JOURNALIST MURDERED; ANOTHER SURVIVES SHOOTING

VENEZUELA: JOURNALIST MURDERED; ANOTHER SURVIVES SHOOTING

A journalist who recently covered drug trafficking in Venezuela was assassinated last week, report the Institute for Press and Society (IPYS),the Inter American Press Association (IAPA), Reporters Without Borders(RSF) and other IFEX members. He was slain just three days after the attempted murder of another journalist in southwestern Venezuela. Two men on a motorbike shot to death Orel Sambrano, the editor of the political weekly "ABC" in Valencia, Carabobo on 16 January as he was getting out of his car. Sambrano was also vice-president of the privately-owned Radio América radio station, a columnist for the regional daily "Notitarde", and a lawyer. Sambrano had recently covered several drug trafficking stories, including a case involving the Makleds, an influential family in the region and the subject of an investigation by the national prosecutor's office after 400kilograms of cocaine was found in their home last year. According to IPYS, Carabobo's National Journalists' Association decreed a state of emergency following Sambrano's murder due to the risks faced by journalists in the region. The murder of Sambrano came just three days after the attempted murder of Rafael Finol of the privately-owned daily "El Regional". Finol was grazed by a bullet on 13 January in Acarigua, southwestern Venezuela as he was leaving the office with colleagues, say IFEX members.
According to RSF, Finol said he was attacked for political reasons. "I knew this would happen after the recent interview I had with President Chávez,"he said. "It was the work of the extreme right, who want to kill me." Finolis an avowed supporter of the President. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is calling for a swift and thorough investigation, especially in the current political climate. Lastweek, the National Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that would allow Chávez to run for indefinite re-election. The reform will be voted onin a popular referendum as early as 15 February. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) says the attacks are part of a pattern of serious violations of press freedom in Venezuela this month. According to IFJ, a young graphic reporter, Jacinto López, was killed on 1January and his partner and fellow graphic journalist Ricardo Marapacuto injured in Barquisimeto, Lara, in an attack that was blamed on general crime. IFJ blames the attitude of law enforcement authorities for their failure to act against the behaviour of violent groups, allegedly associated with government sectors that publicly declare journalists and communication professionals as military targets.

Visit these links:- IAPA: http://tinyurl.com/8uxa7y- CPJ: http://tinyurl.com/938rjm- IFJ:
http://tinyurl.com/7qcquj- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=30020- International PEN Writers in Prison Committee: http://tinyurl.com/a24kd7- IPYS on Sambrano: http://tinyurl.com/ad3ztf

http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2006/August/200608301633031xeneerg0.4484369.html

U.S.: IFEX MEMBERS IN U.S. URGE OBAMA

U.S.: IFEX MEMBERS IN U.S. URGE OBAMA TO REAFFIRM LEADERSHIP IN HUMANRIGHTS
New U.S. President Barack Obama must retake leadership of the global agenda that has been hijacked by "spoiler" states like China, Egypt and Russia, and put human rights at the heart of it, said Human Rights Watch in issuing its annual world report. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) voiced a similar sentiment in a letter to Obama. "The Obama administration must undo the enormous damage caused by the Bush administration and begin to restore the U.S. government's reputation and effectiveness as a human rights defender," said the report. Human Rights Watch said the change must begin in Washington, with steps such as closing the Guantanamo Bay military detention centre, ending coercive interrogation of terrorism suspects and detention without trial,and seeking membership of the UN Human Rights Council. "Changing U.S. policy on how to fight terrorism is an essential place to start," said the report. "It's not only wrong but ineffectual to commit abuses in the name of fighting terrorism or to excuse abuses by repressive governments simply because they're thought to be allies in countering terror." Human Rights Watch said the "spoilers", governments opposing basic rights, such as Algeria, China, Egypt, Pakistan and Russia, had rushed to fill a vacuum left by controversial U.S. policies. These governments often "set the human rights agenda in international forums" and deflected international scrutiny away from their own or their allies' violations. Democracies are also singled out, such as South Africa for failing to address the crisis in neighbouring Zimbabwe, and India for not addressing repression in Burma out of political solidarity or economic interests. The best way to successfully defend human rights is to lead by example, say Human Rights Watch and CPJ. "Journalists in many countries who risk their lives and liberty upholding the values of free expression look to the United States for support," CPJ wrote to Obama in a letter dated 12 January. "To assert moral authority we must first put our own house in order." CPJ focuses on how Obama can lead specifically in press freedom. CPJ urges Obama to end the U.S. military's practice of open-ended detention of journalists, and to investigate fully the deaths of journalists from U.S.forces' fire. According to CPJ, the detention without trial of journalists has reduced the U.S.'s standing in the world and "may have contributed to the over all global increase in jailed journalists by emboldening the many tyrants who look for pretext or justification to throw critical journalists in jail. " U.S. allies and close friends such as Azerbaijan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco and Pakistan are among the 10 countries where press freedom has most deteriorated, says CPJ. Fourteen journalists have been held for prolonged periods of time without due process in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo. Ibrahim Jassam, a freelance photographer working for Reuters who was detained on 2 September by U.S. forces in Baghdad, is still behind bars. The practice violates the U.S. military's own commitment to review journalist cases within 36 hours of detention, says CPJ. CPJ is also hoping that the Obama administration will commit the military to fully investigate the killing of journalists at the hands of U.S.forces. According to CPJ, at least 16 journalists have died and others havebeen seriously wounded by U.S. forces' fire in Iraq since 2003. The handfulof investigations that were carried out by the U.S. military authorities exonerated the soldiers involved in each case, says CPJ. Read the letter here: http://tinyurl.com/9cqnyy
Human Rights Watch's "World Report 2009" documents ongoing human rightsabuses by states and non-state armed groups in 90 countries, including attacks on civilians in conflicts, political repression, and violations by governments trying to curb terrorism, among others.
Read the 564-page report here: http://tinyurl.com/7z7x53 Individual country reports will be uploaded to the IFEX website.

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA: SMEAR CAMPAIGN

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA: GOVERNMENTS RESORT TO NEW TYPE OF SMEAR CAMPAIGN
Governments in the Middle East have taken their smear campaigns to a new level, planting news, adverts and paid-for editorials discrediting journalists and free expression advocates in foreign papers as well as the local press, report the IFEX Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG) and IFEX members. According to Rohan Jayasekera of Index on Censorship, who is also TMG's chair, the most brazen practitioner of this kind of propaganda is Tunisia, which has unleashed a storm of such material apparently in reaction to the way Tunisia's appalling human rights record has been exposed internationally.

In the most recent case, former Tunisian diplomat Khaled Ben Said was jailed on torture charges for eight years in France in December. At the same time, one of the leading witnesses for the prosecution, journalist and free expression campaigner Sihem Bensedrine, was herself the target of a propaganda attack, says TMG. The government claimed impropriety in her funding relationships with international donors - even though her donors and partners are on public record confirming Bensedrine's due diligence. The claims appeared in state-owned and state-sponsored news organisations. But more surprisingly, international news agency United Press International (UPI) reprinted the accusations and the story was widely circulated in Arabic and French. Jayasekera says the purpose was to discredit Bensedrine, a staunch human rights defender whose magazine "Kalima" is banned in Tunisia and who has been both jailed and beaten by security forces because of her criticism of the authorities.

TMG members urged UPI "to protect its reputation by making appropriate amends, and for the agency to take steps to ensure it is not embroiled in this kind of state disinformation again.
" In Egypt the pro-government daily "Rosa al-Yousef" published a quarter-page advertisement filled with allegations defaming Bensedrine and topped by a photo of Tunisian president Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, reported the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI).

The head of ANHRI, Gamal Eid, has been defamed in the same paper. "We are used to these campaigns and attacks being waged against us," said ANHRI and 18 other Egyptian human rights groups in a joint statement."However, what angers us is how they tarnish the name of a once great media institution that… helped to create freedom of the press in Egypt." The pro-government Egyptian press has long used this tactic at home. Human rights and democracy advocates Hisham Kassem, Ayman Nour and Saad Edine Ibrahim have all been slandered after they raised Egypt's human rights record on the international stage, says Jayasekera.

A study by the rights organisation Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence in Egypt revealed increasing human rights abuses by journalists against their own kind. The study, covering the period from February 2007 to January 2008, confirmed that "Rosa al-Yousef" was ranked first in Egypt at printing articles that intimidate and insult other newspapers and journalists. The critical paper "Al Masry El Youm" and its editor, Magdi al-Gallad, and the famous opposition weekly "Al Dustour" and its editor, Ibrahim Issa,were among the favourite targets of "Rosa al-Yousef" and other Egyptian papers known for turning their backs on journalism ethics.

See results of the study here: http://tinyurl.com/9orul9 English version: http://tinyurl.com/89lnn4

Meanwhile, in Bahrain, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) has reported a slandering media campaign against seven human rights defenders, including former president of BCHR Abdulhadi al-Khawaja. A group of 14 youth activists, currently facing charges of planning to carry out acts of terrorism, named the seven well-known human rights defenders as the instigators and trainers of the plans. According to the youths' lawyers,the detainees showed signs of ill-treatment and torture during interrogation. But the accusations were repeated without reservation in all the major Bahrain dailies and government-owned and run TV networks. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), fears that rights defenders have been slandered to deter them from defending Shi'a minority rights, and is asking for supporters to write to the authorities expressing concern that the activists were framed.

