Category: Front Page

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PPF condemned the demolition FM building in Nigeria

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in a letter to Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria expressed concern over the demolition of Breeze FM building on May 22, 2017, in Nasarawa State of North Central Nigeria Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali condemned the action of the governor and demand the thorough investigation of this matter also urged to ensure the safe environment for media practitioners to carry out their professional duties.

According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the owner Breeze FM, Nawani Aboki, told them the reason for the demolition was political and that it was aimed at muzzling his radio station.

Ahmed Tukur, Special Assistant to Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, said the action was not political but a regulatory measure against illegal constructions.

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PPF demands to access journalist in Papua, Indonesia

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia expressed serious concern over more cases of violence against journalists in Papua and remains restricted for foreign journalists to enter the province.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter demanded to honor his promise to allow local and international media access to Papua and urged Indonesian government to immediately drop the charges and stop violence against journalists.

According to Alliance of Independent Journalists (AIJ), on May 1, police assaulted Yance Wenda, a local journalist who works for Jubi daily and tabloidjubi.com in Jayapura, Papua, for covering the arrest of activists of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB).

On April 28, three television journalists from Metro TV, Jaya TV and TVRI experienced intimidation during covering a trial in Wamena District Court. An unknown group of visitors surrounded them, questioning and threatening them to delete their footage of the trial. Police observed the incident but didn’t intervene.

Government blocked news sites that are critical of the government, and foreign journalists are banned from traveling freely throughout the region.

Government should enforce protection of journalists under Press Law No.4/1999 across the archipelago, especially in Papua.

 

 

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PPF seeks justice to Croatian journalist

 

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Republic of Croatia express a serious concerned over the brutal assault on investigative journalist Dušan Miljuš, nearly a decade ago, remains unsolved. Civil rights group pursuing it, the Partnership for Social Development, trying to reopen his attempted murder case.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter demanded brought to justice those responsible in Miljuš assault and the state of impunity that continues to exist for the perpetrators of attacks against journalists in Croatia should come to end.

According to Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), on June 2, 2008, two unidentified men assaulted Miljuš with metal bats near his house in Zagreb. The attackers escaped after bystander intervened, but he still suffered a concussion, broken arm and injuries to his face. His family also received death threats, warning them that Miljuš should stop reporting.

Since 20-years Miljuš reported on corruption and organized crimes, including issues around Knežija, a powerful criminal organization that may have ties in government and law enforcement.

It is well documented that journalists who cover organized crimes, corruption and war crimes have been at greater risk of harassment and violence in Croatia; Miljuš’s reporting is believed to be the reason for his attack.

 

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PPF seeks justice to Croatian journalist

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Republic of Croatia express a serious concerned over the brutal assault on investigative journalist Dušan Miljuš, nearly a decade ago, remains unsolved. Civil rights group pursuing it, the Partnership for Social Development, trying to reopen his attempted murder case.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter demanded brought to justice those responsible in Miljuš assault and the state of impunity that continues to exist for the perpetrators of attacks against journalists in Croatia should come to end.

According to Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), on June 2, 2008, two unidentified men assaulted Miljuš with metal bats near his house in Zagreb. The attackers escaped after bystander intervened, but he still suffered a concussion, broken arm and injuries to his face. His family also received death threats, warning them that Miljuš should stop reporting.

Since 20-years Miljuš reported on corruption and organized crimes, including issues around Knežija, a powerful criminal organization that may have ties in government and law enforcement.

It is well documented that journalists who cover organized crimes, corruption and war crimes have been at greater risk of harassment and violence in Croatia; Miljuš’s reporting is believed to be the reason for his attack.

 

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Bid to kidnap journalist foiled

ISLAMABAD: Unidentified people riding in a car and a motorbike attempted to kidnap senior journalist Azaz Syed Friday night.

The suspects including a masked bike-rider intercepted Azaz Syed at Park Road near Banigala police station and stopped his car. The suspects asked him to come out of the car but Azaz accelerated his car and sped towards the Tramrhi Chowk and entered the Shahzad Town police station to take shelter.

The police took up the case and barricaded all the roads but failed to get the alleged kidnappers. Islamabad SSP Sajid Kiani ordered the area police to get CCTV footage to trace the suspects.

Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan was informed about the incident. The police registered a case under Section 511/365 PPC (FIR No 97) and started investigation. Meanwhile, leaders of journalists including PFUJ President Afzal Butt, Matiullah Jan, Bilal Dar and Umar Cheema reached the police station to express solidarity with Azaz Syed.

PFUJ President Afzal Butt strongly condemned the incident saying that the journalists would resist such incidents and no individual, state or non-state actors would be allowed to act against any journalist.

The News International 

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The Nation : Journalist escapes kidnapping bid in capital

 

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Pemra suspends action against TV channels

ISLAMABAD: In compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has suspended action on violations of Ramazan guidelines by some TV channels.

The apex court while hearing a petition of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), that had challenged the Ramazan guidelines, had directed Pemra not to take any adverse action on the said violations, a press release issued Friday said.

In its order of May 31, Supreme Court also directed Islamabad High Court (IHC) to pass an appropriate order in this regard on Monday, June 5. The Pemra had issued show cause notices to Geo Entertainment, Sindh TV, KTN and ARY Digital for violating Ramazan guidelines the authority issued earlier in May.

The News

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PPF concerned the intimidation against netizens in Indonesia

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to JokoWidodo, President of Indonesia expressed serious concern over the threats to netizens by the members of Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) for posting their opinion against Rizieq Shihab, the grand mufti of FPI.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter condemns the intimidations, violence and terror to discourage or target netizens those write critically and urge your government to look into this matter seriously and provide an environment where freedom of opinion thrives.

According to Alliance of Independent Journalists (AIJ), members of FPI had come to personal residences of social media users accused of publishing derogatory remarks against Shihab and by forcing them to made public apology under threat of criminal lawsuit.

On May 21, dozens of FPI members had come to residence of IndrieSorayya, 38, a business woman from Tangerang, Banten, to protest a Facebook post where she had allegedly offended Shihab. Similar form of intimidation has also been perpetrated against FieraLovita, 40, a female doctor in Solok, West Sumatra.

According to a network of supporter’s freedom of expression in Southeast Asia, their tracking had revealed that at least 48 individuals across Indonesia who are currently under threat of being hunted down, terrorized, and silenced by these patterns of violence.