Reporters Sans Fronti?res (Reporters Without Borders) Report no.39

[Holy John]

I thought I might share the reports from Reporters Sans Fronti?res (Reporters Without Borders), wich is an organization inform the general public on the journalism situation all over the world. It is based in France, but runned by International reporters and journalists. Any one can subscribe to their mailing list at www.rsf.org.


Reporters Sans Fronti?res - October 24 200I - Report no. 39 = RSF


=OFFICE OF AFRICA=

- Burundi : The director of the African Public Radio was arrested and conducted to the Special Research Office (SPO), during the evening of October I9th. His name is Alexis Sinduhije. He was free the day after, after paying 20 000 Burundi Francs, the equivalent of 27 Euros. During his detention, Mr. Sinduhije was brutalized and insulted. Officers says he might have contacts with the South-African Military in mission in Burundi in order to protect some Hutus political personalities returning from exile. The arrival of the military, during the previous evening, was made in great discretion without informing the national press, as well as the international press. Mr. Sinduhije, while speaking to a member of RWB said he will protest against the officers who ordered him to be brutalized. He said only one soldier objected. A letter of protestation was sent by Reporters Without Borders to the Government and Military of Burundi on october 22nd.


- Swaziland : A photograph was aggressed by the police on October I9th. Thulasizme Mkhabela, photograph reporter of the Time of Swaziland, was aggressed by the police on October I9th in Manzini (in the center of the country). The journalist was covering a press conference wich was forbidden by the authorities, by the Confederated Syndicate of Workers of Swaziland. He was brutalized while taking pictures of a policeman brutalizing members of the Syndicate Union. However, he left the place and called RWB and said he would protest. RSF sent a protest letter on October 22nd.


- Zimbabwe : A director of publication protests against the harassing of the authorities on October 19 2001, Trevor Ncube, director of publication of the private weekly magazine Zimbabwe Independent, descended in the street from Harare to sell by himself specimens of his newspaper. He intended to protest against the police harassing whose are victims the salesmen of the weekly magazine. " Each week, a score of our salesmen are stopped by the font ", affirmed the journalist, only from a few meters of the office of president Robert Mugabe. " That forms a part of the strategy to make fall our sales and limit the diffusion of information considered to be critical by the government ", he added. A spokesman of the font qualified this gesture of " advertising blow ". Letter of protest on October 19, by RWB.

- Niger : The director of "Free Duck" was condemned to six months of prison on October 19 2001, Abdoulaye Ti?mogo, director of publication of the weekly magazine the "Free Duck", was condemned to six months of prison for " slandering " by the court of first authority of Niamey. He must also pay a fine of 100 000 francs CFA (153 euros) and 5 million (7 600 euros) damageses to the Minister for Agriculture, Wassalk? Boukari. This last had carried a protest against Free Duck following the publication of an article affirming that the minister had diverted 200 million francs CFA (305 000 euros) of a gold bearing zone in the west of the country. Other newspapers spoke about this business thereafter. After returned judgement, Abdoulaye Ti?mogo, which appeared freely, was immediately led to the civil prison of Niamey. He can make call of the decision. Letter of protest on October 19. RSF asked for to the minister Justice of make so that the journalist is discharged in call.

- Gabon : Gri-Gri International is not diffused anymore in Gabon. RSF requires explanations of the authorities. On October 18 2001, Mr. Barre, the owner of Sogapress, required not to receive the satirical newspaper anymore, the Gri-Gri International. One week before, Sogapresse had however controlled additional specimens because of the success of the newspaper in Gabon. Mr. Barre was convened on October 11 by the head of the national police force Jean-Claude Labouba. This one summoned not to distribute Gri-Gri International more, by calling upon instructions of the ministry for the Interior. October 12, of the legal policemen not elected seized the last specimens in kiosk. Letter of protest on October 19 by RSF.

