Journalism

Ugandan press freedom group’s office raided for second time in 2 years

Human Rights Network for Journalists - Uganda A media rights body, Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda) has lost vital information and property to unknown persons who broke into their office premises in Kayanja Triangle Zone in Rubaga, a Kampala suburb, and made away with all desktop computers, laptops, documents and unspecified amount of money for project activities. “It is hard for us to comprehend. This was a highly sophisticated intrusion. The organization is paralyzed, a lot of our important information was taken, we can't tell what they intend to use it for.…Read more

Third blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh this year

Committee to Protect Journalists Four unidentified assailants wielding cleavers and machetes killed a blogger in Bangladesh today, marking the third time in less than three months that a blogger has been slain in the country, according to news reports. Ananta Bijoy Das was hacked to death while headed to work in the city of Sylhet, the reports said. "The government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina must take urgent steps to ensure the security of critical bloggers in Bangladesh given this series of murders," said CPJ Asia Program Research Associate Sumit Galhotra. "Authorities can…Read more

UK Labour manifesto pledge to change media ownership rules and implement Leveson recommendations

UK Press Gazette The UK Labour Party has today pledged “implementation of the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry” in its 2015 election manifesto. (Labour leader Ed Miliband pictured, Reuters) The party has also promised to “take steps to protect the principle of media plurality, so that no media outlet can get too big”. The Conservative Party’s manifesto has not yet been released, but last month George Osborne said the government would launch a consultation on whether to introduce tax breaks for the English local newspaper industry in his Budget speech. The Liberal Democrat…Read more

Fears in Trinidad and Tobago of campaign to discredit work of women journalists

The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) condemns continued unlawful and defamatory social media attacks on women journalists in Trinidad and Tobago. We believe that a well-resourced, concerted attempt is being made to intimidate and to smear the characters of some journalists in the face of their investigative and analytical work. In one instance, which occurred today, 23 March 2015, a video withdrawn by YouTube in 2013, on account of violations of its guidelines on privacy and the portrayal of minors, was circulated via social media channels in a clear attempt to defame…Read more
Journalists Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik die in Homs

Journalists Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik die in Homs

22/02/2012By: BBC Highly respected American Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin, and award-winning French photographer Remi Ochlik died when a shell hit the makeshift media centre in the Baba Amr district. Opposition-held areas of Homs have been besieged since 4 February. Activists say at least 25 other people were killed in Syria on Wednesday. Thousands have died in the unrest against President Bashar al-Assad. More than 40 people died on Tuesday alone, including Rami al-Sayed, a man who broadcast a live video stream from Homs used by world media. Mr Sayed was fatally wounded…Read more
CMAG Statement on The Maldives

CMAG Statement on The Maldives

14/02/2012By: Commonwealth Secretariat The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) have issued the following statement on the situation in The Maldives: Statement by the Chair on behalf of CMAG 1. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) held an extraordinary meeting by teleconference to consider the situation in the Republic of Maldives. The meeting was convened by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, and chaired by Hon Surujrattan Rambachan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Communications of Trinidad and Tobago. Other members of the Group who participated in the meeting were: Hon Kevin Rudd, Minister for Foreign…Read more
UK Public wants tougher, independent press regulation

UK Public wants tougher, independent press regulation

 14/02/2012 By: MediaLawyer There is public "consensus" that the Press needs a tougher regulatory system independent of politicians, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt said. Newspapers must face "credible punishment" for stepping out of line and the Government would look "very, very carefully" at the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry into Press standards, he added. Speaking to Andrew Marr on the BBC, he said any new regulatory body "must have the confidence of the public". But he said the "elephant in the room" was technological advances which newspapers were struggling to adapt to, with increasing…Read more