Latest news with #IFJ
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IFJ urges immediate review of PECA by SC
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on the Supreme Court to urgently review the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), citing what it says are escalating threats to press freedom and the safety of journalists in the country. In a letter to the chief justice of Pakistan, the IFJ says that media professionals in Pakistan are facing mounting dangers while performing their professional duties. It points out that journalists are being subjected to legal cases, harassment, and threats under the PECA law. The IFJ also sent copies of the letter to the prime minister, the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), and the president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). It reminds that Pakistan's is a signatory to international conventions, which obligate it to protect fundamental rights. The IFJ letter has noted that recent amendments to PECA have granted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) powers to act without a formal complaint - a move, it warns, could be used to silence dissent and target journalists arbitrarily. "These powers pose a serious risk of suppressing independent journalism and freedom of expression," the letter said, urging the top judge to direct the government to amend the law in consultation with PFUJ and other relevant stakeholders. The IFJ expressed concern over the bypassing of high courts through direct appeals to the apex court, calling it a "circumvention of judicial process." The IFJ highlighted the reported killing of at least seven journalists in Pakistan over the past year, while no perpetrators are convicted in cases involving attacks or threats. It cites the latest Press Freedom Report, which has documented 34 violations, including physical assaults, harassment, online hate campaigns, and intimidation.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IFJ calls on SC to review new PECA law amendments
Listen to article The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on the Supreme Court of Pakistan to urgently review the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), citing what it says are escalating threats to press freedom and the safety of journalists in the country. In a letter addressed to Chief Justice — and also sent to the prime minister, the chief justice of the Islamabad High Court, and the president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) — the IFJ said that media professionals in Pakistan are facing mounting dangers while performing their professional duties. Earlier this year, the National Assembly passed a set of amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) under a supplementary agenda, significantly expanding the government's authority to regulate online content and penalise digital offences. PECA (Amendment) Act 2025 included provisions for the formation of a Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), which will be empowered to remove online content, restrict access to prohibited material, and impose penalties on individuals who share such content. The amendments also broadened the definition of 'social media platforms' to encompass tools and software used to access these platforms. The revised law now extends its jurisdiction to include websites, applications and various communication channels. As part of the legislative changes, the FIA Cybercrime Wing is to be disbanded and replaced with a stricter framework of enforcement. Under the new rules, individuals sharing expunged material from parliamentary or provincial assemblies on social media could face imprisonment of up to three years along with a fine of Rs2 million. Read: Provinces made party to case against PECA amendments 'Journalists are being subjected to legal cases, harassment, and threats under the PECA law,' the federation stated, adding that Pakistan's government is a signatory to international conventions such as those of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations, which obligate it to protect fundamental rights. The IFJ noted that recent amendments to PECA have granted the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) powers to act without a formal complaint — a move it warns could be used to silence dissent and target journalists arbitrarily. 'These powers pose a serious risk of suppressing independent journalism and freedom of expression,' the letter said, urging the top court to direct the government to amend the law in consultation with PFUJ and other relevant stakeholders. The federation also expressed concern over the bypassing of high courts through direct appeals to the SC, calling it a 'circumvention of judicial process.' In its letter, the IFJ reported that at least seven journalists have been killed in Pakistan over the past year, with no perpetrators convicted in cases involving attacks or threats. The latest Press Freedom Report, it said, documented 34 violations, including physical assaults, harassment, online hate campaigns, and intimidation. Read more: Back to the cave: Where does PECA take us? Media workers, the IFJ said, also face systemic challenges such as non-payment of wages, unlawful dismissals, and significant security risks. Furthermore, legal barriers to unionization have been reinforced by recent state legislation, undermining workers' rights. 'Media professionals are being deprived of the right to unionize, and they do not have equal access to justice in the courts,' the letter read. The IFJ revealed it has dispatched two fact-finding missions to Pakistan, where representatives met with journalists, media owners, PFUJ leadership, and human rights advocates. The federation said it supports PFUJ's ongoing legal efforts, including a petition filed in the Islamabad High Court, which is still awaiting a final decision. Underlining the urgency of the situation, the IFJ appealed to the Chief Justice to immediately initiate a comprehensive judicial review of PECA, especially the amendments that grant sweeping powers to the FIA. 'Immediate action must be taken to protect press freedom under Article 19 of the Constitution,' the federation concluded.