- Sierra Leone : RSF worries about the security of the journalists. On October 8 2001, two journalists were attacked in the streets of Freetown. Alhaji Jalloh, to defer twice-weekly private African Champion, was struck by police officers, in a police station of the capital, whereas he tried to check information on a road accident. The same day, Joseph Vandi, to defer private daily newspaper The Salone Times, was abused by agents of the Mission of the United Nations in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) which tried to control a group of ex-serviceman claiming of postponed of balance. The spokesman of the UNAMSIL affirmed that an investigation was in hand on this business. In addition, October 5, Pasco Temple, corresponding local of the news service BREADED and of Reporters without borders, was held during more than one hour in a cell of the prison of Pademba road. The journalist had come to meet a friend when a magistrate showed insult at the court and asked a police officer to imprison it. Lastly, RSF recalled that on September 14, seven journalists of the private press received a threatening letter of signed death of an unknown group called " Danger squad ". According to this mail, these journalists " write negative articles " and if they do not cease, " it will be put fine at their terrestrial existence ". David Tam Baryoh, of the Center of the medias, Jonathan Leigh, director Independent To observe it, Pious Foray, director of publication of the daily newspaper The Democrat, Richard Olu Gordon, director of Peep, Paul Kamara, director of For di People, Chernor Ojuku Sesay, of the Pool, and Philip Neville, director of the Times Standard, received this letter. Throughout the year 1998, journalists had already received similar threats. In January 1999, at least eight professionals of the press had been assassinated by the rebels of the plain revolutionary Face (RUF). Letter of protest on October 18 by RSF.

 

[Holy John]

=OFFICE OF THE AMERICAS=

- Columbia : A mission of investigation into the impunity of the assassins of journalists and into the working conditions of the journalists in zone of conflicts, is carried out in Colombia, from the 22 to October 30, by R?gis Bourgeat, person in charge of Americas Bureau with RSF, Robert M?nard and Iv?n Garc?a, representative of Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS), organization member of " network RSF ". They will be received, Monday October 29, by the president of the Republic. A press conference will be organized at the end of this meeting. The report of mission will be published at the time of the Summit ib?rian-American which will be taken place from the 23 to November 24 in Lima. With this occasion, RSF will propose a press campaign in the ib?rian-American press on the Colombian predators which ridicule the freedom of the press.


- United States of America : The objectivity of the medias is questionned.

One month after the events of September 11, RSF publishes a report on the cover given to the terrorist attacks by the American medias whose objectivity and independence were often questioned. Two representatives of RSF went to New York to take stock. The report/ratio of mission, published on October 11, is available on the www.rsf.org


October I7th Press Release - Anthrax : Reporters Without Borders worried by the cases concerning the press, in particular after death, last 5 October, of an American journalist having contracted anthrax, and the revelation, since, about twelve other cases of people exposed to the disease, all related on the press or the investigations into this business. Robert Stevens, photographer of the tabloid The Sun, a title of the group American Media Inc (FRIENDLY) located at Boca Raton (Florida), died on October 5 2001, after having contracted a pulmonary of anthrax. RSF remains nevertheless very careful on interpretation to give to these cases whereas no investigation allowed, to date, to establish the origin of the bacillus of the disease and the identity of its shippers. In several cases, the exact circumstances of the contamination remain fuzzy. Lastly, the presence of the bacillus of anthrax detected on two mails addressed to the head of the Democrats of the Senate, to Washington D.C., and a subsidiary company of the Microsoft firm, Reno (Nevada), dismisses the assumption of an attack which would aim the medias exclusively.

The Pentagon censures the images satellite on Afghanistan. -
Press release on October 18. Reporters Without Borders protested against the franchise agreement signed by the Pentagon with the company Space Imaging which deprives the medias of the images of Afghanistan taken by Ikonos, the best civil satellite. The organization required of the Minister for Defense (Secretary of Defense), Donald Rumsfeld, to reconsider the clause of exclusiveness in the agreement. " This contract, manpower since the first day of strike in Afghanistan, is a disguised form of censure which only aims at preventing the medias from fulfilling their function of control ", was alarmed Robert M?nard, secretary-general of RSF. " the American authorities behave as the talibans when the latter prohibit to the journalists the access to their territory ", underlined a shocked Mr. M?nard.