See: http://tinyurl.com/7uyulv This strategy of blurring the lines between truthful reporting, unattributed opinion and propaganda, coordinated to serve a political objective, is also being extensively developed by the U.S. in Iraq, despite domestic legal restraints and strong ethical opposition, says Jayasekera. According to Jayasekera, the responsibility of separating truth from lies rests on journalists. "They should treat false reports with healthy scepticism and always question the motive behind the message," he says. "In today's high-volume, high-speed media environment it has never been more important to ask not only 'Is this person telling me the truth?' but also to ask 'Why is he telling me this?'"

Visit these links:- Jayasekera's op-ed, published in "The Daily Star", Lebanon: http://tinyurl.com/7o7den- TMG: http://campaigns.ifex.org/tmg/- ANHRI: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/99843/- BCHR: http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/2661 AFRICA

DOHA CENTRE OFFERS ASSISTANCE FOR MEDIA AT RISK

DOHA CENTRE OFFERS ASSISTANCE FOR MEDIA AT RISK

Journalists and media outlets in danger are invited to apply for support from the Doha Centre for Media Freedom, a relatively new international freedom of expression organisation based in Qatar and run by the former head of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Robert Ménard.

The centre provides assistance to imprisoned journalists and their families, and to journalists who have been threatened or attacked, by offering funding, legal aid and money for medical treatment. The centre also offers advice for those facing lawsuits, including how best to defend themselves at the regional and international level. Media outlets that have been censored or persecuted, or destroyed in fighting or national disasters, can also call on the centre for help. The centre has given financial assistance to 150 journalists or media outlets so far, totalling more than US$340,000.

The Doha Centre was set up in December 2007 by a decree of Qatar's Emir, H.H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who is also the chair of Al Jazeera, and is under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned. Complete the application form online here: http://tinyurl.com/7a29ee The form can also be sent to you on request by contacting: assistance (@)dohacentre.org

For more information, see: http://www.dohacentre.org/-Assistance-.html--------------------------------------------

Amnesty International : Watch our new video First 100 days

Watch our new video First 100 days

The inauguration of US President-elect Barack Obama on 20 January 2009 will be accompanied by widespread expectation of change. The world will be watching and hoping for positive outcomes on many different issues. Ahead of his inauguration, Amnesty International’s new film First 100 days is asking the President-elect to take concrete steps to demonstrate his

commitment to international human rights standards, including in the context of countering terrorism. Since the attacks on the USA on 11 September 2001, the US authorities have authorised and justified human rights violations in the name of national security: illegal transfers and detentions; enforced disappearance; torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

The new administration and Congress must break with the past. President-elect Obama has already said that he will close Guantánamo and end torture. We’re not asking the impossible.
We have a checklist for President Obama’s first 100 days in office.
His first steps should be to:
announce a plan and date to close Guantánamo
ban torture and other ill-treatment, as defined under international law
ensure an independent commission of enquiry in US ‘war on terror’ abuses is set up


These things are possible and you can help.Visit www.obama100day.org today, sign the petition and support the challenge for Obama.
Thank youThe Counter Terror with Justice campaign team
http://obama100days.amnesty.org/index.html

ARTICLE 19 Laments Murder of Editor

Sri Lanka: ARTICLE 19 Laments Murder of Editor

Lasantha Wickrematunga, Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Leader, was murdered as he drove to work in Colombo on 8 January 2009. At least the ninth journalist to have been killed in Sri Lanka over the last two years, Lasantha’s murder signals an all-time low point for freedom of expression in Sri Lanka. The government has signally failed in its duty to bring to justice those responsible for these murders, as well as its wider duty to respect freedom of expression.

“The murder of Lasantha is a travesty and a grave blow for freedom of expression in Sri Lanka,” said Toby Mendel, Senior Legal Counsel, ARTICLE 19. “This is a direct attack on The Sunday Leader, which ARTICLE 19 has defended in the past, and which is one of the most independent sources of information in Sri Lanka.”The silencing of voices through murder, the most extreme form of censorship, has become rampant in Sri Lanka in recent years. The government’s unprecedented military successes against the Tamil Tigers, and its ability to maintain strict security checkpoints around the country, stand in stark contrast to its complete failure to find and prosecute any of those guilty of these heinous crimes, which attack not only the immediate victims, but all Sri Lankans. A moving editorial published in The Sunday Leader on 11 January, a few days after Lasantha’s death, and apparently written shortly beforehand, stands as a grim testament to the reality of life for independent journalists in Sri Lanka. The editorial is clear as to who is responsible for Lasantha’s murder: “When finally I am killed, it will be the government that kills me.”Indifference to murders of journalists is only one of many failures on the part of the Sri Lankan government to respect freedom of expression. The government has imposed a complete blanket of secrecy around its military operations. The only information on the conflict comes from official sources and the LTTE, which often provide wildly different, even diametrically opposing, views on events. Government retains firm control over the State broadcasters, no right to information law has been adopted despite numerous promises, there is no independent broadcast regulator and a number of repressive laws set strict standards for media output. A stark example of this is the case of Sri Lankan journalist J.S. Tissainyagam, who has been in detention since March 2008 and was finally charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in August of that year.ARTICLE 19 calls on the Sri Lankan government to ensure that a proper investigation of this murder is undertaken and those responsible are brought to justice. It also calls on the international community to take effective steps to address the lack of respect for freedom of expression in Sri Lanka, and to make sure that Lasantha’s death was not totally in vain.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
• For more information: please contact Toby Mendel, Senior Legal Counsel, ARTICLE 19, a19law@hfx.eastlink.ca, +1 902 431-3688.

United States: New Openness Policies

United States: ARTICLE 19 and Privacy International Welcome New Openness Policies

ARTICLE 19 and Privacy International (PI) welcome US President Barack Obama’s announcement on 21 January of new policies enhancing public access to government information, in one of his first official actions as President. These changes mark a significant departure from previous policies.

The new rules revise existing controls on access to government information under the Freedom of Information Act and the Presidential Records Act. They create a presumption in favour of disclosure and also encourage affirmative disclosure of information. They call for “creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government”.The Presidential Memorandum on the Freedom of Information Act clearly sets out new standards that should be the benchmark for transparency:
In the face of doubt, openness prevails. The Government should not keep information confidential merely because public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears. Nondisclosure should never be based on an effort to protect the personal interests of Government officials at the expense of those they are supposed to serve.
ARTICLE 19 and PI welcome President Obama’s initiative – on his first day in office – which recognises the importance of openness and reverses years of excessive secrecy. These changes are not only important to the US but to the global community, given the US’ importance in promoting openness. Other nations should take this opportunity to reaffirm their commitments to adopting easy-to-use, effective mechanisms to allow their citizens access to information.Dr Agnès Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director, said: “ARTICLE 19 and PI welcome President Obama’s commitment to transparency and openness. That it comes on the first full day of President Obama’s administration signals a new approach to government domestically in the US. It also marks a shift towards re-establishing the US position as a global leader in promoting human rights, good governance and democracy.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:
• For more information: please contact Nicola Spurr, Senior Press Officer: ARTICLE 19 at nicola@article19.org or +44 20 7278 9292 or David Banisar, Deputy Director: Privacy International at privacyint@privacy.org or +44 20 8123 7933.• Privacy International (PI) is a human rights group formed in 1990 as a watchdog on surveillance and privacy invasions by governments and corporations. PI is based in London, England, and has an office in Washington, D.C. We have campaigned across the world to protect people against intrusion by governments and corporations that seek to erode this fragile right. We believe that privacy forms part of the bedrock of freedoms, and our goal has always been to use every means to preserve it.

Reporters into the Gaza Strip not Allowed

Ten days after the Israeli's Supreme Court ruling on 31 December which ordered the state to allow foreign reporters into the Gaza Strip, Israel continues to block foreign media access. Each day international journalists have gone to the border crossing and have been turned away by military officials, normally on the premise that it is too dangerous and that the presence of journalists at the terminals could make them, a target for militants. Journalists have therefore not been able to talk to the Palestinians inside Gaza to gain their version of events. However, at the same time international reporters have been welcomed into Israel and have been free to interview Israeli officials on the crisis.
"The media blackout is a violation of the world's right to know what is happening in Gaza. In the absence of international media it is impossible to receive unbiased news on the situation. It is also an abuse of the right to freedom of expression for those living inside Gaza who are being prevented from telling their story to the world. Moreover, the presence of journalists on the ground can actually deter abuses of international human rights and international humanitarian law in a conflict situation. Freedom of expression and the right to access to information are necessary for building a situation of lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East,” stated Agnes Callamard, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19Preventing foreign media from reporting from inside Gaza represents a new low for press freedom in Israel. The State has historically allowed access to foreign reporters even at the height of previous conflicts. The Israeli State not only stands in violation of international human rights law but is also acting against the decision of its own highest court by which eight members of the media were to be allowed into Gaza when the Erez crossing was opened for humanitarian reasons. It should be noted that the Supreme Court’s ruling represents somewhat of a compromise between international standards and the Israeli State in that it permits the authorities to place a limitation on the number of journalists allowed entry to Gaza and only says they must consider increasing numbers once security allows. Although security is an issue for all journalists in conflict situations and it is sometimes easier to ensure the safety of small numbers, access to journalists should not be limited numerically. Limiting the numbers of journalists given access places a restriction upon the number of reports and range of opinions coming out of a conflict zone. There are currently journalists from about 30 different countries, speaking at least 10 different languages waiting in Israel to access Gaza. Even if the Israeli government were to permit the entry of 8 individuals at a time, this would clearly not be enough to serve the world’s media and right to information effectively.ARTICLE 19 calls upon the Israeli authorities to allow immediate and unrestricted foreign media access into the Gaza Strip in accordance with its international obligations on the right to freedom of expression and the right to access information, under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Israel ratified on 3 October 1991.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
For more information: please contact Jasmine O’Connor, Senior Director for Development, http://article19.org/+44 20 7278 9292





