Supreme Court upholds seven-year jail sentence for Al-Jazeera journalist; RSF concerned about journalist’s health
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders reiterated its concern about the state of health of Al-Jazeera presenter Tayssir Allouni after Spain’s Supreme Court, on 1 June 2006, upheld his seven-year prison sentence for “collaborating” with Al-Qaeda. Allouni, who has heart problems, received the sentence on 26 September 2005, when he was tried along with 23 other […]
RSF reintegrates ETA into its list of “press freedom predators”
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of an 11 May 2006 RSF press release: RSF reintegrates ETA into its list of “press freedom predators” After consulting with its Spanish offices and journalists, Reporters without Borders has decided to reintegrate the Basque terrorist organization ETA into its list of press freedom predators, released to […]
ETA suspended from RSF’s list of press freedom “predators”
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 7 May 2006 RSF press release: Reporters Without Borders has withdrawn the Basque separatist group ETA from the list of press freedom predators it issued on 3 May 2006. This decision in no way means we are turning the page on ETA’s many acts of violence against journalists and […]
WPFC urges senate committee to eliminate or reform laws used to convict two journalists
(WPFC/IFEX) – The following is a 27 February 2006 WPFC press release: WORLD PRESS FREEEDOM COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES TESTIFY BEFORE SPAIN’S SENATE They Recommend the Elimination of Two Arbitrary Laws Reston, Virginia, USA, Feb. 27, 2006 – Two top representatives of the World Press Freedom Committee, (http://www.wpfc.org) an organization comprising 45 press freedom groups in six […]
IPI concerned about new Broadcast Law; Catalan authorities urged to curtail Broadcast Council’s punitive powers, end campaign of harassment against Cope Radio
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an IPI letter to Catalan authorities: H.E. Pasqual Maragall i Mira President of the Generalitat Government of Catalonia Plaça de Sant Jaume, 4 08002 Barcelona Spain Fax: + 34 93 318 65 96 H.E. Ernest Benach i Pascual President Parliament of Catalonia Parc de la Ciutadella 08003 Barcelona Spain Fax: […]
WPFC calls for dismantling of Catalan regulatory body urging revocation of radio network’s license
(WPFC/IFEX) – The following is a 23 December 2005 WPFC letter to Catalan authorities: December 23, 2005 His Excellency Pasqual Magarall i Mira President Generalitat of Catalonia Plaça de Sant Jaume, 4 (Palau de la Generalitat) 08002 Barcelona, Spain His Excellency Ernest Benach Chairman Parliament of Catalonia Parc de la Ciutadella, s/n 08003 Barcelona, Spain […]
ARTICLE 19 calls on court to follow international human rights standards in treatment of “Euskaldunon Egunkaria” newspaper and staff
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 14 November 2005 ARTICLE 19 press release: Closure of Basque newspaper ‘Egunkaria’: ARTICLE 19 calls on court to follow international human rights standards ARTICLE 19, the Global Campaign for Free Expression, is concerned at the news that Basque-language newspaper Euskaldunon Egunkaria remains unable to resume publication following its […]
Al Jazeera reporter gets seven-year jail term
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an IFJ media release: Seven-Year Jail Term For Al Jazeera Reporter “Punitive and Worrying” Says IFJ The International Federation of Journalists today warned that the seven-year jail term imposed on Al Jazeera television reporter Tayseer Allouni by Spanish judges is a punitive action that could lead to increasing self-censorship in […]
Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations denounces judicial assault on press freedom
(WPFC/IFEX) – The following is a statement by the Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations: Inter American Press Association ( http://www.sipiapa.org ) International Press Institute ( http://www.freemedia.at ) North American Broadcasters Association ( http://www.nabanet.com ) World Association of Newspapers ( http://www.wan-press.org ) World Press Freedom Committee ( http://www.wpfc.org ) GLOBAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE OF PRESS FREEDOM […]
ETA renews threats against journalists
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed serious concern after the Basque separatist group ETA issued a series of new threats against journalists. The organisation called on Spanish authorities to protect the journalists. Pedro J. Ramírez, editor of the daily “El Mundo”, said on 18 October 2004 that a journalist at his paper had received threats from […]
IPI criticises Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss two journalists’ appeal
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is a 21 July 2004 IPI letter to Minister of Justice Juan Fernando López Aguilar: H.E. Juan Fernando López Aguilar Minister of Justice Madrid Misitry of Justice Spain Fax: +34-91-390 21 45 Vienna, 21 July 2004 Your Excellency, The International Press Institute, the global organisation of editors, media executives and leading […]
WPFC calls on judicial authorities to declare journalists’ sentence null and void
(WPFC/IFEX) – The following is a 15 July 2004 WPFC letter to the Spanish judicial authorities: Reston, U.S.A., July 15, 2004 Their Excellencies: Mr. Clemente Auger Liñán Mr. Román García Varela Mr. Xavier O’Callaghan Muñoz Mr. Jesús Corbal Fernández Mr. Antonio Romero Lorenzo Sala I de lo Civil Tribunal Supremo Madrid, Spain Dear Sirs: On […]
RSF calls for reform of rules requiring payment of defamation fines before appeals are heard
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on Spanish Justice Minister José Maria Michavila to proceed at once with a promised amendment to the civil procedure code that would relieve media outlets of the requirement to pay heavy fines in defamation cases before the cases are heard on appeal. The minister told the Spanish Parliament on 10 […]
IFJ condemns arrest of journalist and warns of “witch-hunt” against Al-Jazeera and Arab media
(IFJ/IFEX) – The following is an 8 September 2003 IFJ press release: IFJ Condemns Arrest of Journalist and Warns of “Witch-hunt Against Al-Jazeera and Arab Media” The International Federation of Journalists today condemned the arrest by Spanish officials of an Al-Jazeera Television journalist for alleged ties to al Qaeda members in what it warned “looks […]
Three Basque newspaper journalists still detained under anti-terrorism legislation
(WiPC/IFEX) – The WiPC of International PEN is seriously concerned about the continued detention of three Basque journalists under anti-terrorism legislation. PEN also protests the recent six-month extension to the “preventive measures” that have kept the Basque-language newspaper “Euskaldunon Egunkaria” closed. The extension was handed down on 21 July 2003 by Judge Juan del Olmo […]
Closure of Basque newspaper “Euskaldunon Egunkaria” extended by six months
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on Spanish authorities to allow the Basque-language newspaper “Euskaldunon Egunkaria” to reopen. On 21 July 2003, a national court judge ordered a six-month extension to the “preventive measures” that have kept the newspaper closed since February because the group that publishes it is suspected of “belonging to or cooperating with […]