DangerousAssignments

covering the global press freedom struggle

Spring | Summer 2006 www.cpj.org

China’s Hidden Unrest

Protests against land grabs and graft are roiling the countryside. As Beijing crushes dissent, it silences the press …

Critics or Traitors in Ethiopia? Committee to·Protect Journalists Exploiting the Prophet Cartoons CONTENTS

Dangerous Assignments Spring|Summer 2006

Committee to Protect Journalists AS IT HAPPENED Executive Director: Ann Cooper The top press freedom stories...... 2 Deputy Director: Joel Simon IN FOCUS By Alexis Arieff Dangerous Assignments A “rattled” Kenyan government burns newspapers...... 3 Editorial Director: Bill Sweeney Senior Editor: Robert Mahoney FIRST PERSON By Bassam Sebti Designer: Virginia Anstett An Iraqi reporter keeps a low profile...... 4 Printer: Photo Arts Limited Proofreader: Joe Sullivan CPJ REMEMBERS By Jihad Ballout Atwar Bahjat reported for all Iraqis...... 6 Committee to Protect Journalists Board of Directors Q&A By Maya Taal A U.S. press lawyer on secrets, sources, and wiretaps...... 7 Honorary Co-Chairmen: Walter Cronkite COMMENTARY By Alex Lupis Terry Anderson Putin props up a Belarusian dictator...... 8 Chairman: Paul E. Steiger

Andrew Alexander, Franz Allina, FEATURES Christiane Amanpour, Dean Baquet, Tom Brokaw, Josh Friedman, Anne COVER STORY Garrels, James C. Goodale, Cheryl The Unseen Rebellion By Kristin Jones Gould, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Gwen Ifill, Steven L. Isenberg, Jane Kramer, Across rural China, corruption and land seizures are prompting David Laventhol, Anthony Lewis, tens of thousands of protests. But the nation’s greatest political David Marash, Kati Marton, Michael crisis is nearly invisible as central authorities wage a media Massing, Geraldine Fabrikant Metz, Victor Navasky, Andres Oppenheimer, crackdown that harkens back to the aftermath of Tiananmen Square. . . . . 10 Burl Osborne, Charles L. Overby, Clarence Page, Norman Pearlstine, Drawing Fire By Ivan Karakashian Erwin Potts, Dan Rather, Gene Roberts, Yemeni editor Mohammed al-Asaadi sought context in the debate Sandra Mims Rowe, John Seigenthaler, over the Prophet Muhammad cartoons. Like others worldwide, Paul C. Tash, and Mark Whitaker he found intolerance...... 16 Published by the Committee to Protect Journalists, 330 Seventh The 10 Most Censored Countries Graphic by Justin Goldberg Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, N.Y. Whose president is a “god”? What was banned because of Valentine 10001; (212) 465-1004; [email protected]. ads? And where on earth have all the libraries been closed? ...... 20 Find CPJ online at www.cpj.org. ‘Poison,’ Politics, and the Press By Julia Crawford Ethiopian journalists are accused of heinous crimes such as treason and genocide, but a toxic political climate is at the root of the charges...... 22

Bad Blood in Turkey By Robert Mahoney Journalist Hrant Dink means no insult when he urges Turks to examine their history, but nationalist lawyers are ready to take offense...... 26 g n i

m UPDATE By Abi Wright o a i

X Daniel Pearl’s murder remains an open case...... 29 i A

On the cover: The Chinese government shut MISSION JOURNAL By Joel Simon down news coverage of demonstrations in the Persuading Colombia’s president to back the press...... 32 village of Taishi last September, but activists and journalists sought ways to document the DISPATCHES By Shawn W. Crispin unrest. Our cover image, showing police out in A reporter vanishes on an Indonesian island...... 34 force, is taken from a documentary by Chinese professor Ai Xiaoming. The Chinese titling in ON THE WEB By Sophie Beach the image states: “Public security organs can China goes online to defend censorship...... 38 issue a warning or detain for less than 15 days.” KICKER By Mick Stern ...... 40

Dangerous Assignments 1 AS IT HAPPENED IN FOCUS a y o k u M s a m o

A look at recent red-letter cases from the CPJ files… h T / s r e t u e R December attacks in the border city of Nuevo charges of collaborating with insur- Laredo. gents, citing a lack of evidence. Hus- y c 5 Pakistani reporter sein was held without charge for 11 n

e Indonesia’s Supreme

g 9

A Hayatullah Khan disap- months. o

t Court overturns the o

h pears after being seized p s

s criminal libel convic- e r by armed assailants. The P

n tion of Bambang Hary- May a

e abduction comes days p o

r murti, editor of Tempo u

E after his reporting con- Marking World Press Freedom Day,

o magazine. In what is 3 tradicts official accounts of an explo- p m

e CPJ names the 10 Most Censored T considered a landmark sion that killed a senior al-Qaeda com- ruling, the court finds that civil libel Countries. North Korea heads the dis- mander. laws should apply. honor roll. (Graphic, page 20.) I 21 Ethiopia indicts more than a dozen journalists on charges of treason after March civil unrest prompts a massive crack- down on the independent press and the As They Said 19-28 More than two dozen journal- political opposition. (Story, page 22.) ists are arrested in Belarus while cov- m

ering postelection demonstrations. “No one in China is jailed for i z A d January President Aleksandr Lukashenko, whose expressing their views.” i y y

—Chu Maoming, Chinese Embassy a re-election was tainted by irregulari- S / P 3 CPJ reports that 47 journalists were ties, cracks down on independent cov- spokesman, to CPJ. More than 30 A killed in connection with their work in erage. (Story, page 8.) Chinese journalists are in prison 2005. More than 100 journalists died for their work, CPJ research 30 Jill Carroll, a free-

shows. m

on duty over the past two years, the i z

lance reporter working A

deadliest such period in a decade. d i y

for The Christian Science y

“I have no doubt that Iran and a S /

17 A Chinese court sentences Zhu Monitor, is freed in P Syria have gone out of their A Wanxiang to 10 years in prison and Baghdad after being way to inflame sentiments and P

Wu Zhengyou to six years after they A held by kidnappers for have used this for their own pur- NAIROBI, Kenya sought to report on rural unrest in nearly three months. Carroll is among poses. The world ought to call the southeast province of Zhejiang. 40 journalists who have been abducted them on it.” (Related story, page 10.) in Iraq. —U.S. Secretary of State Condo- leezza Rice to reporters. Rice hortly after midnight on March 2, I can waste you!” Government forces Standard CEO Tom Mshindi said February April accused the two nations of exploit- police commandos stormed Kenya’s also raided the offices of the Kenya that the raids were part of Kenyan Soldest newspaper and private tele- Television Network (KTN), detaining authorities’ “growing intolerance” of ing controversy over published vision station, both owned by the Stan- staff and confiscating tapes and com- the media in general and The Stan- 1 Guatemala’s highest court strikes 4 The BBC says Niger is blocking its caricatures of the Prophet Muham- dard Group. The raids came two days down laws that criminalize expres- coverage of malnutrition in the central mad. (Related story, page 16.) puter hard drives. dard—which had published a string after several Standard journalists were sions deemed offensive to public offi- region of Maradi. The government The raids were widely covered by of exposés on official corruption— arrested for publishing “alarming” local media and the extensive foreign in particular. The media outlets cials. The country joins the growing pulls accreditation from a BBC crew “We’ll make sure we don’t hold statements in a story about political press that uses Nairobi as a hub to resumed normal activities later that ranks of Latin American nations that and bars officials from talking about someone for six or eight months.” machinations within President Mwai have eliminated desacato, or disre- the problem. —U.S. Maj. Gen. John Gardner to cover eastern Africa. While Informa- day, but the raids made waves within Kibaki’s troubled ruling coalition. spect, laws. Reuters in announcing a new policy tion Minister Mutahi Kagwe initially the Kenyan media, among Africa’s CBS cameraman Abdul 6 to promptly review detentions of Police disabled the printing press denied reports that the government largest and most diverse, and the Assailants storm the Mexican news- Ameer Younis Hussein 6 journalists by U.S. troops in Iraq. at The Standard, herded employees had ordered the police action, National opposition. On March 7, thousands of paper El Mañana, firing assault rifles is freed a year after he At least seven journalists were outside, and set fire to thousands of Security Minister John Michuki later Kenyans marched in Nairobi to and tossing a grenade. Reporter Jaime was detained by U.S. jailed for prolonged periods with- copies of the day’s edition. The rival said the raids were carried out to demand Kibaki’s resignation. “To hell Orozco is injured in the assault, the forces in Iraq. An Iraqi out charge in 2005. Nation newspaper reported that one protect state security. “If you rattle a with the snake government,” one P

latest in a series of drug-fueled A court acquits him on hooded officer shouted to terrified snake, you must be prepared to be bit- placard read. I Standard workers: “I can smoke you! ten by it,” he warned. —Alexis Arieff

2 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 3 FIRST PERSON o t a H d e m m a h o M / P

Heading into Danger A

An Iraqi reporter must hide his profession even as he is compelled to follow its demands.

By Bassam Sebti

Sebti, 26, is a special correspondent for doesn’t know who I am or what I do. ar bombings are among the most The Washington Post and one of a Paranoia has become my shield. Cdangerous assignments, yet I am growing number of Iraqi reporters I worry about threatening letters drawn to them because it brings me covering the conflict for Western news or a bomb planted at my family’s closer to the people who are suffer- organizations. doorstep. In 2004, a colleague had to ing. I wait at least a half hour before flee Iraq after a bomb shattered win- going to such scenes, though, BAGHDAD, Iraq dows and destroyed parts of his because insurgents use double-bomb- i t b

s I leave home each day, I peer home. As a reaction, I’ve created my ing techniques to heighten the devas- e S The devastation left by the bombing of this Baghdad restaurant last November m

right and left to be sure no one own security measures. When I am tation. A car bomb will explode, draw a left Sebti struggling to control his emotions. s s a

Ais tracking me. I follow the home, for example, my parents don’t B a curious crowd to the scene, and same routine when I return 12 hours answer any nighttime knocks on the then a second bomb will claim a new later. Being a journalist for an Iraqi door. Instead, I check who is there, in set of victims. mind, and they play like a videotape ecoming a reporter wasn’t my work, and I’ve been stirred by his organization is dangerous enough, case it is someone with a gun. Stress is an unforgiving compan- over and over. Bdream. I studied English literature dedication. but working for a foreign news outlet I do give my name when conduct- ion. Body parts scattered in the streets Yet I’m determined not to allow in college, becoming drawn to jour- Western news organizations have puts you in double jeopardy. In the ing interviews—I feel it’s the ethical and children weeping over dead par- my emotions to interfere with the job. nalism as the security situation wors- come to rely a lot on Iraqi reporters— eyes of insurgents, I am a “spy,” an thing to do. My byline also appears on ents are common scenes in my daily I’ve succeeded in large part, but my ened. I started as an interpreter in particularly in dangerous areas— “infidel,” a profiteer exploiting the suf- stories, although I ask my bosses not life. Covering the news on the ground will was tested last November while 2003, first for freelance reporter Jill because we speak the language and fering of Iraqis. to use it on sensitive pieces that might and then watching it on television covering an explosion at a Baghdad Carroll (who would be kidnapped in we know the culture. Despite the No one in my neighborhood put me in danger. have left these vivid pictures in my restaurant. Rescue workers were carry- January 2006 and held for nearly obstacles, the Western media cover knows what I do. I’ve convinced them ing off the wounded as soldiers and three months before being released most of the news, and reporters try that I run my own business, an Inter- police cordoned off the area, fearing unharmed) and then with The Post. As their best to present a complete pic- net café. If anyone discovers my pro- Iraq Snapshot another attack. I left the huge gather- The Post came to trust my work, edi- ture. As an Iraqi, I don’t see much fession, I am sure to be threatened ing of reporters, hid my notebook and tors gave me increasing reporting good news around me. and I fear being killed. Since 2004, camera, and, with my driver, persuad- responsibilities. A few months after I joined the three neighborhood men who worked Key statistics compiled by CPJ staff as of May 2006: ed police to let me inside. It was the I was inspired by an Iraqi friend press corps, after I told these stories as translators for U.S. firms have been • Iraqis constitute 78 percent of the journalists and support staffers first time I had seen a large number of and Post reporter, Omar Fekeiki, who every day over dinner, my parents shot dead. killed for their work in Iraq. dead people. They were in piles, one directed, advised, and taught me how begged me to quit. By then, it was too I don’t drive a car to work because • Overall, 60 percent of journalists and support workers killed in Iraq atop another. A child sobbed over the to depend on myself and use my late. I am infected by this job. I believe I don’t want to be identified going in were murdered. body of his father. instincts. In 2003, Omar was about to that my country needs me and that and out of the compound where The • Fifty-four percent of journalists and support staffers who died were The moment I stepped into the be kidnapped by the Mehdi Army, a journalism is a noble profession, a Washington Post bureau is based. I hail working for international news organizations. car to return to the office, emotions militia loyal to the Shiite leader Muq- mirror in which people can see what is taxis instead, examining each driver’s • Baghdad province is the most dangerous, with 34 journalists and 15 washed over me and, for the first tada al-Sadr, but he escaped with a happening in their world. As Jackie face in hopes that I can somehow dis- media workers killed. time, I let loose my tears. I imagined few punches in the stomach. A pic- Spinner, a friend and former Baghdad cern whether he is a threat. By nature, • Insurgent actions are behind 68 percent of journalist and support my father or a friend in that restau- ture of that terrifying moment was colleague, says in her book, Tell Them Iraqi cab drivers like to chat, but is the worker deaths. rant, lifeless and bloodied like those captured by a photographer. I remem- I Didn’t Cry, “We drive into hurricanes, driver exchanging pleasantries or col- I saw inside. I haven’t slept well ber the image of Omar being sur- not away from them.” lecting information that could endan- Data on Iraq is updated regularly at www.cpj.org. since, and nightmares accompanied rounded by the militiamen and the Here, the hurricanes are bombs. We ger me? I keep silent so the driver me for months. look in his eyes. He has continued to go toward them, warily, determinedly. I