Article 19 condemns continuing media blackout of crisis in Gaza

Ten days after the Israeli's Supreme Court ruling on 31 December which ordered
the state to allow foreign reporters into the Gaza Strip, Israel continues to block
foreign media access. Each day international journalists have gone to the border crossing and have been turned away by military officials, normally on the premise that it is too dangerous and that the presence of journalists at the terminals could make them, a target for militants. Journalists have therefore not been able to talk to the Palestinians inside Gaza to gain their version of
events. However, at the same time international reporters have been welcomed into Israel and have been free to interview Israeli officials on the crisis.
"The media blackout is a violation of the world's right to know what is happening in Gaza. In the absence of international media it is impossible to receive unbiased news on the situation. It is also an abuse of the right to freedom of expression for those living inside Gaza who are being prevented from telling their story to the world. Moreover, the presence of journalists on the ground can actually deter abuses of international human rights and international humanitarian law in a conflict situation. Freedom of expression
and the right to access to information are necessary for building a situation of
lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East,” stated Agnes Callamard, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19 Preventing foreign media from reporting from inside Gaza represents a new low for press
freedom in Israel. The State has historically allowed access to foreign reporters even at the height of previous conflicts. The Israeli State not only stands in violation of international human rights law but is also acting against the decision of its own highest court by which eight members of the media were to be allowed into Gaza when the Erez crossing was opened for humanitarian reasons. It should be noted that the Supreme Court’s ruling represents somewhat of a compromise between international standards and the Israeli State in that it permits the authorities to place a limitation on the number of journalists allowed entry to Gaza and only says they must consider increasing numbers once security allows. Although security is an issue for all journalists in conflict situations and it is sometimes easier to ensure the safety of small
numbers, access to journalists should not be limited numerically. Limiting the numbers of journalists given access places a restriction upon the number of reports and range of opinions coming out of a conflict zone. There are currently journalists from about 30 different countries, speaking at least 10 different languages waiting in Israel to access Gaza. Even if the Israeli government were to permit the entry of 8 individuals at a time, this would clearly not be enough to serve the world’s media and right to information effectively.

ARTICLE 19 calls upon the Israeli authorities to allow immediate and unrestricted foreign media access into the Gaza Strip in accordance with its international obligations on the right to freedom of expression and the right to access information, under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Israel ratified on 3 October 1991.

JOURNALISTS KILLED FOR THEIR WORK IN 2008

DOZENS OF JOURNALISTS KILLED FOR THEIR WORK IN 2008
Last year, fewer journalists were killed while doing their job than in recent years - but that should not be grounds for optimism, say IFEX members in their end of year reports.
According to its annual analysis, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) recorded 41 journalists killed in direct connection to their work in 2008 - a drop from 65 in 2007. "While that's lower than the unprecedented numbers we saw over the last few years, by historical standards it's still very high," says CPJ. The lower death toll was due mainly to a sharp drop in deaths in Iraq, from 32 in 2007 to 11 last year, due to improved security conditions there, says CPJ. CPJ is still investigating further cases.
The 2008 death toll reflected a shift in global hot spots, as high numbers of deaths were reported in restive areas of Asia and the Caucasus, says CPJ. Watch CPJ's video tribute to the journalists who died in 2008:

http://tinyurl.com/7ouzyw then read the report: http://tinyurl.com/9v6kvf

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) counts 60 journalists killed in the line of duty. RSF tallies cases in which a link between the violation and the victim's work as a journalist is clearly established or very likely. But RSF says the fall in numbers of attacks on the traditional media does not mean the press freedom situation has improved - online repression is on the rise, with bloggers being imprisoned and websites being censored. RSF says cases of online censorship were recorded in 37 countries, with Syria (162 websites censored), China (93) and Iran (38) topping the list.
"The figures may be lower than last year's but this should not mask the fact that intimidation and censorship have become more widespread, including in the West, and the most authoritarian governments have been taking an even tougher line," says RSF. See:

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29797

The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) records 68 journalists and other media workers killed last year. "Attacks on journalists throughout the world - by organised crime groups in Latin America, autocratic regimes in the Middle East, repressive governments in Africa and by combatants in war zones - pose serious threats to press freedom," said WAN in its report, with region-by-region details. See:
http://www.wan-press.org/article17943.html

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which compiles figures in cooperation with the International News Safety Institute (INSI), counts 109 journalists and media workers killed last year in 36 countries. IFJ includes all journalists killed because of their work as well as those killed in accident while on assignment or on their way to or from a story. According to IFJ, India's death toll also figured high on the list with 10 casualties, following a surge of attacks in insurgent-hit states in the country. See IFJ:

http://tinyurl.com/8juw3k and INSI: http://tinyurl.com/8suo9d
Despite the range in numbers, all agree that even though the casualties have decreased, Iraq was once again the world's most dangerous country for the press. Many of the at least 11 journalists - all Iraqi nationals working for local Iraqi news outlets - were deliberately targeted.
The next three deadliest countries for the media were Pakistan with at least seven journalists killed for doing their work, the Philippines with six killed, and Mexico, with four murdered.
In the Americas, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) called 2008 "a year of contrasts." The year was marked on the one hand by violence and harassment of the media, including 13 journalists killed, and by the passing of constructive new laws on the other. IAPA blamed organised crime for the murders. IAPA notes "aggravation and threats" took place in Bolivia, Nicaragua and Venezuela, while 26 journalists remain jailed in Cuba, many of them seriously ill. But the good news is that access to information improved in Chile, Guatemala, Uruguay and Nicaragua. See:

http://tinyurl.com/9bhsuh

In Mexico journalists have increasingly become the target of drug traffickers and mobsters. According to WAN, 23 have been killed since 2000, and seven others have disappeared since 2005 - cementing Mexico's position as the most dangerous country in the Americas for the media, even surpassing Colombia. Like the Philippines, Mexico is among the worst in solving these murders: none of the killers of journalists murdered in Mexico this year have been brought to justice.
The fall in the death toll in Africa, say IFEX members, is a result of many journalists opting not to work, often turning to a less dangerous trade or going into exile. WAN reports that charges of defamation, sedition and "disrupting public order" work to intimidate and silence independent and opposition media. Those that choose to report on rebellions or criticise the authorities often end up in jail - the number of arrests is particularly high in Africa, says RSF.
Even in Europe and Central Asia, death threats against or prosecution of journalists reporting on conflict zones, war crimes and organised crime are common. Journalists are at risk in an increasingly volatile political situation in the Caucasus, where at least three journalists died in just five days of fighting between Georgian, Russian and local forces over the disputed region of South Ossetia, say the members.
Some IFEX members have also put out country-specific year-end analyses.
"2008 was not a bright year for press freedom in Indonesia," says the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), especially with a slew of criminal charges against journalists and, unsurprisingly, the introduction of new laws that criminalise press offences. Those who commit defamation via the Internet face up to six years in jail, for example. See:
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/99600/
Safety remains the biggest concern for journalists in the Democratic Republic of Congo, says Journalist in Danger (JED) in its 2008 annual report, "Ten years for press freedom: the situation of freedom of the press in Central Africa". JED says a decline in the number of attacks against the press is more likely attributable to censorship and self-censorship, rather than improvements to the country's press laws or the impunity that journalists' killers usually enjoy. See: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/99592/

IFEX will continue to publish members' reports online as they are made available: http://www.ifex.org/

(Photo: Funeral of Shihab al-Tamimi, leader of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate who died from injuries suffered in a targeted shooting in Baghdad last year. Photo courtesy of CPJ) (7 January 2009)

Grievous blow to Sri Lankan media

By Alastair Lawson BBC News

Rights groups argue that journalists face a culture of intimidation
The murder of Sri Lankan newspaper editor Lasantha Wickramatunga highlights the claim often made by human rights groups that the country is one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists to operate.
He is the latest in a long line of Sri Lankan journalists who have been murdered or silenced over the past two decades.
Many of the victims have not met their fate in the country's war zone, because for much of the past 20 years independent journalists have been banned from reporting from the conflict areas.
Instead they have been targeted in Colombo - and nearly all of them had records of exposing official corruption or what they said was inept handling of the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels.
The war now appears to be reaching its final, crucial stage as the army continues to make in-roads into the rebels' northern stronghold.
'Iconoclastic journalist'
"Mr Wickramatunga's death is a serious blow for press freedom because he was one of the few reporters in the country who could write authoritatively about the government and Tamil Tigers' conduct of a brutal war which has claimed thousands of lives over the years but has been consistently under-reported by much of the world's media," said Priyath Liyanage, editor of the BBC's Sinhala service.

