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Courage
and Censorship – Journalists and Press Freedom
in South Asia 2004-2005
3
May, 2005
South
Asia continues its well-deserved reputation as
one of most unsafe places in the world for journalists
to work. Daily attacks on media workers, a culture
of impunity for those that target journalists,
and a profoundly undemocratic and hostile media
environment in many countries mean journalists
who seek out and report truth do so in a climate
of fear and intimidation.
“The
past year saw governments continue the crack down
on democratic rights and press freedom in the
name of tackling terrorism. And corrupt officials,
insurgents, fundamentalists of all religions and
gangsters with their own violent methods of silencing
truth tellers, continue with impunity,” said
Jacqueline Park, director, IFJ Asia-Pacific.
On
World Press Freedom Day, May 3, the IFJ releases
its Third Annual Press Freedom Report for South
Asia: Courage and Censorship – Journalists
and Press Freedom in South Asia 2004-2005
to highlight the professionalism of journalists
working in adverse circumstances to protect press
freedoms and keep the public informed.
The
report sets out to tell the full story of press
freedom, democratic rights and journalists’
safety in South Asia. Sadly, it details the deaths
of too many journalists and records the unspeakable
treatment of many others. In a terrible and shocking
toll, 19 media workers were killed in targeted
attacks for their efforts to ensure the voice
of the free press in South Asia is heard. The
report also documents the declining media freedoms
so important for media independence and vital
to democracy.
“In
this report we recognise the amazing courage and
professionalism of our colleagues across the region,
many of whom work in the most difficult situations,”
said Park.
The
report tells how journalists in Nepal have been
at the forefront of the opposition to the Royal
coup and clampdown on press freedom and democratic
rights there, of the courage of Bangladeshi journalists
who, despite daily attacks of the most horrific
proportions, continue to expose the corruption
that pervades the country, and of how journalists,
while counting their own losses, were quick to
tell the world and their own communities of the
devastation caused by the tsunami.
The
report has been co-ordinated by the International
Federation of Journalists on behalf of the South
Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN), a unique
coalition of journalists’ unions and press
freedom organisations in the region. The SAMSN,
bringing together more than 25,000 journalists
across the region, is dedicated to building solidarity
among journalists’ organisations and other
groups in the region working to promote a safer
working environment and greater respect for the
work of journalists.
The
IFJ called upon governments to respect democratic
rights, investigate and follow up every attack
and be held accountable when there is official
indifference, negligence or, as in some cases,
official complicity in attacks on media.
“Spotlighting
the cases of violence against journalists and
press freedom violations plays a valuable role
in not only raising awareness of these issues
but also in applying pressure to ensure that the
perpetrators of these assaults are brought to
justice,” said Park.
For
the full report (part 1) click here
For
the full report (part 2) click here
For
a text version of the report click here
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