STATEMENT OF THE FREEDOM FUND FOR FILIPINO JOURNALISTS SUPPORTING THE GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION FOR PAKISTAN

The Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ), a coalition of six
media organizations formed in 2003 to address the numerous attacks
against journalists and news organizations in the Philippines,
supports the Global Day of Action today, November 15, protesting the
media crackdown in Pakistan.

FFFJ is deeply concerned over the draconian clampdown on free
expression under the state of national emergency declared by Pakistan
President Pervez Musharraf last November 3. Since then, crippling
legal restrictions, imposed through amendments of Pakistani law, have
been put in place. The restrictions have severely impaired Pakistan
media’s function to report the truth and to hold the government
accountable.

The amendments have also provided government excessive powers, among
them to suspend news publications for up to thirty days, confiscate
media equipment, and impose stiff fines on violators of the new
regulations, all of which have created a hostile environment for the
practice of free expression. Aside from the imposition of these
unacceptable restrictions, under emergency rule the government has
also suspended a number of local and international news channels and
blocked local and international news websites.

Local and international journalists covering street protests
denouncing the declaration of the state of emergency have also been
harassed, attacked, and detained. Three reporters from the U.K.-based
publication The Daily Telegraph have also been expelled from Pakistan
because of an “offensive” editorial from the newspaper about the
political crisis.

FFFJ believes that the recent turn of events has corroded Pakistan’s
democratic institutions, directly affecting the practice of free
expression. FFFJ calls for the immediate withdrawal of amendments in
Pakistani law, which has resulted in severe restrictions on media
practice in the country, and the restoration of democratic rule. FFFJ
believes that free and independent media is of paramount importance to
the development of society.

The FFFJ members are the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility,
the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, the Philippine
Press Institute, the Center for Community Journalism and Development,
the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (Association of
Broadcasters of the Philippines), and the California-based newspaper
The Philippine News. FFFJ provides financial assistance to the
families of slain journalists, as well as legal support in the
prosecution of their cases.

(Released by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, which
serves as the FFFJ Secretariat.)

IMPORTANT NOTICE: INBOX is an archive of press releases, statements, announcements, letters to the editors, and manifestos sent to PinoyPress for publication. Please email your materials to pinoypress @ gmail.com. PinoyPress is not responsible for the content of these materials. The opinion expessed in these items does not reflect those of PinoyPress and its staff. Please refer to our terms of use/disclaimer.