4 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 5 CPJ REMEMBERS Q&A

about invoking the war on terror and invoking very specific, highly emotion- al images of 9/11 in support of its argu- ment for why the National Security Agency surveillance program is lawful and why the disclosure of the program Atwar Bahjat The Courtroom Press is a threat to national security. Judges, like anybody else, are susceptible to arguments and images of that kind. In Iraq, a reporter and patriot is silenced. Media lawyer Jeremy Feigelson discusses confidentiality, Are journalists being wiretapped wiretaps, and talking to sources on park benches. under the NSA program? By Jihad Ballout I don’t have any specific evidence, and Interview by Maya Taal I don’t think anybody does, to suggest that journalists are being deliberately targeted under the program and I don’t mean to suggest that they are. Atwar Bahjat, in an image taken from DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Adnan Khairallah, 36—were found video, wore a gold pendant depicting Did special prosecutor Patrick But if I were a journalist working in he was a daughter of Samarra, an near Samarra the next day. Iraq on the day she died. Fitzgerald’s tactics in the CIA leak the Middle East or another epicenter Iraqi who lived for her country Bahjat represented everything case set a precedent for jailing of the war on terror, or a U.S. journal- Sas much as for her profession. that the merchants of war on all sides mately prevailing in the face of much Prosecutors, ist who makes frequent calls to people journalists? After all, Judith Miller That’s why we in Al-Arabiya’s news- despise. A journalist who refused to resistance from male colleagues. of The New York Times went to jail says Jeremy or organizations in those places, or if Feigelson, room were not surprised when Atwar take sides, she personified Iraqi non- Some genuinely feared for her safety and then testified. are likely to I were a group like CPJ doing work Bahjat insisted on covering the esca- sectarianism—having a Shiite mother as a female correspondent in a pre- The Judy Miller case didn’t change the be more that’s fundamentally similar to the assertive in lating violence in her hometown that from the sect’s heartland in Karbala dominantly male environment. law very much, if at all. But it l work of journalists in those regions, a a

T seeking

fateful February day. and a Sunni father from Samarra When we were both at Al-Jazeera, I undoubtedly makes prosecutors a then it seems almost inevitable that y confidential a M

The bombing of the Shiite shrine itself. She carried her belief not only recall Bahjat approaching me one day everywhere a little bit cocky about / sources. I’m going to be having conversations J P Askariya, known as the Golden in her heart but around her neck in to express concern that she would not their ability in the real world to get C of interest to the government. Mosque, had sparked sectarian bat- the form of a gold pendant depicting get to do much field work because journalists to disclose their confiden- protection for the confidentiality of How does the interpretation of tles, an assignment that would cause the map of all of Iraq. She was wearing authorities had banned the channel tial sources. That’s something that reporters’ sources. e-mail as corporate property affect many experienced journalists to shud- the pendant that day. from reporting inside Iraq. I pointed historically prosecutors have shied Is there precedent to prosecute source confidentiality? der. Not Bahjat, who believed that car- Covering wide-scale death and out that it could be a blessing in dis- away from. After Fitzgerald’s success whistleblowers for leaking infor- The 21st century reporter has to rely rying out her professional duty was destruction in her country was not, guise, given the worsening security in the Miller case, I don’t think they’ll mation? on tools like e-mail and cell phones. an act of nonpartisan patriotism. perhaps, foremost on her mind when situation in Baghdad. be quite so shy. Under federal law, people can go to These create evidentiary trails that are Bahjat had already filed reports Bahjat decided that journalism was Bahjat was too courteous to bick- For three decades, Justice Depart- jail for disclosing classified informa- within the custody and control of the from Samarra and was conducting her life and passion. An avid writer of er, but she made it very obvious that ment guidelines said a journalist tion, and in rare instances that does companies that run the systems. So if additional interviews that day, Feb- verse, Bahjat first joined the staff of a her view was far different. When would be compelled to testify happen. There is even an argument, those companies are subpoenaed, the ruary 22, when two armed men weekly publication covering social others might suggest limits on her only in “exigent circumstances.” which some media critics have been individual reporter may not be able to approached and demanded: “Where is issues, and she contributed works of work, she would flash a smile that Now, what’s the future of those trying to build, that a media outlet exercise any control over the records. that Al-Arabiya presenter?” She kept poetry to specialized publications. was both infectious and enigmatic. guidelines? itself could be prosecuted under Sec- … For reporters working on very sen- her cool, believing, perhaps, that her After the fall of Saddam Hussein’s She was adept at finding a way I think they have a terrific future—as tion 798 of the Espionage Act. Most sitive stories, in the future you may patriotism and professionalism regime, she joined the newly founded around obstacles. guidelines. But guidelines by defini- lawyers who have studied the issue see more meetings with sources on would save the day. The group Iraqi Satellite Network as a reporter. Yet the traits that served her tion are not enforceable, and courts would say with a lot of confidence park benches and more notes written around her had less faith, and either Bahjat’s professional aspirations well—as a woman who personified all have said the DOJ guidelines are not that Section 798 would be unconstitu- in notebooks. stood by or quietly dispersed as would draw her to the more widely of Iraq, as a patriot who reported all enforceable. What the lack of protec- tional if applied to a newspaper or a assailants seized her. The bullet-laced viewed regional satellite networks— sides—could not protect her from the Will these cases lead to a more tion under the guidelines really points media outlet for publishing informa- bodies of Bahjat, 30, and her free- first to Al-Jazeera, where we were also purveyors of violence. In an interview established definition of confiden- to is the need for federal statutory tion that somebody in the govern- lance crew—cameraman Khaled Mah- colleagues, and then, just weeks aired on Al-Arabiya after Bahjat’s mur- tiality? ment regards as confidential. That moud al-Falahi, 39, and engineer before her murder, to Al-Arabiya. At der, her sister Ithaar repeated over We always encourage a reporter to kind of publication happens all the the satellite stations, she became the and over in a heartbreaking voice: Feigelson, a partner in the New York law have a very specific understanding of time, and it’s overwhelmingly in the most recognized female war corre- “Why, why Atwar? I need someone to firm Debevoise & Plimpton, represents a confidentiality with the source up public interest when it does. Jihad Ballout is communications direc- spondent in the region. tell me why!” Her words reflect the number of news organizations, along front. Unstated assumptions that an tor for the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya Breaking in at Al-Jazeera, Bahjat anguish of hundreds of thousands of with the Committee to Protect Journal- Has the U.S. war on terrorism interview is confidential aren’t very satellite channel and a former spokes- had to make it the hard way. She per- Iraqis who fear a world inured to per- ists. Taal is CPJ’s board liaison and exec- affected reporter’s privilege? helpful when you’re in front of a man for Al-Jazeera. sistently lobbied for field work, ulti- sonal tragedy. I utive assistant. The administration certainly is not shy grand jury. I

6 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 7 COMMENTARY

up hundreds of them—along with volunteers who would try to distrib- lessness and smuggling on the Polish- more than two dozen foreign and ute the paper while avoiding arrest. Belarusian border, along with Russia’s domestic reporters who tried to cover At the same time, authorities have use of Belarus as a transit route for the unrest. The European Union and failed to properly investigate the weapons sales to Middle East states. the United States denounced the cases of journalists who have disap- The unstable Belarusian economy Belarusian actions. Only Russia’s for- peared or been killed. Svetlana Zavad- depends on Russia, both for imports eign minister, Sergei Lavrov, defended skaya has yet to recover the body of of subsidized gas and as an export Lukashenko, saying the protests were her husband, Dmitry, a cameraman market for low-quality Belarusian unauthorized and the government for ORT Russian television who van- manufactured goods. The Kremlin’s response appropriate. ished in July 2000. In July 2005, a ongoing military support is comple- police officer punched her, causing a mented by its dependable public he Committee to Protect Journal- concussion, when she tried to com- rebuttals to any international criti- Tists visited Belarus in February to memorate Dmitry’s disappearance cism of Lukashenko. assess conditions for local journalists with several friends in a central But as Russia occupies the center ahead of the election—and we found square in Minsk. of the international stage with the them to be deplorable. Some journal- When I met with the elderly par- chairmanship of the Group of Eight ists critical of Lukashenko’s govern- ents of Veronika Cherkassova—a industrialized countries, which it ment have disappeared or been mur- reporter for the opposition weekly assumed in January, and the presidency dered. Recent popular uprisings in Solidarnost who was stabbed to death of the Council of Europe, which it took neighboring Ukraine and Georgia in October 2004 while investigating on in May, Putin should not be allowed prompted an all-out assault on the illegal arms sales to Iraq—they were to keep an outdated dictator in power in media to suppress domestic dissent distracted from mourning the loss of Belarus. Editors like Kalinkina should

S and keep Belarusians isolated and S A T -

R uninformed about events at home and A T I /

P abroad. Independent radio and televi- A sion stations have been eliminated, Belarus has become a geopolitical buffer Vladimir Putin, left, confers with Aleksandr Lukashenko at a security meeting that brought leaders of former Soviet states to Moscow last year. allowing state and private pro-govern- between the European Union and Putin’s mental media to flood the country with anti-Western propaganda. authoritarian Russia. Most of the journalists I met with The Putin Effect in Minsk were too fearful to speak on the record because of harassment by their daughter. Police had arrested be able to report the news without fear the secret police, as well as a criminal their teenage grandson and were of reprisal. The families of Zavadsky A Belarusian dictatorship survives because of Russian support. It’s time for other law Lukashenko signed in December pressuring him to “confess” to the and Cherkassova, journalists elimi- that punishes criticism of the state murder. The boy was eventually freed nated under highly suspicious circum- leaders to object. with up to five years in prison. without charge. stances, deserve justice. The opposition Narodnaya Volya The United States and the Euro- By Alex Lupis (People’s Will) and several other strug- ime and again, Belarusian journal- pean Union are promoting democracy gling papers that dare to criticize Tists told me that their isolated in Belarus by supporting opposition Lukashenko are on the verge of country has become a geopolitical groups and fostering civil society ini- elarusian dictator Aleksandr but he cannot be a legitimate world The Moscow-led Commonwealth extinction because printers, the post buffer between the European Union tiatives, but these democratization Lukashenko, a former collective leader while propping up this repres- of Independent States, a group of sev- office, and the state newspaper dis- and Putin’s authoritarian Russia. The policies will not work as long as Bfarm chairman who has ruled sive regime. eral former Soviet republics, chimed tributor Belsoyuzpechat refuse to fallout from this election, they said, Belarus has Russian support. When the country since 1994, presides over Lukashenko’s authoritarian gov- in to declare the vote free and fair. publish, mail, or sell the publications. would have important implications European leaders and U.S. President Europe’s last dictatorship—a Soviet ernment arrested opposition leaders, Others disagreed. The Vienna-based These newspapers print their editions for Europe. George W. Bush gather in July at the vestige that would likely collapse harassed nongovernmental organiza- Organization for Security and Cooper- in neighboring Russia (when they can) “You [in the West] can close your G8 summit in St. Petersburg, they without the economic, political, and tions, and shuttered dozens of inde- ation in Europe called the vote and then smuggle them back into eyes to the situation here, which should publicly call on Putin to stop military support of Russian President pendent newspapers in the months “severely flawed,” citing a pattern of their own country. means you will only wake up when it dividing Europe and work with the Vladimir Putin. Putin sees Belarus as a before the March 19 presidential elec- government intimidation, the sup- At Narodnaya Volya, Managing becomes unstable and it’s too late to international community to promote a critical part of Russia’s sphere of influ- tion. When Lukashenko took 83 per- pression of independent voices, and Editor Svetlana Kalinkina showed me do something,” Marina Sadovskaya, stable, democratic Belarus with a ence among former Soviet republics, cent of the vote, Putin sent a congrat- vote-counting irregularities. around a newsroom where every wall deputy editor of Belorusy i Rynok strong independent press. I ulatory message that the results When citizens gathered in Minsk’s was filled to the ceiling with thou- (Belarusians and the Market), told me Alex Lupis is CPJ’s senior program “demonstrate the confidence of the October Square to protest the election sands of newspapers. Her staffers over lunch in Minsk. For updates on the Belarusian crack- coordinator for Europe and Central Asia. electorate in your policies.” shortcomings, the government locked were scrambling to hand out copies to She pointed to the ongoing law- down, visit www.cpj.org.

