[[GRETA]]
ON PLUGGED IN …
JOURNALISM AND PRESS FREEDOM.
AMID A DETERIORATION…
OF FREE-FLOWING INFORMATION…
JOURNALISTS ARE FACING CHALLENGES…
AROUND THE GLOBE.
[[SOT KIRSTIN MCCUDDEN – “What we saw in the last year, and I'm talking about from the point of view of the US press freedom tracker which documents press freedom violations in the US, was just an outstanding and incredible uptick in violations against journalists.”]]
THE MURDER …
OF A FORMER T-V JOURNALIST ...
EXPOSES THE DANGERS …
OF THE JOB …
IN AFGHANISTAN.
[[SOT: NAJIB SHARIFI "Afghan journalists, their bravery, despite all threats, they still do their job of informing the public about what's going on in Afghanistan."]]
KEEPING THE WORLD INFORMED …
CAN BE A DANGEROUS WORK …
ON PLUGGED IN …
GLOBAL PRESS FREEDOM.
[[STOP]]
[[GRETA]]
HELLO AND WECOME...
TO PLUGGED IN.
I’M GRETA VAN SUSTEREN …
REPORTING FROM WASHINGTON, DC.
“THE TRUTH IS UNDER ATTACK” …
THOSE WORDS WERE PART …
OF PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S SPEECH …
ON MAY 3RD….
THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY.
HIS REMARKS COME ...
AS THE YEARLY REPORT …
BY REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS ...
SHOWING THAT …
FREE-FLOWING JOURNALISM ...
IS PARTLY OR COMPLETELY BLOCKED ...
IN NEARLY THREE-QUARTERS …
OF THE WORLD’S 180 NATIONS.
THE UNITED STATES…
WHICH HAS …
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS …
WRITTEN INTO ITS …
CONSTITUTION …
IMPROVED OVER THE PAST YEAR …
MOVING FROM 48TH …
TO 44TH IN THE ANNUAL RANKINGS.
LAST SUMMER’S PROTESTS …
OVER RACIAL INEQUALITY …
IN THE U.S. …
SAW SEVERAL CLASHES …
BY BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT …
AND PROTESTORS …
WITH MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA.
ONE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION …
PARTNERED WITH A CIVIC GROUP …
TO HELP REDUCE TENSIONS.
VOA’S ARASH ARABASADI
(pronounced uh-RAHSH ARAB-uh-sah-dee)
HAS MORE …
[[STOP]]
[[ARABASADI PKG]]
((mandatory cg TWITTER @WILLIAMTURTON))
((mandatory TWITTER logo))
((NO ARCHIVE/NO RE-USE))
((VOX POP, MAN))
“Get out of here.”
((NARRATOR))
For journalists in Washington, the year started with the storming of the United States Capitol in January. Then, a pro-Trump mob tore-down barricades and attacked journalists and their gear.
((mandatory cg 7 NEWS AUSTRALIA))
((mandatory YOUTUBE logo))
That violence against journalists followed a summer in which millions protested the police killing of George Floyd - and police clashed sometimes violently with protesters and press.
((Mandatory cg: SPJ Georgia))
((NARRATOR))
So Georgia law enforcement officials and the Georgia chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, or SPJ, saw the opportunity for a teaching moment.
((Charlotte Norsworthy, Society of Professional Journalists-Georgia))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
“What we have here is a protest situation where police are needing to defuse the protesters. They’re entering an area where they shouldn’t, or things are starting to get violent, and it’s no longer peaceful.”
((mandatory cg, SPJ GEORGIA))
((NARRATOR))
Former president of the Georgia SPJ, Charlotte Norsworthy ((NORZ-worth)) appears in this training video as a reporter before a mock-crowd of protesters hostile toward police. The course at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center guides law enforcement to de-escalation instead of conflict, but it also teaches journalists to respect legal boundaries. Chadd Wilson is division director for basic training. He says the program helps bridge the divide between law enforcement and media.
((Chadd M. Wilson, Georgia Public Safety Training Center))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
((mandatory cg: SPJ GEORGIA))
“You really get to see that it’s not just a person with a microphone in your face, or it’s not just a person with a camera from our perspective. They’re human beings just like we are. And from the media perspective I think it’s important that they got to see that there’s a human being behind that shield wearing a helmet, and at the end of the day we all just want to do our job.”
