Tag: Protest Letters by PPF

Pakistan Press Foundation has written a letter to Augustin Matata Ponyo, Prime Minister of
Democratic Republic of the Congo to express concerned over the murder of Radio-Television Nationale Congolaise journalist Marcel Lubala Kalala in Mbuji-Mayi.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter urged the government of Congo to shed full light on this murder and to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

According to Journaliste en danger, on November 15th, a group of armed men clad in military uniform intruded into the house of Marcel and overpowered his family members. They tied up his wife and children. When Marcel tried to run away, the armed men shot him three times in the neck and the stomach that caused his instant death. They also left a note with his dead body that read “finally, we got him!”

It was reported that Marcel was summoned to the office of national intelligence, Agence Nationale des Renseignements (ANR) the eve of his assassination over a “family affair”.

His murder lessened the freedom of expression in DRC and increased figure of brutality. About 14
journalists have been killed in circumstances that have never been unraveled over the past 10 years in the DRC.

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) has written letters to Rami Hamdallah, Prime Minister of Palestine and Benjamin Netanyahu, President of Israel to express concerned over violation against press freedom in Palestine.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letters urged the government of Israel and Palestine to end violating the press freedom in Palestine and ensure that media outlets can freely perform their work.

According to Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms – MADA, on October 13, Nidal Asmar Al Natsheh, photographer of Ramsat agency was arrested from his office which was raided. Palestinian Intelligence also arrested cameraman of Al Quds Educational Channel Mahmoud Mattar for five days, in Jenin governorate.

Internal Security Service in Gaza continued to prosecuting in order to harass a program presenter at AL Nahar Channel Nuha Abu Amro as she was summoned and interrogated twice and her mobile was confiscated and accessed her personal account on Facebook without her permission.

On October 4, Palestinian security, banned journalists in Ramallah city center from covering a pro- Fatah demonstration started at al Manarah square, and the other organized by activists that was supposed to start at Arafat square near al Manarah square.

On October 16, Israeli forces stormed into the printing house in Hebron in the early morning.The Israeli forces searched and confiscated the equipments of the printing house which disturbed its work.

In another case on October 9, an Israeli soldier shot and wounded AP cameraman Majdi Mohammed Shtayyeh in the back with a rubber bullet while he was covering the arrest of a citizen in the town of Al-Ram.

Furthermore, on October 4, Israeli forces detained dozens of journalists when they were participating in a tour organized by the Palestinian Ministry of Information in the Jordan Valley. And they claimed that the journalists were present in a restricted zone.

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Ruhakana Rugunda, Prime Minister of Uganda welcomed the judgment of Magistrate’ Court that convicted Eddie Ssansa Luwaga for assaulting a Daily Monitor journalist, Shamim Jjingo Nakawooya and maliciously damaging her work tools.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter urged the government of Uganda to ensure protection of media practitioners in Uganda.

According to Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda), on November 11, Grade I Magistrate, Aisha Nabukeera delivered the judgment. Nabukeera sentenced Ssansa to a suspended custodial sentence of twelve months, with a UGX 500,000 (USD 150) fine and UGX 2,000,000 (USD600) compensation to Shamim arising from the two counts.

Prosecution led by Maureen Tusiime adduced evidence that on 28th October 2015, at the Masaka Regional Police headquarters, at Baroda Building at Masaka, Ssansa slapped Shamim, smashed her Samsung cell phone, and fondled her breasts accusing her of provoking him during an interview.

Speaking after receiving the judgment, Shamim told that she was happy that justice had been delivered to her. “This should serve as a lesson to all those that have continued to take the law in their hands. I am happy with the judgment”

 

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Yahya Jammeh, President of Islamic Republic of The Gambia expressed concerned over the sentenced of four years of imprisonment to journalist Alhagie Abdoulie Ceesay.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter urged The Gambian government to take action against the court orders and drop charges against Ceesay.

According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), on November 8, 2016, a High Court in The Gambia, presided over by Justice E.O Dada sentenced Ceesay to a one year imprisonment and a fine of Dalasi 100,000 (about US$ 2,290) on count one and two. On count three to six, the journalist was sentenced to one year imprisonment and also a fine of Dalasi 100,000 (about US$2,290). Counts one to six were duplicated sedition charges. On count seven, which charges Ceesay with false publication, he was sentenced to two years in prison.

While giving the judgment, Justice Dada also said an order will be served on the police to declare Ceesay an absconder and to bring him to serve his sentence. Ceesay will therefore be arrested and be made to serve his sentence should he return to The Gambia.

Ceesay, the exiled journalist and manager of Taranga FM, was first arrested on July 2, 2015, briefly released and re-arrested on July 17, 2015 on accusation of distributing photos of you Excellency with a gun pointed at him. After a two-week detention in which Ceesay was held incommunicado with no access to a lawyer or his family, he was brought before a Magistrates Court on August 4, 2015 and charged with a single count of sedition. On November 18, while the case was still ongoing at the Magistrates Court, the state pressed a fresh seven-count charge against the journalist. These charges were a mere duplication of the first charge at the Magistrates court, except for that of “publication of false news.” The initial single count charge was later dropped.

While in detention, Ceesay was tortured and mistreated and was hospitalized on several occasions until his escape from hospital on April 21, 2016.

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Augustin Matata Ponyo, Prime Minister Democratic Republic of the Congo to express concerned over the blocking of Radio France Internationale (a French station) and Radio Okapi (a station operated by the United Nations mission in Congo.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter urged the government of Congo to restore the signals of these two radio stations without postpone and to stop violating freedom of information.

According to Journaliste en danger and Reporters Without Borders, the radio stations began to block without any warning or explanation on November 4th , the eve of a meeting that had been scheduled by the main opposition parties in Kinshasa although the Kinshasa provincial government has banned all demonstrations ever since those held on 19 and 20 September, which the police dispersed with a great deal of violence.

Upon asking about the reason of blocking the Radio France Internationale information minister Lambert Mende accused it of acting as “echo chamber and press attaché” of the organizers of an opposition meeting. When pressed about Radio Okapi, he referred the questioner to the foreign ministry on the grounds that it is a UN station.

Ever since the electoral process stalled and changed into a trial of strength between government and opposition, media outlets that interview opposition politicians have been exposed to the possibility of closure or reprisals of other kinds.

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) in a letter to Sheikh Hasina, Prime minister of Bangladesh expressed concern over the attack on two television journalists in Dhaka.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter urged government of Bangladesh to take action against the cruel act, arrest and punish the attackers.

According to International Federation of Journalists, on November 6, 2016, reporter Shakil Hasan and camera person Shahin Alam of Jamuna TV went to Chawk bazar to cover illegal polythene factories. While reporting this, a group of people including owners of two polythene factories beat them and also tried to burn the reporter with kerosene.

The locals saved them from the attackers until the police rescued them. The attackers damaged their camera, lights and microphone. Hassan filed a case of attempt to murder, but police is yet to arrest anyone.

Hasan said, “soon after we went there to report, a few men told us to steer clear of any trouble. As we were leaving, about 10 men came running and began to beat us up, we ran into a nearby grocery store for shelter. The attackers followed me and grabbed a jar of kerosene from the shop and poured it on me, soaking my shirt, pants and shoes. People standing nearby intervened and took the man with the matchstick away.”