8 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 9 COVER STORY ass incidents” is the term the Chinese government Until recently, some in-depth reporting on land grabs, “Muses to describe demonstrations, riots, and group corruption, and other local issues could be done, ironically petitioning. In January 2006, the Ministry of Public Securi- enough, by journalists from outside the local area. These ty announced that there were 87,000 such incidents in reporters, if they moved fast enough, could file at least a 2005, a 6.6 percent increase over the previous year. few, relatively uncensored reports before local propaganda Protests over corruption, taxes, and environmental degra- officials would be able to alert central authorities to shut dation caused by China’s breakneck economic develop- down nationwide coverage. The ment contributed to the rise. But some of the most highly Central authorities banned this reporting practice— charged disputes have occurred over government seizure known as yidi baodao, or cross-territorial reporting—last of farmland for construction of the factories, power plants, year. Reporters told CPJ that the ban, while applied uneven- shopping malls, roads, and apartment complexes that are ly, has had a profound impact. The decree has compelled Unseen fueling China’s boom. editors to rein in some of their strongest investigative In a speech published by state media in January, Chinese reporters, and has empowered local officials to harass, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao warned that local officials’ requisi- intimidate, and block access to journalists who were once tion of land without adequate compensation or arrangements beyond the censor’s grasp. Rebellion for the livelihood of farmers was threat- ening social stability. “We absolutely cannot commit an historic error over land problems,” Wen said. But while putting the blame on local govern- Across rural China, tens of thousands of ments, central authorities have robbed rural residents of a way of holding offi- protests are waged against land seizures cials accountable. and corruption. Few people ever hear “News of mass incidents cannot be reported,” Li Datong said simply. The about them. former chief editor of Bing Dian, a pio- neering supplement to the Beijing- By Kristin Jones based China Youth Daily, Li has effec- tively been out of a job since February s s

e when he and Deputy Editor Lu Yue- r P e

y gang were removed from their posts E / P BEIJING A following criticism by the Central Pro- he word from the village of Dongzhou was growing Rural protests in China have sparked aggressive government paganda Department’s News Commen- n

responses. A resident of Dingzhou shows one of the weapons a tary Group, a group of retired officials u

dire last December 6. Security officers were clashing G used against villagers in a violent crackdown there in June n a

Twith residents over the local government’s seizure that issues regular pronouncements H 2005. As civil unrest emerged in thousands of other villages, g N

of land for a power plant. Official force, villagers said, was from Dongzhou to Taishi, local governments clamped down intended to guide China’s system of / P escalating. with increasing force. self-censorship. A A banner in Dongzhou declares: “Strike at law breakers. Maintain social stability.” “I called them every hour, and it kept getting worse. mainland were instructed to carry only a belated official Li said that he, like other editors of Security forces fired on demonstrators last December, killing an unknown number. First it was tear gas, then there was shooting, then two account defending the use of force against the protesters. national publications, was told by his dead, then more,” said Ding Xiao, the 23-year-old Hong The death toll is still unknown; the government reported that employers not to publish anything about the December crack- One journalist told CPJ that after traveling to the site of Kong-based reporter who broke news of the violent crack- three were killed, but human rights organizations have said down at Dongzhou. Some journalists in Guangdong province a land dispute that had erupted into violence, she argued at down for U.S. broadcaster Radio Free Asia. The crack of the actual number may be much higher. Dongzhou villagers told CPJ that they received specific do-not-report orders on length with local propaganda authorities who refused her gunfire could be heard in tapes of her phone calls to resi- have been under tight surveillance since December and have the land dispute long before it escalated into violence. access to government officials and instructed her not to dents of the village near Shanwei, in southern China’s been warned to keep silent on threat of punishment. Censorship in China does not involve prepublication report the matter. Unfazed, she continued her reporting, Guangdong province. “They were asking for help. They This policy of enforced silence has come to define the monitoring of the news, and most journalists never hear sneaking through fields and past police roadblocks to inter- said, ‘Please call the central government to ask for help. We central government’s approach to widespread rural unrest, directly from the Central Propaganda Department. Instead, view witnesses. She filed the story only to be told by her have called, but there was no response.’” China’s most salient domestic issue. Fearing that news of the system relies on the heads of each news outlet to inter- editor that the recent ban on yidi baodao meant her work Following Ding’s report, the crackdown got wide atten- land disputes and other civil discontent could fuel a united pret instructions and comments from local and central could not be published. tion outside of China. But print and broadcast media on the threat to its authority, the Communist Party government has propaganda authorities, to spike stories that might gener- “I was so angry, I didn’t sleep for two days,” said the jour- undertaken one of the biggest media crackdowns since the ate criticism, or to turn news articles into “internal reports” nalist, who spoke to CPJ on condition of anonymity because Kristin Jones is senior research associate for CPJ’s Asia aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy that reach only an elite audience of high-level officials and she feared reprisals. She recalls pleading with her boss, “Do program. demonstrations. others who have received security clearance. you know how difficult it was for me to report this?”

10 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 11 echnology in the hands of ordinary Chinese citizens In the notes, the journalist describes his efforts to con- local corruption. Officials’ threats of legal action have oreign reporters are also subject to state harassment Tmakes suppressing news of protests more difficult. vince the villagers to repeat their story, though other reporters plagued him, but Li does not consider himself a dissident Fwhile covering rural protests. Several of these journalists Protesters use cell phones, text messages, and digital video had come and gone without publishing a word. He describes and believes that he has the protection of Chinese law. told CPJ that police interrogations and brief detentions are cameras to document events and to alert the media, which sneaking into a nearby hospital where several victims were “I’m honest, so I have nothing to fear,” he told CPJ a few common, and that potential sources are warned not to talk they often see as a means to communicate with central being treated for serious injuries—and where plainclothes hours after disembarking from an early morning train in to the media. A number of foreign reporters were roughed authorities. They also make news outlets a regular stop on police harassed and interrogated him. Beijing, en route to another story in another town. “The up while covering unrest in the southern village of Taishi trips to the capital to petition the central government to “At around midnight,” he wrote, according to Soong’s last fall. And, most disturbing to many foreign address grievances about local officials. But Chinese jour- translation, “the articles and the photos had reached Beijing. journalists, their Chinese translators, assistants, nalists told CPJ that the Internet is by far the greatest I was happy. At that moment, I realized that my clothes were and fixers are harassed and interrogated by state source of such information. Though the postings are quickly soaking wet in sweat.” He continued: “My friend asked me security agents. removed and are rarely prominently placed on blogs and why I took so much trouble and risk. ‘How much money did Some see the imprisonment in 2004 of New the threads of Web bulletin boards, York Times researcher Zhao Yan as a warning to reports of land disputes and other the foreign press corps—and their local staffs— protests can be found online for those that they, too, should heed the lines of censorship willing to search. set by the Chinese government. Technology prevented one rural With the traditional press tightly con- crackdown from remaining a secret. trolled, the job of reporting on rural protests Before dawn on June 11, 2005, hun- and mass disturbances has been taken up dreds of men armed with pipes, hook increasingly by members of China’s emergent knives, and guns descended on a civil society—activists, lawyers, and intellectuals makeshift encampment set up by resi- who believe strongly that the information dents of Dingzhou, in northern China’s deserves a place in the public debate, and who Hebei Province, to prevent construc- work outside the censorship machine. tion of a power plant. Six farmers were “Farmers want to use the media, but the killed in the attack, and dozens more media can’t report their issues. Often, with the were seriously injured. The killed and help of scholars and lawyers, the news comes injured had been protesting the gov- out in overseas Web sites,” said Beijing-based ernment’s low compensation for land legal scholar Li Baiguang, who has traveled the requisitioned for the project. country educating farmers on their rights to A farmer with a digital video cam- pursue legal redress. era captured three minutes of the This kind of samizdat press relies heavily attack before he was spotted, his cam- on the Internet, a point not lost on the central era smashed, and his arm broken. Vil- government, which issued a fresh set of Web lagers told a Beijing News reporter that restrictions in September 2005. Added to the n a u friends of the injured farmer carried G list of banned content—which already includ- n a him 2 kilometers (1 mile) to safety and H ed news and commentary that harmed state g N / security or made reference to banned religious managed to save his videotape. It later P A appeared on the Web site of The Wash- sects such as the Falun Gong—were material A family grieves in the streets of Dongzhou after security officers killed a relative while ington Post, showing a dark, medieval- cracking down on local demonstrations. that “illegally incites” gatherings or demon- looking assault by men in hard hats, strations, and material distributed in the name n a u ravaging the encampment with brutal force and chasing I earn?’ I did not know how to respond. I could only tell her G of “illegal civil organizations.” The additions n a villagers across the dirt field. from my heart that I really was not thinking about how much H were a clear attempt to clamp down on the use g N / of technology to organize and report on rural The Beijing News reporter who broke the news succeed- money I would make. I only want to report this incident and P A ed in publishing a series of un-bylined accounts in his news- let people know that such a thing happened there.” discontent. Land seized for this new power plant in Dongzhou sparked village discon- paper before the Central Propaganda Department shut down Even the limited attention paid to Dingzhou spurred tent and a violent backlash. The government’s harder line was evident all coverage a few days later. His reports detailed the attack central authorities to take action. Four men were sentenced in fall 2005, when it cracked down on activists’ and the government’s response. Even more enlightening to death for their role in the Dingzhou attack, and the local constitution protects me.” Still, the central government has efforts to aid and document a campaign by residents of were the field notes the reporter posted anonymously party secretary and two contractors received life sentences sought to limit his influence. Li’s blog is often blocked, forc- Taishi—a dusty village at the ragged edges of Guangzhou, online, detailing what he went through to report the story. for ordering the raid. ing him to change Web addresses frequently. Postings on one of China’s richest cities—to oust their top elected offi- His notes made the rounds among journalists in China, and A handful of journalists, including blogger Li Xinde, sensitive subjects disappear shortly after they’re written, cial, Chen Jinsheng. were translated into English by Hong Kong-based blogger have made online reporting their full-time work. Li moves so Li must depend on an audience highly motivated to read Villagers had initiated a peaceful signature campaign to Roland Soong for his site EastSouthWestNorth. around the country with laptop in hand, writing exposés of banned news. recall Chen, whom they accused of misconduct in the sale

12 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 13 of land to developers. Afraid that local officials would recall attempt on a misunderstanding caused by a few attempt to remove evidence of corruption, residents took troublemakers. “Faced with the facts,” this account read, shifts to guard the village budget office. In August, police “most villagers realized that the original reasons for the A Camera as Witness raided the village for the first time and beat some of the recall no longer existed and therefore told the village recall residents, including an elderly woman named Feng Zhen. committee that they wished to withdraw the motion.” Villagers organized a hunger strike in protest and, by Sep- tember 7, they were putting their signatures on a petition ome Guangzhou-based journalists who covered events at to hold a recall election. STaishi remain under government surveillance, and an hen documentary filmmaker Ai Xiaoming read be arrested next time. This time you see me, but maybe Print and broadcast media in the southern city made a editor at Southern Metropolis News was sacked. The activist online accounts of the recall campaign in next time you won’t.’” strong initial effort to cover the recall. Southern Metropolis Guo was released from jail in December but now lives under WTaishi, she packed up her video camera and Ai’s own video ends with a frightening scene of a News chronicled the campaign in a series of articles, includ- the watch of state security agents who track his moves and headed to the village. Ai, who is also a gender studies young man running up to the car taking her out of the ing a two-page spread topped by a striking photograph of his communications. He has been beaten several times by professor at Zhongshan University, intended to docu- village. The screen blinks and skips to the sight of bro- Feng speaking into a bullhorn. The piece appeared on Sep- police and hired thugs, prompting dissident lawyer Gao ment the role of women in village politics for use in her ken glass; the windows of the car have been smashed in tember 12—the same day that hundreds of riot police used Zhisheng to organize a hunger strike in protest. Dozens of classes. on its passengers. Ai, who was unhurt, sent her video to water cannons to disperse the squatters at the budget activists involved in the hunger strike have disappeared. She found residents very willing to talk. “When central authorities, as well as to state-run China Central office, arrested villagers, and con- there was an event, the villagers would call me and ask Television. (Still images from the documentary appear fiscated documents. Much of the me to be there,” Ai said. “They thought my camera below and on the cover of this edition of Dangerous ensuing coverage was heavily edit- could be their testimony.” Assignments.) ed for ideological correctness. By Ai was there on September 7 to capture the extra- Her video, which has appeared on overseas Web mid-September, editors in ordinary scene of Taishi villagers, many of them elderly sites, exemplifies the growing effort by China’s emerg- Guangzhou had received orders and illiterate, gathering to put signatures or thumb- ing civil society to document rural unrest outside the from propaganda officials that prints on a petition to hold a recall election. The mood government’s censorship system. Taishi coverage was over; hence- turned dark, though, in the days that followed. In an Yet Ai has paid a price. The Web site of her Sex/ forth only official reports would be essay published in Bing Dian—just hours before gov- Gender Education Forum has been blocked, and Ai published. ernment censors shut down coverage of the recall— believes she has been blacklisted from public life— Online reports had also pro- Ai detailed a litany of arrests, beatings, threats, and barred from appearing in the Chinese media or partic- vided timely, if emotionally acts of intimidation that impeded the campaign. She ipating in public events. I charged, information about the also captured the fear that settled on the village. —Kristin Jones village campaign. Beijing-based “At the entrance of the village,” she wrote, “there are activist Yang Maodong, under the only scattered signs of people and the pen name Guo Feixiong, was lights are dim. A villager says, ‘I am among several legal scholars post- afraid of the arrests, I can’t talk to you. ing regular dispatches and essays Anyone who talks to you reporters will on Internet bulletin board systems such as the popular Yannan. P

