News

Global rights groups call for the release of Bangladeshi journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol

2020-08-13. In a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, civil society defenders of free expression from all over the world call for the immediate release of Shafiqul Islam Kajol and accountability for his mistreatment.

The arrest of Apple Daily’s publisher is an assault against Hong Kong’s citizens’ freedoms

2020-08-10. WAN-IFRA and the World Editors Forum have expressed grave concern over the arrest in Hong Kong on Monday of Jimmy Lai, the founder and publisher of Apple Daily, the continued detention of Hopewell Chin’ono, a Zimbabwean journalist and 2010 Nieman Fellow and the increased jail time for Al Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein in Egypt.

Suspicion of political interference against independent media in Bulgaria

2020-06-26. WAN-IFRA expresses its concerns over suspicions of political interference in the prosecution of Ivo Prokopiev, owner of the Economia Group in Bulgaria. The haste of the judicial authorities in a court case against Bulgarian media owner and businessman Ivo Prokopiev gives rise to fears of a new instance of political intimidation of the independent Bulgarian press. It sheds light, once again, on the steady erosion of independence and pluralism of Bulgaria’s media over the past fifteen years, and a disturbing lack of scrutiny on media issues from EU’s authorities.

WAN-IFRA Condemns Guilty Verdict for Maria Ressa in Cyber-Libel Trial

2020-06-15. Prominent Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, and WAN-IFRA’s Golden Pen of Freedom laureate, has been found guilty of cyber libel in a case widely condemned as politically motivated. She has 15 days to appeal the decision but risks spending up to six years in prison.

World’s Press Condemns Violence Against Journalists in the US

2020-06-12. In an unprecedented show of international solidarity, WAN-IFRA members from over 40 countries have written to US President Donald Trump to denounce recent violence against journalists covering protests in the country. The joint letter calls for perpetrators to be brought to justice and urges President Trump “to forcefully condemn these attacks and show unwavering support for a free press.”

WAN-IFRA joins call to stop the rise in death threats against Northern Ireland journalists

2020-05-20. The World Association of News Publishers and the World Editors Forum today joined many expression groups, industry bodies, civic leaders, and journalists in a joint statement condemning recent threats against journalists working for the Sunday Life and Sunday World newspapers in Northern Ireland, and stand up for journalists and press freedom in Northern Ireland.

Asociaciones iberoamericanas resaltan la importancia del periodismo independiente durante la pandemia del Covid-19

2020-05-03. En el marco del Día Mundial para la Libertad de Prensa, las asociaciones de medios iberoamericanas firmantes resaltan la importancia del rol de la prensa en las sociedades democráticas en tiempos de crisis.

WAN-IFRA joins the Independent News Emergency Relief Coordination (INERC) to coordinate help during the pandemic

2020-05-01. The Independent News Emergency Relief Coordination (INERC) is an effort to help assist funders willing and able to provide significant financial support for independent news media. INERC’s ambition is to guide the emergency funding to those independent news media around the world who need relief the most in this challenging situation during the coronavirus crisis. It will help better understand where the need is greatest and coordinate the efforts to make the most significant possible difference in this difficult moment.

WAN-IFRA urges broader consultation for Ukraine’s proposed disinformation bill to avoid risks for freedom of expression

2020-04-09. The proposed Media Bill is a Threat to Freedom of Expression in Ukraine. WAN-IFRA has written to Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, to express concern over a new bill before parliament that would criminalise the dissemination of misinformation and potentially target legitimate news sources.

Racism, misinformation, inclusion: How to ethically cover COVID-19

Three editors on the frontline of covering the COVID-19 pandemic joined Fergus Bell, CEO of fathm, in a WAN-IFRA webinar to share insights into how to improve the quality of coverage and distance journalism from the sea of misinformation.