Under Threat: The Changing State of Media Safety provides an in-depth, multi-media look at the main changes in the journalistic safety landscape over the past decade. It does this through more than 30 interviews with journalists who work in some of the world’s most dangerous places and the news executives who make the difficult decisions to deploy them.

These interviews were supplemented by a survey of nearly 200 media workers around the world and 10 years of INSI statistics on journalist casualties, revealing the most deadly countries to be a media worker.

“In 2003 we published Dying to Tell the Story, which paid tribute to those journalists killed in the early stages of the Iraq war. After witnessing the horrific murders of our colleagues in places like Syria and Iraq, the insecurity in Ukraine, and the rampant impunity that accompanies the killings of most journalists, INSI felt compelled to look at how different media safety was from a decade ago,” said INSI Director Hannah Storm.

“In an industry under threat from so many different sides, we wanted to know what the main changes and challenges were and what if anything had stayed the same. The results of our research were substantial and deeply sobering.”

The INSI report reveals that:

Journalism has never been more dangerous, and journalists have never felt so unsafe.

Terror groups are using new technologies to control the “information battlefield” and have declared war on journalists.

The frontlines in places like Syria and Iraq have become unclear, meaning journalists don’t know who to trust and where they can go safely.

For their part, news executives aren’t sure who to turn to for information and help when reporters go missing or get hurt in today’s chaotic conflicts.

Technology helps journalists deliver their messages, and in some situations is keeping them safer, but makes them increasingly vulnerable to the powerful entities that seek to track and harm them.

The advent of user-generated content has blurred the role of journalists and confused the industry and general public alike.

Audiences more than ever expect to be instantly and accurately informed about even the remotest corners of our world – pushing journalists into ever more dangerous places.

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As the United Nations Human Rights Council prepared for its Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan, Reporters Without Borders expressed alarm over growing threats to journalists’ lives and safety in many regions of the country.

The free press organization, which has official consultative status with the U.N., had recommended as recently as April a series of measures designed to protect journalists in Pakistan.

“A mere six months after our recommendations, media workers face even greater danger,” Reporters Without Borders said on the eve of the 30 October review. “The number of journalists killed continues to increase, and most of the investigations opened into these murders remain inconclusive, contributing to an intolerable level of impunity.”

The organization demanded that the Human Rights Council put Pakistani authorities on notice that journalists must be protected from the daily threat of violence from armed groups.

Eight journalists have been murdered in Pakistan since last January: Abdul Haq Baluch, Abdul Qadir Hajiazi, Abdul Razzaq Gul, Tariq Kamal, Aurengzeb Tunio, Murtaaza Razvi, Syed Saleem Shahzad, Mukarram Khan Aatif.

Moreover, media workers face a mounting number of threats. Most of these come from armed Taliban and Baloch separatist groups, or are tied to government intelligence services.

Three of the journalists killed this year were murdered in Balochistan, the country’s most deadly region for media workers. There, journalists are caught in the crossfire between security services and separatist forces. In one case, Ayub Tareen, a correspondent for the BBC Urdu service in Quetta, was forced to flee the city and go into hiding following a threat by the Baloch Liberation Front.

The Taliban, listed by Reporters Without Borders as Predators of Press Freedom, recently confirmed that status with their assassination attempt against Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old blogger on female education issues. The group declared that her writings defied their interpretation of Islam.

Meanwhile, an official investigation into the slaying of Asia Times investigative journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad, whose body was found in his car last 31 May has not identified those responsible. But testimony by Pakistani journalists and by a number of NGOs pointed immediately to indications of involvement by the Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

In light of the unacceptable mortal dangers that journalists face in Pakistan, Reporters Without Borders reiterates its April recommendations:

• Authorities must urgently take steps to guarantee the safety of all journalists as soon as they are threatened.

• Protection measures to which Pakistan committed itself in the 2008 Universal Periodic Review must be put into effect immediately. These included investigating and prosecuting crimes against journalists.

• All attempts to limit press freedom on the Internet must be abandoned.

• In light of the U.N. Human Rights Committee’s General Comment 34 last year concerning Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – “freedom of opinion and expression” – Pakistan should consider applying the recommendation concerning laws against defamation and blasphemy.

