News

National security, liberty, regulation and the role of a free press in the digital age

The incoming Editor-in-Chief of Guardian.com, Janine Gibson, says that investigative journalism may need to be moved ‘off shore’ to avoid the threat to sources and reporters posed by state surveillance, in the post-Snowden era. “We will have to move to the place where it’s easier to report – where there are less restrictions”, Gibson told the World Newspaper Congress and the World Editors Forum in Torino, Italy, today.

Five takeaways from Claudio Paolillo, Press Freedom and Information Committee, Inter-American Press Association

Here are five takeaways from the presentation of Claudio Paolillo, Chairman, Press Freedom and Information Committee, Inter-American Press Association, Uruguay, during a session titled “National security, liberty, regulation and the role of a free press in the digital age” on the first day of WAN-IFRA’s World Newspaper Congress / World Editors Forum in Torino, Italy.

Jailed Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega awarded the 2014 Golden Pen of Freedom

“This Golden Pen is more important than food, medicine and water. It materializes the support and shows that he is not forgotten. That he is one of us. That an attack on one journalist is an attack on us all and that jailing a journalist is a crime against humanity,” Swedish journalist Martin Schibbye said, accepting the 2014 Golden Pen of Freedom, the annual press freedom prize of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), on behalf of imprisoned Ethiopian publisher, journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega.

Press Freedom Roundtable

The WAN-IFRA Press Freedom Round Table is held Sunday in Torino, Italy, where top media executives give their insight on an important question: “Is press freedom in democratic countries a trend in decline?”

Tibetan film-maker Dhondup Wangchen released

Tibetan film-maker Dhondup Wangchen has been released from prison, six years after his arrest in March 2008. Wangchen was featured in WAN-IFRA’s ‘30 Days for Freedom’ campaign.

Journalism safety: A year in review

Barely one year ago we were in Bangkok for WAN-IFRA’s 65th Newspaper Congress, which included some lively discussions on the threats to press freedom and the need for journalist security around the world, writes Javier Garza Ramos.

Journalists targeted as unrest in eastern Ukraine intensifies

As Ukrainians headed to the polls on 25 May in snap elections that were commended by international observers for largely upholding democratic commitments, turmoil in eastern Ukraine saw an increase in violence against journalists. A day before the elections, Italian photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli and his Russian interpreter Andrey Mironov were killed while covering the fighting in Slavyansk, while on 25 May, separatists took two journalists hostage – Viacheslav Bondarenko and Maksym Osovsky – as they covered the elections in Luhansk region. The pair was released several days later.

Ethiopia tightens its grip on media ahead of 2015 elections

“The current regime follows this pattern: immediately before elections, they start to muzzle every critical voice,” protests Endalk Chala, a co-founder and member of the Ethiopian blogging collective called “Zone 9” – a proverbial reference to Ethiopia’s situation beyond the eight zones that divide the notorious Kaliti prison, where many journalists and political prisoners are kept behind bars.

“Prospects are grim” for press freedom in Thailand

The military junta is tightening its grip on the nation’s press following last week’s military coup in Thailand. After martial law was declared and soldiers stormed several TV stations, orders effectively stifling any free expression have been followed by the arrest or summoning of hundreds of politicians, activists and journalists.

Another journalist killed as violence grips the Philippines

The killing of a radio broadcaster in the Philippines has dealt another blow to wavering press freedom in the country. Samuel Oliverio was attacked on 23 May while driving his motorcycle with his wife in Digos city in the south of the country.