It was this set of activists and A scholars, along with the villagers Police blockade a street in Taishi on September 12, 2005. Later that day, police used a themselves, who eventually bore water cannon to break up a demonstration, and central authorities began to shut down news coverage. the brunt of the government crack- down at Taishi. On September 13, Guo disappeared. Vil- The Taishi demonstrations were among the mere hand- lagers reported seeing him in a detention center, huddled ful of “mass incidents” to reach the public eye last year, and under a blanket. Local authorities accused him of “sending some journalists believe that the crackdown on coverage

s news overseas” and “gathering crowds to disturb social there signaled a turning point in the government’s attitude. e n o J

g order.” They force-fed him when he refused to eat. Two To the extent that there was some latitude for the media n n i i t m s i o

r weeks later, authorities shut down Yannan after removing before Taishi, it was gone by the time the People’s Armed a K i / X J P i all content related to Taishi. It was clear by that time that Police shot villagers in Dongzhou last December. A C Ai Xiaoming fears she has been In this image taken from video, reporters try to cover a recall cam- local officials had the support of the central government. And this could have a devastating effect across China’s blacklisted for documenting the paign in the village of Taishi. Police were out in force, and soon Police and young men on motorcycles roamed the village, countryside. Li, the former Bing Dian editor, said the deadly unrest in Taishi. reporters were moved out. This image is taken from a documentary harassing and assaulting any activist, lawyer, or journalist force unleashed by officials in Dongzhou would have been by Ai Xiaoming. who turned up. far less likely had the press been allowed to work freely. “If In October, newspapers in southern China carried an there had been public attention,” he said, “it would not have official version of the incidents at Taishi that blamed the happened the way it did.” I

14 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 15 Left: Mohammed al-Asaadi spent 12 days in this Sana’a jail Throughout the Muslim world, a number of publica- after his newspaper published edited versions of three contro- tions printed versions of one or more of the cartoons for versial caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. various reasons: to denounce them, to mobilize protests along with commentary and sidebars on three inside pages. against them, or to appeal against the violence they The Observer’s main editorial decried the drawings as an spurred. Many of the publications were targeted as a result, insult to Islam. The obscured cartoons ran on page 11, next becoming easy prey for governments seeking a pretext to to a photo of people boycotting Danish goods. retaliate against the press, curry favor with Islamists, and The issue was distributed widely, and for three days deflect public attention from domestic problems. there was no adverse reaction. Then al-Asaadi received a Worldwide, the Committee to Protect Journalists found phone call informing him that the Ministry of Information that at least nine publications were closed or suspended and had suspended his paper’s license to publish. “A friend of mine called from Rome and told me Reuters reported that our license was suspended,” al-Asaadi said in an interview with the Committee to Protect Journalists. “I had no idea because the Ministry of Information did not tell me the paper was closed.” But closed it was, he soon learned, as it remained for three months. The prosecutor for press and publications in Sana’a summoned al-Asaadi and Faris Abdullah Sanabani, the paper’s publisher and a media advisor to President Ali Abdullah Saleh, for questioning on February 11. Sanabani was relieved of responsibility, but al-Asaadi was detained i t

for printing materials deemed offensive to the Prophet. The t a n e prosecutor told al-Asaadi’s lawyer that the journalist was r o M o

being held for his own protection. i l i m

Al-Asaadi spent the next 12 days in a poorly ventilated E / S P A A N

/ basement cell, along with a dozen or so other detainees. At r e

v Protesters in Gaza City burn a poster of Danish Prime Minister

r night he found it difficult to breathe amid clouds of ciga- e

s Anders Fogh Rasmussen during a January 31 demonstration b O rette smoke. Having never spent a day in prison before, the against the caricatures. n e

Drawing Fire m experience shocked him; he kept a daily journal as a means e Y of coping. 10 journalists were criminally charged. Punitive actions, The attorney general later charged al-Asaadi with including censorship orders and harassment, were reported insulting the Prophet under both the penal code and the in 13 countries, CPJ found. A Yemeni editor’s decision to reprint cartoons of Muhammad sparks press law and released him on bail. At least 14 private In Syria, merely commenting on the cartoons drew gov- government reprisals. Other cases abound. lawyers recruited by Sheik Abdul-Majid Zindani, chairman ernment retaliation. Adel Mahfouz was charged by the Dam- of Islah Shura Council, filed complaints against al-Asaadi ascus prosecutor’s office after writing an article on the news and called, at least indirectly, for his execution. Yemeni law Web site Rezgar advocating peaceful dialogue as a means of By Ivan Karakashian permits private individuals to take a criminal case to court protesting the cartoons. Mahfouz was charged with insult- if they believe their civil rights have been infringed. Al- ing public religious sentiment under the penal code. If con- Asaadi faces severe jail time and a possible death sentence victed, he faces up to three years imprisonment. for his editorial decision. The Syrian government was eager to exploit the debate hen Yemen Observer Editor Mohammed al-Asaadi The English-language weekly decided to reprint three of for internal political gain, said Bernard Haykel, associate gathered his editors February 1 for their regular the drawings, in black and white and reduced size, with he controversy began last September when the Danish professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies at New York Wmeeting to pick the top story for the next edition, large X’s overlaid on each, as part of multiple-page cover- Tdaily Jyllands-Posten published 12 caricatures of University. the choice seemed clear. Thousands of Palestinians were age of the controversy. The editors wanted to denounce the Muhammad, one of them depicting the Prophet wearing a “It is a minority Alawite regime that needs to burnish its demonstrating in Gaza, a retail boycott of Danish goods cartoons, explain to the mainly foreign readership of the bomb-shaped turban with a lit fuse. The publication Islamic credentials and therefore would have used the was gaining momentum, and Saudi Arabia and Syria had Yemen Observer why they elicited outrage among Muslims, caused anger in the Muslim world, where many consider occasion of the caricatures to do just that,” Haykel said. The just withdrawn their ambassadors to Denmark. The issue and to show readers exactly what was under protest. The depictions of Muhammad to be blasphemous. The cartoons case, he said, also distracted attention from major chal- that sparked the discontent—a Danish newspaper’s publi- decision to reprint a small selection was unanimous among gained greater attention after they were reprinted in the lenges facing Bashar al-Assad’s regime, notably its with- cation of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad—had the editors, some of whom objected only to obscuring the January 10 edition of Magazinet, a small Christian evan- drawal from Lebanon and alleged links to the 2005 assassi- become the talk of the world. drawings with X’s. Al-Asaadi, described by colleagues as a gelical weekly based in Norway, and then republished by nation of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri. devout Muslim, insisted on the markings to make clear the publications across Europe and the World Wide Web. By Yet nowhere was retaliation as severe as in Yemen, Ivan Karakashian is research associate for CPJ’s Middle paper’s view that they were inappropriate. February, protests, some of them violent, were reported in where the government sought to make censorship a popular East and North Africa program. The February 3 issue included a front-page news story, several cities. cause. Muhammad Shaher Hussein, the deputy information

16 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 17 minister, said his agency wanted to ease public tensions Article 103 of the Press and Publications Law of 1990, defend al-Asaadi. “The intention of the Yemen Observer was when it suspended the Observer and two other publica- which prohibits “printing, publishing, circulating, or broad- to criticize the Danish press,” Allaw told CPJ. “He did not tions—the private weekly Al-Hurriya Ahliya, and the Arabic- casting ... anything which prejudices the Islamic faith and Worldwide, Arrests intend to insult the Prophet; he did not intend to republish language Al-Rai Al-Aam—for reprinting the cartoons. The its lofty principles or belittles religions or humanitarian the cartoons in their support. … Al-Asaadi was defending suspensions appeared to contravene Yemen’s own press creeds.” They also face penal code charges. and Shutdowns the Prophet, and he should be found innocent.” law, which states that only a court has jurisdiction to sus- “The government sees us becoming more independent Context is at the root of the case: The defense wants the pend or revoke a publication’s license. Prime Minister and increasingly writing about sensitive issues against the Here is a rundown of reprisals worldwide in the car- cartoons to be judged as part of the Observer’s full cover- Abdelqader Bajammal finally lifted the bans on May 2. government’s interests,” al-Asaadi said. His newspaper, toon controversy. Except where noted, the actions age, including the accompanying text and the placement of “They can get away with breaking their own law because while often sympathetic to the president, has also reported came in response to publishing versions of one or the drawings. The attorney general and prosecution team they appear to be responding to public demand,” said on alleged corruption in the Yemeni foreign service. “The more of the cartoons. have argued that al-Asaadi should be judged on the pub- Sheila Carapico, a professor of political science and inter- message to the Yemeni press,” al-Asaadi said, “is that the lished drawings alone. national studies at the University of Richmond. The Danish government can mimic these circumstances and carry out • Countries where reprisals were reported: 13 caricatures are “something on which the public and gov- the same sort of measures when the press does something • Journalists criminally charged: 10 eyond the legal battles, al-Asaadi fears for his life because ernment can pretty much agree,” Carapico said. “It’s a dis- they don’t like.” • Newspapers suspended or closed: 9 Bof the nature of the charges. Lengthy intervals between tant enemy, an amorphous enemy, it’s not something they But the press itself played into the hands of govern- • Assault, harassment cases: 3 court dates increase the risk, as accusations linger without can really do anything about—and so it has all the advan- ments through sensational and superficial coverage, al- • Censorship orders: 2 resolution. Some members of Parliament chimed in to tages of symbolic politics that are really policy neutral.” Asaadi and other journalists told CPJ. “We are responsible Algeria: Two editors criminally charged. demand severe punishment, apparently believing that the for what’s happening to us. We played a role,” said al-Asaadi, Belarus: One newspaper suspended. Observer printed all of the drawings in their original form. emeni authorities filed criminal charges against three who cited his own case as an example. “During my initial Denmark: Jyllands-Posten threatened with bomb “When we clarified to members of Parliament they with- Yother journalists: Abdulkarim Sabra, managing editor arrest, the Yemeni press didn’t provide further information attack. drew their position and cooperated with us. Religious and publisher of Al-Hurriya; Yehiya al-Abed, a journalist for or try to clarify the context, reporting simply that I had India: One editor criminally charged. scholars sympathized with us after we explained our posi- Al-Hurriya; and Kamal al-Aalafi, editor-in-chief of the Arabic- published the cartoons.” Jordan: Two editors criminally charged. tion,” al-Asaadi said. “But there was a campaign of provoca- language Al-Rai Al-Aam. They were charged with violating During al-Asaadi’s first hearing in the General South- Lebanon: Journalists assaulted during demonstra- tion in the beginning, forcing one to worry about his life.” tion against cartoons. Likewise, al-Asaadi worries about the 35 employees at Malaysia: Two newspapers suspended. the Yemen Observer. “I actually feel depressed and kind of Morocco: Government organizes demonstrations frustrated from the situation,” al-Asaadi told CPJ. “The sus- against newspaper. pension of the paper, no work, fears of any silly behavior Russia: Two newspapers closed. from fanatics, the uncertain end of the ordeal—it has had a Saudi Arabia: Newspaper suspended. negative impact on my family.” South Africa: Censorship orders issued against two Sanabani, the publisher, said the Observer maintained newspapers. an Internet presence throughout the suspension, but it lost Syria: Writer criminally charged for commentary. considerable money during the three months that the print Yemen: Three newspapers suspended. Four journal- version was banned. The Observer, a nine-year-old publica- ists criminally charged. tion, sold 8,000 copies before the suspension, primarily to foreign diplomats, business people, and officials with non- For details on these cases, visit www.cpj.org. governmental organizations. “The Ministry of Information could have judged us without revoking the license; they could have allowed the West Court in Sana’a on March 8, prosecution lawyers paper to continue under a new editor-in-chief, and the case seemed to call for al-Asaadi’s execution by recounting a could have gone before the courts,” al-Asaadi said. “But the story in which Muhammad praised a companion for killing decision to stop and withdraw the license served as proof a woman who had insulted him. to the public that we had in fact committed a crime.” The prosecution team stated further demands in a sec- Al-Asaadi believes the judge will not order his execu- ond hearing on March 22. “When the Yemen Observer pub- tion or even imprisonment once attorneys present his lished the pictures they were aware of the anger caused by defense. Still, the ordeal has left him broken. “I chose this them,” according to a statement read in court by the pros- profession out of passion and belief to contribute in bring- ecution. “We demand the punishment of its editor-in-chief, ing about a change for the best of this society,” al-Asaadi the permanent closure of the paper, and for Mohammed al- said. “After years of dedication, I am facing death threats in S A N

/ Asaadi to be banned from writing for newspapers forever.” all corners of the streets for nothing but practicing my job r e v r

e The prosecution team also seeks financial compensation— and calling for understanding. I have to explain to every s b O for itself—because of the psychological trauma the Yemen individual that I am innocent.” I n e m

e Observer allegedly caused, according to the statement. Y Mohammed Naji Allaw, a lawyer with the National Orga- Defense lawyers Khaled al-Anesi and Mohammed Naji Allaw, standing left to right at the podiums, want to present the drawings in For updates on the al-Asaadi case and others related to the the context that the Observer published them. nization for Defending Rights and Freedoms, is helping caricatures, visit www.cpj.org.

