(RSF/IFEX) – On 5 November 2002, RSF expressed its deep concern over a warning issued by the Pakistani government on 2 November, urging the media not to use or quote from reports published by the online newspaper “South Asia Tribune”. The Washington-based newspaper is run by a Pakistani journalist living in exile in the United […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 5 November 2002, RSF expressed its deep concern over a warning issued by the Pakistani government on 2 November, urging the media not to use or quote from reports published by the online newspaper “South Asia Tribune”. The Washington-based newspaper is run by a Pakistani journalist living in exile in the United States.
In a letter to Information Minister Nisar A. Memon, RSF described the ban as another attempt to harass the “South Asia Tribune”‘s editor, Shaheen Sehbai, who left Pakistan after being threatened by General Musharraf’s military government.
RSF also deplored the fact that the government is threatening journalists with the application of the new defamation law. On 4 October, the organisation stated that the law is a serious threat hanging over the heads of independent and opposition journalists (see IFEX alerts of 4 October and 12 September 2002). Finally, RSF called on the government to stop harassing Sehbai, his family and the colleagues who support him, and to revoke the 2 November ban.
The Information Ministry issued the ban as a special announcement in the main Pakistani newspapers. It warned the media that if they reproduced the “South Asia Tribune”‘s reports, they could face prosecution under the defamation law that took effect on 1 October. Under this law, journalists convicted of defamation risk up to three months’ imprisonment, a fine of 50,000 rupees (approx. US$845; 850 euros) and an obligation to publish an apology.
Formerly editor of the daily “The News”, Sehbai fled Pakistan in March for the United States, and in July launched the “South Asia Tribune”. Many of its stories that implicate the Pakistani military authorities in corruption and human rights abuses have been quoted by the press in Pakistan. The Information Ministry’s announcement did not explicitly mention Sehbai or the newspaper by name, but made reference to “a self-exiled Pakistani journalist” who is fabricating reports intended “to malign the government of Pakistan and its senior civil servants.”
Since leaving Pakistan, Sehbai continues to be the victim of attacks. An army employee filed a complaint against him for “robbery”, and two of his relatives have been arrested. Journalists close to him have also been threatened by the ISI (secret service) for speaking out in his defence (see IFEX alerts of 28 and 27 August, 13, 8 and 4 March 2002).
