World Press Freedom Day 2006

World Press Freedom Day 2006

FREE EXPRESSION SPOTLIGHT:
1. World Press Freedom Day

IFEX MEMBERS' WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY EVENTS:
2. Africa
3. Americas
4. Asia-Pacific
5. Middle East and North Africa
6. Europe and Central Asia

FREE-EXPRESSION SPOTLIGHT

1. WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY

IFEX members and other free expression advocates around the globe are celebrating World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2006 - a day to remind the world of the crucial role a free press plays in strengthening democracies and fostering development.

Celebrated each year since 1993, when it was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, World Press Freedom Day is an occasion to pay tribute to journalists who have been killed because of their work and to promote the importance of protecting the right to freedom of expression.

As the only U.N. agency dedicated to promoting press freedom and freedom of expression, UNESCO organises an annual prize-giving ceremony and conference to commemorate World Press Freedom Day. This year's events are being held in Colombo, Sri Lanka under the theme "Media, Development and Poverty Eradication."

On 3 May, UNESCO will award Lebanese journalist May Chidiac the 2006 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize. The US $25,000 prize is named after Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano, who was assassinated in 1987 after denouncing the activities of powerful drug barons in his country. It honours the work of an individual or an organization that defends or promotes freedom of expression at great risk to their lives.

Chidiac, a popular television news presenter, survived an assassination attempt on 25 September 2005. She lost her left hand and leg when a bomb strapped to her car detonated minutes after she got in. She has come to be seen as a symbol of freedom of expression in Lebanon, where the assassinations of two colleagues - Lebanese columnist Samir Kassir and newspaper publisher Gebran Tueni - in 2005 shocked the nation.

Today, UNESCO is holding a conference focusing on the importance of maintaining a free press in the context of poverty eradication and the U.N.-led global effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

"Free and independent media serve as a vehicle for sharing information in order to facilitate good governance, generate opportunities to gain access to essential services, promote accountability and counteract corruption, and develop the relationship between an informed, critical and participatory citizenry and responsive elected officials," says UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura.

Matsuura notes that free and independent media are associated with a range of benefits that are highly relevant to poverty eradication, including the recognition and strengthening of basic human rights, a stronger civil society, institutional change, political transparency, support to education, public health awareness (such as education campaigns on HIV and AIDS) and sustainable livelihoods. "There is also a strong positive correlation between freedom of expression and higher incomes, lower infant mortality and increased adult literacy," he adds.

While emphasing the importance of a free media in the context of poverty eradication, UNESCO and other intergovernmental organisations also recognise the dangers facing journalists worldwide who report the news.

In a joint statement released today, four experts who monitor media freedom for the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the Organization for Security for Cooperation in Europe said "in 2005, the world recorded the highest number of journalists and other media professionals, killed or injured in the line of duty."

The experts called on governments to "combat impunity with regard to violence against journalists and media personnel, by bringing to justice those responsible for attacks against them, and by taking measures that enable journalists and media personnel to continue providing information freely and independently." They also demanded that all journalists detained because of their media-related activities should be released immediately.

An ugly reminder of the dangers facing journalists occurred on 2 May, when unidentified gunmen in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, stormed the offices of the Tamil-language newspaper "Uthyan" and opened fire on the staff, reported Free Media Movement (FMM). Two were killed: Mr. Suresh, 35, and Mr. Ranjith, 24. The gunmen also destroyed all the computers in the office (See: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/74135/).

Visit these links:
- IFEX World Press Freedom Day Coverage: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/242/
- UNESCO: http://www.unesco.org/webworld/wpfd/2006
- UNESCO Conference Programme: http://tinyurl.com/jn7yo
- World Press Freedom Prize: http://tinyurl.com/42zjk
- Joint Statement by Media Freedom Experts: http://www.osce.org/documents/html/pdftohtml/18837_en.pdf.html
- UN Millenium Project: http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/
- Millenium Campaign: http://www.millenniumcampaign.org
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IFEX MEMBERS' WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY EVENTS

Every year, IFEX members around the world mark World Press Freedom Day with activities to promote the right to press freedom and freedom of expression, and to raise awareness of threats against journalists, writers and others who are targeted for exercising these rights.