18 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 19 20 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 21 evidence has been presented that treason or genocide were ber of private, Amharic-language weeklies—most of them planned or occurred, CPJ found. highly critical of the government—mushroomed and their The charges have enormous emotional resonance in sales soared. Ethiopia, which fought a bitter war with neighboring Voting was largely peaceful, but unrest began to build Eritrea, and where ethnicity is part of the political land- after the opposition cited irregularities, including vote- ‘Poison,’ Politics, scape. The defendants were not allowed to post bail rigging allegations and the government’s delay in announc- because of the severity of the charges, enabling the gov- ing results. ernment to effectively silence these critics during their The first wave of protests in June brought a govern- court case. By most accounts, the trial, which began in Feb- ment show of force, with clashes leading to the deaths of at and the Press ruary, could last many months or even years. least 40 people. Unrest boiled again in early November The imprisoned journalists—several of whom were after the leading opposition group, the Coalition for Unity interviewed by CPJ with the government’s permission—said and Democracy (CUD), frustrated by its inability to challenge they were doing their jobs in criticizing the administration the vote, refused to take part in the new parliament. Stone- of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. “We’re not against this gov- throwing crowds were met with gun-firing security forces, ernment,” Fassil Yenealem, the jailed publisher of Addis and another 40 or more people, mostly civilians, were In Ethiopia’s toxic political Zena, told CPJ. “It is through this government that we began climate, Zenawi’s government to write. But when the government sees people starting to demand more democracy, freedom of expression, and sweeps up journalists development, they think it’s the fault of the press.”

and shuts down newspapers. overnment officials stress that there was no private Gpress until the current administration toppled Mengistu By Julia Crawford Haile Mariam’s notorious Derg regime in 1991. In an inter- view with CPJ, Zenawi said his government has tried to build democratic institutions, including a free press, even though much of the private media “is in effect a party organ s n

of the opposition.” e v a e

The journalists are the most notable example of a gov- Until recently, Western donors regarded Zenawi as a H w e ernment crackdown on the press that began in November reform-minded leader who had put his troubled country on r d n A /

when postelection street protests drew a show of official a path that could be emulated by others in Africa. With a s r e t

force, violence flared, and more than 40 died. The govern- population of more than 70 million, Ethiopia is one of u e R ment issued “wanted lists” of opposition party leaders, edi- Africa’s most populous nations. It is also the seat of the o o

l Prime Minister Meles Zenawi says his government wants to s

n tors, and writers; journalists who weren’t arrested went African Union and of the United Nations Economic Com- i

r encourage press freedom, but journalists went too far. P l

e into hiding. Direct government orders and indirect pres- mission for Africa. The United States regards Zenawi as an r a K /

P sure were blamed for the closing of more than half of the important partner in its fight against terrorism, and British killed. The government then launched a full-scale crack- A newspapers that once published in the capital. Self-censor- Prime Minister Tony Blair gave Zenawi a seat on his advisory down, detaining thousands of people, including opposition An Ethiopian officer prevents a photographer from taking pictures of a police sweep following protests in Addis Ababa ship is rife among those still publishing. Commission for Africa. leaders and journalists. last year. The government alleges that the editors and reporters But if Zenawi’s democratic credentials compared favor- Along with issuing its “wanted lists,” the government were part of an opposition conspiracy to overthrow the ably to those of his predecessors, his government has raided newsrooms, blocked newspapers from publishing, “constitutional order.” The genocide charges rest on asser- never had a good press freedom record. Ethiopia was and expelled two foreign reporters, including a long-serv- ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia tions that the journalists’ work harmed members of the Africa’s leading jailer of journalists throughout much of the ing Associated Press correspondent. About a dozen exiled scarf tied around her head and her five-month preg- ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary 1990s, and it drove scores of reporters and editors into Ethiopian journalists were charged in absentia with trea- nancy just showing under a robe, Serkalem Fassil Democratic Front, and the Tigrayans who form its domi- exile. The government has a long record of arresting jour- son. The U.S. government-funded Voice of America and Ger- Aappeared shy and scared as she talked about life in nant ethnic group. nalists under a restrictive press law, which imposes crimi- many’s Deutsche Welle, which broadcast radio programs Kality Prison. Her English is not good, she explained, but Many of the shuttered publications did advance the nal sanctions for defamation and the publication of news into Ethiopia in local languages, were targeted by smear yes, the baby is OK. And yes, she added softly, it’s very hard views of the opposition, featuring numerous interviews that authorities deem “false.” Editors routinely have multi- campaigns in state media, endangering their local corre- in Kality. Fassil, 26, who worked on three Amharic-language with party leaders and editorials critical of the govern- ple press law charges pending against them. spondents. weeklies, is among at least 14 journalists held in this ment’s handling of the May 2005 parliamentary election, Until recently, the number of journalists imprisoned “This is the worst under Zenawi,” said journalist crowded, sweltering prison alongside dozens of political according to interviews and a review of published material. had dropped as the government backed away under inter- Befekadu Moreda, who has plenty of perspective, having opposition leaders. They are being tried jointly for geno- But the government has disclosed no evidence linking national pressure from its traditionally confrontational been jailed nine times over 12 years. “They are going on the cide and treason, charges that could bring life imprison- published material to acts of violence, nor has it offered stance toward the press. In the run-up to the May election, path of China—without the economic prosperity.” With at ment or the death penalty. any substantiation that the journalists were motivated by there was even a new scent of freedom as opposition par- least two journalists imprisoned on press law violations anything other than what they saw as their work responsi- ties were allowed unprecedented access to state media, and 14 held for treason, Ethiopia is now the third-leading Julia Crawford is CPJ’s Africa program coordinator. bilities, the Committee to Protect Journalists has found. No including the state monopoly broadcast sector. The num- jailer of journalists in the world after China and Cuba.

22 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 23 Moreda survived the November crackdown but his of the defensive power of the state” by sowing divisions in The government’s genocide charges, however, are paper, the Amharic-language weekly Tomar, did not. Printers the armed forces. vague and unsubstantiated. The prosecution cites the beat- refused to publish it, Moreda said. On this day in March, he Genocide is the final charge against the journalists. ing of one Tigrayan individual, an arson attack against also described frequent government harassment and intim- Home to dozens of ethnic groups, notably Amharas, another, “acts causing fear and harm to the mental health idation. “For the last four months I cannot move freely, the Tigrayans, Oromos, and Somalis, Ethiopia has indeed seen of members of the ethnic group,” and “indirect and direct security forces follow me,” he recounted. “The first harass- ethnic tensions flare into violence. Tigrayans form the base acts causing harm to members and supporters of the EPRDF ment is smooth; they ask you politely to work with them. of the ruling EPRDF, while the opposition CUD draws sub- by excluding them from social interactions.” Then they accuse you of being a member of the opposition, stantial support from the Amharas. The CUD platform The charge sheet cites no evidence linking journalists and they use force.” called for constitutional reforms to effectively abolish to these incidents, which do not themselves appear to con- Shortly after meeting with CPJ, Moreda fled the country. Ethiopia’s “ethnic federalism,” under which state bound- stitute genocide. The United Nations Convention on the It was just in time to escape a jail sentence suddenly aries are drawn along ethnic lines. Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide imposed under the press law for an opinion piece he pub- defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, lished five years ago. in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious Fewer than 10 private newspapers, most of them weekly, group.” are now publishing in Addis Ababa, compared with more Fighting Words? As evidence against the journalists, the government has than 20 before the November crackdown. Eight newspapers cited more than 20 editorials and more than a dozen press were shut as a result of criminal indictments and the jailing interviews with CUD leaders. At CPJ’s request, Chief Prosecu- of their top journalists. Several others have been blocked Here are English translations of excerpts from two tor Shemelis Kemal provided a sampling of 12 of the pieces from publishing because the government pressured their editorials cited by the Ethiopian government as evi- in the original Amharic. CPJ analyzed English translations of printers, local journalists told CPJ. The government denies dence against journalists being tried for treason: the pieces. While the editorials are antigovernment, some applying such pressure. Ethiop, August 17, 2005: harshly so, none calls for violence and none makes reference “The constitution clearly states that a human being to ethnic aggression. CPJ found no evidence to support the CPJ delegation—including the Johannesburg-based cannot lose his or her life except in one way. Article prosecution’s contention that the pieces were intended to Ajournalist and CPJ board member Charlayne Hunter- 15 reads: ‘Every person has the right to life. No one provoke acts of violence or genocide. Gault, and Charles Onyango-Obbo of Kenya’s Nation Media shall lose his life except under penalty for a capital Amare Aregawi, editor of The Reporter, one of the few Group—heard about ongoing harassment in a series of offense.’ Was a legal provision ever invoked before private newspapers that have published without interrup- r e

March interviews with journalists, lawyers, and diplomats. g tion, said much of the postelection newspaper coverage e those 40 innocent young kids were massacred in pub- H s

Fear and suspicion were evident. Local journalists were i was shoddy and exploited public tensions. But, he said, r lic? If the rulers violate their own constitution, and if o B / reluctant to meet the CPJ delegation in public places; several P the opposition then violates the constitution in order “There is no evidence that I would call treason myself.” Are- A spoke only on condition that their names be withheld; tele- gawi said government authorities typically refuse to speak A police officer strikes an Addis Ababa University student with to save the country from a crime, who should be the phone interviews were avoided because fear of wiretapping the butt of his assault rifle during June election protests. one responsible for a crime? … to the private press. When Zenawi spoke with invited was widespread. Political tension was heightened by a series “There cannot be free elections until the electoral domestic reporters this year, the prime minister noted that of small explosions in the capital. Although the government tively for publishing “false news” in articles from 1999 and board, which is a stooge of the EPRDF (ruling party), it was the first such meeting in 14 years. blamed the blasts on the opposition and on neighboring 2002, according to CPJ sources. Iyob Demeke, former edi- is dismantled. Justice cannot be found in the courts That breakdown is symptomatic of the deeper political Eritrea, no one claimed responsibility for them. tor-in-chief of the defunct Amharic-language weekly Tarik, that are governed by EPRDF cadres and are filled with divide. “The press is a reflection of politics,” Aregawi said. Local journalists said they were especially chilled by was fined in February for failing to print the name of the those who have enriched themselves with embezzle- “There’s no tolerance. It’s ‘you are either with us or against the government’s unprecedented decision to charge their newspaper’s deputy editor on its masthead in one edition. ment. Getting rid of these elements through a national us,’ and that is reflected in the media.” Zenawi, who colleagues under the criminal code with crimes carrying He spent six days in jail before enough money was raised coalition government would indeed bring about last- acknowledged a “poison” in his government’s relationship possible death sentences. As repressive as the press law is, to pay the fine. ing peace and stability.” with the press, said much the same. “We are aware that the local journalists said, it carries a maximum jail sentence of Zenawi acknowledged that relations between the gov- poison is not merely between the press and the ruling three years and defendants are permitted to post bail. ernment and private press have long been confrontational, Addis Zena, September 19, 2005: party,” the prime minister said. “It’s a reflection of the The government appeared to open yet another offen- but he said the treason allegations were different. “They “The people of Ethiopia have clearly been robbed of overall tension between some in the opposition and the sive in February, when police detained hundreds of people went beyond their normal bias and went for the jugular,” he their voices. A party or a government that conspired ruling party.” in what they called an antiterrorism sweep. Among those told CPJ. “They became part and parcel of the day-to-day to rob the voice of its own people should never be Most of the jailed journalists said that they would not arrested was media lawyer Berhanu Mogese, who had preparation for the insurrection after the elections.” given legitimacy. Even if it wants to stay in power, the offer a defense because they believe the charges are base- offered pro bono services to imprisoned journalists. A col- people would only chant, ‘Thief! Thief!’ and would not less and the proceedings politicized. Sitting in Kality league, Teshome Gabre-Mariam Bokan, told CPJ that Mogese he defendants in the treason trial are charged with let it happen. And because the electoral board has Prison, the jailed publisher Fassil Yenealem was asked if he was arrested the day after he met with visiting European T“outrage against the constitution and the constitutional been the main organizer and accomplice of such rob- had a message for the prime minister. “The journalists Union envoy Louis Michel. order.” The indictment, or “charge sheet,” accuses the jour- bery, it should be denounced and should lose its should be released,” he said. “Banning the press means ban- Authorities appeared to step up enforcement of the nalists of working with the opposition CUD, declaring the credibility. … ning democracy. The prime minister has done some very press law as well, imposing prison terms and fines in cases elections fraudulent, calling for violence, and “disseminat- “Opposition parties must provide wise leadership good things in the last 14 years. The media are not against in recovering the voice of the people from the party that date back several years or stem from technical infrac- ing false accusations to create public distrust of officials the government but against injustice.” I tions. Journalists Leykun Engeda and Abraham Gebrekidan and transmitting messages that cause conflict among peo- that has stolen it in order to stay in power.” are serving sentences of 15 months and one year respec- ples.” The journalists also face the charges of “impairment For continuing coverage of Ethiopia, visit www.cpj.org.