((NARRATOR))
Both Norsworth and Wilson agree there is growing mistrust between journalists and law enforcement, as police have increasingly become the subject of protest. Still, both are quick to call this training a well-received step in the right direction.
((Chadd M. Wilson, Georgia Public Safety Training Center))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
((mandatory cg: SPJ GEORGIA))
“Well, I think so far it’s been way more successful than we thought it was going to be to start with.”
((Charlotte Norsworth, Society of Professional Journalists-Georgia))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
“Police and journalists have rights that start and end at very specific timeframes. It is a two-way street that requires participation and respect from both police and the press. It won’t work without that.”
((Chadd M. Wilson, Georgia Public Safety Training Center))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
“If we get nothing other than open lines of communication out of this, I think we’ve done more than a lot of other people had ever gotten done.”
((mandatory cg, SPJ GEORGIA))
((NARRATOR))
Wilson says the training also exposes officers from more rural areas to media presence they would typically not encounter. The physical program is new, but online training modules are available to all Georgia law enforcement. Arash Arabasadi, VOA News.
[[GRETA]]
THE COMMITTEE …
TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS ...
REPORTS THAT IN 2020
274 JOURNALISTS ...
WERE ARRESTED …
AND IMPRISONED ...
FOR THEIR WORK.
THAT’S THE MOST SINCE …
THE COMMITTEE STARTED …
TRACKING AND WORKING …
TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS.
KIRSTIN (PRONO: Keer-sten) MCCUDDEN ...
IS THE MANAGING EDITOR …
FOR THE U.S. …
PRESS FREEDOM TRACKER.
HER ORGANIZATION ...
WORKS TO PROVIDE RELIABLE …
AND ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION ...
ABOUT PRESS FREEDOM VIOLATIONS ...
IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE SPOKE ABOUT …
THE RIGHTS OF JOURNALISTS …
HERE IN THE U.S.
[[MCCUDDEN INTERVIEW SOT]]
KM = Kirstin McCudden
GVS = Greta Van Susteren
KM : The First Amendment is still very strong comparatively, when you talk about the US versus other countries, journalists do have the right to move about freely, but what we saw in the last year, and I'm talking about from the point of view of the US press freedom tracker which documents press freedom violations in the US, was just an outstanding and incredible uptick in violations against journalists, and by that Greta, I mean, assaults, that's getting hit with a rubber bullet, I mean arrests, having their equipment damages, but also even the subpoenas, the documents subpoenas that we've documented against journalists have continued to go up every year since the tracker was launched so journalists are faced with these different threats in different ways.
GVS: The rubber bullets, are those directed aimed generally at journalists? Or are we being aggressive and we sometimes put ourselves in deeper into because we all really do want to get the story and get as, as, as real as we can as accurate as we can? Are we being reckless in some ways?
KM : I don't know that I would use the word reckless, but we do document both, whether it was targeted or non-targeted so we collected all just in order to see what journalists are facing out their web but many came to us and said, “I had a press pass, I was not standing anywhere near a protest, or I was, you know, it was clear I had my shoulder camera on and I felt targeted.” What's interesting is the majority of the attacks or assaults on journalists that we documented in 2020, 80% of them came from law enforcement. So, you do have some coming from individuals that we see a lot of what we call “camera hatred, don't film us”. “You shouldn't be here,” but the majority, 80% did come from law enforcement.
GVS : I take it that these, these documented events are linked to protests?
KM : You're right, you're 100% right. Protests have always been a dangerous place for journalists that's, that's been true throughout all of our documentation and really throughout journalists covering such get togethers, there's a lot of activity. It's usually overnight it's dark, but what we saw in 2020 was not just one protest and what we're really talking about is post May 25. On May 25 George Floyd died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in police custody. On May 26 we saw our first assaults of journalists covering protests, and from May 26 through the end of the year, we saw hundreds and hundreds, in the we end up documenting more than 430 assaults of journalists from protests and that's not just in Minneapolis. It was 35 states across the US more than 80 cities. So you're right, protests have always been dangerous, and that is where we saw the majority, not just of assaults, but also of arrest or detainment of journalists.
GVS : Is there a line that we journalists can't cross? Man I've covered protests over my life and you know I've had cops come up to me and say, “get out of here,” you know, “get out of here” and I don't, you know, now like, you know, when can I stay someplace, even when is it okay for the police to move me out of there?