Recent coverage of the war has increased tension in the media
Campaigning groups such as Reporters Without Borders say that the targeting of journalists has worsened in recent years. Only on Tuesday, gunmen armed with grenades ransacked offices of the largest private TV broadcaster in the country.
"Sri Lanka has lost one of its more talented, courageous and iconoclastic journalists," a Reporters Without Borders statement said.
"President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his associates and the government media are directly to blame because they incited hatred against him and allowed an outrageous level of impunity to develop as regards violence against the press. Sri Lanka's image is badly sullied by this murder, which is an absolute scandal and must not go unpunished."
Amnesty International last year said that at least 10 media workers were killed over a two-year period. It said that many more were abducted, detained or had disappeared.
Last month Human Rights Watch called on the government to free prominent Tamil journalist, JS Tissainayagam. His magazine accused the government of "shamefully using anti-terror laws to silence peaceful critics".
Criminal libel
One of those reporters who steadfastly refused to be silenced was Lasantha Wickramatunga. A flamboyant and colourful character, he was not afraid to expose the perceived wrongdoings of the country's most influential politicians.
The Rajapaksas are swollen... with the pride of bloodthirsty euphoria [following the fall of Kilinochchi] and are unable to think beyond the destruction of the Tamil Tigers and its leadership
Lasantha Wickramatunga
I interviewed him in Colombo in 2000, when his paper was closed down because it mockingly avoided censorship regulations by reporting the opposite of what had really happened.
At that time the army was in retreat and the northern Jaffna peninsula was close to falling to the Tigers. The paper avoided the censor by reporting that Jaffna was safe in the government's hands and that the army was on the offensive.
On another occasion Mr Wickramatunga obtained the credit card details of a government minister to show that his bills were being illegally paid for by a foreign company eager to invest in the country.
While some of the material Mr Wickramatunga produced arguably veered towards the prurient, his "publish and be damned" attitude to journalism meant that at times he was able to expose high-profile cases of government corruption which meant that he received numerous death threats and several periods of detention.
'Flamboyant'
"I believe it is my duty not to accept anything the government tells us at face value," he told me, "and it is especially our duty not to allow the press in Sri Lanka to be brow-beaten or censored. We need to tell the outside world about the horrific nature of the war in which we are currently involved."
His work exposing government dealings in arms procurement deals - especially a recent agreement to buy MiG fighters from Russia - earned him a reputation as one of the country's most fearless reporters.

Many Sri Lankan journalists say they are being gagged by the govenrment
At the same time it also earned him a reputation as being one of the strongest critics and bitterest enemies of the governing People's Alliance party.
Few reporters would dare write what he did in his most recent editorial - in which he referred to the president's "bloodthirsty euphoria" following the fall of the Tamil Tiger-held town of Kilinochchi last week.
"Should we fail meaningfully to address the aspirations of the Tamil people that survive this holocaust, we can be sure as night follows day that history will repeat itself... and all the bloodshed and all the sacrifice made to bring the war to a conclusion will have been in vain," he said.
While there is little evidence to suggest Mr Wickramatunga was unduly partisan in his reporting, his position was perhaps undermined by his known support for the opposition United National Party, for whom he once stood as a parliamentary candidate.
BBC Sinhala editor, Priyath Liyanage, says Mr Wickramatunga "was one of Sri Lanka's most flamboyant, brave and outspoken journalists".
"His death is a further grievous blow to press freedom in a country where few openly dare to question the government's handling of the war."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7823729.stm


Thousands mourn Sri Lanka editor

Mr Wickramatunga was shot last Thursday by unidentified gunmen
Thousands of mourners have attended the funeral of a leading Sri Lankan newspaper editor and fierce government critic who was shot dead last week.
Security was tight in Colombo as crowds paid their last respects to Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickramatunga.
Reports say some 10,000 people attended a Christian service ahead of a burial ceremony at Colombo's main cemetery.
Journalists in Sri Lanka have suffered a string of attacks as the war with Tamil Tiger rebels has intensified.
Media freedom groups say intimidation and violence make it one of the most difficult countries in the world in which to report.
Death threats Mourners packed the Assembly of God church in Colombo on Monday afternoon for the service for Lasantha Wickramatunga. His burial was to take place later at Colombo General Cemetery, the city's main burial ground

Police are investigating the attack
Mr Wickramatunga was shot last Thursday by unidentified gunmen as he drove to work. He died from head wounds after nearly three hours of surgery, doctors said.
Police have yet to make any arrests.
Correspondents say Mr Wickramatunga had numerous run-ins with the government. His killing was one of two major attacks on the media in Sri Lanka last week. On Tuesday, gunmen armed with grenades ransacked offices of the MBC group, the largest private TV broadcaster in the country. Mr Wickramatunga worked for the channel as a presenter on a weekly current affairs programme. MBC had been criticised by the government for its coverage of the war against the Tamil Tigers. Mr Wickramatunga, 52, and his newspaper had been highly critical of government policy and the war with the Tamil Tiger rebels. He received numerous death threats throughout his career and was detained on several occasions because of the controversial nature of his stories. He also fought a number of libel cases.
'Intimidation'
Amnesty International said in November that at least 10 media employees had been killed in Sri Lanka since 2006.
Some reporters say the intimidation has got worse as the war has intensified with the Tamil Tigers.
The Sri Lankan government has been accused of encouraging violence against the media by branding reporters seen as critical as rebel-sympathisers and enemies of the state. The government has condemned the incidents and ordered full police investigations. President Rajapaksa said he was "grieved and shocked" by Mr Wickramatunga's killing.

Blockade Continues as World Marks the 60th Anniversary

11 December 2008
Gaza: Blockade Continues as World Marks the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

In a week when the world marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Israel’s blockade on Gaza shows no sign of ending. The people of the Gaza strip continue to be deprived of basic human rights such as food and fuel, whilst restrictions on foreign media entering the strip reinforces their isolation
“This is an insidious abuse that seeks to suppress legitimate cries for help and depictions of suffering from reaching the rest of the world. The rights to information and expression are fundamental human rights. They underpin all human rights and are central to human development, peace and security. In the context of a conflict, fulfilling these rights takes on particular importance: information can not only ensure that assistance is effective and locally relevant, but it can also save lives and preserve human dignity,” says Dr Agnès Callamard, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19.On 4 November 2008, the Israeli authorities extended their blockade of Gaza to prevent food, fuel and essential supplies from entering the territory. Furthermore, on 6 November, the authorities imposed a news blackout by preventing international media from accessing Gaza. The blockade was eased briefly on the 27 November to allow limited amount of essential supplies, including UN food aid for only the fourth time since the start of the blockade. On 4 December, the Israeli government also lifted the ban on foreign media entering Gaza for the first time since the start of the month-long blockade. However the ban was reinstated the next day and remains in place. An Israeli Defence Force spokesman stated that the opening of crossings into Gaza would be reviewed daily and would be subject to the cessation of rocket attacks against southern Israel. However a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs noted that the intermittent opening of these crossings would “have little impact unless they remained open on a regular daily basis”.Speaking from Gaza, Ewa Jasiewicz, a Free Gaza organizer, journalist, and solidarity worker told ARTICLE 19 that “Israel was trying to hide the inhumane effects of the siege on the people in Gaza from the world.” Jasiewicz arrived on the Free Gaza movement ship “Dignity” which successfully broke through the Israeli blockade, arriving in the port of Gaza at 2:45pm on Tuesday 9 December. The ship was carrying essential medical supplies, high-protein baby formula, in addition to a delegation of international academics and humanitarian workers. “I am delighted to be here in Gaza,” Jasiewicz also told the Democracy Now news program. “I was banned from Palestine by the Israeli authorities and, as a journalist, I think it is important that journalists report independently from the ground, being here with people.”A severe shortage in fuel has further entrenched the isolation of Gaza as limited electricity supplies restrict access to communication channels such as the internet and satellite television.ARTICLE 19, together with the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), calls for the complete lifting on the ban on foreign media entering Gaza and not just an intermittent cessation of the ban. The people of Gaza deserve to be heard and, as nations celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UDHR, the world has a right to hear of their worsening plight. On 8 December, Richard Falk, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories emphasised in a statement that the UN “must implement the agreed norm of a responsibility to protect a civilian population being collectively punished by policies that amount to a crime against humanity”.The UN Human Rights Council also issued a statement on the same day recommending the implementation of 99 measures to improve Israel’s human rights record. These include the “immediate cessation of Israel’s military operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the lifting of the closure imposed on the Gaza strip, the reopening of the passage to and from the Gaza Strip and to fully respect its human rights obligations in the country, including in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”ARTICLE 19 and MADA join the UN Human Rights Council in urging Israel to fully respect its human rights obligations by lifting the blockade and reopening the passage to and from Gaza. We especially call for the ban on foreign journalists entering Gaza to be immediately lifted.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
• For more information, please contact Hoda Rouhana, MENA Programme Officer at hoda@article19.org or tel +44 (0) 207 278 9292.• To speak to the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedom (MADA), contact Mousa Rimawi, MADA Coordinator at info@madacenter.org or tel +970 2 2976519. • MADA is an independent non-governmental organization established by Palestinian journalists and supporters of media freedom. The centre aims to develop Palestinian media and to defend the rights of journalists and media institution. Visit www.madacenter.org

Defending Free Expression and Diverse Voices for Twenty Years

13 December 2008
ARTICLE 19: Defending Free Expression and Diverse Voices for Twenty Years

LONDON – ARTICLE 19 has celebrated its twentieth anniversary with the launch of a groundbreaking publication Speaking Out for Free Expression in London.