24 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 25 Nationalists have shown up in force at court proceedings of journalists charged with insulting the Turkish identity. In February, protesters chant outside a courthouse where ink, a Turkish citizen who has been at the helm of Agos Dink’s appeal received an important boost in February five prominent journalists went on trial. Dfor all of the bilingual Armenian-Turkish newspaper’s when the chief prosecutor’s office of the Supreme Court of 10-year existence, has appealed the verdict in Turkey and is Appeals said the October verdict was based on “faulty ready to take the case all the way to the European Court of assessments” and called for it to be overturned. Although Human Rights to clear his name. the opinion was not binding, analysts doubt the court “If in this case I am not acquitted I will not live in this would ignore the chief proscutor’s recommendation. Dink country anymore,” he said. Dink was convicted under Arti- would not comment on the prosecutor’s statement while cle 301 of the penal code, which forbids denigrating Turk- the appeal was still pending. ish identity and state institutions. The verdict came the Dink said he had always been in the sights of Turkish same month that Turkey opened formal negotiations to join nationalists, but the past year saw an escalation in their the European Union, whose officials criticize Article 301 as efforts. “The prosecutions are not a surprise for me. They incompatible with EU norms on freedom of expression. Yet want to teach me a lesson because I am Armenian. They try several other journalists have been charged under Article to keep me quiet.” 301 in recent months, all at the urging of influential nation- Asked who “they” are, Dink replies unhesitatingly, “the alist lawyers. deep state in Turkey”. “The state of press freedom in Turkey today depends on This is not the moderate, Islamist-based government of a battle between those forces who believe in the European Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan but secular national- Union and want to change the law and practices … and con- ist forces supported by sections of the army, security servatives, the military, and the bureaucracy, who fear los- forces, and parts of the justice and interior ministries, ing their privileges if there is a change in the status quo,” said human rights activist Sanar Yurdatapan, head of the Istanbul-based Initia- tive for Freedom of Expression. l

a Dink’s prosecution followed a series of s r O

n articles in early 2004 dealing with the collec- a m s tive memory of the Armenian massacres of O / P

Bad Blood A 1915-17 under the decaying Ottoman Empire. Ottoman military forces, allied with Germany, in Turkey killed thousands of Armenians and deported others, accusing them of sympathizing with invading Russian forces. Armenians call the killings the first genocide of the 20th century, a term Turkey rejects. Nationalist lawyers take aim as an Armenian-Turkish editor treads on sensitive topics. Dink suggested ways for Armenians, par- ticularly those in the diaspora, to move on, y e n

saying that continuing rage against Turks was o h a

a poison in Armenian blood. He urged them to M

By Robert Mahoney t r e

rid themselves of the poison and “turn to the b o R / J

new blood of independent Armenia.” Turkish P C nationalists seized on the reference to poi- Hrant Dink is unafraid of challenging Turkish history, whether it is the mass ISTANBUL, Turkey mittee to Protect Journalists at the newspaper’s cramped soned blood associated with Turks and found killing of Armenians or the ethnicity of Ataturk’s adopted daughter. ven when he is trying to be conciliatory, Hrant Dink offices in the bustling Osmanbey neighborhood. a prosecutor to bring the case. gets in trouble. The managing editor of the only Dink, 51, was relaxed this February day, speaking in They even found a way of prosecuting him for com- according to Turkish political commentators. The national- EArmenian newspaper in Turkey was convicted in a measured tones throughout the interview. Only hours ear- menting on the proceedings. ists, political heirs of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder criminal court last year for “insulting Turkishness.” Ironi- lier a court in southeastern Turkey had thrown out a sepa- In October, Dink called the Article 301 charges political- of modern Turkey, still exert considerable influence. They cally, the article in the weekly Agos for which he was con- rate case against him for criticizing lines in the Turkish ly motivated, and the statement was picked up by the Turk- oppose the government’s application for EU membership, victed was an appeal to diaspora Armenians to let go of national anthem and the national oath as discriminatory ish press. This prompted the Turkish Union of Lawyers, a fearing a loss of Turkish sovereignty. their anger against Turks for the mass killing of Armenians against non-ethnic Turks. nationalist group led by lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz, to initiate Nationalist lawyer Kerincsiz told CPJ that the Turkish during World War I. But his voice and face hardened at the mention of his another criminal case under Article 288 of the penal code Union of Lawyers is not targeting Dink, but does intend to “This is a political decision because I wrote about the conviction last October and the six-month, suspended jail for attempting to influence the outcome of judicial pro- pursue anyone who “assaults the values of the Turkish peo- Armenian genocide and they detest that, so they found a term he received. “I was convicted of racism. That is not ceedings. “It is weird,” Dink said, “because this statement of ple.” The chief prosecutor’s recommendation that Dink’s way to accuse me of insulting Turks,” Dink told the Com- what I was saying,” Dink said. mine was published and transmitted by many newspapers conviction be overturned, he said, “has made the Turkish and TV channels in the mainstream media. A case was not people more sensitive toward the issue because the current Robert Mahoney is senior editor for the Committee to Protect Journalists. opened against them.” government is blowing the horn of the EU.”

26 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 27 UPDATE

In particular, the nationalists have pursued journalists about the 1915-17 killings, but that got less reaction than who write critically on five major areas: Ataturk, the the piece on Ataturk’s daughter,” Dink noted. “Sabiha Gokcen Armenian killings, separatist Kurds, the security forces, was a hero, a myth for Turkish women. By publishing that and the Turkish presence in northern Cyprus. she was an Armenian, that myth was shattered.” Dink managed to tread on two of these landmine issues in 2004 when Agos reported that Ataturk’s adopted daugh- An Open Case ter Sabiha Gokcen was Armenian by birth. Gokcen, who died in 2001 at age 88, was a modern Turkish feminist icon. She Stories on Ataturk, the Armenian won international fame as the country’s first woman combat killings, separatist Kurds, security Four years after Daniel Pearl was brutally murdered in Pakistan, pilot. Official histories say that Ataturk adopted her in 1925 after meeting her during a visit to Bursa in western Turkey. forces, and Cyprus are considered questions and concerns remain. Agos published claims by an Armenian, Hripsime Sebilciyan volatile. Gazalyan, who said that she was Gokcen’s aunt. She said By Abi Wright Ataturk had taken her niece from an orphanage in the south- eastern town of Sanliurfa where the child had been sent after losing her parents in the Armenian massacre. or an iconoclast, Dink is remarkably mild-mannered. “I The story incensed the deep state. Protesters jammed Fappear often on Turkish television talk shows. I try to be n the evening of January 11, the entrance to Agos offices and newspapers reported that cool-headed and get my message across,” he said. The tele- 2002, Wall Street Journal Dink had received anonymous death threats. “I have written vision appearances are part of a strategy to reach beyond Oreporter Daniel Pearl walked the estimated 60,000 Armenians left in Turkey to ordinary into a hotel near the Pakistani capital, Turks. Agos has a circulation of just 6,000. Islamabad, and was introduced to a Dink defends his constant revising of history. “I chal- man who called himself Bashir. Pearl lenge the accepted version of history because I do not write thought he was meeting a potential about things in black and white. People here are used to source who could help him get access black and white; that’s why they are astonished that there to a radical Islamic cleric for a story are other shades, too.” on terrorism. In fact, that night Pearl He hopes his questioning will pave the way for peace met a British-born Pakistani militant between the two peoples. “If I write about the [Armenian] with a track record of kidnapping genocide it angers the Turkish generals. I want to write and Westerners. His real name was Ahmed ask how we can change this historical conflict into peace. Omar Saeed Sheikh. Instead of helping They don’t know how to solve the Armenian problem.” Pearl land a scoop, the meeting with The flurry of cases brought by Kerincsiz and his fellow Saeed set events in motion that led to lawyers against journalists has brought the Turkish justice his entrapment, kidnapping, and mur- system into the world spotlight. After a chorus of interna- der, U.S. officials say, at the hands of tional protests in December, prosecutors dropped a case Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the sus- under Article 301 against Turkey’s famed novelist Orhan pected mastermind behind the 9/11 Pamuk in January. He had spoken of the Armenian killings attacks on the United States. in a Swiss magazine interview. The opening of a freedom of Four years on, significant progress expression case against five prominent journalists in Feb- has been made in bringing Pearl’s

ruary, also linked to the Armenian question, prompted killers to justice. “We believe that P A another wave of foreign and domestic protest. Four of most, but not all, of the key figures in Daniel Pearl in a photograph taken by his captors. those cases were later dropped. Danny’s kidnapping and murder have Dink does not think the tide has yet turned in favor of either been killed or are in jail,” said protected by Pakistan’s powerful ticularly tense time, according to critical writers—”the situation in Turkey is tense”—but he Wall Street Journal Deputy Managing Inter-Services Intelligence Agency Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at believes they will prevail. “I believe in democracy and press Editor John Bussey. But questions (ISI). He has also violated Pakistani the Rand Corp. in Washington. With freedom. I am determined to pursue the struggle.” linger about who ordered the murder prison rules for death row inmates by the fall of the Taliban regime in neigh- That means he will continue to shine a light into the and what precisely happened. Saeed, making contact with the outside world boring Afghanistan in December dark corners of Turkish history, albeit cautiously. “These the mastermind of the kidnapping, is from his prison cell. It seems uncer- 2001, militants were pushed out. cases have not stopped me or intimidated me. I am not on death row but is delaying his tain he will ever be executed, accord- “When they lost their geographical practicing self-censorship. That said, I am careful in my appeals amid allegations that he is ing to the Pearl family, who are frus- center of gravity in Afghanistan, they

s writing not to insult anybody.” trated by the slowness of the investi- went to Pakistan, which was some- r I e t u

e Abi Wright is CPJ’s communications gation and want Saeed’s sentence car- thing of a haven because they had R ried out. longstanding relations with existing Kemal Kerincsiz says his Turkish Union of Lawyers intends to For more on this issue, read CPJ’s special report, “National- director and former Asia program coor- pursue anyone who “assaults the values of the Turkish people.” ism and the Press,” at www.cpj.org. dinator. Pearl traveled to Pakistan at a par- (militant Islamist) groups.”

28 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 29 n January 23, 2002, after more information. He confessed to his of moving forward, Pearl’s father Judea ers from jail disturb the Pearls. Nor- Oexchanging e-mails with Saeed involvement in May 2002 when he was Pearl told CPJ. “Obviously the court mally, those sentenced to death are for nine days, Pearl was lured to a arrested in connection with a bomb allows them to play the game of delay allowed only short visits with family restaurant in the southern port city of attack on Karachi’s Sheraton Hotel. He for some reason. It is obviously also members and are not permitted to Karachi. He got into a car he thought says he witnessed Pearl’s execution conducted from the top in the sense speak to the press, Haq said. “It hurts would take him to interview a reclu- by three Arabic-speaking men who that the regime is not interested in exe- that he is still operating from prison,” sive Islamic leader. Instead, he was showed up without warning. Hashim cuting the sentence.” Mariane Pearl Pearl’s mother, Ruth, said. kidnapped and held for a week before Qadeer, a member of the Kashmiri sep- sees the hand of the intelligence serv- Saeed has been linked to other being killed. A video camera recorded aratist group Harkat ul-Mujahideen, ices behind it. “Pakistan itself cannot crimes since he was arrested. After the grisly act. The search for Pearl who first introduced Pearl to Saeed, carry out the sentence. That tells you two assassination attempts on continued for several weeks until a was detained in July 2005. about the power of the ISI,” she said. Musharraf, prison authorities moved copy of the video surfaced on Febru- At least two others connected with The delays have a domino effect Saeed from Hyderabad to Adiala ary 21, 2002. Pearl’s murder remain at large: Saud on other parts of the prosecution. prison near Islamabad in January Pearl had been researching a radi- Memon, who owned the property Four other men detained in the case 2004. He was questioned there about cal Islamic leader, Sheikh Mubarik Ali where Pearl was held and killed; and cannot be formally arrested or his connection to the man behind the Gilani, who had been linked to the so- at least one man who was present charged until the first four cases are plots, Amjad Hussain Farooqi, a mili- called “shoe bomber” Richard Reid. when Pearl was murdered, according resolved because the men would be tant with links to al-Qaeda. Farooqi, Reid tried to blow up an American Air- to The Journal. tried with the same evidence, accord- who also played a role in orchestrat- lines flight from Paris to Miami in ing to former special prosecutor M.Z. ing Pearl’s kidnapping, died in a December 2001. To find his way to espite the arrests, appeals have Haq, who tried Saeed. If the first four shoot-out with Pakistani security Gilani, Pearl did what reporters do Dbrought the case to a near stand- sentences are overturned, it would forces in September 2005. every day—he reached out to new con- still. A court convicted Saeed and have direct implications on the other More pressure is needed to tacts and made himself accessible. That three others of the kidnapping and, in four men’s cases, he noted. resolve the case, Mariane Pearl said. also made him a target, Hoffman said. July 2002, sentenced Saeed to death Yet by local standards, Haq said, “There is a lack of will to pressure Pak- “It is a question of opportunism and by hanging. “He was sentenced to Saeed’s case is unusual in its delays. istani authorities by the U.S. govern- access. A reporter has to chase a story, death very quickly, but it was also “This is an extraordinary and excep- ment and by The Wall Street Journal,” making him or her more vulnerable.” obvious that it was a political trial. He tional case because normally, with a she said. Bussey responded that his Journalists investigating militant knew that he was protected. He even death sentence case, the verdict is car- newspaper hired a lawyer in Karachi groups and their connections to terror- said at the time ‘The people who put ried out within six to nine months,” to advise it on the case and has con- ist activities were not welcome, accord- me here will die before I do,’” Mariane Haq said. tacted all relevant parties. “The Jour- ing to Pearl’s widow, Mariane, who trav- Pearl said. “The process isn’t efficient,” said nal has urged a swift resolution of the eled with him to Karachi and who From behind bars, Saeed continues Bussey, who went to Karachi in 2002 prosecution of this case with Presi- wrote about her experience in her 2003 to make public statements. He gave an when Pearl was kidnapped and who dent Musharraf, with other Pakistani