The Pentagon concluded a contract that guaranties , since October 7 2001, the exclusiveness in the images taken by the satellite Ikonos on the operations in Afghanistan. The operation carried out by the American army in Afghanistan. The prohibited contract with Space Imaging, the company which manages the Ikonos satellite, " to sell, distribute, share or provide [ these images ] to any other entity ". It is about a one month old contract, renewable. A representative of Space Imaging confirmed that the American government had the exclusiveness on all the images in Afghanistan taken by the satellite. According to Joan Mears, national Agency for the images and the cards of the Pentagon (National imagery and mapery agency), which signed the contract with Space Imaging, the objective of the American authorities is " to guarantee the access to any image " concerning immutable the operations in Afghanistan.

Indeed, the American army does not need the images themselves because it already has six satellite in orbit, to which is added a seventh launched the last week. Four of the satellites, called Keyholes, take photographs whose precision would be of six to ten times better than those provided by Ikonos, of a resolution of one meter. No protest actions yet did by RSF. (Probably waiting for more tangible evidences, as they are very difficult to get - There was no physical aggression on any journalist -yet known- in the United States of America, therefore tangible evidences are more difficult to get since there's no protest made by any journalists).

 

[Holy John]

=OFFICE OF ASIA=

- Afghanistan : Press release on October 24 Reporters Without Borders and Paris Match organize, Thursday October 25 2001 to 15 hours 30, in the buildings of RSF (5, street Geoffroy-Marie - 75009 Paris - Subway Grand boulevards, Cadet) a press conference on the assessment of the mission carried out by Reporters Without Borders to Pakistan from 19 to October 26 2001: " Where are the negotiations for the release of the journalist Michel Peyrard. " Robert M?nard, General Secratary of Reporters Without Borders and Alain Genestar, General manager of the drafting of Paris Match will give a progress report on their negotiations with the Taliban Authorities in order to obtain the release of deferring of Paris Match, Michel Peyrard and of the two journalists Pakistani who accompanied it. Both will also call with a general mobilization of the medias.

Gilles Schneider, director of the information and the antennas of RFI will point out the initiatives of the world radio in favour of Michel Peyrard: from the very start of its detention, RFI implied its draftings in French and foreign languages in the operations calling with its release. **time-out** Robert M?nard, Vincent Brossel, person in charge of zone Asia, and Fran?ois Bugingo, representative of organization with Canada, himself be return with Islamabad and with Peshawar of 19 with 26 October, on the one hand to join the team of Paris Match already on the spot, and in addition, to meet some authority and some personality likely to support the setting in freedom of several journalist hold in Afghanistan to have exert their right with information. The team multiplied the contacts on the spot so that Michel Peyrard and his two fellow-members, Irfan Qureshi and Mukkaram Khan, held by the taliban, in Jalalabad, since October 9, are released. Initially, the three journalists were accused of espionage and thus liable to the death penalty. Only the illegal entrance heads on the Afghan territory from now on would be retained against them.

=== A Japanese journalist held by the Talibans. The ambassador of the taliban with Islamabad confirmed, October 23 2001, the arrest of a Japanese journalist in Afghanistan, in the area of Kunar close to the Pakistani city of Chitral (in the north of Peshawar). According to Japanese journalists' present at Peshawar, it would be about Isamu Iida, independent photographer currently under contract with the Japanese magazine Flash. This one left Peshawar on October 22 in the morning. It would be accompanied by an Afghan guide. The taliban would have transferred it in the town of Jalalabad where are already held, since last 9 October, the journalist of the weekly magazine Paris Match, Michel Peyrard, and both reporters Pakistani which accompanied it, Irfan Qureshi and Mukkaran Khan. Isamu Iida arrived at Pakistan on October 8. October 22 at 8 o'clock in the morning, it left Green Hotel, where it remained in Peshawar, in company of another Japanese photographer, Kenta Nagai. The two men left three luggage and specified with the employee of the greeting, questioned by Reporters without borders, which they would be back in three or four days. They then took the direction of Chitral, in the north of Peshawar, but only Isamu Iida would have crossed the border to penetrate in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, one is to date without news of his fellow-member who would have ventured, in Pakistan, in an area where pullulate the gangsters. Its Japanese fellow-members in Pakistan affirmed with very anxious RSF being for him. They also fear that, contrary to the British and French authorities in the cases of Yvonne Ridley and Michel Peyrard, the Japanese government does not intervene with the taliban for its release.