United News of India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Civil society organisations urge Sri Lankan govt to enact critical reforms
Colombo, May 15 (UNI) Civil society groups such as the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), together with its affiliates the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA) and the Free Media Movement (FMM), has urged the new government to heed civil society calls to bring the country forward on critical reforms. Issuing a statement, the IFJ raised concerns over the Sri Lankan government's apparent reluctance to engage with civil society, warning that the administration under newly elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is falling short of its promises on transparency and inclusive governance, News Wire reports. Despite repeated efforts by civil society organisations, the government has so far remained unresponsive to calls for renewed commitment to the Open Government Partnership (OGP)—a global initiative aimed at promoting transparency, empowering citizens, combating corruption and improving governance. Critics argue that this silence undermines public trust and raises questions about the administration's willingness to foster meaningful citizen participation in decision-making. Under the mandate of the OGP, members are required to create a two-year National Action Plan through a multi-stakeholder process to implement governance reforms in collaboration with civil society. Organisations such as Transparency International Sri Lanka and the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, as co-conveners of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) involved in Sri Lanka's OGP process, urged the government to recommit to the OGP or potentially be expelled from the multilateral initiative. In a statement, the groups said the continued silence underscored a broader pattern of weak consultative governance and emphasised that restoring trust in public institutions required a firm commitment to open, inclusive and participatory governance that reflects the voices and needs of the people. The current frustration from Sri Lankan civil society groups, while targeted at the new administration, is also underpinned by a long pattern of neglect by previous governments. From 2021 to 2023, successive governments failed to submit a National Action Plan under the OGP, prompting the global OGP Steering Committee to designate Sri Lanka as 'inactive' in a resolution passed on May 10, 2024. To restore its active status, Sri Lanka was due to submit a new Action Plan by May 10, 2025, but the current administration has yet to comply. The FMM said: 'The government's inaction – while retaining draconian legislation – exposes its indifference to constitutional freedoms. FMM demands immediate recommitment to OGP with civil society to repeal anti-media laws; embed press freedom in the National Action Plan and guarantee transparent policymaking. Media freedom cannot survive without institutional checks. The OGP is our last firewall against authoritarian regression.' The SLWJA said: 'We believe it's crucial to re-engage the current Sri Lankan government in a participatory governance model that includes civil society organisations. In the past, the Sri Lankan government has had positive experiences working with such civil organisations to implement 'Good Governance.' Reviving this approach could lead to more effective and accountable governance.' The IFJ said: 'Press freedom can only thrive within a functioning democracy, and the continued neglect of participatory governance and civil society engagement raises serious questions about the administration's commitment to legislative reform. It is urgent that press freedom is front and centre of such a discussion.' UNI ANV SS
Saba Yemen
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
International Federation of Journalists: What happening in Gaza genocide, world's silence shameful
Brussels - Saba: Journalists and representatives of media institutions and international organizations participated in a solidarity vigil in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday evening, in front of the European Union headquarters, in support of Palestinian journalists, especially those working in the Gaza Strip. Participants in the vigil raised Palestinian flags and pictures of several journalists killed while covering the aggression on Gaza. They also held banners demanding an immediate end to the targeting of journalists and the urgent need for European and international action to protect them and guarantee freedom of journalism in the occupied Palestinian territories. "What we are witnessing today is the worst phase in the history of journalism, with more than 210 journalists killed by the Israeli army, amid shameful international silence," IFJ Secretary General Antonio Bellanger told Quds Press. He added, "We issue a clear appeal from here: Stop these massacres, stop the genocide, let journalists report the truth, and allow us and our colleagues from around the world to enter the Gaza Strip." Bellange directed sharp criticism at European governments, asking, "We do not understand why these governments are silent, and why they do not act to stop the massacres being committed in full view of the world. What is being slaughtered in Gaza is our humanity as a whole." The Secretary-General pointed out that the targeting of journalists is not separate from the targeting of civilians, including children, women, and medical and humanitarian personnel, calling for real action to hold those responsible for crimes against media professionals accountable. In this context, Bellanger, on behalf of the International Federation of Journalists, which represents more than 600,000 journalists worldwide, called for "the need to hold the leaders of the occupation responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity accountable before international courts, in accordance with the Charter of International and Humanitarian Law." For her part, Dominique Pradali, President of the International Federation of Journalists, said: "Journalism is being slaughtered in Palestine, and we are here to say: Enough. Freedom of expression is not a local issue, but a global one that requires effective international solidarity." Pradali revealed a new initiative led by the Federation, in cooperation with international legal experts, aimed at drafting a binding international convention to protect journalists, given the current absence of an international legal framework to protect them. The proposed convention aims to end impunity by establishing an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate the killing of journalists and hold accountable those who carried out and issued the orders. The International Federation of Journalists called on global media outlets and governments to support this convention, in preparation for its submission to the United Nations for formal adoption, warning that "the absence of protection mechanisms simply means there may be no journalists in the future." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
The National
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Gazan photojournalist, set to feature in documentary at Cannes festival, is killed in Israeli air strike
Culture Film & TV Fatima Hassouna died earlier this week along with nine members of her family Evelyn Lau April 18, 2025 Fatima Hassouna, a Palestinian photojournalist and artist who captured everyday life under siege in Gaza, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Wednesday. She was 33. Hassouna is the central figure in Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, a documentary by Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi that was selected this week for screening at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The film centres on video conversations between the two women and paints a portrait of life during war as told from inside Gaza. The attack on Hassouna's family home in Gaza city came just a day after the film's official selection was announced by Acid, a Cannes sidebar dedicated to independent cinema. Nine of her family members also died in the strike. A graduate of the University College of Applied Sciences in Gaza, Hassouna had contributed photojournalism to international media outlets, including The Guardian, often working independently to document the impact of the Israeli military campaign on her community. In the days before her death, she continued to share glimpses of daily life online, such as a sunset from her balcony in a rare moment of quiet. In an earlier post, she wrote: 'If I die, I want a loud death. I don't want to be in a breaking news story, nor in a number with a group. I want a death that is heard by the world, a trace that lasts forever, and immortal images that neither time nor place can bury.' In an interview with France's Le Monde, Farsi described Hassouna as 'a sun', recalling how she sent daily images, messages and voice notes despite the dangers. 'Every morning, I would wake up and wonder if she was still alive,' Farsi said. Acid also paid tribute on social media, writing: 'Her smile was as magical as her tenacity: bearing witness, photographing Gaza, distributing food despite bombs, grief and hunger. Her story reached us and we rejoiced at each of her appearances to know she was alive; we feared for her. Yesterday, we learnt with horror that an Israeli missile targeted her building.' Since the start of the war, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) estimates that more than 150 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza, though some reports put the figure above 200. The IFJ has called for an independent investigation and an end to the targeting of reporters. Hassouna's story now forms part of the documentary she helped shape, and one that will be screened for audiences in Cannes next month. 'This is a different film than the one we will carry, support and present in every theatre,' Acid said. 'All of us, filmmakers and spectators, must be worthy of her light.'
