16 July 2003
Volume 12 - 2003 Issue 28 (15 Jul. 2003)
Guatemala
As Guatemala prepares for presidential elections in November, IFEX members are calling attention to an increasing number of attacks and threats against journalists. Journalists Against Corruption (Periodistas frente a la corrupción, PFC) says there have been 18 attacks in the past seven months, half of them occurring in June and July. Four of the cases involved members of the independent news agency Centro de Reportes Informativos sobre Guatemala (CERIGUA), whose director, Ileana Alamilla, heads the Association of Guatemalan Journalists' (APG) Press Freedom Committee.
Iran
IFEX members are leading an international protest over the death of Iranian-Canadian photo-journalist Zahra Kazemi, who died in an Iranian hospital on 11 July after suffering a brain hemorrhage from being beaten while in police custody.
Ukraine
Calling it "one of the greatest threats on press freedom in the post-Soviet era," the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned the Ukrainian Parliament for adopting legislation outlawing journalists' rights to protect their sources. Passed on 9 July, the law gives authorities powers to detain journalists suspected of revealing State secrets.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, the repressive dictatorship of Suharto may have ended five years ago, but the ghosts of authoritarian rule are re-emerging, warns Human Rights Watch. In a report released last week, the group says that under President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who took power on 23 July 2001, a quietly growing trend is emerging of regressive policies aimed at curtailing political dissent in Indonesia.
Kazakhstan
A proposed media law introduced by the Kazakhstani government contains provisions that stray so far from international standards on press freedom that it is difficult not to see it as an attempt to control and intimidate the media, warns the International Press Institute (IPI). In a report released on 14 July, IPI says the "Law Concerning Mass Media" is flawed and should be reviewed in an open process involving local journalists and international organisations.
Hong Kong (China)
People power has scored a victory in Hong Kong. Following massive protests earlier this month - the largest since 1989 - the Hong Kong government has delayed plans to push through a national security law that poses grave threats to free expression, reports the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA).
Panama
The Organization of American States' Rapporteur on Free Expression, Eduardo Bertoni, has called on the Panamanian government to immediately repeal all "desacato" or insult laws, saying, "It is wrong to deprive anyone of his/her liberty to express views about public officials."
International
greatreporter.com, a recently launched website showcasing journalism by emerging reporters around the world, is seeking submissions. Developed in close collaboration with the original team behind the BBC News Online website, the site bills itself as a "global showcase for the work of young reporters" who face difficulties in getting published in the mainstream media.
International
The Online News Association, in partnership with the USC Annenberg School for Communication, is accepting entries for the fourth annual Online Journalism Awards until 21 July. The awards, journalism's highest honor for writing, reporting and editing on the Internet and other digital platforms, will be presented at the ONA annual conference in Chicago, taking place 14-15 November.
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