=== JOURNALIST FAHEEM DASTY, SERIOUSLY WOUNDED AT THE TIME OF the ATTACK AGAINST COMMANDER SHAH MASSOUD, TREATED BY MEDICALS IN PARIS ===

Press release on October 22. The journalist Faheem Dasty, person in charge of the news service independent Ariana based in north of Afghanistan, was seriously wounded at the time of the attack which cost the life to the commander Shah Massoud. These last days, its wounds worsened. He is likely to lose the use partial of his hands. The local medico-surgical teams do not have the means of looking after it. Reporters without borders and the collective of reporters of images No Man' S Land required of the Chain of the Hope, whose mission is to operate wounded or sick children in the whole world, to deal with Faheem Dasty. On a purely exceptional basis, one of its surgeons specialists in the hand will look after it. ACTED, humane association presents to Tadjikistan, brought its assistance for the arrival of the Afghan journalist. Faheem Dashty must arrive to France Tuesday October 23. If you wish to interview Faheem Dasty, you can contact Anne-Sophie Bourdet in Reporters without borders - Telephone: 01 44 83 84 70. The people wishing to give a concrete support for the journalist Faheem Dashty can send an order check of Reporters Sans Fronti?res (5, rue Geoffroy Marie - 75009 Paris), mention " Solidarit? Faheem Dashty ".


- Pakistan : Three Pakistani journalists risk heavy sanctions to have guided French reporters. Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, daily newspaper in ourdou Al-Akhbar, Rifatullah Orakzai, English newspaper Khyber Mail International, and Syed Karim, daily newspaper in ourdou Khabrain, are held since October 5 with Peshawar. The three journalists originating in the zones tribales were stopped in company of two reporters of the chain of French television LCI, Olivier Ravanello and Jerome Marcantetti. The latter were released on October 8 following the intervention in particular of the embassy of France. A representative of RSF could visit the three journalists in prison. They affirmed to be held under difficult conditions. Lastly, they affirmed with RSF that this detention, that they judge " illegal ", would be a revenge moved by their writings. Letter of protest on October 17.

In the afternoon of October 18, the three journalists were released by the authorities of Khyber Agency. Iftikhar Afridi, the brother of the journalist Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, confirmed with RSF that the three reporters were released without conditions after thirteen days of detention: " At the beginning, the authorities affirmed us that it would be released in bond, and that the loads against them would not be raised. We could not accept it. We thus refused. Then the authorities under the national and international pressure, released them without conditions. " One of the journalists, Iqbal Afridi, observed a hunger strike the 72 hours to protest against its prolonged detention.


- Sri Lanka : October 19 2001.
Open letter to the President of the Republic one year day to day after the assassination of the Nimalarajan journalist In an open letter addressed to the president Chandrika Kumaratunga, on the initiative of Free Movement Media, Tamilian Sri Lanka Media Alliance and Reporters without borders, more than two hundred journalists, employees of the medias, bodies of press, intellectuals, and ONG sri lankaises and international protest against the lack of advanced in the investigation into the assassination of the journalist of Jaffna, Mylvaganam Nimalarajan. These organizations require of the President all to put in ?uvre so that the font and the justice sri lankaise are mobilized, and put fine at the impunity whose enjoy the assassins Mylvaganam Nimalajaran, correspondent of the BBC, killed on command of a candidate to the elections belonging to Eelam People' S Democratic Party (EPDP). By killing this courageous journalist, they deprived of the million people of their right to be informed. ? As of the opening of the election campaign, a daily newspaper already threatened Mervyn Silva, person in charge with Colombo of the coalition to the capacity of Alliance of the People, accompanied by seven unknown armed has, October 22, forced the input of the buildings of the daily newspaper cingalais of it Divaina with Colombo and threatened the journalists present. They initially drove out the personnel of security, then asked to see the journalist Janitha Seviratne, then absent. Mervyn Silva thereafter threatened this last of physical violences to have published an article, Friday October 19 2001, on its nomination with the next parliamentary elections. The attackers left a little later threatening however the journalists of the daily newspaper to visit them on their premises. The writer of the daily newspaper, Upali Tennekoon, as well as the personnel of security carried felt sorry for to the station of font of Kotahena. In October 2000, Letter of protest on October 23 200I.


