PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali condemned the action of the governor and demand the thorough investigation of this matter also urged to ensure the safe environment for media practitioners to carry out their professional duties.

According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), the owner Breeze FM, Nawani Aboki, told them the reason for the demolition was political and that it was aimed at muzzling his radio station.

Ahmed Tukur, Special Assistant to Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, said the action was not political but a regulatory measure against illegal constructions.

On May 15, 2017, PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in his letter to Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand expressed serious concerns over the detention of six online media activists including human rights lawyer Prawet Praphanukul and activist Danai Tibsuya under lèsemajesté law.

According to Article 19, six were arrested for the series of Facebook posts and are currently being held on remand.

Since the 2014 military coup there has been an alarming increase in arrests and prosecutions under the lèsemajesté provision of the Criminal Code.

On May 16, 2017, Ali in his letter to Iranian government expressed concerns over a year imprisonment to journalist Isa Saharkhiz for allegedly “insulting the former president” and “defaming the head of the judiciary” on April 26.

Prosecution of journalists and crack down on social media platforms by Iranian authorities are caused by the upcoming presidential election in Iran at the end of May this year, according to media reports.

On May 17, 2017 PPF Secretary General wrote a letter to John Magufuli, President United Republic of Tanzania, while raising serious concerns on his statement “Media freedom has limits” during oath taking ceremony of the ministers.

According to International Press Institute (IPI), during last 18 months newspapers have been shuttered, opposition rallies have been barred, live broadcasts of parliamentary sessions have been halted and a cyber-crime law was enacted that has been used to jail critics.

His government is imposing criminal charges against individuals accused of spreading “false information” online.

Ali urged the authorities to end the violations of free expression, and ensure the conditions where journalists can perform their professional duties without fear of intimidation or retaliation and right to deliver the news to the masses.

Quoting information from Freedom House, PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in a letter to the President of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, by Monday an access problem had fallen sharply of Diario de Cuba’s website. A huge number of internet users of state-owned and private telecommunication company were denied access to Diario de Cuba’s website, which accounts for 80% of internet users, has failed to provide an explanation for the problems regarding access.

The blocking followed the website’s publication of a number of stories on President Chavez’s health. Clients of other privately-owned Internet provider companies also warned the newspaper of the problem.

PPF condemns this act of censorship that restricts the right of the people to access differing sources of information and calls on government to reconsider this move towards censorship and to restored website immediately without any restrictions.

Pakistan Press Foundation

Quoting information from Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali in a letter to the Prime Minister of Morocco, Jajili was charged with criminal defamation in connection with an article about Abdelkader Amara, minister of manufacture and trade in the current Islamic government. He has asked for wine in his room during an official trip to Burkina Faso, abroad.

Amara denied the accusation at first and accused Jajili of fabricating the story, after that Jajili have submitted the invoices of the hotel in which he was resident that proves he requested the alcohol drinks during his residency.

Jajili will appear before the court on January 28, 2013, and the expected penalty according to Moroccan press law, will be imprisonment for a year and a fine of 100.000 (11.955 USD).

PPF condemns the criminal defamation charges against journalist Jajili and calls on the Moroccan government to drop all charges against him and to take the matter into consideration to respect freedom of opinion and expression.

Pakistan Press Foundation