Since its inception, ARTICLE 19 has been a bold voice in defense of freedom of expression. Upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the organisation’s primary aim is to hold governments and other powerful actors to account when they fall short of their obligations to protect free speech.Set against the backdrop of dramatic world events, Speaking Out for Free Expression charts the course of free expression over the past two decades. It offers a compelling story of 34 countries in five regions, and essays by international experts, comparing today’s reality with the situation for free expression two decades ago. “Our twentieth anniversary compendium celebrates the advances made for free speech in many countries, while also pointing to the newer terrains of struggle,” comments Dr. Agnès Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director. Its foreword has been jointly written by four special rapporteurs on freedom of expression from the United Nations, the Americas, Africa and Europe. Also weighing in with expert opinions are Reporters without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Privacy International, UNESCO, the World Association of Newspapers and the American Civil Liberties Union, among others. Since 1988, the world has been altered immeasurably both by the revolution in information technology and by the ending of the Cold War, which opened up a plethora of newly democratised states. Together, these forces have completely transformed people’s means of and access to expression, information and communication, particularly with the advent of internet and the spread of mobile phones. Yet today, freedom of expression remains under threat. The global war on terror launched in 2001 has rolled back freedom of expression and speech in many well-established and emerging democracies. ARTICLE 19 is at the forefront of efforts to protect these hard-won freedoms and Speaking Out for Free Expression demonstrates unequivocally the need for constant vigilance. “It is extremely poignant to be commemorating our twentieth anniversary at the same time as the world celebrates the sixtieth year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” says Callamard. “It reminds us that free expression underpins all other civil, political and economic rights and is the very oxygen of genuine democracy.”The book was launched at a celebratory event in London, attended by 80 guests representing a broad spectrum of political, media and non-governmental organisations. A message of support from Zwelakhe Sisulu, a former political detainee and previous South African board member of ARTICLE 19 stated, “ARTICLE 19 is an organisation that for many had made the difference between life and death, between pain and the ignominy of a lonely death.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
• To obtain a copy of Speaking Out for Free Expression, contact Nicola Spurr at nicola@article19.org or +44 (0)207 278 9292 / +44 (0)772 686 7868. Or visit www.speaking-out.org. • To read the full text of Zwelakhe Sisulu’s message, go to http://www.article19.org/pdfs/other/statement-by-zwelakhe-sisulu-on-the-occasion-of-the-20th-anniversary-of-the-.pdf

Special Mandates Condemn Defamation of Religions

Special Mandates Condemn Defamation of Religions

The four special mandates on freedom of expression – the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, the OAS Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and the ACHPR (African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information – today issued a Joint Declaration on Defamation of Religions, and Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Extremism Legislation, with the assistance of ARTICLE 19.

The Joint Declaration expresses concern about the resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council on the subject of defamation of religions, calling on these and other international organisations to desist from adopting further statements on this issue. The Declaration also expresses concern about the proliferation, since the attacks of 11 September 2001, of anti-terrorism and anti-extremism laws which outlaw a range of legitimate political and critical speech. Among other things, the Declaration calls for:
The rejection of the very notion of defamation of religions, given that religions do not have a reputation of their own.
The repeal of laws which restrict criticism of ideas and beliefs, including religious ones (blasphemy laws).
Hate speech laws to be limited to advocacy of hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.
A limited definition of terrorism as the perpetration of violent crimes with a view to inflicting terror on the general public so as to influence the actions of public authorities.
The rejection of vague notions such as the ‘glorification’ or ‘promotion’ of terrorism or ‘extremism’ in anti-terrorism laws.
Respect for the media’s role in informing the public about terrorism and acting as watchdog of government, as well as their right to protect their confidential sources of information.
ARTICLE 19 first brought the special mandates on freedom of expression together in 1999 and they have issued a Joint Declaration every year since then. Each Declaration serves to elaborate on the meaning of freedom of expression in a different thematic area(s). Collectively, the Declarations provide important guidance to those wishing to understand international human rights standards.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
• The Joint Declaration is available at: http://www.article19.org/pdfs/other/joint-declaration-on-defamation-of-religions-and-anti-terrorism-and-anti-ext.pdf • For more information: please contact Toby Mendel, a19law@hfx.eastlink.ca, +44 (0)796 401 5083.

Pattern of Repression

Around Africa November 2008
Pattern of Repression

In November, a pattern of repression of journalists and human rights defenders Around Africa raised anxiety among activists. Sudan has been particularly severe in its repression of the press and journalists had earlier in the month organised protests, including hunger strikes, against the pre-publication censorship of newspapers. In response, the Sudanese National Security Services (NSS) unleashed even more aggressive attacks on the media including the interrogation, arrests and torture of journalists aimed intimidating them into silence. Our partners describe a brutal push by the NSS to prevent reporting of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) indictment of President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir for crimes in Darfur and neighbouring Chad. ARTICLE 19 urges all governments, their embassies in Khartoum, regional groups and the international community to intercede and defend the framework for peace in Sudan, which includes right of free expression. Somalia has all but forbidden journalists to do their work. Daily arrests, kidnappings, and even deadly violence are increasingly part of media professionals’ experiences. Radio journalists have been a particular target. Now media repression is spreading to Somaliland which had been seen as relatively progressive on free expression. In November, three journalists were seriously injured in Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland in northern Somalia, when a bomb detonated as they worked. Freelance journalist Hadis Mohammed Hadis was held for two weeks at the Criminal Investigation Department in Hargeisa before being released. ARTICLE 19 calls on Somaliland authorities to maintain its progressive advance toward rule of law including respect for the right of free expression.Repression also resurfaced in Swaziland where officials are exploiting a counter-terrorism act passed in May 2008 to muzzle the press Political activities have been outlawed, marches and demonstrations have been banned, and television camera crews, journalists and political activists have been arrested and interrogated “for making remarks in support of terrorism”. ARTICLE 19 appeals for restraint in Swaziland. Counter-terrorism should not be a pretext for repression and muzzling of free expression.
News Roundup
Official resistance to freedom of expression was palpable Around Africa throughout the month of November. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, journalists (Congolese and foreign) were abducted. Nzonzo Bitwahiki Munyamariza, a 27-year-old journalist and presenter at a community radio station Radio Communautaire Ushikira (Racou), reportedly died from a bullet wound during a stampede that followed the attack on his village of Kiwanja. The journalist's killer is unknown and some of his colleagues were released after a brief detention. Tunisian authorities have charged independent Tunisian independent television station reporter Fahem Boukadous with “belonging to a criminal association” and “spreading reports liable to disrupt public order” last July. Boukadous has since been in hiding. The indictment accuses Boukadous of establishing contacts with demonstrators, as part of his work as a journalist. ARTICLE 19 joins with Reporters Sans Frontières in calling for a withdrawal of the charge against Boukadous. Guinea’s National Communications Council (CNC) took community radio Familia FM, off the air for allegedly broadcasting information that the CNC claimed could “disturb the public peace”. Familia FM is a popular private community radio station that specialises in social issues, but only has the right to broadcast news bulletins. ARTICLE 19 joins the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in calling on the Guinean authorities to reverse this decision.
Events and New Directions
ARTICLE 19 attended a November roundtable with Foster Dongozi, Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) during his recent visit to the UK. At a roundtable meeting organised by National Union of Journalists in London, Dongozi provided an update on challenges facing media organizations and professionals in Zimbabwe. He described an anxious work environment where many journalists including bloggers “have compromised ethical conduct”. Dongozi commented,“With the muzzling of most independent and local press, including community radio, online journalism has blossomed, providing an outlet for the younger generation such as new graduates”, but also lamented the fact that they often have “little or no sense of professional standards”. Dongozi called for wider support to strengthen the policy and regulatory environment after the political turmoil ends. He said the power-sharing deal between the Movement for Democratic Change and ZANU-PF includes a recognition that the media landscape is abnormal, “yet violations of free expression and attacks on the media have continued”. Dongozi said the ZUJ would welcome support for training in ethical news gathering and quality reporting. ARTICLE 19 calls on Zimbabwe’s political and community leaders to ensure an enabling environment where journalists can uphold basic standards of ethics in news reporting.
Strengthening Media Policy and Regulation in Africa
In November, ARTICLE 19 with PANOS Institute for West Africa (PIWA) and the Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of Senegal (CNRA) convened a workshop of media regulators from the French speaking zone of West Africa in Dakar, Senegal. This pilot workshop was based on the recently published French version of ARTICLE 19’s Training Manual for Regulators, aimed at strengthening regulatory frameworks for enabling pluralistic and diverse broadcasting in Africa. A similar workshop with the English speaking zone was conducted 2006 when the manual was first published. “Through shared principles of media policy and regulation, we have a unique opportunity to broaden freedom expression and media pluralism across Africa,” says Dr. Agnès Callamard, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19 who attended the Dakar workshop. Plans for a Portuguese version of the manual are ongoing. Both the English and French editions are available at: http://www.article19.org/pdfs/tools/broadcasting-manual.pdf
New Trade Group Aims for Progressive Media Industry Practice
ARTICLE 19 welcomes the launch of a new professional body, the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), which is poised to advocate progressive terms of employment for media practice on the continent. Delegates from journalists' unions and associations from 31 African countries convened in Nairobi on 21-22 November for the launch of FAJ, following its first working congress to discuss issues affecting the media industry in Africa. The congress adopted a constitution, which expresses unwavering support for fundamental principles of trade unionism, press freedom and freedom of expression. Delegates also established rules of the organisation, a two-year working programme and elected a steering committee of seven members for a three-year term.