• The government must commit itself to continuing all investigations into crimes against journalists – which all remain open – in order to bring all of those responsible to justice.

In 2011, for the second year in a row, Pakistan was the most deadly country in the world for journalists. It was ranked 151 of 179 countries on the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

Reporters Without Boarders (RSF)

LAHORE: A joint report prepared for the UN Human Rights Council by various NGOs about the human rights situation during the past four years and a half has stated that the killing of 49 journalists during the period has made Pakistan with highest fatalities of journalists in the world. They include 20 in 2010 and 12 in 2011. During the last decade about 70 journalists were killed while a number of journalists received threat to their life.

The UN Human Rights Council session begins at Geneva on Oct 30 which will discuss the report. The NGOs, which prepared the report entitled “Stakeholders report for universal periodic review, 2012”, were led by South Asia Partnership-Pakistan.

They included the National Commission for Justice and Peace, Aurat Foundation, Sungi Development Foundation, War Against Rape, Centre for Human Rights Education, Women in Struggle for Empowerment, Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy and Muttahida Labour Federation.

SAP-Pakistan Director Mohammad Tahseen explains in his note to the report that the universal periodic review (UPR), a new human rights mechanism, was established by the UN General Assembly in March 2006 and through it UN Human Rights Council reviews in periodic basis the review report of 193 UN member countries.

The first UPR period had started in 2008 and concluded this year. Now the second period has started and the present report covers first year, 2012 of the second period.

The UPR has a wide range and covers almost all aspects of human rights like security of citizens, women’s rights, freedom of expression, freedom of religion and belief, religion and caste-based discrimination, children’s rights, HR conditions in tribal areas, abuses by national security forces, right to education, right to health, education and sanitation facilities to women in rural areas, rights of labour, human rights of IDPs etc.

Referring to freedom of expression the report points out that the government tried to curtail it by issuing various ordinances and regulations.

The PFUJ has rejected the proposed “Journalists Protection and Welfare Act, 2011,” seeking to force journalists to disclose the sources of news items. Similarly, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Ordinance (PECO) 2009 covers 18 offences carrying severe punishments including life imprisonment and death penalty.

The report recommended to the government to investigate all cases of violence against journalists and prosecute the elements for such acts.

It said that though 70 journalists were killed during the first decade of the present century no perpetrators were brought to justice with the exception of one case.

It further demanded a complete security to journalists, especially in conflict zones, serious action on complaints of threats to journalists and repealing the laws restricting freedom of information.

Women’s rights: The report points out that there was 13 per cent increase in crimes against women since 2008.

They include sexual and domestic violence, acid throwing, honour killing and rape. Over 2,000 women were killed in the name of honour from 2008 to the end of 2010.

During first nine months of 2011 as many as 675 women were killed in the name of honour and they included 17 below the age of 18.

The report recommended adoption of laws against domestic violence applicable to whole of Pakistan and other pending laws for the protection of women’s rights. It said that burn units for treatment of women victims should be established at the district level.

It also suggested that the scope of the definition of sexual violence should be broadened in Pakistans statute as rape is not the only form of sexual abuse.

Referring to the rights of freedom of religion or belief, the report says that no legislation or any change was introduced during the period under review to check the statutory and de facto restrictions on freedom of religion.

The blasphemy laws were not repealed despite the continued massive abuse of the laws. At least 292 cases were registered under the blasphemy laws and 18 persons were killed after the blasphemy accusations.

Organized attacks against religious minorities in Gojra, Kasur and Sialkot caused great loss of lives and properties. At least 116 Ahmadis were killed because of their faith during the period under review.

The report demanded repeal or amendment in the blasphemy laws and removal of religious discrimination in the Constitution, laws and government policies in the education sector, jail laws and media.

It also recommended actions against persons engaging in hate crimes against religious minorities.

Dawn

Pakistan made an important advance with the 2010 amendments to the Constitution (Article 19A) to include a specific right of citizens to access to information. This places Pakistan in a group of nearly 100 countries that have done so and is an important first step forward in ensuring a right to information in the country.

However, the actual legal framework for ensuring the right remains weak. The Freedom of Information Ordinance, No. XCVI of 2002, the only national legislation providing for a right of access to information held by government bodies, is highly inadequate. It provides a limited right of access and redress and has been poorly implemented.

