Media News - Friday, May 02, 2008

Council of Europe launches online discussion forum on freedom of speech in times of crisis

To mark World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the Council of Europe is launching an online discussion forum on media freedom in times of crisis. The forum seeks to promote debate and analysis among journalists - but also anyone concerned about freedom of expression - on how tighter security measures enforced by governments during wars, terrorist threats or political instability could affect the way journalists access information and make their reports. Promoting freedom of speech is a key aim of the Council of Europe and this initiative reflects the Council´s concern with threats to freedom of expression and the safety of journalists in crisis situations. Media professionals are invited to contribute their opinions and personal experiences to create an ongoing debate and analysis of these issues, which are critical for the important social role they play. Initially journalists may share their opinions on how governments sometimes limit their freedom of movement - by arguing for the need to guarantee their safety - or their access to information, or requesting journalists to reveal their sources. They can also publish their views on whether or not information that may be considered offensive for religious groups should be sanctioned, as well as any other topics they may wish to raise. Contributions may be made at http://mediafreedom.cws.coe.int. (Council of Europe)

Bookmark this : | Listen to this article | Sphere: Related Content

Al Jazeera cameraman released from Guantanamo 3

An Al Jazeera cameraman held at the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay for six years without charge has been released, the network said on Thursday. Sudanese-born Sami al-Haj, who suffered health problems after a long hunger strike, arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum early on Friday aboard a U.S. military plane, the Qatar-based broadcaster said. The Pentagon was not immediately available for comment, but a senior U.S. defense official in Washington speaking on condition of anonymity said: ‘He's not being released. He's being transferred to the Sudanese government.’ Al Jazeera said Haj was seized by Pakistani intelligence officers while traveling near the Afghan border in December 2001, despite holding a legitimate visa to work for Al Jazeera's Arabic channel in Afghanistan. Haj, who had been accused of making videos of Osama bin Laden, was handed to the U.S. military in January 2002 but was never charged or brought to trial, the network said. (Reuters via ABC News)

Bookmark this : | Listen to this article | Sphere: Related Content

Australian media condemn raid on paper

Australian media on Thursday accused police who raided a newspaper of trying to intimidate journalists for writing stories that were politically embarrassing to the government. Western Australia state police on Wednesday raided the Perth offices of the Sunday Times, which is published by Australia's largest newspaper publisher, Rupert Murdoch's News Limited. Staff at the newspaper said 16 police officers sealed the building's exits as they executed search warrants during the four-hour raid, searching people's bags as they left, seizing documents and grilling editor Sam Weir. They said police were searching for the source of a leak that led to a story alleging the state government planned to use AUD 16m (EUR 9.6m) taxpayer funds on an advertising campaign to help its re-election. A group of Australia's major print, television and radio media organisations, called Australia's Right to Know, condemned the raid. (AFP)

Bookmark this : | Listen to this article | Sphere: Related Content

Pentagon launches foreign news websites

The Pentagon is setting up a global network of foreign-language news websites, including an Arabic site for Iraqis, and hiring local journalists to write current events stories and other content that promote U.S. interests and counter insurgent messages. The news sites are part of a Pentagon initiative to expand ‘Information Operations’ on the Internet. Neither the initiative nor the Iraqi site, www.Mawtani.com, has been disclosed publicly. At first glance, Mawtani.com looks like a conventional news website. Only the ‘about’ link at the bottom of the site takes readers to a page that discloses the Pentagon sponsorship. The site, which has operated since October, is modeled on two long-established Pentagon-sponsored sites that offer native-language news for people in the Balkans and North Africa. Journalism groups say the sites are deceptive and easily could be mistaken for independent news. Pentagon officials say the sites are a legitimate and necessary way to promote U.S. policy goals and counter the messages of political and religious extremists. They also note that the United States and its allies have been outgunned in the battle to get information to audiences in Iraq and elsewhere. (USA Today via Media Network Weblog)

Bookmark this : | Listen to this article | Sphere: Related Content

Turkish parliament passes reform of controversial law

The Turkish parliament on Tuesday (29 April) approved a reform of a controversial law which sets limits on freedom of the speech by criminalising insults to ‘Turkishness’. An article in the country's penal code - article 301 - currently imposes up to three years in prison for such an insult. Turkey's parliamentarians voted in favour of amending it with 250 votes in favour to 65 against, according to the Associated Press. Although all the opposition parties voted against the change, the governing Justice and Development (AKP) party, which maintains a majority of 340 deputies in the 550-seat parliament, voted in favour. Under the approved reform, the country's justice minister will have to give his consent on opening investigations on possible violations of this law. Insulting the Turkish nation rather than ‘Turkishness’ will now be punishable under the new law, while the maximum sentence would be two years in prison - instead of three - which could be suspended, especially for first-time offenders. The move was long-awaited by the EU, which had repeatedly called on Turkey to amend or scrap this part of its penal code as a prerequisite for joining the bloc. However, critics of the reform argue that the changes are purely cosmetic and that freedom of speech will remain limited in Turkey. Many Turkish intellectuals and writers have been tried under article 301, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was murdered last year. The reform must now be approved by Turkey's president. (EU Observer)

Bookmark this : | Listen to this article | Sphere: Related Content

Fiji deports second newspaper publisher

Fiji's military government defied a High Court order and deported the Australian publisher of the South Pacific country's leading newspaper Friday, continuing a campaign of media intimidation it began within days of seizing power. The coup-installed government said Fiji Times publisher Evan Hannah was a threat to national security who breached his work permit conditions. He was put on a Korean Air flight Friday to the South Korean capital, Seoul. It was the second deportation of a senior media figure this year. In late February, Russell Hunter, the Australian-born publisher of The Sun, was deported for what Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama called ‘destabilizing’ reporting. (AP via ABC News)

Bookmark this : | Listen to this article | Sphere: Related Content

• Home |
• Seminars  |
• Events |
• Media Landscape |
• Newsroom|
• Media News|
• Resources

Terms of service and Privacy policy.

Copyright © 1992-2007 European Journalism Centre. All rights reserved.

Valid XHTML and CSS.

European Journalism Centre

Sonneville-lunet 10
6221KT Maastricht
The Netherlands

Tel. : +31 43 325 40 30
Fax : +32 2 400 42 20

E-mail: info[at]ejc.net