NOTES TO EDITORS:
• For more information: please contact Africa Programme Officers Cece Fadoupe, cece@article19.org or Roxanne Abdulali roxanne@article19.org +44 20 7278 9292

MEXICO: ARTICLE 19 AND CENCOS UNVEIL CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS

MEXICO: ARTICLE 19 AND CENCOS UNVEIL CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS

Last month, veteran crime reporter José Armando Rodríguez was shot to deathat his home in Ciudad Juárez on the Texas border, setting off another roundof condemnation from IFEX members about the relentless violence that isstifling critical journalism in Mexico. According to ARTICLE 19-Mexico and the National Center for SocialCommunication (CENCOS), Rodríguez is the 13th journalist to be killed inMexico this year alone. His murder cements Mexico's position as the mostdangerous country in the Americas for journalists and media professionals,even surpassing Colombia. And like the other 12 murders of journalists inMexico this year, impunity prevails: Rodríguez's killers have not beenbrought to justice. With the government doing little to protect its journalists, ARTICLE19-Mexico and CENCOS launched their own campaign last week against thebrutal and targeted killing of their colleagues. "Te hace daño no saber"("What you don't know can hurt you") is the slogan of their nationwidecampaign to protect journalists in Mexico and, by default, the "right ofsociety as a whole to be informed." "Journalists are under fire because of the work they do ... Their presencehas become uncomfortable for drug cartels, police and authorities up to thefederal level. The campaign seeks to ensure that violence againstjournalists and impunity become a national outcry, and a national priorityagainst which all actors will take action," said ARTICLE 19, which, withCENCOS, presented the campaign on the occasion of the 60th anniversary ofthe Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The campaign already has the backing of more than a dozen national andinternational civil society organisations that have already "carried outvarious actions to make visible the problems in (the) country." Theyinclude IFEX members the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters(AMARC), the Center for Journalism and Public Ethics (CEPET) and ReportersWithout Borders (RSF). It also boasts the support of high-profile press freedom advocates. Guestsat the launch included Lydia Cacho, a Mexican reporter who has been thetarget of death threats, sabotage, defamation suits and police harassmentbecause of her work uncovering prostitution and child pornography networks,and Rosa Isela Caballero, the wife of journalist José Antonio García Apac.García disappeared two years ago in Michoacán. In the early stages of the campaign, CENCOS and ARTICLE 19 have unveiled a"Practical Guide on Freedom of Expression in Mexico" - a backgrounder thatgives a history of free expression in the country, detailed info on whichpolitical and judicial organisations protect free expression, and even anannex of violations this year. They have also released a guide on how todocument and monitor attacks on journalists - and methodologies they andothers in the industry have used. All of this and more are available on the"What you don't know can hurt you" campaign website:http://www.libertad-expresion.org.mx/materiales.php ARTICLE 19 and CENCOS said their next step is to replicate the campaign inother countries in the region, such as in Guatemala, El Salvador, Hondurasand Nicaragua - where violence against media workers and violation of thepublic right to know are endemic. Their overall objective is to strengthenlocal capacities and build a continent-wide protection network. "It is time for journalist organisations, media owners and directors toassume their role in demanding the level of safety needed to truly exercisepress freedom," said ARTICLE 19. "The core demands have to come fromwithin."

Visit these links:- "What you don't know can hurt you": http://tinyurl.com/5lr9vz - ARTICLE 19: http://tinyurl.com/584znl- CENCOS: http://tinyurl.com/5c4wbf- IFEX Mexico page: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/97/

SIXTY YEARS LATER, FIGHT FOR FREE EXPRESSION

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: SIXTY YEARS LATER, FIGHT FOR FREE EXPRESSION GOES ON

Human Rights Day, which marks the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is celebrated throughout the world every year on 10 December. Perhaps even more so this milestone year, the 60th anniversary of the declaration. And yet the day was marked in China by the arrests of several human rights activists who were organising activities around the anniversary, report PEN American Center and Reporters Without Borders (RSF). IFEX members and other rights groups are commemorating the occasion by standing up for these activists in China, along with other human rights defenders, journalists and others who speak out for their right to free expression - as enshrined in Article 19 of the declaration - in the face of increasing repression. Here is a sampling of the global events and celebrations. AFRICA The independent trust Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ) notes with disappointment that Zimbabwe's restricted media landscape has remained unchanged since Human Rights Day last year. Repressive media laws are still being used to gag alternative sources of information, the country is still without any private daily newspapers, community radio stations or independent television, and journalists are still harassed, unlawfully detained, tortured and murdered, says MMPZ. All these violations are despite the power-sharing agreement signed in September by Zimbabwe's majorpolitical parties acknowledging the need for a free and diverse media environment. Among other recommendations MMPZ is urging whichever government that emerges to repeal the draconian laws. Read them here: http://www.mmpz.org
AMERICAS
"What you don't know CAN hurt you," say ARTICLE 19 and the National Center for Social Communication (CENCOS), who have launched a campaign for the protection of journalists in Mexico. Yes, Mexico - a country that many saw as a model of democracy and economic growth - is now the most dangerous country to practise journalism in the Americas. See more on the campaign below, "ARTICLE 19 and CENCOS Unveil Campaign to Protect Journalists". The World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC) secured top First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams to speak at its annual lecture, held at the United Nations in New York on the eve of Human Rights Day. Abrams tackled the heady topic of religious defamation, arguing that if the UN adopts recent recommendations to criminalise defamation of religion, it would be undermining its own free speech provisos as laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The full text of Abrams's talk will be madeavailable on the WPFC website: http://www.wpfc.org Those who stuck around could see Freedom House's senior scholar Leonard R. Sussman be crowned the first champion of the Dana Bullen Press Freedom Advocacy Prize, named in honour of WPFC's first executive director. Sussman, who was Freedom House's ED for 21 years (1967-88) and has written 10 books on press freedom, is the man behind Freedom House's respected annual press freedom survey.

See:http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/99071/

Human Rights Watch was also in New York celebrating a personal achievement on 10 December: they were one of five winners of the 2008 United Nations Prize for Human Rights for their "outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights." Executive director of Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth said the prize would help Human Rights Watch in its campaigns to stop the killings in Darfur, end the use of cluster bombs worldwide, shut down Guantanamo, free child soldiers and protect civilians during armed conflict. "By raising the cost of abuse, we make governments think twice about violating the rights of their people. In the process, we save lives and promote fundamental freedoms," Roth said. Human Rights Watch is also celebrating its 30th anniversary. Check out some of their achievements: http://tinyurl.com/5u8nar
ASIA
On 8 December, prominent Chinese dissident Liu Xiabo and fellow activist Zhang Zuhua were arrested at their homes. While Zhang was released the following day, Liu faces subversion charges and faces up to three years in jail. Their crime? They were some of the many signatories of Charter 08, a declaration sent round on the eve of Human Rights Day that outlines bold political reforms and calls for greater human rights and democracy in China. American Pen Center is calling for Liu's release: http://tinyurl.com/5v6p75 .
Read Charter 08 here: http://tinyurl.com/66ga72 Meanwhile, police have detained, interrogated and harassed plenty of other activists to prevent them from participating in activities that commemorate the 60th anniversary of UDHR. RSF reports on the arrests: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29627 , as does PEN American Center: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/99205/
The International Federation of Journalists' affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) observed the anniversary by holding a candle-lighting ceremony in memory of slain journalists. In the Philippines, 98 journalists have been killed since 1986, 62 since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to power in 2001, and seven this year alone, says NUJP. See: http://www.nujp.org/
Defamation was the hot topic in Indonesia this year, thanks to some recent legislation that cements it in the criminal code - like the new Internet law that makes spreading defamatory material online punishable with up to six years in jail and a US$15 million fine. So to fight back, an alliance of Indonesian journalists, lawyers and press freedom groups are using Human Rights Day to call on the government to remove defamation from the criminal code, and for parties to use civil defamation law instead. Read more on the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) website: http://www.seapabkk.org/newdesign/newsdetail.php?No=1005
A 1998 media freedom law in Mongolia forbids censorship and state ownership of any media, and now, there are almost 400 media outlets across the country. But Globe International, IFEX's member in Mongolia, registers about 40 free expression violations of free expressions every year: many of them government denials of access to information requests, or pressure on journalists to reveal their sources. Globe held a roundtable on "Article 19 and Independent Journalism" on 8 December to tackle these challenges. Email: globe@globeinter.org.mn

EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA
Freedom House is urging Uzbek President Islam Karimov to release all human rights defenders in Uzbekistan "as a sign that he is committed to upholding the declaration." Read the letter: http://tinyurl.com/68mbam Kudos to Panayot Elias Dimitras, the spokesperson for IFEX member Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM). He has picked up the first Human Rights Champion Award, given by the Macedonia-based Civil Society Research Center. The pure gold medal is conferred to an individual from southeastern Europe who reflects the ethos of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Through GHM, Dimitras has advocated for human rights of marginalised groups in Greece and Europe, particularly of Roma, and contributed to theirprotection. Email: csrconline@yahoo.com

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

There's not a lot to celebrate in the Middle East and North Africa, says a new report by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS). "From Exporting Terrorism to Exporting Repression" documents the human rights situation in 12 Arab countries, and finds that attacks on the already limited freedoms in the region have actually increased. Read snippets of the report here: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/99187/

