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Shadow of 9/11 attacks hangs over journalism,
IFJ statement
DATELINE: 3/5/11
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) marks this year's World Press Freedom Day by focusing on the legacy of the terrorist attacks on 11 September in New York and Washington ten years ago. The Federation plans to launch a major campaign - Journalism in the Shadow of Terror- to consider the impact of those terrible events and to call for a reversal of the tide of legal and official intimidation of journalism and attacks on civil liberties that has followed the events of 2001.
"The last ten years have seen an alarming erosion of press freedom as governments adopted a hard line in the fight against terror," said Jim Boumelha, IFJ President. "There is no doubt that journalists have been among the prominent victims of a widespread assault on the democratic rights of all citizens and this has to change."
The IFJ says that the laws introduced in the wake of the attacks of 11 September in America such as restrictions of movement and the right to investigate public authorities and to report and to publish freely have reduced the rights of journalists. The Federation is calling for a fresh debate on the new information landscape and how governments are responding to the challenge of groups such Wikileaks in exposing government secrets and the impact this has on journalism.
The IFJ says there is a need to review the security legislation and its impact on the work of journalists and has called on its affiliates to promote the campaign in their annual activities and events this year.
These events highlight pressing issues for journalists in their communities, countries and regions. In Africa, the focus is on the campaign to secure the release of detained journalists in Eritrea and to lobby the African Commission on Human and People's Rights in Banjul with a view to adopting a Declaration on the safety of journalists.
In Asia Pacific region, activities will feature mainly the issue of press freedom in South East Asia and the continuing fight against impunity in the Philippines.
In Latin America, Chile will be the centre of the regional celebrations of World Press Freedom Day with important events taking place in Santiago, including an international conference on media and democracy as well the publication of a report on media concentration.
Events in Europe will highlight the impact of anti- terror legislation on the work of journalists, particularly photojournalists who are denied the right to take photographs in some popular public places in London. The same theme will be debated in Italy where a public debate on journalism under the shadow of terror as well as on the uprising in North Africa will be held and in the Netherlands during a Press Freedom Lecture entitled Openess v. Security in Amsterdam.
Following the IFJ regional meeting on the Arab world and the Middle East held in Casablanca, Morocco, in the wake of recent popular uprising, the affiliates in the region are planning activities to promote the IFJ campaign for solidarity with Journalists on the frontline of the Arab spring.
"The range of concerns being raised by journalists around the world shows press freedom still faces formidable challenges," said Elisabeth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. "We therefore need to redouble our efforts and remain organised and united to defend our members' interests."
For details on all these activities, please visit: http://www.ifj.org/en/pages/ifj-global-world-press-freedom-day-2011
Last modified: Tuesday, May 3, 2011
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Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
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Previous stories
International
Gareth Peirce speaks on Bradley Manning
Democratic abuses in Azerbaijan
IFJ mourns death of two photojournalists in Libya
Plea to WikiLeaks: access for all journalists; end exclusive deals
Personal security of journalists in Europe - a serious concern
EU lawmaker exhibits lobbying offers amid corruption scandal
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EFJ calls for "radical surgery" not cosmetics on Hungary's media law
Free to view football - Commission welcomes Court ruling
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IFJ condemns "desperate tactics" as Egypt targets media
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Vanunu case: Solitary confinement is cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment
WikiLeaks founder breaks cover in Brussels
Strong media freedom laws erupt in Iceland
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