2. AFRICA

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Journaliste en danger (JED) is holding an event in Kinshasa on 2 May to commemorate the deaths of reporter Franck Ngyke Kangundu and his wife Hélène Mpaka, who were murdered last November. At the event, entitled "All Against Forgetting" ("Tous Ensemble contre l'Oubli"), JED will highlight the issue of journalists' safety in the run-up to the June elections.
See: http://www.jed-afrique.org/news.php?id_news=11

In Namibia, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) is launching its annual report "So This Is Democracy? The State of Media Freedom in Southern Africa" in Windhoek on 3 May. For the first time, this year's publication includes reports on six Southern African countries whose press freedom records have been scrutinised using the African Media Barometer, a new monitoring tool developed by MISA and Germany's Friedrich Ebert Stiftung foundation. The Barometer measures press freedom in Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Zambia according to benchmarks derived from the African Union's Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa. Copies of the publication can be ordered from MISA by contacting Eric Libongani: resource@misa.org or libongani@misa.org. It can also be downloaded here: http://www.misa.org/sothisisdemocracy.html

In Nigeria, Media Rights Agenda and the United Nations Information Centre are jointly hosting a conference in Lagos on 3 May, under the theme "Ensuring Good Governance through Citizen Participation: the Role of the Media." The conference brings together journalists, civil society activists and other stakeholders in Nigeria to debate various issues relating to good governance, including citizen participation in governance and the role of the media in ensuring the free flow of information. Mr. Odia Ofeimun - one of Nigeria's foremost poets and political activists - will be guest speaker at the conference.
See: http://mediarightsagenda.org/index.html

3. AMERICAS

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is hosting a panel discussion in Toronto, Canada, to discuss the aftermath of the Danish cartoon controversy. "Drawing Controversy - the Mohammed Cartoons" will look at how the controversy has affected free expression and multiculturalism in Canada and around the world. The panel includes experts from the media, academia and civil society.
See: http://www.cjfe.org/eng/about/events.html

In Montreal, Canada, the Federation of Quebec Journalists (Fédération professionelle des journalistes du Québec, FPJQ) held a roundtable discussion on 29 April 2006, featuring war correspondents from Radio-Canada, "La Presse" and Canadian Press. The discussion examined local media coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the challenges of reporting impartially in wartime.
See: http://www.fpjq.org/

In Mexico, the National Centre for Social Communication (Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social, CENCOS) is co-sponsoring a three-day seminar in San Luis Potosí on 3-5 May. Organised by the European Union-Mexico Commission's Human Rights Co-operation Programme, the seminar will bring together journalists, academics, civil society activists and public officials to assess the state of free expression in Mexico and discuss ways of bringing laws into line with international standards.
See: http://www.pdhumanos.org/actividades/eventos/programa.html

The Inter American Press Association will be celebrating 3 May in Brasilia, where it will hold a conference on press freedom and a ceremony where President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will sign the Declaration of Chapultepec. The signing of the Declaration, a non-binding charter of press freedom principles, re-affirms the Brazilian government's commitment to the principles, which were first signed by former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso in August 1996. The conference is expected to bring together more than 100 congress members, jurists, publishers and editors to analyse barriers to press freedom in Brazil, including criminal defamation laws and an Access to Information bill that has been stalled in the lower house.
See: http://www.sipiapa.org

The Committee to Protect Journalists has released its list of the 10 Most Censored Countries in the world to focus attention on the state of press freedom in the darkest corners of the globe. North Korea tops this year's list, followed by Burma, Turkmenistan, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Eritrea, Cuba, Uzbekistan, Syria, and Belarus.
The report is available here: http://www.cpj.org/censored/index.html

Freedom House is marking World Press Freedom Day by launching "Freedom of the Press 2006: A Global Survey of Media Independence." The survey assesses the degree of print, broadcast and Internet freedom in every country in the world. This year's report indicates that press freedom declined most significantly in the following countries: East Timor, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand, Uganda, Botswana, Ethiopia, Russia and Uzbekistan.
See: http://www.freedomhouse.org/

