Two journalists threatened with jail sentence
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is protesting the order to jail journalists Kathy Scruggs and Ron Martz. According to RSF’s information, on Thursday 3 June 1999, Fulton County State Court Judge John Mather ordered the imprisonment of Scruggs and Martz of the “Atlanta Journal Constitution” on contempt charges for refusing to reveal their sources. The order was […]
Northern Marianas governor attacks mainland USA news media
(PINA/IFEX) – Reporting on the American Pacific Islands Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas by mainland United States of America (USA) news media has again been attacked. Northern Marianas Governor Pedro Tenorio says the mainland media are hurting efforts to attract foreign investors to the islands, the regional news agency Pacnews reported on 2 June 1999. […]
Journalist warned of contract on his life
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has just learned that on 10 June 1998, Robert Friedman, a freelance journalist specialising in organised crime in Russia and who lives in New York, was warned by an officer from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that there was a contract on his life. The journalist suspects that a Russian citizen […]
American Samoa lawmaker wants Clinton-Lewinsky reporting investigated
(PINA/IFEX) – A legislator in American Samoa wants the territory’s House of Representatives to look at the local media’s reporting, especially Samoan language stories on President Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky. On 9 March 1999, the Pago Pago, American Samoa, daily newspaper “Samoa News” reported that Representative Leuluaisaopapa Io Matautia told the House that newspaper […]
Journalist Philip True murdered
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 17 December 1998 CPJ letter to Mexican President Zedillo further to the confirmation that the death of journalist Philip True was a homicide: **Updates IFEX alert of 15 December 1998** December 17, 1998 Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon President of Mexico Los Pinos Mexico City VIA FACSIMILE Your Excellency, […]
Journalist missing
(CPJ/IFEX) – CPJ is expressing concern for journalist Philip True, Mexico correspondent for the “San Antonio Express-News”. True left his home in Mexico City on 28 November 1998 for a hiking trip through the rugged Sierra Madre Mountains of Nayarit. He was last seen in the village of Chalmotita on 4 December. According to his […]
Five Pakistani journalists barred from entering White House
(PPF/IFEX) – PPF is reporting that on 2 December 1998, five Pakistani journalists were denied entry to the White House to cover a meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and US President Bill Clinton. The agenda of the meeting covered the lifting of sanctions imposed against Pakistan and the signing of the Comprehensive Test […]
RSF writes open letter to U.S. President Bill Clinton regarding press freedom in China
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is the full text of an open letter sent to U.S. President Bill Clinton by Reporters sans frontieres, ahead of his official visit to China toward the end of this month. The letter expresses concern over the poor state of press freedom in China and calls on President Clinton to, among […]
World Association of Newspapers wants jailed journalists on U.S. President Bill Clinton’s China agenda
(WAN/IFEX) – U.S. President Bill Clinton was urged by the World Association of Newspapers to call for the unconditional release of journalists jailed in China when he visits Beijing later this week. In a letter to Mr Clinton, WAN President Bengt Braun specifically asked the president to raise the case of Gao Yu with Chinese […]
Academic leaders and human rights advocates urge U. S. President Bill Clinton to champion academic and political freedoms during his visit to China
(HRW/IFEX) – In an open letter to United States of America President Bill Clinton, the Human Rights Watch Academic Freedom Committee calls on the President to speak out forcefully in support of both academic and political freedom during his planned visits to university campuses in China. During his upcoming state visit, the President is scheduled […]
WPFC sends letter to U.S. President Bill Clinton in regard to state of press freedom in China
(WPFC/IFEX) – In advance of his state visit to the People’s Republic of China in late June, the World Press Freedom Committee sent a letter to U.S. President Bill Clinton expressing concern at the deteriorating state of press freedom in China as well as at the continued detention of over two dozen writers and journalists, […]
Letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is a letter written to William S. Cohen, U.S. Secretary of Defense, regarding the creation of a press control agency in Bosnia- Herzegovina. Vienna, 3 May 1998 Dear Mr. Secretary, The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives, is most concerned over plans by the United […]
Clinton advisor’s testimony breaches international law
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – ARTICLE 19 condemns the action which, on 26 February, forced President Clinton’s advisor, Sidney Blumenthal, to disclose to a federal grand jury names of journalists and contents of his discussions with the media. Kenneth Starr, the independent counsel, served a wide-ranging subpoena on Mr Blumenthal, claiming that he needed details of Mr […]
CPJ calls on President Bill Clinton to stress U.S. concerns about lack of press freedom in Turkey
(CPJ/IFEX) – On 16 December 1997, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) urged President Bill Clinton to stress the United States’ concerns about the lack of press freedom in Turkey in his meeting with Prime Minister Mezut Yilmaz on 18 December. “We want Turkey to live up to the long-term promises it made to CPJ […]
Human Rights Watch to co-sponsor press conference by Wei Jingsheng
(HRW/IFEX) – Human Rights in China, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International will be sponsoring Wei Jingsheng’s first press conference in the United States of America at the New York Public Library’s Celeste Bartos Forum (entrance on 42nd Street) on 21 November 1997 at 10:30 am EST. The press conference will run no later than […]
RSF writes to U.S. President Bill Clinton on the press freedom situation in Mexico
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is the full text of a letter sent by Reporters sans frontieres to United States President Bill Clinton on the occasion of the visit to the USA of Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo. The letter calls Clinton’s attention to numerous violations of press freedom in Mexico. **For background to cases, see IFEX […]