KM : So it's a great question, and it's by jurisdiction. So, you should know your rights, where you can be. And that you do journalist should not obstruct a police officer but often you have the right to be you have the right to be on a sidewalk on a public sidewalk. Most jurisdictions have exemptions for press so there's always curfew, and you'll get asked the question, well, there was a curfew, why aren't journalists sent home as well you know if you were out after curfew, then you are subject to the same penalties and usually, not always but usually there's a press exemption or immediate exemption from a curfew, so it is dependent upon the journalist to know where you are and what your rights are in that area.
GVS - What is media? I mean that seems to be, in the old days probably, you know, a couple print people. Now it's gone from print, to electronic TV, to streaming, to blogging, to being citizen journalists. I mean, who gets within that umbrella I mentioned, jurisdiction, jurisdiction, but the umbrella of being media exemptions to curfews?
KM - You know we have a pretty wide definition of a journalist because we think that the wider the umbrella is actually protects more people. That is anybody who is there to document, we asked them if they are outwardly showing press Do you have press written on you, are you affiliated with any press groups by chance, you don't have to carry a press pass and you're right, not everybody has that Fedora anymore with a little press hat, you know and you know you don't call it the rewrite desk anymore. It's not like that but the larger protection for more people to be able to document actually upholds the First Amendment, even better, so if you were there to document, if you hold yourself out as press as media. If you are sharing your documentation with the public. That is what we consider being a journalist for that day.
[GRETA]
TURKEY WAS ONCE SEEN …
AS A GROWING DEMOCRACY...
IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
NOW, IT IS AMONG ...
THE WORLD’S TOP JAILERS …
OF JOURNALISTS.
RECENT DECISIONS ...
BY MEDIA COMPANIES ...
TO COMPLY WITH ...
TURKEY’S CONTROVERSIAL …
SOCIAL MEDIA LAWS ...
ARE RAISING MORE CONCERNS …
ABOUT PRESS FREEDOM …
IN THE COUNTRY.
FROM ISTANBUL,
VOA’S DORIAN JONES
TELLS US MORE.
[[STOP]]
[[DORIAN JONES PKG]]
((VIDEO SHOT:OFFICE WORKING))
((NARRATOR))
In the Istanbul office of news portal Dokuz8Haber, the latest news reports are compiled....
((VIDEO SHOT: JOURNALISTS DISCUSSING))
….by both professional and citizen journalists.
((VIDEO SHOT: DOKUZ8HABER WEBPAGE))
The news site relies on social media, which has become the main platform for independent reporting in Turkey.
((Gokhan Bicici, Dokuz8Haber Editor-in-Chief ((male in English))
“Ninety percent of the whole media apparatus is in control of the state, of the government in Turkey. There is no mainstream in Turkey anymore. It is an apparatus of the government against the society. So, people can follow trustworthy news (only) through social media.”
((VIDEO SHOT: LEAGUE TABLE REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS))
((NARRATOR))
The Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders this month ranked Turkey 153 in terms of media freedom.
((VIDEO SHOT: PARLIAMENT - AFP))
Yet Turkey’s government wants to extend its control of media to the Internet by pressuring social media platforms to open offices in Turkey.
((VIDEO SHOT: TURKISH COURT HOUSE))
This will put the companies’ operations in the country under Turkish jurisdiction – with controls that Ankara claims are similar to those of other European countries.
((VIDEO – EU HEADQUARTERS/FLAGS - AFP))
Advocates see some similarities to legislation being considered in Europe, but question how Turkey will apply restrictions.
((Yaman Akdeniz, Freedom of Expression Association ((male in English))
((Mandatory cg: Skype))
“The government, in addition to warnings and financial penalties, and advertisement bans, was going to impose a bandwidth restriction ban. The government was going to throttle the servers of these social media platform providers who did not comply with having legal representation in Turkey.”
((VIDEO SHOT: OFFICES))
((NARRATOR))
Twitter, Google, Facebook, Tiktok and others have opened offices in Istanbul, meeting an April deadline.
((VIDEO SHOT: TWITTER GRAPHIC LISTING REMOVAL REQUESTS)-TWITTER))
Twitter says Turkey submits the most requests to remove postings and users, but up to this point, the company has complied with only a few.
((VIDEO SHOT: DOKUZ8HABER OFFICE))
However, news portals like Dokuz8haber fear these social media platforms will become more compliant with Turkish authorities.