- Bangladesh : At least 21 journalists attacked by militants of BNP and Jamat-e Islami Press release on October 16: the BCDJC and RSF require of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to fight against impunity, in particular in the case of the aggression of Tipu Sultan, correspondent of the service news UNB in Feni. Update: October 17 2001 on October 16, Arup Spoke, correspondent of the daily newspaper Prothom Alo in Manikganj (in the west of Dhaka), was brutally attacked by militants of the branch coed of the party to the capacity. The journalist was in his barber when Abu Bakar, a teacher, and his/her brother, chair local section of Jatiyatabadi Chattra Dal (JCD), asked to speak to him. Arup Rai followed the two men who led it in a deserted street where ten militants of the JCD awaited them. After having reproached to the journalist an article blaming it in the aggression of a pupil, the teacher and the militants coiled it blows. They left it unconscious. Arup Rai succeeded in reaching the police station before being brought in urgency to the hospital of Manikganj. The journalist affirms capacity to identify his attackers. He had already received threats during the election campaign on behalf of militants of BNP.

 

[Holy John]

=OFFICE OF EUROPE=

- France : The ministry for Defense censures the images satellite on Afghanistan the company Spot Image does not diffuse more the images of Afghanistan and from the surrounding countries (Iran, Pakistan, Tadjikistan, Turkm?nistan.? exception of China) catches by its satellites since October 8, dates from the beginning from strike air in Afghanistan. " We (.) are held by the ministry for Defense with clauses of restriction distribution diffusion of images of the zone including/understanding Afghanistan ", declared with the AFP on October 19 the spokesman of SPOT, Sandrine Franck-May. " We must subject the whole of the data distributed to our general direction and the ministry for Defense, and we do not give any more images to the press. Our only customer for the images of Afghanistan is French Defense ", it specified. No precision over the duration of prohibition was provided. Letter of protest on October 23. According to RSF, the military seizure on images of the civil satellites deprives the medias of their function of control.


- Kosovo : A killed journalist, a second seriously wounded Bekim Kastrati, daily newspaper albanophone Stupid Bota, was killed in a ambush, October 19 2001, in the locality of Srbica (center of Kosovo). At the time of the attack, Besim Dajaku, member of the service of security of the Albanian leader moderate Ibrahim Rugova, also found death, and a third nobody was wounded. The three men had just taken part in a demonstration of support for the democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) organized within the framework of the legislative elections of next 17 November. Bota Sot is regarded as a daily newspaper close to the LDK of Ibrahim Rugova. This last declared that it was about a " politically justified " attack. " We consider that this assassination is an attack against the LDK, the institutions of Kosovo and the MINUK [ Mission of the United Nations in Kosovo ] like against the freedom of the press ", it added. A few hours later, Rados Radonjic, employee of Serb television RTS based in Kosovo, was seriously wounded by balls in its residence. The incident occurred in the village of Devet Jugovica (10 km approximately in the north of Pristina), a Serb locality insulated in territory albanophone where occurred many incidents interethnic during two last years. According to the Yugoslav agency Tanjug, the journalist has surprised the unknown ones which tried to fly to him of the cattle. The latter opened fire whereas it tried to interpose. Letter of protest on October 21. RSF required Hans Haeckerup, of administrator of the United Nations in Kosovo, all to implement in order to establish the exact mobiles of these aggressions and to punish the authors of them.

 

[Holy John]

=OFFICE OF THE MIDDLE-EAST=


- Israel : Prohibition with Kol Israel to diffuse interviews on line of Palestinian leaders on October 22 2001, Raanan Cohen, minister without portfolio in load of the law on broadcasting, addressed a letter to the directors of the radio of State Kol Israel, requiring of them not to diffuse the interviews of Palestinian militants on line more. It pointed out the rules in force to them, which prohibit the use of the radio of State to serve enemy propaganda. This directive intervened after the diffusion Sunday of a discussion on line with Hussein Al Sheikh, one of the persons in charge Palestinian in the West Bank. At a meeting of the ministerial Cabinet, the Minister for Education Limor Livnat, mentioning the interview with Hussein Al Sheikh, had complained that the radio " gave him the advisability of spreading its lies ". Letter of protest on October 23.