book, A Mighty Heart. A pattern of r interview to Britain’s Sunday Tele- follows the ongoing cases. “When we government officials in Islamabad and a h z overlapping Islamic militant groups a graph in which he pledged allegiance regularly ask officials in Islamabad those visiting the U.S., and with the M a i with ties to al-Qaeda emerges from the Z to Taliban leader Mullah Omar and and Karachi why the appeal hasn’t Bush administration,” he said. / P arrests in the Pearl case. Three separate A said, “I’m trying to prepare myself to been heard and the sentence finalized Three years ago, in June 2003, groups carried out the crime: the organ- Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, top, leaves be of real service to the ‘ummah’ (Mus- and executed, we’re told that the Musharraf told reporters that the Pearl izers of the kidnapping who lured the provincial high court in Karachi, lim nation) if I get another chance.” Pakistani judicial process requires case was “history.” Pearl’s parents Pakistan, under tight security in 2002. Pearl; those who detained him; and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, inset, is in The three others convicted in the patience.” responded in a letter to the editor of P those who carried out the execution. A U.S. custody at an undisclosed location. kidnapping—Fahad Naseem, Salman The Journal on July 8, 2003. They said Saeed turned himself in to police Saqib, and Sheikh Mohammed Adeel— or Pearl’s family, patience is run- their son’s case would remain an open on February 12, 2002, but he told a whose goal is to unite Indian-adminis- U.S. officials say that he carried out received 25-year jail sentences. All are Fning thin. “We are looking for clo- wound until two conditions were met: court in Karachi that he had first sur- tered Kashmir with Pakistan. He told Pearl’s execution. He is being held in appealing and the process has been sure,” Judea Pearl said. “We don’t “All those involved in the planning and rendered to the ISI one week earlier in police that he plotted to seize Pearl U.S. custody at an undisclosed loca- subject to delaying strategies by know what happened that last few execution of the murder are brought to Lahore. What took place during his because he wanted to strike at the tion. To extract information from lawyers. In July 2004, The Journal days and we have not received this justice and justice is served, and a time with the ISI is not known, but United States and embarrass Pakistani Mohammed, CIA interrogators used a reported on one tactic: “Mr. Saeed’s information. We have been after (the monument to Daniel Pearl is erected in Saeed’s association with the powerful President Gen. Pervez Musharraf on technique called “water-boarding,” lawyer, Abdul Waheed Katpar, request- U.S. State Department and the FBI) for Karachi, reaffirming the ideals for intelligence agency appears to be pro- the eve of his visit to Washington, The where the suspect is held under water ed adjournments at least twice last four years to hear one scenario that which he stood: truth, humanity and tecting him, Pearl’s family said. “He is Journal reported. to the point of nearly drowning, The year on the grounds that his client’s will match all the clues, and we dialogue.” Those steps remain. I kind of untouchable,” Mariane Pearl Other arrests in the case include New York Times reported. father had borrowed the case file on haven’t received it yet.” told CPJ. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, al-Qaeda’s Fazal Karim, a militant belonging to Mr. Saeed and hadn’t yet returned it.” Reports in the British and Indian Information on the Daniel Pearl Foun- Saeed was a member of the mili- third-ranking operative, who was Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni Muslim The appeals have been delayed press that Saeed continues to receive dation is available at www.danielpearl tant Islamic group Jaish-e-Mohammed snared in March 2003 near Islamabad. group with ties to the Taliban, provided more than 30 times and show no signs visitors and communicate with follow- foundation.org.

30 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 31 MISSION JOURNAL

time he found an offending passage. such, he said, that a statement would conversation turned. If unwilling to Santos called the report unfair, charg- be treated “like the word of God.” sign off on our specific proposal, ing that the government’s efforts to Wednesday morning, March 15, we Uribe was eager to defend his press protect journalists were not accurately were finally told, the president had an freedom record. As we took notes, he presented. opening. To accommodate Uribe’s gave what amounted to a short speech I told Santos that we stood behind schedule, we agreed to meet him at in which he talked eloquently about the findings and that we had inter- his campaign headquarters. Santos the need for a critical press. He recog- viewed numerous provincial journal- joined us. nized the vital role of provincial jour- ists who believe that the Uribe gov- Our goal was to persuade Uribe to nalists and said that journalists have ernment has been indifferent, even publicly acknowledge the existence of the right to interview “terrorists”—his hostile to their plight. I proposed a widespread self-censorship, express term for Colombia’s guerrillas and meeting with the president to discuss his concern about the issue, and con- paramilitaries—even if the govern- President Alvaro Uribe our differences and, perhaps, address demn local government officials who ment doesn’t approve. had little time for the risks facing journalists. interfere with the work of the press. I pointed out that, given his per- handshakes with Car- los Lauría, CPJ’s Amer- Santos, while agreeing to reach Twenty-eight Colombian journalists sonal commitment to press freedom, it J P

icas program coordina- C out to the president, launched a blis- would be logical to assume that any r o tor, but he issued an f tering public attack against our self- local official who interfered with the n o

important statement t l

a censorship report in a speech just press was violating government policy. supporting the press. D t t

o days later. Calling it “noxious for the “It’s worse,” Uribe said. “They are c S Colombian press,” he urged journalists committing a crime against democracy.” to denounce the CPJ report. None did. The president, scraping his chair Instead, our report and follow-up from beneath him, was done. He Coaxing Uribe articles drew international attention excused himself and left the room over the next several months. From with little in the way of pleasantries. our office in New York, we wrote let- But we had gotten what we sought: an In Colombia, months of reporting and lobbying produce a crucial declaration. ters, sent e-mails, and made phone emphatic statement supporting the calls to the president’s staff in hopes provincial press, acknowledging its By Joel Simon of setting a date for a meeting. In late need to cover all sides of the conflict, January, we got a positive response. and condemning local officials who interfered. The statement, we hope, auría and I arrived in Bogotá on will set the tone for what will be a long BOGOTA, Colombia he appointment had been months critics in the media. Local officials, LSunday, March 12, to prepare for a and arduous effort to combat threats resident Alvaro Uribe didn’t look Tin the making for the staff at the including military commanders, have meeting in two days. Political parties and self-censorship in Colombia. San- up from the documents he was Committee to Protect Journalists. In accused critical journalists of having loyal to the president had just won a tos, who lingered to chat, promised to Preading as we were ushered into ties with the guerrillas. And while the lopsided victory in Congressional conduct a series of meetings bringing October, CPJ issued a report describ- CPJ described pervasive self-censorship a stark conference room in his cam- ing pervasive self-censorship in the number of Colombian journalists elections, setting the stage for Uribe’s in Colombia in the fall cover story of together journalists and authorities to paign headquarters. After extending Colombian media. Written by Bogotá murdered has declined since Uribe bid for a second term in the May 28 Dangerous Assignments. discuss the dangers of reporting in his hand for a perfunctory hand- journalist Chip Mitchell, based on took office four years ago, violence is presidential election. conflict areas. shake, the president yanked it away, extensive interviews with three dozen still common and threats are rarely On Monday morning, we awoke to have been killed for their work over By afternoon, Uribe’s comments barely giving a photographer time to reporters in several strife-ridden investigated. an e-mail from the president’s office. the past decade and, while only one had been distributed widely by CPJ shoot a few frames. provinces, “Untold Stories” found that I wanted to make sure the Uribe Our meeting had been canceled; Uribe murder was reported last year, jour- and the president’s office. “We will not As Americas Program Coordinator journalists routinely muzzle them- government was aware of the con- was traveling to Bolivia for trade talks nalists continue to be threatened. In be content,” the president said, “until Carlos Lauría and I began to present selves because they fear physical ret- cerns raised in the report so I instead. Stunned, we called the presi- the first two months of 2006 alone, we can say that there is not one jour- some brief remarks about ongoing ribution from leftist guerrillas and arranged to meet with Santos when I dent’s office and insisted, without CPJ documented four cases in which nalist threatened or murdered.” For threats against the Colombian press, right-wing paramilitary forces. visited Bogotá last October. Because immediate success, that the meeting journalists fled their homes because our part, CPJ will continue to assist the president interrupted: “I only have Harassment by government troops of Santos’ personal experience—he be rescheduled. Hanging up, we of death threats. Important news sto- the many Colombian journalists a few minutes.” Well, we asked, would and officials further impedes their had been a top editor at the country’s sought out all the allies we could ries were going uncovered. under threat, fighting publicly for he issue a statement in support of his work. leading daily, El Tiempo, and, in 1990, think of—presidential staffers, mem- But Uribe was not in an accommo- their right to report and working pri- country’s beleaguered journalists? No, Journalists said they felt vulnera- had been kidnapped by the Medellín bers of the vice president’s office, dating mood, and he seemed adamant vately to ensure their safety. he said, stiffening. ble and isolated because of a lack of drug cartel—I expected a sympathetic influential journalists—to help us that he would not agree to the sort of And we will hold the president to Our meeting, it seemed, was off to support from the central government. hearing. Instead, stung by our criti- lobby for a new date. One journalist, a public statement that we had drafted. his word. I a rocky start. Uribe and Vice President Francisco cism, Santos was outraged. He sat on television news director, said a meet- After all, he argued, he had already Santos have frequently complained a couch in his office reading the ing with Uribe would be very impor- spoken out in support of the press. To read “Untold Stories,” visit Joel Simon is deputy director of CPJ. about the press and have lashed out at report line by line and erupting each tant. The president’s popularity was Then, as we pressed further, the www.cpj.org.

32 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 33 DISPATCHES

Left: Elyuddin Telaumbanua disappeared last August. Below: Just before he e r o

S vanished, Telaumbanua went to a funeral a t i in the village of Bawaganewo. r e B A Disappearance in Nias

A reporter vanishes on an Indonesian island, pointing to the dangers facing the provincial press.

By Shawn W. Crispin

TELUK DALAM, Indonesia 2005, urging him to travel south to funeral in the village of Bawaganewo. he August day that Elyuddin cover the campaign there, Elisa Seder- Telaumbanua had not been well Telaumbanua left on a report- hana Harahap said. Her husband, she received at the funeral, which was held Ting trip to southern Nias Island, said, had cultivated close relations at the home of Bajo’s brother, Jodi the journalist handed his wife, Elisa, a with the politician, who often afforded Talonovi. The brother had angrily photo of a convicted criminal. “If I do Telaumbanua valuable inside informa- denounced Telaumbanua with the use of not return, find this man,” he said tion, usually about political rivals. an obscenity, according to a witness, a before heading south on his motorcy- “They had a love-hate relationship,” friend of the journalist named Ukrawan. cle. Nine months later, Telaumbanua she said. No more than 10 minutes after has not returned home. Telaumbanua, who left his home in Telaumbanua and Ukrawan left the n The man in the picture was Hak- the northern Nias city of Gunung Sitoli ceremony together, six motorcycle- i p s i r

man Manao, younger brother of on August 17, was last seen seven riding assailants suddenly pulled C . W

Hadirat Manao, an influential political days later. A witness said Telaumban- alongside the journalist’s motorcycle n w a h

figure in southern Nias. Telaumbanua, ua was ambushed and seized by a and forced it to stop on an oceanfront S / J P

51, had a reputation for gutsy report- group of assailants in southern Nias. road at around 5 p.m. The attackers, C some of whom had attended the funeral, savagely attacked Telaumban- suspects Ukrawan identified were interview with CPJ. Iwan said that he in the journalist’s disappearance. A witness says police did not take his report ua, using pointed objects that caused later interrogated and briefly held, saw the assailants take Telaumbanua Hadirat Manao, the head of a people’s him to bleed profusely from the nose but all were released due to what about 2 miles (3 kilometers) back to council in southern Nias, and Talonovi seriously, making him buy carbon paper so they and mouth, Ukrawan told the Com- police said was a lack of evidence. Talonovi’s home. Iwan, a photogra- could not be located for comment for could record his complaint. mittee to Protect Journalists. Without a body or additional wit- pher who said he was an acquaintance this story. Until March, Hadirat Manao Ukrawan, who like many Indone- nesses, local police said they do not of Talonovi, said the men held was serving a prison sentence for dis- sians uses only one name, said he was have the basis to conduct a fuller Telaumbanua for several hours, rupting elections last year. ing on the tropical island’s rough-and- The journalist’s family and Berita Sore also beaten but not seriously injured. He investigation. “We have been to the assaulted him, and then dumped his Police told CPJ that there is no cred- tumble political scene in the Medan- editors believe Telaumbanua’s report- told CPJ that the assailants positioned a mountain, to the sea, but we still can’t still-breathing body into the ocean. ible evidence to support allegations based Berita Sore daily newspaper. He ing led to his disappearance and, they semi-conscious Telaumbanua on one of find the victim,” said Rangkuty, head Iwan has not given his account to against either Manao brother. Talonovi had won praise from his editors for fear, his death. their motorcycles and rode away. of the crime division at the Teluk police, and, though he said he did not was questioned, they said, but he was scoops on the region’s tumultuous After the attack, Ukrawan said, he Dalam police station, located about 8 take part in any criminal actions, his not held due to lack of evidence. local election campaign, including an elaumbanua was pursuing several hitched a ride to the Teluk Dalam miles (13 kilometers) from the abduc- description of watching an attack over investigation that contributed to the Tstories at the time, among them police station and tried to explain to tion scene. “Our investigation person- several hours raises questions about enior Justice Department officials disqualification of Hadirat Manao an investigation into Hakman Manao’s the authorities what had happened. nel are very limited and we are very his own role. Iwan said he and his fam- Stold CPJ that they have concerns from gubernatorial elections. past criminal activities, including He said police did not take his report tired of this case,” he added between ily were later threatened because of about the local investigation. K. Siani- Hadirat Manao had called Telaum- armed robbery, according to his Berita seriously and made him purchase a puffs on a clove cigarette. what he saw, prompting him to move to par, the top justice official in the banua several times in mid-August Sore editors. He was also looking into piece of carbon paper so that they Ebeneezer Hia, the Telaumbanua northern Nias. Hia, too, fled his home in northern Nias capital of Gunung Sitoli, the mysterious murder of one of Hadi- could record his complaint. Police family’s pro bono lawyer, has inter- southern Nias after getting anonymous said that handwritten reports on the Shawn W. Crispin is a Bangkok- rat Manao’s former bodyguards, a man went to the crime scene only after viewed another man who claims to be death threats by telephone. case from Teluk Dalam police were based journalist and consultant to known as Bajo. Just before his abduc- considerable prodding—and nearly a witness, a 23-year-old named Iwan Hakman Manao has publicly illegible and riddled with spelling CPJ’s Asia program. tion, Telaumbanua had left Bajo’s six hours after the ambush. The six who also provided his account in an denied any knowledge or involvement errors and references to individuals

