NO NEWS IS BAD NEWS People
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People deserve NO NEWS IS BAD NEWS to know 2018 - 2019 “I can now provide a voice about our issues to those in power” PHOTO GALLERY The impact of the community radio Men worldwide fellowship programme in Bangladesh stand up for women Continue reading on page 9 in the media P5 INTERVIEW “We do whatever we can to prevent terrible atrocities” - Kees van Baar P4 REPORT Journalists in Central America under extreme pressure P8 ‘Keeping it Real’ enhances Free Press Unlimited young people’s digital calls on the EC to take a resilience stand against the killings In the battle against disinformation, fake news, of journalists indoctrination and hate practices on social media and the internet, Free Press Unlimited started a unique project, The ruthless killings of investigative journalists ‘Keeping it Real’, for 13-year-olds in Mexico, Sweden and Daphne Caruana Galizia on Malta and Ján Kuciak in South Africa. The project analyses the media behaviour Slovakia have made it clear that extreme violence of 13-year-olds and based on that, works with them to against journalists is a problem in European develop ideas that enable young people to use social democracies. When journalists are killed, they are media safely and to access reliable information. silenced and the public is deprived of the truth. Continue reading on page 11 Continue reading on page 12 freepressunlimited.org 2 Unbiased news from How Press Syria goes global via Freedom Is Won WhatsApp In our mission to reduce/alleviate threats to journalists, we tend to focus on the myriad of pressures and challenges shaped by state- In East Ghouta, armed groups engaged in fierce fighting with the President sponsored and criminal hostility towards the press. In Afghanistan this year, the deaths Assad’s army. To prevent the area from becoming completely isolated, and to of nine journalists in suicide bombings that facilitate reporting on the daily reality of its citizens, the Syrian Journalists killed at least 25 people, marked the worst day for journalists in the country since Association created a WhatsApp group. 2002. More than 1,000 journalists have been murdered around the world in the last 15 JANNEKE VAN RIEL years. Only a handful of the perpetrators have been brought to justice. Sakher Edris, journalist and On April 7, 2018, international board for each other and jointly General Secretary of the Syrian journalists received photos and acted as editorial moderator. But we should not only focus on the Journalists Association, explains videos of a chemical weapons Their crucial task: providing negatives. We also need to acknowledge why the group was set up: attack via our WhatsApp access to reliable, impartial and journalists and their supporters who fight for “Armed forces belonging to group.” professional information locally press freedom. In Slovakia, public outrage Assad and Russia began with and globally. over the double murder of journalist Ján heavy shooting on Ghouta; Impartial under all Kuciak, and his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová, they even targeted citizens circumstances Edris: “We bring parties forced Prime Minister Robert Fico to resign. and hospitals. After trying Local journalists and activists together and translate from For his successor, Peter Pellegrini, the to contact the international provide impartial and factually Arabic into English. We are a unresolved murder is a public relations media, we discovered that they correct information to the world, bridge between activists and nightmare. In the Philippines, where no longer had access to news which is not easy in such harsh journalists in East Ghouta, independent news organizations receive from the region. We started the and volatile circumstances. and the international media, death threats and are slandered by politicians WhatsApp group in February offering them contact with and trolls, reporters reveal the truth with 2018 with about 10 members, the outside world. Some devastating effect. The news website Rappler but that soon grew to more than “Some freelance freelance journalists now receive deployed investigative journalism to uncover 80.” Members include journalists paid assignments from the a network of trolls with links to government and activists from Ghouta, and journalists now international media.” insiders. journalists from CNN, BBC, Al receive paid Jazeera, Reuters, France 24 and A professional sector When it comes to online censorship, Der Spiegel. assignments from the Free Press Unlimited has authoritarian governments use numerous international media.” contributed through a excuses to block or filter access to the The WhatsApp group was one partnership, providing internet. Nevertheless, half of the world’s of the few ways the inhabitants knowledge, money and strategy population today is connected and has of East Ghouta could place for the establishment and access to more information – a 20% increase their story alongside the official So the Syrian Journalists strengthening of the Syrian in only five years. In Sudan, journalists use the reading of those in power. Association started a second Journalists Association in internet to save lives. When the government Edris: “International media use WhatsApp group, especially 2013. As strategic partner, we remained silent about a devastating cholera the group to verify facts and for journalists and activists in support the Syrian Journalists outbreak, Radio Dabanga broadcast interview local people. When the East Ghouta. Edris: “ We help Association enabling it to serve information about prevention and treatment Assad authorities denied having activists by providing guidelines its members and maintain by tapping into and circulating knowledge bombed civilian hospitals, we for the use of impartial and professional standards from medical staff using WhatsApp. In added a doctor to the group professional terminology during through forums, debates, Somalia, a country torn apart by violence, who had worked at one of those their interviews and reports.” networking activities, advocacy the sizable diaspora finances new online hospitals and could confirm it. The members were a sounding and training. platforms connecting audiences inside and outside the country, facilitating a meaningful stream of news, information and discussion. Legal standards are also improving. Between Young journalistic watchdog in Guatemala 2011 and 2016, the number of countries with freedom of information legislation Crimes against journalists and a shortage of During elections in July, Nómada published increased from 90 to 112. In addition, the EU funding make it difficult for independent media secret recordings revealing how conservative adopted a law to protect whistle-blowers in to publish stories about corruption and impunity parties in the election committee of the House order to support investigative journalists by of Representatives tried to sidestep the High in Guatemala. Digital news platform Nómada is protecting their sources. Electoral Council, installed in 2015 in response to a shining example of independent investigative the population’s demand for more transparency. journalism and freedom of expression. These are just a few of the highlights. So The High Electoral Council held conspiring while we should remain vigilant about the parliamentarians to account. BY OUR EDITORIAL TEAM many negatives, we must not forget to reinforce and support journalists in their Bullet-proof glass struggle for resilience against those threats. For three years, Nómada has exposed corruption Journalists are already paying the price for their Every day, journalists around the world bring and misappropriation issues with powerful commitment to the truth. Eight were killed in 2017. us the news. We benefit from their courage reporting, enabling Guatemalans to hold the elite The Nómada website, which attracts 350,000 and we have an obligation to honour their to account. It initiated the Latin American feminist visitors and 150,000 viewers of multimedia posts successes, not just their sacrifices. women’s magazine Volcánica. In 2017, with Free per month, was hacked and blocked, and the Press Unlimited support, Nómada published 24 private tweets of the chief editor made public. high-quality thoroughly researched articles and With financial support from Free Press Unlimited, Leon Willems blogs on transparency, justice and impunity, Nómada took safety measures, such as bullet- Director of Free Press Unlimited and won the National Prize for Journalism in proof glass, an armoured car, extra website Guatemala. security and training in digital security protocols. 3 © Yusuf Ghraibi Reporter Ali Haj Suleiman after the airstrike at Marzita town in South Idlib, Syria. A story about a press freedom hero Free Press Unlimited has played citizens are beginning to regard report. Besides Free Press Unlimited, a crucial role in protecting media censorship and attacks on other international organisations and Congolese journalist Tshivis journalists as normal. Action is foreign embassies offer moral and needed. Everyone in DRC must make other support to JED to improve its Tshivuadi, who risked his life an effort to contribute to improving communication strategies. to defend press freedom in the the country’s general condition and As a result, JED was able to report on Democratic Republic of Congo. to restoring democracy. As Tshivuadi an increase in the number of attacks Thanks to this support, he can says: “It is our responsibility to against journalists in DRC. Since 2016, continue to do his crucial work. participate in the reconstruction