1 December 2004

2004 A DEADLY YEAR FOR JOURNALISTS


Far from the international media's gaze, journalists in the Philippines are experiencing one of the worst years on record for attacks against the press. As many as 12 journalists have been murdered this year, including photographer Allan Dizon, who was gunned down in Cebu City on 27 November.

Dizon, 31, was shot at point-blank range by an unidentified gunman, reported the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). He died two hours later in a local hospital.

A photographer for "The Freeman" and a correspondent for the tabloid "Banat," Dizon had reportedly never received threats because of his work. However, Dizon's editors say the journalist had recently reported on drug trafficking in Cebu City. Local police are investigating possible motives in the murder.

According to RSF, 12 journalists have been killed in the Philippines this year, the highest since 1986, when democracy was re-instated. That figure puts the Philippines behind only Iraq as the most dangerous country in the world for journalists.

In response to the crisis, IFJ is sending a press freedom mission to the country in January 2005. The mission will travel to the most affected provinces and will meet with senior government officials to discuss the culture of impunity surrounding the murders of journalists. Nearly 60 journalists have been killed in the Philippines since 1986. No one has been brought to justice for any of the murders.

Visit:

- Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility: http://www.cmfr.com.ph/

- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/news/2004/Phil29nov04na.html

- RSF: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=11966

- IFJ: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=2828&Language=EN

- Culture of Impunity Haunts the Philippines: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/61045/

- Southeast Asian Press Alliance: http://www.seapabkk.org/column/2004/11/20041103.html

- Statement by Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists: http://www.seapabkk.org/column/2004/11/20041101.html

- National Union of Journalists of the Philippines: http://www.nujp.org/



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Also from the Communiqué, 1 December 2004

UKRAINE: JOURNALISTS REVOLT AGAINST BIASED MEDIA COVERAGE 1 December 2004 LAOS: SEAPA, RSF HIGHLIGHT LACK OF PRESS FREEDOM 1 December 2004 MEXICO: PHOTOGRAPHER KILLED 1 December 2004 VENEZUELA: CONCERN OVER NEW MEDIA LAW 1 December 2004 BURMA: TAKE ACTION! BURMA: SIGN A PETITION TO URGE JOURNALIST'S RELEASE 1 December 2004 INTERNATIONAL: CIVIL SOCIETY CONFERENCE TO DISCUSS REFORM IN THE ARAB WORLD 1 December 2004 MALAYSIA: ARTICLE 19 HELPS PROMOTE ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN MALAYSIA 1 December 2004 INTERNATIONAL: PANOS Conference to Examine Media, Peace-building in Africa's Great Lakes Region 1 December 2004 INTERNATIONAL: NIEMAN FELLOWSHIPS AT HARVARD 1 December 2004

Philippines

Radio commentator threatened on Facebook 25 May 2012 Another Mindanao radio anchor receives threat over mining stories 15 May 2012 Radio commentator in Mindanao receives death threat 15 May 2012 Sometime weather reporter killed 10 May 2012 Radio broadcaster shot dead in Davao Oriental 9 May 2012 See all alerts: Philippines


Asia and Pacific

INDIA: Charges against video journalist must be dropped 25 May 2012 CAMBODIA: Lake activists sentenced, monk detained after taking part in protest 25 May 2012 PAKISTAN: Moves to squelch media, again 25 May 2012 CHINA: Anti-foreign attitudes bode ill for China correspondents 24 May 2012


 
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