PEC ICPJ MONTHLY REPORT: 20 journalists killed since the beginning of the year

MARCH 2008

GENEVA, April 1 (PEC-ICPJ) — The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC) and the International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ) warn that the month of March has witnessed a marked deterioration in press freedoms, flagged by the recent developments in Tibet, China.

The two organizations deplore the absence of media, Internet and Satellite coverage of the Tibet events.

They call upon the Chinese authorities to allow free and independent access to the media to shed light on the Tibet developments as well as allowing an international mission of enquiry.

In addition, the two organizations call upon the Chinese authorities to allow foreign media to move freely in whole China at the occasion of the Olympic year. While also denouncing the events in Zimbabwe, the two organizations urgently call on the Zimbabwean government to allow free and fair coverage internally and by foreign media of the results of the March 29 elections. In this respect both organizations believe that it is of paramount importance that UN member states start discussions on ways and means for the protection of media coverage, Internet and Satellite transmissions.

In March according to the PEC media ticking clock 3 journalists were killed. PEC and ICPJ strongly condemned one murder in Iraq and two in Russia (7 last year during the same month). Since the beginning of the year, 20 journalists were killed in the line of duty as opposed to 22 during the first three months of 2007.

So far for this month the number of journalists killed in Iraq has gone down compared to the first quarter of 2007. But still Iraq remains the most dangerous country in the world for media work. Second to Iraq comes Somalia.

The number of journalists killed in Iraq since March 2003 stand today at 275 journalists.

Calls for releasing Cuban journalists jailed on Black Spring of 2003 took place on March 18 by a group of Cuban demonstrators in front of the UN in Geneva. The group supported by the PEC and the ICPJ called upon the High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour to interfere in favour of 27 imprisoned journalists four years ago.

As far as the situation in Sri-Lanka is concerned, the two organizations support the letter launched by the International Federation of Journalists and signed by more than 30 organizations, to the President of Sri Lanka voicing the concerns for the safety of journalists there. During the month of March and on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council the PEC and the ICPJ organized a parallel event on the protection of Journalists in conflict zones and civil unrest.

During this event, the two organizations unveiled a draft convention which aims at re-enforcing the protection of journalists. Member states had to react to the draft by 31 March, a project which was sent out by the PEC on 7 December 2007.

The PEC and the ICPJ remind UN member states of the urgency to react to this draft. The deadline is now extended till April 30.

Mexican ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba, who took part in the event, announced the beginning of consultations on the level of concerned ambassadors in Geneva on the issue of journalists protection. In view of this serious deterioration of media coverage of major events and the assault on freedom of Opinion and Expression, the PEC and the ICPJ call upon member states to start deliberations on a special sitting on that issue in the context of the Human Rights Council. For more info consult: www.pressemblem.ch and www.mediacovenant.org

PEC contact: pressemblem freesurf.ch