- Algeria : A journalist attacked by the son of the General Nezzar Sid Ahmed Semiane, said S.A.S., chronicler with the daily newspaper the Morning, was violently struck by Lotfi Nezzar to have criticized the father of this last, Khaled Nezzar, General-major with the retirement and former minister for Defense. The aggression took place in a discotheque of Algiers, in the night from the 18 to October 19 2001. One year before, a dispute had already burst between the two men. These last months, the journalist had been mena?? on several occasions by Lotfi Nezzar. October 21, the Nezzar General presented his excuses to the journalist by qualifying the aggression " of business of common right ". Sid Ahmed Semiane, who suffers from many h?matomes and bruises, deposited felt sorry for. This famous chronicler of the Algerian press is known for his critical articles with regard to political personalities. Letter of protest on October 22. RSF required that the culprit be punished.


- Tunisia : "Le Monde Diplomatique" (btw, excellent journal made by sociologists) prohibited of diffusion the October 2001 issue of of the Diplomatic World was not diffused in Tunisia. It contained an article of Kamel Jendoubi, president of the Committee for the respect of freedoms and of the humans right in Tunisia (CRLDHT). In this article, heading " can the fear change camp? Race speed in Tunisia ", it in particular evoked " the authoritative drifts of the mode ". Many foreign publications are always prohibited in Tunisia of which the French press (Release, Charlie Hebdo, the Cross, the connected Duck and Humanity). In addition, newspapers authorized like the World, Young Africa - the Intelligent one or International Mail is censured when they contain critical articles on Tunisia. Letter of protest on October 19.


- Iran : Six months of prison and 50 blows of whip for a journalist Fatemeh Govara?, suspended weekly magazine Omid-3rd-Zangan, were condemned on October 12 2001 to six months of prison and fifty blows of whip for " untrue publications and slandering ". In an interview granted to the Vlayat weekly magazine, the journalist had denounced the attack of Bassidjis (militiamans islamists) and Pasdaran (guards of the revolution) at the time of a legal gathering of Mr. Yazdi, the head of the Movement of release of Iran. The lawyer of Fatemeh Govara? appealed. Letter of protest on October 18.


- Syria : Two brothers of Nizar Nayyouf laid off. A third intimidated Two of the brothers of the journalist Nizar Nayyouf, Mamdouh and Amjad Nayyouf which worked as professors in publicly-owned establishments, were laid off of their station here a few days. Amjad Nayyouf received a letter October 2 and signed Prime Minister Mustapha Miro in whom it was informed of his dismissal. No reason was provided. Pressures had been previously exerted on the brothers so that they are disunited of Nizar Nayyouf. They had refused. In addition, Hayane Nayyouf, another brother who currently follows studies to the university Tichrine de Lattaqui?, was threatened by persons in charge of the university. Those affirmed to him that it would never obtain its diplomas unless declaring officially that all the declarations of Nizar Nayyouf are lies. Come out of prison in May 2001 after y to have spent nine years, Nizar Nayyouf currently resides in France. A warrant for arrest was delivered against him in September 2001. The journalist is shown of " attempt at modification of the Constitution in an illegal way and publication of untrue information abroad ". Since its release, it had held, in the Arab medias, of the critical remarks on the Syrian mode. Letter of protest on October 18.


- Palestinian Authority : Repression towards the journalists intensifies Lettre of protest on October 15 up to date Mise: October 19 2001 Alaa Saftaoui, writer as a head of weekly magazine Al Istiqlal, a newspaper close to Islamic Djihad, radical Islamic movement, was released on October 17 after six days of detention. He had been stopped, October 11, in Gaza, by the Palestinian font. The very same day, in an article, the journalist had considered the Authority Palestinian " very weak " and asked " for the dismissal of the persons in charge of the services of security ".

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And we all shine on, like the sun, the moon and the stars.
- John Lennon