Furthermore, the Official Secrets Act, based on the original 1911 act, which places strong restrictions on the disclosure of information deemed by the state to be sensitive remains in place.

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Article 19/ BoloBhi

Audio Visual Center
AURTAZAAD: Women’s Research & Publications
Bright Education Society
Christian Study Centre
CLAAS
CWS-P/A
Dar –ul-Mussarat –Raiwind Diocese
Data Line Service
Diocese of Raiwind – Church of Pakistan
Executive Board of Methodist Church in Pakistan
Films d’Art
Interactive Resource Centre
Justitiaet Pax Netherlands
National Organization for Working Communities
Nritaal
Pakistan Ecumenical Network
Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum
Punjab Lok Rahat
Punjab Lok Sujag
PVDP
The DOER Trust

Freedom of Opinion and Expression

In 2009, the interior ministry through a decree banned all jokes about the president Asif Ali Zardari.
The country’s interior minister, Rehman Malik, announced that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been requested to trace electronically-transmitted jokes which slandered the political leadership of the country under the new Cyber Crimes Act.

In 2009 Pakistan renewed the ban on Baloch political, cultural and musical websites. It is widely believed that the Pakistani authorities have blocked Baloch websites in an attempt to hide gross human rights violations which have been carried out in Balochistan. In May 2010, the Pakistani government shut down Facebook and banned YouTube over its sacrilegious content in what would continue to be a wider internet crackdown. In November 2011, moves towards censoring mobile text traffic were in the pipeline however, this was never followed through. In November 2011, Pakistani cable television operators began blocking the BBC World News. Thus Pakistan’s claim on the freedom of expression remains problematic.

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Pakistan CSOs

Pakistan has impermissibly restricted the freedom of expression by subordinating it to Shariah. This restriction has created a repressive environment in which anyone may be punished for any action deemed inconsistent with Islam. While the Pakistani constitution allows for such restrictions, it is antithetical to the ICCPR. The 2012 UPR must hold Pakistan accountable to the rule of law and its international commitments.

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EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE (ECLJ)

Since the last review, Pakistan has become one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. In 2011, at least 15 journalists were killed in attacks implicating state and non-state actors. Media workers risk harassment, abduction and death at the hands of intelligence agencies, insurgents, religious extremists, political activists and members of the public.

Independent journalists reporting from conflict zones in the north-west and in Balochistan are particularly at risk. The authorities have failed to carry out prompt, transparent and thorough investigations into killings and threats against journalists, and to bring those responsible to justice. A key reason for this is the open intimidation and occasional killing of police, prosecutors and judges investigating cases involving senior state officials, security agencies, or powerful non-state actors such as political parties. To Amnesty International’s knowledge, no one has been brought to justice for killing a journalist in Pakistan since Omar Sheikh was sentenced to death in 2002 for the murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl. An enquiry into the killing of journalist Saleem Shahzad in January 2011 failed to identify the perpetrator or to adequately investigate the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency, despite Shahzad telling colleagues in October 2010 he had received veiled death threats from the head of its media wing.

Journalists and the media are also restricted from reporting on sensitive topics related to national security or considered contrary to Islamic sentiments under a range of laws and instruments.

On 11 March 2012, the Senate passed new rules on the privileges afforded to Senators and Senate staff. These rules expose journalists to penalties, for example for reporting in a manner considered inaccurate, or for reporting on the work of a parliamentary committee if parliament has not already published the work.

Recommendations

To bring to justice perpetrators of attacks on journalists by thoroughly investigating all individuals and organisations accused of such abuses regardless of their links to powerful state or non-state actors. T

The authorities should also urgently address attempts to intimidate law enforcement officials investigating abuses against journalists.

To ensure that laws regulating the media industry are not used to intimidate and censor journalists and media considered critical of the government.

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Amnesty International

1. Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan
2. Aurat Foundation,
3. Pakistan Federal Union Of Journalists
4. Lok Sangat
5. National Commission for Justice and Peace
6. Democratic Commission for Human Development
7. Pakistan Forum for Social Democracy
8. Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO)

Freedom of expression

While illegal radio stations run by the local Taliban continued to operate with impunity and the shops selling Music and films were blown with bombs, the legal and open media faced press advices, threats and closures. Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance 2002 was amended via ordinance LXV of 2007, on the November 3rd to suppress to dissenting voices and facilitate the onslaught of emergency.

