Journalists Join Global Protest to Defend Press Freedom in Pakistan

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PUBLISHED ON November 16, 2007 AT 7:53 AM

Journalists’ and press freedom groups around the world joined forces today to support the demands of their courageous colleagues in Pakistan who have been demanding an end to the Government clampdown on the media under emergency decrees imposed on 3 November.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), an affiliate of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), called for the Global Day of Action when Pakistan’s President, Pervez Musharraf, issued ordinances that severely restrict media workers and institutions in Pakistan.

There was action on every continent as the global nature of the protest took shape. Journalists’ associations in South Asia, under the umbrella of the South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN) and affiliates from South East Asia and the Pacific united to defend the media workers of Pakistan. Representatives of SAMSN members personally delivered letters of protest to Pakistan ambassadors and high commissioners in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

In India, the National Union of Journalists issued a protest condemning the suppression of the Pakistani media in the wake of President Musharraf’s emergency decree.

Beyond the region, similar protests and actions were undertaken in countries around the world including Australia, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan, Mauritius, Malaysia, Norway, Romania, the United States and Uruguay.

The President of the National Union of Journalists Malaysia Morila Mohd Daud and General Secretary Mr Hong Boon visited the Pakistan High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) also delivered a petition letter to the Consul General of Pakistan and released it publicly to coincide with the Global Day of Action. Similar action was taken by the Japan Federation of Commercial Broadcast Workers’ Union MINPOROREN.

In Australia, the deputy high commissioner Mr. Tanveer Akhtar Khaskeli promised representatives of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), an affiliate of the IFJ, to convey the union’s concern about press freedom and rights to his Government. He defended the Government’s position and its proposals for a media code of conduct.

However, the PFUJ and IFJ oppose such a code, which makes media workers and institutions accountable to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA). Some smaller broadcasters in Pakistan are reported to have signed a PEMRA code of conduct in order to win permission to resume broadcasting, while others that refuse to sign remain off the air.

Click here to see photos, letters, press releases and a list of those participating in the day of action.

For more information contact IFJ headquarters: +32 2 235 2207
or Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0919

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries

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Journalists Join Global Protest to Defend Press Freedom in Pakistan

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