The World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC) has issued a statement for World Press Freedom Day, saying, "The time is long past for the international community to rededicate itself to implementing the standing promise since 1948 of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."
See: http://www.wpfc.org/StatementsWPFD2006.html

4. ASIA-PACIFIC

In the Philippines, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) has joined several media organisations and press freedom advocates in releasing a joint statement expressing concern over increasing government intervention on press coverage in the country. The groups said journalists and media outlets that take a more critical stance on the government have come under pressure, citing recent cases in which the ABS-CBN television network and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism were the targets of government probes.
See: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/74130/

The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and its network of member organisations in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga are celebrating 3 May by highlighting UNESCO's theme of "Media and Poverty Eradication." In Fiji, the Fiji Media Council is hosting a talk on the impact of new media technologies on press freedom. In Papua New Guinea, the Papua New Guinea Media Council is holding a week-long series of events from 29 April to 3 May in partnership with the University of Papua New Guinea. The highlight is an exhibition showcasing the history of media in Papua New Guinea and the role of media in eradicating poverty.

The Journalist Association of Samoa celebrates 3 May with a student debate that will judge participants on their ability to argue the merits of press freedom in alleviating poverty. Members of the public will also be invited to comment on the debate and the debate issues. In Tonga, the Media Council of Tonga is inviting high school students to submit entries for a competition that will judge the best essay on the importance of freedom of expression. The five best essays will be selected for presentation at a 3 May event where prizes will be awarded to the winners. The winning essays will be published in print media and broadcast on radio and television.
See: http://www.pinanius.com/news/publish/article_3146.shtml

In Karachi, the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) is holding a seminar on 3 May entitled "Media, Development and Poverty Eradication." A panel of experts will talk about the connection between the media's role in providing access to information and poverty eradication measures that empower the poor. The panel will include representatives of the Citizens Media Commission, the newspaper "Dawn" and the Research Institute of Islamic Banking & Finance.
See: http://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/

The International Federation of Journalists' Asia-Pacific office is releasing its fourth annual South Asia Press Freedom Report on 3 May, in partnership with the South Asia Media Solidarity Network and with the support of UNESCO. "Journalism in Troubled Times: The Struggle for Press Freedom in South Asia highlights the plight of journalists throughout South Asia.
See: http://www.ifj-asia.org/

In Australia, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) has published "The Media Muzzled", a report on press freedom in Australia. The report argues that governments, courts, police and corporations over the past year have openly violated free expression rights to manipulate, hide and block the release of information into the public domain. The report can be downloaded here: http://www.alliance.org.au/images/stories/pdf/2006_press_freedom_report.pdf

5. EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA

In Moldova, the Independent Journalism Center (IJC) is holding a series of events in Chisinau during the week of 1-5 May. On 2 May, IJC will officially announce the opening of the IJC Graduate Journalism Programme in partnership with the Missouri School of Journalism. On 4 May, it will host a Media Fair involving a public exhibit and public debate on press freedom, and hold a meeting of the Chisinau Press Club in partnership with the Moldovan Press Freedom Committee. On 5 May, IJC will hold a workshop on investigative journalism and press freedom.
See: http://www.ijc.md/en/

In Romania, transparency, quality and responsibility are the key words highlighting World Press Freedom Day events organised by several groups, including the Center for Independent Journalism (CIJ), a member of the South East European network for the Professionalization of the Media (SEENPM). On 3 May, the CIJ will launch the Romanian Media Index, the first online database containing information on media ownership in the country.
See: http://www.mediaindex.ro

On the same day, a Media Camp will be set up in University Square, Bucharest, where more than 20 media organisations will host displays and a photography exhibition, and invite members of the public to meet journalists. The day will end with the traditional Journalists’ Party, during which the organizers will award prizes for the "most harassed journalists," as well as "anti-prizes" for the "most consistent harassers" of the press.
See: http://www.cji.ro/

On 2 May, a debate will be held by the Convention of Media Organizations, an alliance of over 30 journalists associations, trade unions and media organisations. The debate will discuss how the media reflects and serves the public interest, and whether the proposed national security and access to information laws currently being considered in Romania respect international free expression standards.