((Gurkan Ozturan, Dokuz8Haber Executive Manager ((male in English))
((Mandatory cg: Skype))
“If these social media companies become a tool to increase this oppression in Turkey, then it will become an even bigger challenge for us, and this is the biggest concern we have at the moment.”
((VIDEO SHOT: IMAGES FACEBOOK, TWITTER))
((NARRATOR))
Several social media platforms have issued statements saying they remain committed to freedom of expression.
((VIDEO SHOT: NEW STUDIO CONSTRUCTION))
Meantime, Dokuz8Haber is expanding its operations ahead of expected early elections in Turkey. It and others are banking on the social media platforms remaining free and open.
((Dorian Jones, for VOA News, Istanbul))
[GRETA]
SINCE FBERUARY,
VIOLENCE IN MYANMAR...
HAS ESCALATED.
THAT’S WHEN THE MILITARY …
CONDUCTED A COUP …
OF THE DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED ...
GOVERNMENT.
JOURNALISTS COVERING THAT COUP...
HAVE FACED INTERNET BLACKOUTS ...
AND ARRESTS ON CHARGES ...
OF INCITING PROTESTS.
THE MEDIA CRACKDOWN ...
HAS BROADER IMPLICATIONS ...
FOR HOW PEOPLE IN THE REGION ...
GET THEIR NEWS.
IN FEBRUARY,
NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST ...
KARA SWISHER AND I DISCUSSED THIS.
[[STOP]]
[[SOT/SWISHER]]
GVS – Greta Van Susteren
KS – Kara Swisher
GVS: Well, if you look at like Myanmar where there's recently a political coup. They've taken down the internet, they have taken people off Facebook and Twitter, and you see parts of in India right now where there's this, there's a protest about farmers is another problem taking down. I mean how does how does Twitter, how to Twitter and Facebook handle these international problems?
KS: Well not well i mean i think that's the issue there's so complex in Myanmar, that's happened several times, there's a lot of incidents of Facebook doing a bad job monitoring its platform and then riots and deaths, resulting that was several years ago. In this case, the government's really want to control the flow of information and most people get their news from Facebook it's like, it's some number in the 90s of how many people get their daily news from Facebook. it's pretty high in the United States. And so they definitely want to control the flow of information, the ability to organize and things like that. In other cases, like in the Philippines, the government uses it to, to put out false information about its opponents and so it can be used, you know, both in ways that are good for dictators and bad for dictators and so they want to control it.
[GRETA]
HARASSMENT AND ASSAULTS...
AGAINST FEMALE REPORTERS...
ARE IMPACTING THE PUSH...
FOR EQUALITY...
IN BANGLADESH.
IN THIS YEAR’S WORLD
PRESS FREEDOM INDEX.
BANGLADESH IS RANKED 152ND
OUT OF 180 COUNTRIES.
THE LOW RANKING IS RAISING CONCERNS
FOR JOURNALISTS ON ASSIGNMENT,
HERE IS A REPORT FROM
VOA’S BANGLA SERVICE.
[[STOP]]
[[BANGLADESH PKG]]
((NARRATOR))
Mobs surrounding and harassing media during protests by fundamentalist or Islamist groups.
Bangladesh is seeing more incidents like this, prompting female journalists and their news managers to rethink personal safety and the risk of covering some stories.
Earlier this year, members of the Hefazat e-Islam Islamist group attacked Gazi TV's Rubina Easmin during protests against a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
((Rubina Easmin, Gazi TV Crime Reporter)) ((Woman, Bangla))
“Some activists came to me and asked why I was dressed in men's clothes. I did not want to engage in any argument at that moment, fearing for my life even though I was wearing a bullet-proof vest. They complained that I was not wearing a veil.”
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory courtesy: Nadia Sharmeen))
It is becoming difficult for women journalists in Bangladesh to survive, says Nadia Sharmeen, a crime reporter for Channel 71.
((Nadia Sharmeen, Channel 71 Crime Reporter)) ((Woman, Bangla))
“Women journalists are usually seen as not so important. Very few media outlets in Bangladesh have moved away from that notion. Many media officials are proud to say that their organization does not hire women.”
((NARRATOR))
Female journalists are doing good work, and dedication and professionalism are driving them forward, says Shakil Ahmed, head of news for Channel 71. But Ahmed says he worries about the risk of attack out in the field.
