The Media: Deaths, Threats and Intimidation in 2006

The Media: Deaths, Threats and Intimidation in 2006

Following the recent arrest of the Editor of Le Nouveau Weekly, Mr. Ralph Volcere, by the police acting on the authority of the Executive, it is important to reflect upon the state of Journalism internationally. An investigation into the international press by the Committee to protect Journalists (CPJ) in New York, has found that in 2006 the number of killed and imprisoned journalists rose.

According to the report, “Attacks on the Press in 2006,” the number of journalists killed for reasons related directly to their work rose from 47 in 2005 to 55 in 2006. Iraqi journalists represented the majority of those killed. With regards to imprisonment, there are over 134 journalists behind bars with one-in-three (a third) being a Web-based reporter, blogger or online editor. China has the highest number (31) of media workers imprisoned. Russia also comes into the limelight with the number of targeted assassinations of journalists.

This 323 page report, which gives details of each incident, was released a week after the “Reporters without Borders” report was released. In that report 2006 is recorded as being the most dangerous year since 1994. According to the report the worst culprits are North Korea, Eritrea, Cuba and Turkmenistan. The highest rate of killings occurred in Iraq while kidnappings were prominent in the Palestinian Territories. Mexico saw the murder of a dozen journalists, whilst a score are imprisoned in Cuba. Although Bolivia is the best ranked country in the South on the annual press freedom index, nonetheless the situation there is continuing to deteriorate.

The report goes on to state that “Press freedom violations in Asia peaked with 16 media workers killed, at least 328 arrested, 517 physically attacked or threatened and 478 media outlets censored in 2006. Censorship is very widespread and complete freedom to speak and write is rare in Asia.”

In Africa many governments distrust media workers. Furthermore, the killers of journalists go unpunished and instead receive protection by governments and all-powerful politicians. Both the RSF and CPJ reports noted the rise in democratically elected leaders whose commitment to press freedom is questionable. In the introduction to the report, Joel Simon, executive director of the CPJ, notes

“The rise of ‘democratators’ -- popularly elected autocrats -- is alarming because it represents a new model for government control of the press,” “The democratators tolerate democracy -- a free press, opposition political parties, an independent judiciary -- while gutting it from within.”

This situation is alarmingly similar to that in the Seychelles where a government controlled judiciary has inflicted punitive fines on one of the local newspapers highly critical of the government and its practices, leading to its closure. In the recent months Mr. Gerard Govinden (Seychelles Nation) has been assaulted by police, Mr. Roger Mancienne (Regar Publication) has been threatened with violence and thrown in jail and Mr. Ralph Volcere (Le Nouveau Weekly) arrested and questioned by police because of activities involving their work as journalists.

Sources: www.rsf.org, www.globalinfo.org, www.cpj.org.