The International Press Institute (IPI) is commemorating journalists who were killed in the line of duty in 2005. IPI said in a statement that "World Press Freedom Day is a day to remember that when a journalist is killed the public risks the loss of valuable information beneficial to society. The authorities must investigate these violent crimes properly and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. There should also be greater awareness of the relationship between the free flow of information and the essential work carried out by journalists."
See: http://www.freemedia.at/Protests2006/pr_WPFD03.05.06.htm

In Belgium, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is holding a press conference on 3 May at the European Parliament in Brussels that will be dedicated to press freedom in Algeria. The IFJ says there have been numerous attacks on press freedom in the country since the re-election of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in 2004. More than 20 journalists have been sentenced to prison in the past two years, and dozens of other journalists have been given suspended sentences, forcing them to censor their own work to avoid being sent to jail. The press conference will provide information on the state of media control and intimidation in Algeria and include a question and answer period.
See: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3872&Language=EN

In France, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) is launching a book of photographs - "Gilles Caron for Press Freedom" - to raise funds for its press freedom work and to showcase the work of the French photographer who disappeared in Cambodia in the 1970s. RSF is also publishing its 2006 Annual Report, which profiles the state of press freedom in 105 countries.
See: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17537

The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) invites newspapers around the world to download its free World Press Freedom Day package of editorial and advertising materials on 3 May. The package contains essays, opinion pieces, interviews, infographics, editorial cartoons, photographs, advertisements and video clips that focus on the theme "Don't Lock Up Information: Stop Jailing Journalists." The materials are available, free of charge, in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Chinese and Arabic.
See: http://www.worldpressfreedomday.org

6. MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR), the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) and the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information
(HRinfo) are hosting a forum on 3 May in Cairo, Egypt, entitled "What is the Arab World's Loss in Keeping Imprisonment in Publishing Cases?" The event is organised in collaboration with the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate (EJS) and the Committee to Protect Journalists. The first part of the forum will examine cases where journalists in various countries have been jailed for press offences, including Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen. Speakers will include Gamal Fahmy of the EJS, Neziha Rejeiba, editor-in-chief of the banned Tunisian online magazine "Kalima", and Fatiha Ben Chico, wife of the imprisoned editor-in-chief of the Algerian newspaper "Le Matin", Mohammed Ben Chico. The second part of the forum will focus on possible solutions to the problem.
See: http://www.eohr.org/press/2006/pr0430.shtml or http://www.hrinfo.net/press/2006/pr0430.shtml

In Lebanon, Maharat Foundation (Skills Foundation) is holding an event on 3 May in collaboration with UNESCO, entitled "The Martyrs of the Lebanese Press (1906-2006), 100 years of Red Ink." The event is sponsored by the IFEX Clearing House's Outreach Programme with funds from the Open Society Institute (OSI). A torch-lighting ceremony will commemorate the murder last December of "An-Nahar" newspaper publisher Gebran Tueni. A new book profiling Tueni and other journalists murdered in Lebanon in the past decade will also be launched. The event will also feature a talk by Sihem Ben Sidrine, Secretary General of the Observatory for Freedom of the Press, Publishing and Creation (Observatoire pour la liberté de presse, d'édition et de creation, OLPEC), who will speak about free expression violations in Tunisia, including the ongoing imprisonment of dissident lawyer Mohammed Abbou.
See: http://www.maharatfoundation.org/

In Iraq, the Iraqi Journalists Rights Defense Association, supported by the IFEX Clearing House's Outreach Programme and the Open Society Institute, will be holding an event in Baghdad to express support for missing journalists Reem Zaid and Marwan Khazaal, who were abducted on 1 February 2006. Participants will discuss possible strategies for lobbying the government to take up their cases as a priority. The event will also feature first hand accounts from journalists who have been detained, tortured or imprisoned in Iraq, and accounts from families of those killed.
See: http://www.ijrda.com/prees/

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The "IFEX Communiqué" is published weekly by the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX). IFEX is managed by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (www.cjfe.org) on behalf of the network's 72 member organisations.

The views expressed in the "IFEX Communiqué" are the responsibility of the sources to which they are attributed.

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