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MEXICO: Mexican journalists take part in a demonstration protesting against the murder of photojournalist Ruben Espinosa, Mexico, August 4, 2015. Pedro PARDO/AFP
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# Editorial – IFJ Newsletter - October 2015
In its Editorial of 15 September 2015, the New York Times quoted the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on the statistics of journalists killed in 2014 , with Pakistan on the top of the most dangerous country in the world for journalists. Some 14 colleagues lost their lives last year whilst conducting their mission to inform. Just like the other 104 in 2014, they were killed because they were journalists. More
Beth Costa
IFJ General Secretary
Anthony Bellanger
IFJ Deputy General Secretary
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#Global news
IFJ- EFJ- ITUC and ETUC letter to Turkish President denounces “unprecedented pressure” against journalists
In a letter sent to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the IFJ, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the European Trade Union confederation (ETUC) call for urgent reforms to ensure that Turkey’s media is able to recover its position as an effective profession that is independent, pluralistic and in the service of the public interest. More
©TGS
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Fifteen cases reported to CoE Platform to promote the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists
The IFJ and the EFJ jointly submitted 15 cases of journalists’ rights violations in the last three months to the Platform of the Council of Europe for the promotion of journalism and the safety of journalists. They concerned cases of violent incidents, threats and other restrictions on journalists which occurred in Italy, Germany, Macedonia, Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. The IFJ and EFJ are among five official partners of the Council of Europe on the Platform which was launched in April 2015. The federations have submitted over 60 alerts of 77 published on the Platform so far.
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IFJ Safety Fund: more than 10 000 euro spent on assisting journalists
The IFJ International Safety Fund has paid out more than 10.000 Euro in assistance to journalists in need between July – September 2015. The beneficiaries included journalists from Burundi, Yemen, South Soudan, Somalia and Palestine. For money to get out, it needs to come in. The Fund rely on IFJ affiliates’ and their members’ contributions to remain a lifeline to so many journalists who desperately need help and support. Please visit http://ifj-safety.org/en/contents/the-ifj-safety-fund for more information on how to contribute to the Fund.
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International press freedom organisations call on Burundi authorities to investigate attacks on journalists
A group of press freedom, media development and human rights organisations including the IFJ denounced the continued attacks on and threats to journalists, media workers and human rights defenders in a letter addressed to Burundi authorities. The organisations expressed their deep concern over the continued closure of independent media outlets and the consequent lack of access to reliable information in Burundi. More
© Phil Moore/AFP
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#Regional news
Asia Pacific- Freedom of expression under attack in Bangladesh
This year four secular bloggers and a journalist have been killed in brutal attacks, with threats against others at an all-time high. American-Bangladeshi writer and blogger, Avijit Roy was brutally hacked to death in Dhaka in February. Secular blogger, Md Oyasiqur Rahman Babu, was killed as he went to work in Dhaka in March. In May, Ananta Roy was killed by Islamist extremists in Sylhet in north-eastern Bangladesh. In August, Niloy Neel was brutally killed when four men stormed his home. In July, Bangladeshi journalist Abu Sayeem was hacked to death in his home. More
© MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP – protests following the murder of blogger Niloy Neel
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Asia-Pacific- Journalists cleared of defamation charges in Thailand
On Tuesday, September 1, Thai journalist Chutima Sidasathian and Australian journalist Alan Morison, of news website Phuketwan, were acquitted by the Phuket Provincial Court of all criminal defamation charges. In the ruling the judge, His Honour Justice Chaipthawat Chaya-ananphat, also said that it was not appropriate for authorities to use the Computer Crimes Act as a way of punishing journalists for defamation as this law relates to hacking and malicious software. More
© PORNCHAI KITTIWONGSAKUL/AFP
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Asia-Pacific- Digital Campaign workshops take place across South Asia
Through July and August, the IFJ rolled out its Digital Campaign workshop training as part of the UNDEF South Asia Media Freedom for Democracy project. The workshops, which so far, have taken place in Sri Lanka, India and Nepal as well as a regional training, have provided digital campaign skills trainings for over 100 journalists. More
See photos from the trainings here and here.
© IFJ AP
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Europe - EFJ launches studies on freelance journalists and digital media
The EFJ and its Freelance Expert Group (FREG) launched an online survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/?sm=K8w5D9XqKLv3X358hVPVGg%3d%3d to gather data on European freelance journalists, their economic and social status and their role within unions.The EFJ and its Expert Group on Digital Media (CONEG) also launched a survey to map the working conditions of online media workers in order to shape union policy. The survey also aims to find ways to recruit online media workers. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Y2ZZ2HQ
© Martin Bureau/AFP
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Latin America - Six crimes against journalists in the second quarter of the year
The second quarter of 2015 ended with a total of six deaths among Latin American journalists.They were killed as a direct result of their journalism work. They are Filadelfo Sánchez Sarmiento, Juan Mendoza Delgado, Rubén Espinosa and Adrián Martínez López from Mexico, Gledyson Carvalho, from Brazil and Flor Alba Nuñez, from Colombia. More
Mexican journalists take part in a demonstration protesting against the murder of photojournalist Ruben Espinosa, Mexico, 4 August 2015. © Pedro PARDO.
