(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an IPI press release: Vienna, 2 May 2002 On the Occasion of World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2002, IPI Calls on All Governments to Uphold Press Freedom Across the world, there are a number of serious press freedom issues which urgently need to be addressed by governments and inter-governmental […]
(IPI/IFEX) – The following is an IPI press release:
Vienna, 2 May 2002
On the Occasion of World Press Freedom Day, 3 May 2002, IPI Calls on All Governments to Uphold Press Freedom
Across the world, there are a number of serious press freedom issues which urgently need to be addressed by governments and inter-governmental organisations if this fundamental and universal human right is to be preserved.
Since September 11, a number of governments have introduced new laws in order to meet the threat posed by terrorist organisations around the world. Although there is often a need to re-evaluate legislation and to re-think policy after such a tragedy, the International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, is extremely concerned that these laws may be used to suppress freedom of expression and of the press.
In Britain, France, the United States and many other countries, there have been legislative debates and discussions on this subject. The result has been a series of amendments to existing laws and the enactment of fresh laws on terrorism. However, on many occasions, this has led to hasty and ill-conceived laws which severely curtail the ability of the media to report on issues of import.
For this reason, IPI calls on governments to give active consideration to the statement of UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura who said, “I emphatically reject the view that to obtain security, we must abandon our freedoms.”
Elsewhere, the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is a cause of grave concern for press freedom organisations. Both sides have committed violations but the recent detention of Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana and Hussam Abu Alan of Agence France-Presse (AFP) shows that the Israeli Defence Force is still intent on preventing the media from reporting on the developing situation in the area. IPI calls on both the Israelis and the Palestinians to ensure that the media are allowed to report freely.
In Africa, the greatest press freedom challenge is the predations of President Mugabe’s government against the independent media in Zimbabwe. In particular, the arrests of foreign correspondents Peta Thornycroft of the Daily Telegraph on 27 March and Andrew Meldrum of the Guardian on 1 May and the numerous charges against the Daily News editor Geoff Nyatrota reveal a government that is deeply antagonistic towards the media. A further worry is the failure of other African leaders to criticise Zimbabwe for its human rights violations.
Within the region, governments need to do more to support democracy. It is important to understand that the narrow self-interests of a political party, political class, social clique or the desire to assist a fellow leader are profoundly damaging to both a country at large and the way in which it is viewed by the international community.
In all of these press freedom issues there is a consistent theme and that is the desire of many governments around the world to prevent the media from carrying out their professional duties. As a means of countering this view, IPI has consistently argued that governments should be transparent and open to criticism. Indeed, criticism is an integral element of the political process and governments should become accustomed to it.
Therefore, on World Press Freedom Day 2002, IPI calls on governments in all parts of the world to respect freedom of the press and to do everything possible to ensure that it is guaranteed by law.
