19 December 2003

IFEX MEMBERS PROTEST JOURNALIST'S DEATH SENTENCE


The Alliance of Independent Journalists (Aliansi Jurnali Independen, AJI), Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) and ARTICLE 19 have added their voices to an international protest against Burmese authorities for issuing a death sentence against journalist Zaw Thet Htwe.

The three IFEX members have issued a joint statement with 16 Asia-based press-freedom and human rights groups, condemning the decision and calling for it to be revoked.

That follows similar protests last week by other IFEX members, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Federation of Journalists, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières) and the World Association of Newspapers (see: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/55527/).

The editor-in-chief of "First Eleven Sports Journal," Htwe was sentenced to death on 28 November 2003 on charges of "committing high treason by plotting to murder senior government figures," ARTICLE 19 says. The Burmese military accused him of participating in the planning of a series of bombings and of working with members of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) to stir up unrest.

Four other journalists who work for the magazine were detained for several days last November. ARTICLE 19 says little evidence has been provided to back up the government's claims and there is no proof of NLD involvement in the alleged plot.

Htwe's magazine recently published a story alleging that authorities misused a US$4 million international grant intended to promote soccer in Burma, ARTICLE 19 notes. With a circulation of 50,000, "Eleven Sports Journal" is the most popular sports magazine in Burma.

The Burmese government frequently makes accusations of treason and other criminal offences against people it wants to target and more than 20 Burmese journalists are currently in
prison, adds ARTICLE 19.
Read the joint protest statement here: http://www.article19.org/docimages/1701.doc



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Also from the Communiqué, 19 December 2003

INTERNATIONAL: WSIS: IFEX MEMBERS FOCUS ON TUNISIA 17 December 2003 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: PRESS FREEDOM IMPROVING, SAYS JED REPORT 19 December 2003 TONGA: NEW MEDIA LAWS THREATEN FREE EXPRESSION 19 December 2003 ITALY: PROPOSED MEDIA LAW VETOED 19 December 2003 ROMANIA: PRESS FREEDOM WORSENING, SAYS FREEDOM HOUSE 19 December 2003 RSF LAUNCHES REVAMPED DAMOCLES WEBSITE 19 December 2003 FRANCE: RSF OPENS REFUGE FOR EXILED JOURNALISTS 19 December 2003 INTERNATIONAL: OSCE ANNOUNCES NEW LEGAL ASSISTANCE FUND FOR JOURNALISTS 19 December 2003 INTERNATIONAL: FREE-EXPRESSION DECLINING, SAYS OUTGOING OSCE RAPPORTEUR 19 December 2003 INTERNATIONAL: RSF HONOURS PRESS-FREEDOM AWARD WINNERS 19 December 2003

Burma

Sorting out sanctions, censorship, sincerity 23 May 2012 Government to end prior censorship 16 May 2012 By-election shows greater respect for press freedom, says IPI 4 April 2012 Wary about Burma? So are others 2 April 2012 Censors issue warnings to two political journals 29 March 2012 See all alerts: Burma


Asia and Pacific

CHINA: Anti-foreign attitudes bode ill for China correspondents 24 May 2012 CHINA: Government continues to censor reporting on activist Chen Guangcheng 24 May 2012 MALAYSIA: Authorities urged to drop charges against protest participants 24 May 2012 PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Parties urged to respect media role 24 May 2012 VIETNAM: Call for release of Catholic activists 23 May 2012


 
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