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Latin America - Union and security reinforcement for journalists in Mexico
As part of the triennial project aiming to empower Mexican journalists and press workers to generate conditions of security, labour and union rights and in order to develop a federal position for the SNRP, two activities were undertaken during this quarter in the states of Toluca and Guerrero. More
© SNRP
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Latin America - Gender and media seminar held in Argentina
On 4 and 5 September a seminar was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Gender and Media, in the framework of the triennial project for the promotion of gender equality through the activation of the Latin American journalism trade unions. The debate focused on the need to establish journalism with a gender perspective, analysing the presence of gender stereotypes and roles constructed in the media and observing the situation of violence and discrimination present in both the content of news bulletins and in editorials. More
© IFJ
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Latin America - Workshop on Collective Bargaining in the Dominican Republic
The IFJ held a workshop on collective bargaining together with the Dominican National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) from 14 to 16 August. The conclusions drawn at the end of the workshop included the decision to draft a manifesto as a union action plan, requiring media companies, as part of the collective bargaining or as a specific, separate demand, to contract life assurance to protect workers against the risks of the profession. More
© SNTP
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Arab World and Middle East - IFJ Holds Safety Training in Rafah
The IFJ organised a three-day safety training for journalists and media workers in the city of Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza strip at the Egyptian borders. Fourteen journalists, including 7 women, were trained on safety and first aid in conflict zones on 24-25 and 26 August 2015.
This training forms part of the regional “safety for journalists” programme funded by the Norwegian ministry of Foreign affairs. More
© Sarhan Hassan
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Arab World and Middle East - IFJ runs ToT safety training in Cairo
Eight participants from Egypt, Mauritania, Iraq, Sudan and Yemen are taking part in the IFJ's new round of train the trainer (ToT) sessions on safety in Cairo, Egypt from 28 September to the 12 October 2015.
The TOT aims to develop the training skills of journalists and other media professionals to qualify as safety trainers and provide support and assistance to other journalists and media workers from their country and/or region. More
© IFJ
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#Campaigns
End impunity!
Little progress has been made over recent years in bringing to justice those who target media professionals, thereby endangering freedom of the press throughout the world. The IFJ and its affiliates will call on governments to account for the impunity all too often extended to those who intimidate, threaten, attack and murder our colleagues across the world. The campaign will run from 2-23 November. More
© IFJ
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End oppression and incitement against Yemen journalists
The safety of journalists in Yemen has drastically deteriorated since the start of 2015 amid fighting between the Houthi rebels and the Saudi-led coalition. Urgent measures need to be taken following the Houthis’ occupation of media houses in the capital, Sana’a, forcing journalists to either leave or to follow the Houthis editorial line. Most reporters have fled Sana’a as the increasingly precarious and hostile atmosphere towards independent journalists grew. Join the campaign to support our Yemeni colleagues. More
© IFJ
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Turkey: set journalists free
Turkey’s journalists call for solidarity in struggle for their right to report
During a conference hosted by the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) and the Journalists Association of Turkey (TGC) on 17-18 September leading journalists from across the political spectrum united in condemning the surge in attacks on press freedom led by the government in recent weeks. Participants recounted how, since the inconclusive June elections and the relaunch of the conflict with the PKK in July, journalists and media have come under sustained assault from the government and their supporters. More
Frederike Geerdink, Dutch journalist recently deported from Turkey, also participated to the conference using teleconference. © MK/IFJ/EFJ
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Time to order your IPC! It gets you wherever the story takes you
Instantly recognisable throughout the world, the international press card is the only card of its kind to be accepted by national associations of journalists in over 130 countries. A free pass, symbol of journalistic solidarity and assistance throughout the world… Tell your members about the numerous advantages of the IPC! Order your cards now! All information and visuals from the campaign are available here.
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#Looking ahead- Calendar
- 6-7 october IFEX General Meeting
- 10.11 october Freedom of Association Campaign in Eastern Europe, Belgrade, Serbia
- 15-16 october ‘Youth recruitment and future union strategies for media workers’ meeting – Thailand
- 17 October Union leadership training – Thailand
- 22-23 october, Worskhsop on collective bargaining, Paraguay
- 24-25 october IFJ Executive committee meeting, Brussels
- 7.8 November, Workshop on collective bargaining, Brazil
- 9-12 November IFRRO World Congress, Mexico
- 20 November IFJ/EFJ Authors’ rights Expert group meeting, Brussels
- 9-10 December: Global Alliance on Media And Gender (GAMAG) General Assembly
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Director of publication: Beth Costa
Editor-in-chief: Anthony Bellanger
Editor: Pamela Morinière
Contributors: Alex Hearne, Mehmet Koksal, Oliver Money-Kyrle, Esti Ortiz, Ernest Sagaga, Nisrine Salameh, Belén Wildner, Yuklan Wong.
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