29 May 2007

TONGAN EDITOR WINS PINA PACIFIC MEDIA FREEDOM AWARD


A newspaper editor charged with sedition and criminal defamation by the royal Tongan regime has been honoured with the 2007 Pacific Media Freedom Award.

Tavake Fusimalohi, the embattled editor of pro-democracy newspaper "Kele'a", won the award, offered by the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), for his fight to ensure "the people of Tonga know what is really happening despite all the efforts by the government to try to silence him," said John Lamani, president of the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI.)

Fusimalohi is one of three Tongan pro-democracy journalists facing sedition charges and jail terms amid a crackdown on the media following a deadly protest last year, which led the government to declare a state of emergency. Rioting broke out on 16 November 2006 in the capital Nuku'alofa after the Legislative Assembly, due to adjourn for the year, had made no progress on its pledges to advance democracy in the government.

"We were being targeted because since the events of 16 November, we are still the only outspoken paper against the government," Fusimalohi told Radio Zealand International.

Fusimalohi is a founder and former executive director of PINA and was a long-time general manager of the government-owned Tonga Broadcasting Commission before becoming editor of "Kele'a".

The award was presented during a PINA convention in the Solomon Islands. Fusimalohi was invited to speak at the conference but because of the charges against him he is not permitted to leave Tonga.

See: http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2007/05/27/tongan-newspaperman-gets-media-freedom-honour for the full story.

(29 May 2007)



Stay on top of free expression news.

Sign up to receive the weekly IFEX Communiqué.


Also from the Communiqué, 29 May 2007

INTERNATIONAL: NOMINATIONS WANTED FOR "ORLANDO SIERRA" PRIZE OF COURAGE 2007 29 May 2007 INTERNATIONAL: AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT LAUNCHES JOURNALIST TRAINING PROJECT 29 May 2007 COLOMBIA: "DEMOBILISED" PARAMILITARIES IN COLOMBIA GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER, RSF FINDS 29 May 2007 BHUTAN: TAKE ACTION! SUPPORT BHUTAN'S EXILED MEDIA 29 May 2007 BURMA: BURMA: ACTIVISTS DEMAND SUU KYI'S RELEASE 29 May 2007 PHILIPPINES: JOURNALIST KILLED, OTHERS THREATENED FOLLOWING ELECTIONS 29 May 2007 HAITI: SECOND RADIO REPORTER KILLED IN A WEEK 29 May 2007 THE GAMBIA: AFRICAN UMBRELLA GROUPS LAUNCH CAMPAIGNS FOR FREE EXPRESSION 29 May 2007 VENEZUELA: CLOSURE OF RCTV DEEPENS POLITICAL DIVIDE 29 May 2007
 
IFEX is a global network of committed organisations working to defend and promote free expression.
Permission is granted for material on this website to be reproduced or republished in whole or in part provided the source member and/or IFEX is cited with a link to the original item.