((Shakil Ahmed, Head of News Channel 71)) ((Male, Bangla))
“I have to think multiple times before assigning a woman on a risky assignment. Even five years back they could easily cover these kinds of assignments but now the scenario has changed a lot. My worry is the lifelong impact a mob attack could have on a female reporter.”
((NARRATOR))
The risk factor in assigning a female journalist to some stories is impacting the fight for equality, says journalist Ishrat Jahan Urmi.
((Israt Jahan Urmi, DBC News Senior Reporter (FEMALE, Bangla))
“When women are being physically attacked and have life threatening injuries how can one fight for equal rights? I think these incidents are instigating women to stop fighting for their rights.”
((NARRATOR))
Despite the challenges, women journalists in Bangladesh say they will keep working to win their fight for equality.
((Sanjana Feroz, VOA News, Washington))
[[GRETA]]
FEMALE JOURNALISTS …
IN PAKISTAN ...
FACE CONSTANT CHALLENGES ...
INCLUDING MEN ...
WHO TELL THEM ...
THEY DO NOT BELONG …
IN THE INDUSTRY.
OUR VOA CORRESPONDENT...
IN PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN …
MET WITH …
TWO WOMEN JOURNALISTS ...
INCLUDING A 20-YEAR …
NEWS VETERAN WHO SAYS ...
AT FIRST …
SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED …
TO COVER BIG STORIES …
SUCH AS POLITICS …
AND TERRORISM.
[[STOP]]
[[ PKG ]]
((Narrator))
When she started out in journalism, Farzana Ali - from Pakistan’s conservative Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - was told women don’t belong in the profession. But she pushed back and is now the first female bureau chief of Aaj News in Peshawar, the province’s capital.
((Farzana Ali, Aaj News Peshawar Bureau Chief )) ((Female, Urdu))
“In the beginning I was told, ‘Men don’t do the kind of things you are doing’ or even, ‘Men don’t dare say no to us. Who was I to say no to them?’ Well, look. I am not a thing. I am a journalist and it is my job to convey information to the people.”
((NARRATOR))
The 20-year news veteran says women were not allowed to cover politics, terrorism and other big issues. But she stepped up to take on those beats.
Now as bureau chief, a top worry is the safety of her team, especially in districts with extremism and terrorism.
((Farzana Ali, Aaj News Bureau Chief)) ((Female, Urdu))
“If it seems to us that our lives will be in trouble, mine, my reporter’s or anyone working with me--especially those working in merged districts--then we advise them to report only that news that would not risk their lives. That is why many issues go unreported.”
((Narrator))
Other female journalists say whatever the subject, reporting from the field can be more difficult for female journalists.
((Anmol Shiraz, Freelance Journalist)) ((Female, Urdu))
“When I go in the field to report, people harass me, calling me names and staring at me. The way they stare makes you feel uncomfortable. I am sitting here like this, but in the field, I cover myself in a shawl.”
((NARRATOR))
But in some cases, Ali says being a female journalist actually helps give depth to their reporting, especially on women’s issues.
((Farzana Ali, Aaj News Bureau Chief, Aaj News)) ((Female, Urdu))
“You get access to the original stories, If a man goes, he will talk to men only. A male reporter will never tell the negative side of the story about a woman’s issues. I, on the other hand, would bring what a woman really has to say.”
((Narrator))
In Pakistan, one challenge exists for all journalists in the country—access to information.
((Farzana Ali, Aaj News Peshawar Bureau Chief)) ((Female, Urdu))
“It’s said that we have freedom of expression in Pakistan. Everyone can say what is on their mind. But I am not ready to accept that. You don’t have access to information, you don’t have access to [certain] areas, so where is the freedom of expression and where is the freedom of press?”
((Narrator))
Still, these journalists vow to keep pushing to fully cover issues that affect their communities.
((For Umer Farooq in Peshawar, Pakistan, Bezhan Hamdard, VOA News))
[[GRETA]]
WITH THE US MILITARY …
SET TO WITHDRAW …
FROM AFGHANISTAN ...
BY SEPTEMBER 11TH ...
THREATS AGAINST
AND ATTACKS …
ON JOURNALISTS …
BY THE TALIBAN …
HAVE INCREASED.
LAST MONTH …
THREE FEMALE JOURNALISTS …
WERE KILLED.
AND DAYS AGO …
A FORMER T-V NEWS ANCHOR ...
WAS ALSO KILLED …
THESE DEATHS ARE A REMINDER...
OF THE DANGERS …
JOURNALISTS FACE EVERY DAY …
IN AFGHANISTAN.
