22 February 2006
IFEX CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS GROWING THREATS TO FREE EXPRESSION
Free expression groups from around the world gathering in Brussels last week at the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) General Meeting pledged to confront a "growing number of attacks against the media."
On 22 February 2006, conference participants held a demonstration outside the Council of the European Union calling on the EU to join the fight to expose and combat "the scandal of impunity in the killing of journalists and media staff."
In letters to the President of the European Commission, Jose Manual Barroso, and to the President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell, the groups said that over the last 10 years more than 1,000 journalists and media staff have been killed yet in only a handful of cases have suspects been brought to trial.
The protesters urged the European Union to join a campaign to expose the lack of political will to back proper investigation of media killings. Citing a number of problem regions, the groups say that countries the problem is serious in countries like the Philippines, Haiti, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Colombia.
At the IFEX conference, hosted by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), concerns about the impact of the
war on terror" on free expression around the world were also expressed.
"It's no news to anyone here that the war on terror has put freedom of expression under threat," said Christopher Warren, President of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), in an opening speech on 20 February.
"Freedom of expression is in retreat in too many emerging democracies. However, in mature democracies, governments are also tightening access to information, restricting coverage in the name of national security and broadening the scope of unacceptable speech."
These trends were backed up by a report presented by the IFEX Clearing House, which highlighted a 20 per cent increase in the number of alerts on free expression violations issued in the last 18 months.
The IFEX General Meeting, which took place from 20 to 24 February, brought together more than 100 free expression activists, including IFEX members, from across the globe to discuss ways they can build effective campaigns to confront the growing threats to freedom of expression and press freedom.
At a panel session on terrorism and freedom of expression, Franco Frattini, Vice President of the European Commission and European Union Commissioner for Justice, Freedom and Security, made a trenchant defense of free speech when he referred to the recent crisis surrounding the re-publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad.
"We must defend freedom of expression," he said. He called for "a frank, transparent and even tough exchange of views" which should include a "strong rejection of violence."
"Freedom of expression must be defended possibly most of all when ideas shock or disturb," said Frattini. "The difficulty is to reconcile free expression with the deepest individual convictions, which should also be respected." The Commissioner expressed his willingness to promote dialogue both within EU boundaries and in neighbouring countries (see his speech: http://tinyurl.com/laero).
Frattini referred to a number of initiatives being taken to encourage a dialogue between media representatives and faith leaders, but denied any political intention to impose further rules related to media ethics.
One of the initiatives brought together European editors, broadcasters and journalists in Brussels last week, where a joint statement was issued affirming the media community's determination to "create a meaningful dialogue that will improve understanding between communities, that will reduce tension and that will enhance the quality of journalism on all sides." (See: http://tinyurl.com/mkjx3)
Commenting on the cartoon crisis at the IFEX conference, Shadaba Islam, a senior correspondent for Deutsche Presse Agentur, said it "has taken place in the context of a pervasive climate of intimidation against 20 million European Muslims, a situation which the EU has failed to address before the crisis erupted."
"The war against terrorism and extremism is not only a struggle for European values. Democrats from all countries are oppressed in what has to be described as a civil war for the soul of Islam. What is shocking here is the lack of understanding for basic Muslim values, despite an apparent political engagement for the establishment of a multi-religious society," she said.
Joining the debate, Tony Bunyan, Director of Statewatch, said "absolute freedom could also lead to absolutism. Freedom of speech should not endanger other people's lives."
Hélène Flautre, Chair of the European Parliament Sub-Committee on Human Rights, denounced double standards in the treatment of human rights in Europe. "Journalists should not be held back by external pressures," she said.
In the past two weeks, as violent protests against the cartoons spread throughout the Muslim world, journalists have been arrested and media outlets closed in Russia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Algeria and Jordan for re-publishing the cartoons.
In another panel session, speakers highlighted concerns over media concentration. "The consolidation of media control can represent a subtle and discreet form of censorship," said Andrew Schwartzman, President and CEO of Media Access Project, a U.S. public-interest law firm that represents civil society groups on media regulation issues.
Jane Duncan, Executive Director of the South Africa-based Freedom of Expression Institute, pointed out that media concentration is not just a northern issue, "of concern only to people living in developed countries." The dangers of media concentration could be as bad or even worse in the South than in the North, she said.
Participants in the debate called for a strong commitment to pluralism, media quality and public service values in media policy making.
A follow-up report on the conference's proceedings will be featured in the "IFEX Communiqué" and on the IFEX website this week.
Visit these links for updates on the cartoon crisis:
- IFJ: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3722&Language=EN- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/europe/russia21feb06na.html- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=16487Read what IFEX members are saying about the cartoon controversy:
- ARTICLE 19: http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,1700653,00.html- Cartoonists Rights International: http://cartoonistrights.com/content/view/23/1/- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/europe/russia21feb06na.html- Human Rights Watch: http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/02/15/denmar12676.htm- IFJ: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3685&Language=EN- Index on Censorship: http://tinyurl.com/ozd9w- IPI: http://tinyurl.com/r6uv2- PEN Canada: http://tinyurl.com/mbf3d- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/appeal.php3- World Association of Newspapers: http://www.wan-press.org/article9288.html- World Press Freedom Committee: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/72049(Photo: Members of the IFEX network gather outside the EU urging justice for journalists)