the continuing deterioration of media freedom in Turkey. […] Read more »
As Cairo undergoes democratic transition, media remains at center of struggle for control September 12, 2012 Fatma Elshhati Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi’s Freedom and Justice Party said, as part of its party platform, that it would uphold freedom of the press through the “elimination of government-controlled press institutions.” It also guaranteed that press laws would be amended and the Information Ministry would be abolished along with the statutory Supreme Press Council, whose powers […] Read more »
IPI welcomes announced pardon of Swedish journalists in Ethiopia September 10, 2012 Naomi Hunt The International Press Institute welcomed early reports that two Swedish journalists who have spent more than a year in an Ethiopian prison are to be pardoned, according to news reports. Freelancer Martin Schibbye and photojournalist Johan Persson were arrested in July 2011 while travelling with rebels in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, where separatist insurgents […] Read more »
OP-ED: Criminal defamation laws in the Caribbean are ripe for repeal September 7, 2012 Alison Bethel McKenzie Early this year, Dominican journalist Johnny Alberto Salazar was sentenced to six months in jail for slander and libel. The charges stemmed from Salazar’s on-air comments accusing Pedro Baldera, a local Human Rights Committee official, of “protecting delinquents and people linked to organised crime.” Salazar, an elected council member and well-known local gadfly, said prior […] Read more »
Colombian Supreme Court withdraws defamation charges against two columnists August 28, 2012 Scott Griffen The International Press Institute (IPI) today welcomed the announcement by Colombia’s Supreme Court that it would not pursue criminal defamation charges against two journalists who had written opinion columns critical of the Court. In a statement released yesterday, the Court reiterated its rejection of the criticism contained in the columns, but said “for the sake […] Read more »
Charges dropped against critical Ethiopian editor August 28, 2012 The International Press Institute (IPI) on Tuesday welcomed the news that charges against Ethiopian editor Temesgen Desalegn have been withdrawn, and called for Ethiopia to reform its stance toward the media and free all journalists who are currently in jail for their criticism of official policies, and cease its harassment of Feteh newspaper. Prosecutors sent […] Read more »
Egypt’s President Morsi issues law against media detention August 24, 2012 Fatma Elshhati In his first legislative move as president, Egypt’s Mohamed Morsi passed a law on Thursday banning the pre-trial detention of journalists accused of “publishing offences”. The move came hours after a Giza criminal court decided to place Islam Afifi, chief-editor of Al Dustour newspaper, in preventative custody. Afifi was held last week on charges of […] Read more »
IPI calls for immediate release of Turkish cameraman held in Syria August 24, 2012 The International Press Institute (IPI) today reiterated its call for the immediate release of Turkish journalist Cüneyt Ünal, who was reportedly captured by Syrian loyalist forces on Aug. 20. Ünal, a cameraman with the US-funded Arabic-language satellite station Al Hurra, was reportedly travelling near Aleppo alongside Japanese reporter, Mika Yamamoto, who was killed on Aug. […] Read more »
GUEST BLOG ENTRY: The Media Cold War August 23, 2012 Anne-Marie Slaughter An information war has erupted around the world. The battle lines are drawn between those governments that regard the free flow of information, and the ability to access it, as a matter of fundamental human rights, and those that regard official control of information as a fundamental sovereign prerogative. The contest is being waged institutionally […] Read more »
Egypt prosecutes journalists for ‘insulting’ and ‘inciting murder against’ President Morsi August 16, 2012 Naomi Hunt Egypt will prosecute two journalists for their criticism of newly-elected President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, according to news reports. Tawfiq Okasha, owner of Al Faraeen TV station, is to be tried for “incitement to murder” of the president, while Islam Afifi, chief editor of Al Dustour newspaper, is charged with publishing “false information” […] Read more »