Freedom of Expression – Page 222 – Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety

November 30, 2018

PPF condemns closure of Radio Iriba FM in Bukavu, Congo

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Bruno Tshibala, Prime Minister of Democratic Republic of the Congo has expressed concern over the closure of Radio Iriba FM, station in Bukavu, city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter, condemned the closure of radio station and called on the authorities to immediately reopen the station.

According to Journaliste en Danger (JED), judicial police along with group of officers of the Congolese National Police raided the radio station in the evening of November 28. The officers forced the journalists present at the station to stop broadcasting and sealed the station.

Soon after getting informed, the Director of Radio Iriba FM, Prisca Bukaraba visited prosecutor’s office to find out the exact reason for the closure of station.

November 29, 2018

Banned literature case: ATC grants journalist Nasarullah Khan bail

An antiterrorism court (ATC) on Wednesday accepted the bail of journalist Nasarullah Khan Chaudhry who has been in police custody for allegedly possessing banned literature.

According to the Counter-terrorism Department (CTD), it arrested Chaudhry, a journalist associated with Urdu-language daily Nai Baat, in Karachi’s Garden area on Nov 11. The agency alleged that the journalist was carrying some journals and booklets about Afghan Jihad and the Punjabi Taliban which contained material intended to sow discord on sectarian grounds as well as to motivate people to take part in “Jihad”.

In today’s hearing, the journalist’s lawyer, Advocate Muhammad Farooq, argued that the CTD did not have any proof against his client. The court ordered the journalist to submit Rs100,000 as a bail bond. Chaudhry was first remanded into police custody on November 12.

The CTD booked the journalist under Section 11-F (i) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 (a person is guilty of an offence if he belongs, or professes to belong, to a proscribed organisation), Section 11-W(i) (printing, publishing or disseminating any material to incite hatred or giving projection to any person convicted for a terrorist act or any proscribed organisation or an organisation placed under observation or anyone concerned in terrorism) and Section 7.

Dawn

November 29, 2018

PPF concerned over assault on journalist in Colombo, Srilanka

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka has expressed concern over the assault on a journalist in Colombo.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter has called on the Srilankan authorities to immediately investigate the incident and hold those responsible for attacking a journalist. PPF also urged the government to provide safe and secure environment for journalists working in the line of duty.

According to the Free Media Movement (FMM), Indika Handuwala, a journalist and photographer of newly launched daily newspaper was assaulted by a security officer of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravindra Wijegunaratne on November 28.

The journalist was covering the presence of Wijegunaratne at Fort Magistrate Court in Colombo, regarding the case on the abduction of 11 youngsters.

During his tenure of Office in December 2016, the current Chief of the Defense who is also a commanding officer in the Sri Lankan Navy, was accused of attacking and threatening a journalist who had gone to cover a Citizens protest at the Hambantota Port. The trial was later settled over a judiciary decision after the convict apologized for his act.

November 29, 2018

PPF condemns threats against reporter in Brazil

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Michel Temer, President of Brazil has expressed concern over threats to reporter of Roma News Portal.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter has called on the Brazilian authorities to immediately investigate the matter and hold the officers involved in threatening a journalist.

According to Brazilian Association for Investigative Journalism (ABRAJI), the journalist, whose identity was not disclosed for security reasons was threatened by the officers of Military Police of Para while covering the match between Paysandu and Atlético-GO.

On November 24, while the reporter was taking views of the supporters about the match, the officers threatened him to stop covering the event, else they will shoot him with a rubber bullet.

The News Portal is still figuring out what steps to take in the case as a formal complaint will reveal reporter’s identification and incite the reprisals.

The statement of Military Police of Pará stated that, “the Battalion Police connected to the Specialized Police Command has already taken notice of the incident.”

November 27, 2018

PPF condemns Russia’s ban on entry of journalist in the country

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of Russia has expressed concern over the ban on the entry of Ukrainian freelance journalist Alyona Savchuk to Crimea and Russia.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter has called on the Russian authorities and security services to immediately lift ban on Alyona Savchuk and stop targeting journalists in the line of duty.

According to Institute of Mass Information, the Russian federal security service, FSB has banned Savchuk from entering occupied Crimea and Russia for 10 years, till 28 of August 2028. The security service claimed that the journalist poses a threat to Russia’s defense capability, security or public order.

The FSB officers interrogated the journalist for about 40 minutes, took her finger-prints, but did not explain the reason for banning journalist and in what way she is a threat for the security of the Russian Federation.

For several years Savchuk has been reporting the facts of harassment of Crimean Tatars activists and politically motivated trials in Crimea.

November 27, 2018

PFUJ forms NAC to fight for workers’ rights

Three factions of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Monday constituted a National Action Committee to fight for the media workers’ rights, including delay in salaries, retrenchment and freedom of the press.

“We will not allow the government and media owners to target the workers,” said the representatives of all the three factions of the PFUJ during a meeting at the Karachi Press Club.

The NAC, comprising president and secretary generals of all three PFUJs, Afzal Butt, Ayub Jan Sarhandi, Rana Azeem, GM Jamali, Nawaz Raza and Sohail Afzal Khan, would meet Prime Minister Imran Khan, the federal information minister, all media owners, APNS, CPNE and PBA to express their concern over the deteriorating situation in the media industry.

The meeting resolved that the present media crisis had threatened the freedom of press and basic, fundamental, economic and labour rights of over 25,000 media workers all over Pakistan.

The Express Tribune

November 26, 2018

Human rights through Cinematography Film Festival

Islamabad: Dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the opening ceremony of the 4th edition of Human Rights through Cinematography Film Festival was held at Pakistan National Council of Arts, (PNCA) on Sunday. Running from November 25th to December 10th, the film festival is led by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations in partnership with a large number of member states of the EU, Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services, Centaurus Cineplex and educational and cultural institutions.

The opening ceremony featured the screening of ‘Freedom for the Wolf,’ an epic investigation into what the filmmaker Rupert Russel terms as ‘illiberal democracies’ and how elected leaders of the new generation are dismantling freedom and democracies as we know it.

After the screening, MNA, Maleeka Bokhari, academic and journalist Harris Khalique and human rights activist Marvi Sirmed participated in a panel discussion moderated by Communication Officer at FAO of the United Nations, Waqas Rafique.

The festival will present twenty seven award winning documentaries on human rights issues from around the world and screenings will be held simultaneously in nine cities of Pakistan, comprising Gujrat, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar, Charsada and Quetta. The screenings are open to the public.

The festival aims to provide a window to universal human rights challenges to the Pakistani public in general and young audiences in particular and urge them to reflect on solutions. An online campaign to generate debate is also launched by the organisers and can be followed under the hashtag #HRTC2018

Ambassador of the EU, Jean-François Cautain, said, “Arts and Culture in general and documentary films in particular, are increasingly playing an important role for understanding the world and its peoples. The Human Rights through Cinematography Festival, especially with the screenings in universities, is an excellent tool to raise awareness about the different facets of Human Rights and to engage students in constructive debates. The EU stands firm with Pakistan in its efforts for the promotion of Human Rights with special focus on gender equality, freedom of religion and belief, rule of law, access to justice and freedom of expression.”

The News