Between 2000 and 2007, 31 journalists were killed, 315 injured, 387 arrested or kidnapped, 193 intimidated and 109 banned, according to Intermedia. In 2007, 11 journalists were killed, 215 injured, 325 kidnapped, 79 intimidated and 43 banned.10 journalists were arrested and 34 booked under Anti-Terrorism law since December 27, 2007 after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan. According to the reports the police raided the houses of journalists and arrested 19 in Sindh province alone 12.

According to the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists 13, during 2007 the government agencies pressurized the media through new laws and threats. Houses of media personnel were attacked, raided by the police and security agencies using two ordinances against the media after the promulgation of state of emergency in the country. Pakistan’s mainstream private television news channels remained under ‘official scrutiny’ and several received ‘Press advices’ throughout the year, even before the closure of around 45 TV channels, mainly news channels on November 3, 2007.

Beside attacks on journalists, their families were subjected to violence and intimidation. Brothers of two journalists were killed, one reportedly by a non-state actor, another by an unidentified person, the families had to migrate, while dozens in different parts of the country were forced to relinquish the profession.

Recommendation

Curbs on media must be removed and freedom of expression must be ensured, amendments to PERMA Ordinance be withdrawn and laws regulating press be brought in conformity with human rights.

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NGOs Joint Report

The report highlights concerns regarding widespread corruption and impunity, which undermine efforts to establish justice and the rule of law in the country, as well as violations of the freedom of expression and the media, discrimination and violence against religious minorities, issues relating to the independence and functioning of the judiciary and the repressive and dangerous climate within which human rights defenders operate in the country.

Recommendation

Removes all legal provisions that threaten the freedoms of the expression and the media

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Asian Human Rights Commission

The right to freedom of expression and information is under persistent pressure by militant groups, the judiciary and by the Pakistan military and its intelligence agencies in the face of government inaction. Pakistan is widely considered to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. At least 10 journalists were killed in Pakistan during 2012.

For instance, journalist Saleeem Shahzad, a reporter for the Hong Kong-based Asia Times Online and the Italian news agency Adnkronos International, was tortured and killed after receiving repeated and direct threats from the military’s dreaded ISI agency. Following an international and domestic furor caused by the murder, a judicial commission was formed within days to probe allegations of ISI complicity. The commission concluded in its January 10, 2012 report to the government that the police failed to question military intelligence officials in its criminal investigation. However, the commission failed to meet the terms of its mandate by its inability to identify or hold accountable the perpetrators.

A climate of fear impedes media coverage of military and militant groups. Journalists rarely report on human rights abuses by the military in counterterrorism operations, and the Taliban and other armed groups regularly threaten media outlets over their coverage. Security forces have physically attacked media offices and are known to torture, kidnap, illegally detain, beat and coerce reporters working for local, regional and national media.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and the provincial high courts effectively muzzled media criticism of the judiciary in 2011 through threats of contempt of court proceedings, as has been the case since Pakistan’s independent judiciary was restored to office in 2009. In a positive development, journalists vocally critical of the government experienced less interference from elected officials than in previous years.

Close to no progress has been achieved in implementing the recommendation to “investigate and prosecute both government officials and other perpetrators for acts against members of the media,” which Pakistan accepted during the previous UPR in 2008. By, 2010, Pakistan partly implemented the accepted recommendation to “review laws and measures to ensure that restrictions imposed on freedom of expression are in conformity with the ICCPR to which Pakistan is signatory”; but further measure are still to be taken to ensure freedom of expression and an end to intimidation of journalists.

Recommendations regarding freedom of expression

End the harassment, intimidation, use of coercion, violence and other abuses against members of the media by state security forces.
Speak out against the judiciary’s use of “contempt of court” and “suomoto” proceedings to muzzle legitimate criticism and public debate on judicial conduct.
Investigate and prosecute as appropriate any government officials perpetrating abuses against members of the media.
Implement the following recommendations by the Saleem Shahzad Inquiry Commission through legislation:
All intelligence agencies should be made accountable through “parliamentary oversight.”
Document through institutional mechanisms, the intelligence agencies’ “interaction with the media.”

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Human Rights Watch