And in the year when the concept of religious defamation is being hotly debated at the UN, CIHRS, as well as nearly 100 Arab intellectuals and rights organisations, is appealing to religious institutions and movements in the region on Human Rights Day to set aside "the religious perspective" when considering free expression. "We are convinced that disentangling religion and freedom of expression is one of the main prerequisites for the resurgence of our Arab societies, which will enable us (to) join the march of history instead of being excluded from it," said the signatories. Read the full statement: http://www.cihrs.org/English/NewsSystem/Articles/543
INTERNATIONAL
RSF marked the 60th anniversary by releasing a damning report on the effectiveness of the Human Rights Council. "States with repressive governments are elected to the council and thus tasked with ensuring respect in other countries for rights they themselves are abusing on a daily basis. Until this absurd situation is ended, the United Nations cannot be said to be fulfilling its goal of protecting human rights," RSF said. The council has hardly challenged the worse abusers, such as China and Burma, and Iran and Uzbekistan have escaped sanctions, says RSF. Meanwhile, the dangerous concept of defamation of religion continues to be added to council resolutions. Read more criticism of the main UN human rights body in the report, and RSF's recommendations on how the council canredeem itself: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29587 The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) knows that free expression is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law - and wants to ensure the world knows it too. IAPA has kicked off a public awareness campaign under the slogan "One word can make a thousand changes in your life, and you have the right to say the next one." For materials, see: http://www.sipiapa.com/banner/regi/index.php?idioma=us

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), is asking people not to forget that this December also marks the 10th anniversary of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. Thanks to the declaration, the Observatory says local and international organisations haven't been afraid to carry out protective actions, resulting in the release of defenders or the end ofthreats and harassment against them. But the situation of human rights defenders remains extremely worrying in a number of countries, says the Observatory - consider the arrest of Uzbek and Chinese activists involved in preparing local events to celebrate Human Rights Day. The Special Rapporteur on the situation for Human Rights Defenders issued a similar warning - as well as "10 messages to know defenders better". Did you know, for example, that there is not a regional human rights mechanism for the protection of defenders in Asia? Read all the messages here: http://tinyurl.com/69lb9n

If you have made it this far, it's time to take action. Amnesty International is asking you to "Fire Up!" Join thousands of people around the world and light a candle, fire or flame as part of a mass demonstration in support of human rights. There are confirmed Fire Up! events happening in 27 countries with more than 100 cities and towns taking part. Candles will also be lit online by people taking part in Fire Up! on their websites and blogs. See your country's local Amnesty International website for more details. While you're there, "Sign Up!" by adopting the Passport for Human Rights - the belief that that everyone has rights, regardless of their race, colour, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or age. See: http://tinyurl.com/6qbpml Finally, check out the UN's "Dignity and Justice for All of Us", a worldwide campaign to stop human rights abuses by governments, businesses and others. "The declaration remains as relevant today as it did on the day it was adopted," said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon when he announced the campaign last December. "But the fundamental freedoms enshrined in it are still not a reality." For the official version of events onInternational Human Rights Day, visit:http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2008/

source : http://www.ifex.org
The "IFEX Communiqué" is published weekly by the International Freedom ofExpression eXchange (IFEX). IFEX is managed by Canadian Journalists forFree Expression ( http://www.cjfe.org ) on behalf of the network's 80member organisations.

PAKISTANI EDITOR WINS WAN GOLDEN PEN OF FREEDOM AWARD

IFEX Communiqué (communique@ifex.org )
PAKISTANI EDITOR WINS WAN GOLDEN PEN OF FREEDOM AWARD

In a year when religious extremism tore through Pakistan, the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) has honoured the editor of two Pakistani independent, secular publications with its annual Golden Pen of Freedom Award. Najaam Sethi is the editor of the "Friday Times" and "Daily Times", papers known for their strong editorial line condemning autocracy and religious fundamentalism. Being at the helm of the newspapers has put Sethi at odds with both the Pakistani authorities and religious groups for years. He has been threatened with death by the Taliban and other radical Muslim groups, and has been jailed and beaten for offending the government. His home and office are now under constant guard. Despite the risks, Sethi says he will not be silenced. "Extremists have always used coercion to silence their critics and that is exactly what is happening now," Sethi says. "This is a battle that the media and the country cannot afford to lose." "All journalists are aware of the dangers of inciting extremists who violently oppose reporting that is contrary to their view of the world," said WAN's board when it announced their decision. "Sethi has chosen, in a region fraught with such dangers, to brave them. His commitment to providing truthful and independent coverage in this region, despite great personal danger and sacrifice, is in the best traditions of journalism. We think the award will inspire others to resist such pressure." The award will be presented at WAN's World Newspaper Congress and WorldEditors Forum, which will be held in Hyderabad, India from 22 to 25 Marchnext year: http://www.wanindia2009.com More details of the award and a list of laureates can be found at:http://www.wan-press.org/article4489.html

CONDEMN "DEFAMATION OF RELIGION" AND ANTI-EXTREMISM LAWS

Source : IFEX Communiqué (communique@ifex.org)
GLOBAL FREE SPEECH RAPPORTEURS CONDEMN "DEFAMATION OF RELIGION" AND ANTI-EXTREMISM LAWS
Four international bodies that have special mandates on free expression have issued a declaration calling for international organisations to reject the notion of defamation of religion and vague definitions of anti-terrorism, reports ARTICLE 19, the body that brought them together. The four free expression special rapporteurs in the UN, Europe, the Americas and Africa declared that international organisations, such as the UN General Assembly and Human Rights Council, should refrain from adopting statements that criminalise "defamation of religion" and blasphemy laws. They said the concepts do "not accord with international standards." They also expressed concern about the proliferation of anti-terrorism laws since the 11 September 2001 attacks, and advised that the definition of terrorism should be restricted to "violent crimes… (that) inflict terror on the public." Their definition rejects the vague ideas of "providing communications support" or "promoting" extremism or terrorism. The declaration also called for respect for the media's role in informing the public about terrorism and acting as watchdog of government, as well as their right to protect their confidential sources of information. "The four global mandates' annual joint declarations for promoting freedom of expression are an excellent example of international cooperation in the field of human rights advocacy," said Miklos Haraszti, the special rapporteur from the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). "Just like the OSCE media freedom commitments, these documents are directed at updating international mechanisms on freedom of opinion, expression and the media." ARTICLE 19 first brought the special mandates on freedom of expression together in 1999 and they have issued a joint declaration every year since then. "The declarations provide important guidance to those wishing to understand international human rights standards," says ARTICLE 19. Read more on the declaration from ARTICLE 19 at: http://tinyurl.com/66dw33 Read the full text of the declaration at: http://www.osce.org/documents/rfm/2008/12/35705_en.pdf

EGYPTIAN EDITOR RECEIVES GEBRAN TUENI AWARD

source: IFEX Communiqué (communique@ifex.org )
JOURNALISTS PREVENTED FROM ATTENDING WAN ARAB FREE PRESS FORUM; EGYPTIAN EDITOR RECEIVES GEBRAN TUENI AWARD

Authorities in Saudi Arabia, Syria and Tunisia prevented four Arab journalists and human rights activists from attending the Arab Free Press Forum, an annual gathering in Beirut, Lebanon organised by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and "An-Nahar" newspaper. The forum, held on 12 and 13 December, examined how independent media can be effective despite widespread repression in the region. WAN, and the IFEX Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG), which held a special event during the forum, condemned the travel restrictions. "We can at least thank the authorities of Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Syria for this eloquent and timely demonstration of their contempt for, and fear of, free expression, as we open this forum," said Timothy Balding, WAN CEO. Among those prohibited from travelling were Tunisians Lofti Hidouri and Mohamed Abbou, who were scheduled to participate in the TMG event. Airport police in Tunisia on 10 December prevented journalist Hidouri and human rights lawyer and writer Abbou from boarding the plane to Beirut. Hidouri was detained overnight as a result of a small fine he received two years ago, which the authorities claim he had not paid. He was released the next day after Abbou went to court on his behalf with evidence that he had paid the fine, reports the Observatory for Freedom of the Press, Publishing and Creation (OLPEC), IFEX's member in Tunisia. It was the fifth time Abbou was prevented from travelling since his release from prison in July 2007. Speaking at the TMG event, Naziha Rjiba and Sihem Bensedrine of "Kalima" online magazine and OLPEC said the jailing of Hidouri perfectly illustrates the repression of independent journalists and rights activists in Tunisia. Rjiba said of Hidouri, who was travelling with her, "He was right next to me. I looked left, I looked right, and he vanished. It was like the magician David Copperfield. All that was left of him was his suitcase." Bensedrine read a poetic speech by Abbou, in which he said, "I take this opportunity to say to all who contributed to defending and supporting me when I was imprisoned under the tyranny of dictatorship that their effort did not go in vain, and without their support, my imprisonment would have been much harder. Without this solidarity, those who threatened my family would have carried out their threats." Representatives of the Tunisian government in attendance failed in their attempts to disrupt the event, proving again the lengths the authorities will go to in their efforts to silence free voices. TMG chair Rohan Jayasekera noted the strength of the TMG comes from its composition: there is strong regional representation among the 18 members. Half of the TMG members were in attendance in Beirut. Video of the TMG event and Abbou's speech will be posted online at the TMG website shortly at: http://campaigns.ifex.org/tmg Another recently released prisoner of conscience, Abdel Karim al-Khaiwani, former editor-in-chief of "Al-Shoura" in Yemen, was allowed to travel despite a previous ban. Speaking at the forum, he said, "The lack of press freedom in the Arab world is like a disease," and he fears it will infect even those countries where the press is relatively free. "There are a lot of Arab states that are talking about reform and democracy, but they remain in bad shape. The reports of the international organisations show that the democracy claims are false," he added. Al-Khaiwani, the father of five children, told the IFEX Clearing House that he and his family are in danger if he picks up his pen again, and he appealed for continued international support. The forum closed with the presentation to Ibrahim Issa, editor-in-chief of Egypt's "Al-Dustour" newspaper, with the 2008 Gebran Tueni Award, the annual WAN prize that honours an editor or publisher in the Arab region. The prize is made in memory of Gebran Tueni, the Lebanese publisher and WAN board member who was killed by a car bomb in Beirut on 12 December 2005. It was presented by WAN in recognition of "Issa's commitment to freedom of the press, his courage, leadership, ambition and high managerial and professional standards." In his acceptance remarks, Issa called on journalists in the Arab world to band together to fight restrictions and to oppose the fight against press freedom, what he called "the only war Arab rulers have ever agreed upon." Read Issa's full speech at: http://tinyurl.com/54nnjl and see more news from the Arab Free Press Forum at: http://tinyurl.com/42xlaq