34 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 35 Left: Ukrawan, who says he witnessed an Below: Elisa Sederhana Harahap says areas, badly marred the island’s first attack on Telaumbanua, describes a local her husband hinted that he might not true experiment with representative police force uninterested in the case. return home from a reporting trip. democracy. For months, international aid agencies restricted staff travel to the south, and as many as 10 people were believed to have been killed in election-related violence. Telaumbanua, a Nias native, was a product of his environment. A former military official and later a construc- tion contractor, Telaumbanua turned to journalism only later in life, begin- ning in the 1990s. His daughter, Desi, confirmed the details of a Tempo mag- azine story that said Telaumbanua was imprisoned for six months between 1999 and 2000 on allegations that he was involved in the rape and murder of a young woman. He was n n i i released, she said, due to lack of evi- p p s s i i r r C

C dence. Neither police nor others have . . W W n

n cited that case as a possible motive in w w a a h h

S the disappearance. S / / J J P P C C Berita Sore editors said Telaumban- ua had done well as a reporter. He had by initials rather than full names. local Media Farta newspaper. “People reporters have little to no legal pro- But Dedy noted that at least two jour- cultivated close contacts with some of Gulf of Thailand Sianipar sent the reports back for revi- are always calling, telling me to watch VIETNAM tection against the prominent local nalists have been murdered in the southern Nias’ most influential elites, THAILAND sion, but they had not been returned out or beware.” Added Yasokhi Nduru- figures they try to check and balance region since the 1980s without arrests including Hadirat Manao. But he did several months later. “We don’t under- ru, a local journalist who carries a through their reporting. or convictions. not refrain from crossing a well-culti- stand why they are moving so slow,” knife in a pistol-shaped holder: “We all Banda Aceh Dedy Ardiansyan, head of the vated source: Telaumbanua was first to he said, flipping through the hand- carry weapons to protect ourselves.” Alliance of Independent Journalists in any fear that Telaumbanua will break the news that Hadirat Manao had

S MALAYSIA written report. Under former President Suharto’s t Medan (AJI-Medan), said the security Meventually be added to that list falsified his academic records, which ra it o f National investigators, who were heavy-handed rule, Indonesia’s media M situation for Indonesia’s provincial of victims. With a population of about later contributed to Manao’s disqualifi- al ac called in last October, offered a 5 mil- were tightly muzzled for more than ca journalists has steadily deteriorated. 500,000, Nias Island is perhaps one of cation from the governor race. lion rupiah (US$550) reward to anyone three decades. The more democratic- SINGAPORE “It’s the definite downside to Indone- Indonesia’s most lawless and primi- Even with the international atten- willing to provide information about minded government of Susilo Bam- Nias sian democracy,” Dedy said. “Under tive territories. Rival tribes last went tion Telaumbanua’s disappearance Island INDONESIA the case. After three weeks on the bang Yudhoyono has rolled back Suharto, only the military intimidated to war here in 1998, when scores of has generated, his wife and daughter ground, though, investigators found many press restrictions, enabling SUMATRA journalists. Now there are many ene- civilians were killed in spear-fought fear that the case will never be solved n r no one willing to take the offer. Hia journalists in the capital, Jakarta, and e mies of the press, including politi- battles. In March 2005, a massive and no one will be brought to justice. t S k c

said that the lack of an effective wit- in other cities to work with unprece- i cians, police, and the mafia. We often earthquake flattened the island, dam- Without her husband’s income, Elisa M / J ness protection program means that dented freedom. In remote provincial P must fend for ourselves.” aging 80 percent of its structures. Sederhana Harahap sells a few vegeta- C testifying in the case would be a “death areas, however, the decentralization According to AJI-Medan research, Decentralization measures, mean- bles in front of her house to try to sentence” for local villagers. Ukrawan, policies aimed at promoting greater corruption and weak national law Indonesian police have threatened or while, have unintentionally created a make ends meet. That’s not enough to a good friend of the missing reporter, local democracy have unintentionally enforcement have been factors in harassed journalists operating in security vacuum as local elites often pay the mortgage, she said, and the has expressed concerns about his safe- led to a breakdown in law, order, and many of the Philippine killings. northern Sumatra in 28 documented violently compete to assume the pow- local bank is threatening to foreclose ty, but numerous requests for police the judicial system, Indonesian jour- Few governments in the region cases since 2002. Indonesian courts ers once held by departed Jakarta- on the family house. protection were turned down. nalists said. have devoted attention, let alone have declined to hear any of the com- appointed officials. In 2005, southern “We don’t care about the money; Telaumbanua’s disappearance and The glaring lack of protection for resources, to mitigating the risks, plaints, signaling the judiciary’s reluc- Nias’ first-ever gubernatorial elections we don’t care about the house,” she the tepid response by police under- provincial-based journalists is a global making it very difficult for provincial tance to protect the press freedom required four different rounds of vot- said, looking down at her husband’s score the danger journalists face in phenomenon, one that is particularly journalists to safely gather and pres- guarantees in the national constitu- ing before election officials were con- idled typewriter. “We just want to know Indonesia’s often lawless and violent acute across Asia’s emerging democ- ent news relevant to their local read- tion. Journalists are less willing to fident enough to declare a winner in what happened.” I hinterlands. “Receiving threats is part racies. In the Philippines, for example, erships. That’s particularly true across speak out about threats from criminal mid-December. Violence, including of life for Nias journalists,” said 22 provincial journalists have been Indonesia’s sprawling archipelago, elements, so accurate statistics on arson attacks on ballot boxes and See CPJ’s missing journalist list at Ratakan Maduwu, a reporter with the murdered since 2000. Pervasive local throughout which most provincial them are difficult to gather, Dedy said. Molotov cocktails thrown into voting www.cpj.org.

36 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 37 ON THE WEB

many of which appeared on Boxun, a affairs for the information office of the citizens some degree of anonymity U.S.-based Chinese-language news site State Council declared, “If you study and the support of close-knit online that often posts commentaries by pro- the main international practices in this communities. “As long as you take care democracy advocates. regard you will find that China is basi- not to overstep certain political On March 15, another posting on cally in compliance with the interna- boundaries—whose location is never Sea Change? Boxun caught the attention of Aegean tional norm.” The following month, entirely clear—you have a great deal of Sea supporters. A lengthy unsigned Prime Minister Wen Jiabao addressed freedom to express yourself in all statement, clearly written by a Zhe- the issue at a press conference, saying kinds of ways, and to do all kinds of After China shuts a Web site, the government engages in an online debate. jiang provincial official, accused the that China’s “Internet management” business,” said Rebecca MacKinnon, a site of failing to register with authori- was “consistent with the established fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman ties before posting news content, as international practice.” Center for Society and the Internet By Sophie Beach required under the “Rules on the Administration of Internet News Infor- mation Services.” The letter further declared: “On March 9, it was learned that ‘Aegean Sea’ Web site had been n March, a popular literary and hearings in March, members of Con- cated people in China’s cities. When closed according to law by the relevant news Web site called Aegean Sea gress lambasted the companies for the sites they rely on for information, Zhejiang province authorities. Online, Iwas ordered closed by authorities sharing user information with author- discussion, and socializing are shut we can see that a small number of peo- in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province. ities that led to the arrest of journalist down, Internet users are increasingly ple are hyping the situation, spreading The closure of a Web site in China is Shi Tao (Yahoo), the censoring of a taking it upon themselves to chal- false rumors and misleading some peo- hardly news these days. Since Presi- China-based search engine (Google), lenge the orders. ple who don’t understand the truth. …. dent Hu Jintao assumed power in and the closing of a blog on orders “To manage the Internet according 2003, his administration has launched from the government (Microsoft). n March 9, 2006, the Zhejiang to law and to close illegal Web sites is a crackdown on an increasingly out- International press freedom advo- OProvince News Office and Zhe- a customary international method. In spoken media and online community. cates, including CPJ, have called on jiang Information Management Office terms of legislation, Germany promul- But what transpired in the after- the companies to cease compliance closed Aegean Sea. Because the site gated an ‘Information and Telecom- math of Aegean Sea’s closure shows with government demands that vio- hosted online bulletin boards, forums, munications Services Law,’ Australia that the battle for control of China’s late basic human rights. blogs, and discussions of news and promulgated an ‘Internet Censorship Internet may be shifting. Soon after For Internet users in China, cen- literature, it had become a lively com- Law,’ and the United States passed a the closure a debate raged online sored Web searches, closure of politi- munity for writers and others. The ‘Communications Decency Act,’ and

between the Web site’s supporters and cally unacceptable Web sites, and the site, which authorities said contained ‘Children’s Internet Protection Act’ P A provincial authorities who, in an threat of arrest are conditions they “illegal content,” posted writing by and other laws. When the relevant An Internet cafe in Beijing is filled with rows of computers and users. With 111 million unprecedented move, posted a lengthy have endured since the Internet first authors banned in China, including authorities penalized the Aegean Sea of its citizens online, China’s government faces resistance in censoring the Internet. economist He Qinglian, Beijing-based Web site and stopped the illegal behav- writer Liu Xiaobo, and Taiwanese ior, it should not be criticized but o many in China and elsewhere, who studies the Internet in China. “You writer Lung Ying-tai. It also published should be supported.” Tthis argument rings hollow. Soon just have to take care that whatever Authorities have taken the rare step of offering several essays and articles about the Such public official comment on after the Zhejiang official’s posting your activities are, you don’t acciden- a public defense of Internet control. shuttering of the popular Freezing the closure of a Web site was unprece- appeared, supporters of Aegean Sea tally anger or threaten somebody who Point weekly magazine. dented. Notorious for their lack of posted angry responses, including an has a lot of power.” Almost immediately after the clo- transparency, propaganda officials in essay by “New Observer” that said: Clearly Aegean Sea overstepped a reply to critics on an overseas news arrived. Following the passage of sure, an anonymous writer posted an China commonly give verbal orders of “You so admire the laws of Germany, boundary, and the editors do not site, which itself is on the govern- “Rules on the Administration of Inter- online call for support from Chinese censorship to avoid any paper trail. Australia, America, and France, but expect the site to be reopened. Asked ment’s list of banned sites. net News Information Services” in Sep- around the world. A few days later, When Web sites are closed down, have you looked into their democratic why the site was closed, Editor Lin Hui Web censorship in China has been tember 2005, authorities have former contributors to the site formed there is no means of recourse for the systems? These are the world’s most told Taiwan’s Central Broadcasting in the international spotlight follow- stepped up censorship of sites that an “Aegean Sea Rights Defense Sup- editors and no institutionalized process representative free democratic coun- System: “They are afraid, afraid of ing revelations in the press about post news—and the number of such port Group,” which sought support to appeal. tries. You are so eager to strike up a expression and of the spirit that complicity by U.S. Internet giants. At sites has declined as a result. from the “rights defense” (weiquan) Yet in the past year, as Chinese comparison, but are you really confi- expression represents. ... But the most But Chinese Internet users are no movement of lawyers, scholars, and Internet users and the international dent enough to do so?” important thing is not that the site Sophie Beach is the executive editor of longer just accepting this censorship writers who are using Chinese and community have become more out- Such a bold and direct challenge to was closed. Most important is that cit- China Digital Times, a news Web site as part of their fate. With 111 million international law to challenge human spoken, government authorities have authority can be a dangerous move in izens awaken to realize their own covering China’s social and political people online, the Internet has rights violations. Meanwhile, dozens taken the rare step of offering a public a country where political dissidents rights—innate human rights, the right transition and its emerging role in the become a daily necessity for personal of the site’s supporters posted com- defense of Internet control. In Febru- are harassed, threatened, or thrown in to free expression, and the right to world. and professional use for young, edu- mentaries condemning the closure, ary, an official who supervises Internet jail. But the Internet has given Chinese publish.” I

38 Spring | Summer 2006 Dangerous Assignments 39 KICKER n r e t S k c i M : n o i t a r t s u l l I

40 Spring | Summer 2006