The whole World stands with the people of India

The whole World stands with the people of India

The showering Condolences from nations around the globe

Obama and his wife, Michelle
"deepest condolences to the loved ones of the American citizens who lost their lives in the outrageous terrorist attacks in Mumbai." "Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and with all who have been touched by this terrible tragedy."
"stand with India and all nations and people who are committed to destroying terrorist networks, and defeating their hate-fill ideology." "root out and destroy terrorist networks"."ready to assist and support the Indian Government".
Brooke Anderson
"These co-ordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism," "President-elect Obama strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Mumbai," "These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism," "The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks. "We stand with the people of India."
The State Department
"We are monitoring the situation very closely and stand ready to support the Indian authorities as they deal with this horrific series of attacks,"

White House National Security Council Ben Chang
"We condemn these attacks and the loss of innocent life. We continue to seek more information,"
A State Department official of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
"The secretary will be reaching out to officials at the US embassy in New Delhi and at the consulate in Mumbai. She will be reaching out to Indian government officials as well. The situation on the ground is extremely fluid,"

Jordan's King Abdullah II to Pratibha Patil
The king said terrorism threatens international peace and stability. It is unacceptable in all its forms and manifestations regardless of justifications or motives. He strongly condemns the cowardly act of terrorism, voicing his sincere condolence and deep sorrow over the great loss in the attacks. The king also affirmed that Jordan will side with India and its people to overcome this ordeal.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Merkel phoned Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday to express shock at the terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
In her message of condolence, Merkel said Germany condemned "these criminal acts in strong terms," and "our thoughts are with the victims and their families." "I was appalled to hear the shocking news about the terror attacks on your country. As well as the sad fate of the many dead I'm particularly moved by the terrible situation of those who've been taken hostage. The Federal Republic strongly condemns these criminal acts. I would like to express my deepest sympathy to you and the people of your country."

Steinmeier also offered his condolences to Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
"I would like to extend to you and to the Indian people, also on behalf of my fellow Germans, our sincere condolences and deepest sympathy,"
"The Federal Government condemns these cold-blooded attacks, which were clearly planned far in advance, in the strongest possible terms," "even more closely at international level to combat terrorism,"

Senator John Cornyn of Texas
"stay united""The attacks in Mumbai are a sad and solemn reminder that the threat of terrorism remains very real and present. Now more than ever, our nation and our allies must stay united in the fight against terrorism to protect innocent life and the freedoms we hold so dearly" "My family and I want to offer our heartfelt condolences to our friends in India, fellow Americans and all those who lost loved ones in the senseless terrorist attacks in Mumbai""Sadly, our nation is no stranger to the wrath of terrorists with no regard for human life. While we know firsthand the feelings of shock and grief, we also know how tragedy can bring a nation together to rebuild and grow even stronger."

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
"COWARDS and murderers" "This cowardly attack on India's stability, peace and democracy reminds us all that international terrorism is far from defeated.
"Whichever group has perpetrated this attack, they are cowards, absolute cowards and murders." "This is an assault on all of us who cherish the values of free society. It is a reminder that the terrorist threat to freedom has not retreated and we must remain as vigilant and courageous, as stalwart and forthright in our opposition to terrorism as ever."


British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
‘outrageous’ "the UK stands solidly with his Government, and to offer all necessary help".
"These outrageous attacks in Mumbai will be met with a vigorous response,"
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband
“remind us, yet again, of the threat we face from violent extremists”.
United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
"Such violence is unacceptable."
"The secretary-general reiterates his conviction that no cause or grievance can justify indiscriminate attacks against civilians,"

French President Nicolas Sarkozy
"I strongly condemn the indiscriminate violence that hit your country through this series of ugly and odious terrorist acts. In this sad moment, I wish to give my sincerest condolences to the families of the innocent victims of these reprehensible attacks and express my sympathy and my wish to the injured for rapid recovery."


The French presidency of the European Union
"with horror and indignation" and "condemns them in the strongest possible terms".
EU "shares the mourning of the Indian nation and stands by its side during this dramatic test".
EU Presidency
"We share the sorrow of the Indian nation and are at its side at this tragic moment,"

European Union Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana
"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the heinous terrorist attacks throughout the city of Mumbai. I convey my most sincere condolences to the families of the victims and my sympathy to the Indian authorities. To those who were injured, I wish a speedy recovery. These acts show once again the need for the international community to stand united against terrorism and fight it with determination."

Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon
"savage terrorist attacks" "Canada strongly condemns the savage terrorist attacks in Mumbai, which have left hundreds of innocent civilians injured or killed. These cowardly attacks are truly appalling. On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured."

Spain's Crown Prince Felipe
"tremendous sadness and condemnation of the attacks".

Brazil
"strong condemnation of all forms of terrorism"

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
"The monstrous crimes of terrorists in Mumbai arouse our wrath, indignation and unconditional condemnation. The inhuman terrorist attacks on hospitals, hotels and other public places aimed at killing peaceful civilians, taking and murdering hostages are crimes directed against the very basis of civilized society. Those guilty of them should be severely punished."
The UN Security Council
"The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the Indian authorities in this regard,"


Poland's President Lech Kaczynski
"acts of barbarity and expressed solidarity with the victims". "The Mumbai terrorist attacks show that the fight with terrorism is necessary," "These acts of terrorism shows that the problem exists and it can't be easily solved. The fight with it (Terrorism) is justified, even if some mistakes have been made,"

The Swiss government
"Switzerland condemns these terrorist acts as absolutely unjustifiable. The people and authorities of Switzerland extend their condolences to the Indian authorities and their deep sympathies to the families of the victims,"

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Pakistan denounces terror strike
“We condemn these attacks,”
Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed
"mindless act" "Bangladesh stands firm with her friends in India at this hour of grief,"
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa
"My government and I hasten to condemn most vehemently the brutal acts of terrorism that killed more than 100 persons and injured many more in the attacks carried out in the Indian city of Mumbai last night. Our thoughts to go out to the families of those killed and injured and in these acts of terror; we express our deepest sympathies to the families of the deceased and wish a speedy recovery to those injured and the safe and early release of hostages.

Pope Benedict XVI
"deeply concerned" "kindly to convey his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in these brutal attacks, and to assure the public authorities, citizens and all those affected of his spiritual closeness. The Holy Father prays for the repose of the souls of the victims and implores God's gift of strength and comfort for those who are injured and in mourning."
NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the mindless and indiscriminate terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Attacking innocent people, tourists and patients in hospitals is despicable and cowardly. On behalf of the Alliance, I am relaying the sincerest words of solidarity and sympathy to the Indian authorities, to Indian people and especially families of the victims."
Afghan President Hamid Karzai
"The government and people of Afghanistan stand by India in the aftermath of this horrific and inhuman act of terror. Nothing is more heinous and deplorable than taking the lives of innocent people in such a cowardly attack on public places. ... Terrorism is a threat to us all, affecting India, Afghanistan and the region. Responding to this threat requires nothing less than a joint strategy to defeat this menace."
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura
"The Japanese government disapproves of any act of terrorism, and we emphasize that there is no justification for any act of terrorism. We wish that the people of India will quickly be able to overcome such suffering. Japan and India will continue to work closely to fight against terrorism."
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
"strongly condemned" the attacks and that China is "firmly opposed to terrorism of any form."
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
"I condemn the terror attack that is still ongoing in Mumbai it is another painful testimony that terrorism is the main challenge that Israel and the International community are dealing with."
South African government
"The South African government extends its condolences to the government and people of India following a spate of attacks on a number of hotels, hospital and a restaurant in Mumbai, which left a number of people dead and wounded while others have been taken hostage."
Singaporean government
"Singapore strongly condemns the attacks. We would like to convey our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, the government of India and its people. The Mumbai attacks underscore the common terrorist threat that we continue to face today. Singapore stands firmly behind the Indian government in its fight against terrorism."

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We, all Indian stand in solidarity with the families of our protectors, brave soldiers, and unsung heroes whose lives have been dedicated for this country.

We appeal to all Indians to stay united and foil the evil designs of the terrorists whose main objective is to spreading violence and hatred. We urge the political leaders not to exploit these terrorist acts for political goal.

We are alarmed over the sophistication and military level planning seen in these coordinated attacks and on the failure of the intelligence agencies in preventing such a huge and widespread attack. We demand that the federal and state governments bring the perpetrators of these actions to justice swiftly.

Rainbow Artists and Writers Foundations