VOA’S BEZHAN HAMDARD
(pronounced BEIGE-on HAM-dard)
HAS THAT STORY.
[[STOP]]
[[HAMDARD PKG]]
((NARRATOR))
In Afghanistan’s southern province of Kandahar, former TOLO NEWS anchor Nemat Rawan, who recently joined the country’s Ministry of Finance as a media official, was gunned down early Thursday. Twenty-eight-year-old Rawan is the fifth journalist to be killed in the country this year.
Local journalists are demanding an immediate investigation.
((Syed Sattar Mehttabi, Journalist)) ((Male in Pashto))
“We are extremely concerned because this is not the first time that a journalist has been killed in Kandahar and the region. Previously, we had more journalists killed in Helmand. The situation has gotten tense because the previous day, Taliban had issued new threats to journalists and then there were reports that the head of NDS (Afghanistan’s intelligence agency) also made threatening remarks. The journalists are very concerned, and their lives are in danger.”
((Abdullah Hamim, Former Colleague of Nemat Rawan)) ((Male in Pashto))
“Journalists should not be killed as they are the people who report on the public’s problems.”
((NARRATOR))
Although the Taliban have not claimed responsibility for Rawan’s killing, his death comes a day after the Taliban accused media in Afghanistan of taking sides and issued a warning.
Afghan government officials say the Taliban should focus on the peace process instead of issuing threats.
Presidential spokesperson Fatima Murchal.
((Fatima Murchal, Afghan President’s Deputy Spokesperson)) ((Female in Pashto))
“We don’t support the situation of militarism and war in Afghanistan. Our Priority is Peace. Taliban have intensified their attacks but have lost the war in each battleground. So, the time has come for Taliban to understand the realities of the situation on the battleground instead of the wrong calculation of winning the fight, useless attacks, and threatening journalists.”
((NARRATOR))
At the same time, an Afghan lawmaker tweeted that the chief of the country’s intelligence agency made comments in a closed meeting warning journalists against news coverage that appeared favorable to the Taliban.
Media advocacy group NAI’s chief says, it is not in either side’s benefit to threaten a free press.
((Mujib Khelwatgar, Chief of Media Advocacy Group ‘NAI’)) ((Male in Dari))
“Neither side has the right to threaten media and journalists. Any threat against media and journalists at the time when we are moving towards peace can hurt media and the peace process.”
((NARRATOR))
Under increasing pressure from the Taliban and the government, some Afghan journalists are appealing to the international community for help.
((Hussain Sadat, Journalist)) ((Male in Dari))
“The Taliban didn’t specify which media or which reporter are violating but we are in a very sensitive time of peace talks. We want the international community, especially the U.S., to bring the discussion of freedom of press and supporting media into the peace talks. So, we don’t face threats like this in the future.”
((Abdulhaq Omari, Afghan Journalist)) ((Male in Pashto))
“We are worried. The situation is worrisome as journalist endure pressure from both sides and have sacrificed so much. We are being killed. We want the U.S. and the international community to take a constructive step, to improve the current situation and play a positive role in the peace process otherwise we will lose the 20-year gains for freedom of expression in this country.”
((NARRATOR))
According to the Afghan journalists’ safety committee, 43 Afghan journalists have left the country and over one thousand others have given up on their profession due to the increase in targeted killings in the last six months.
((For Azizullah Popal in Kandahar, Hikmat Sorosh and Jalal Mirzad in Kabul, Afghanistan – Bezhan Hamdard – VOA NEWS))
[[GRETA]]
DESPITE THREATS …
OF VIOLENCE ...
AND ACTUAL VIOLENCE…
AFGHANISTAN’S …
INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA …
HAS THRIVED.
IT HAS BEEN A FORCE FOR DEBATE
AND ACCOUNTABILITY...
OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES.
NAJIB SHARIFI [PRONO: nah-JEEB shar-EE-FEE]
LEADS THE ‘AFGHAN JOURNALISTS...
SAFETY COMMITTEE,’....
AN INDEPENDENT GROUP...
WORKING TO PROTECT...
MEDIA WORKERS IN THE REGION.
WE SPOKE EARLIER...
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES...
REPORTERS ARE FACING...
AND WHAT THIS MOMENT...
MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF....
AFGHANISTAN’S FREE PRESS.
[[STOP]]
[[SHARIFI INTERVIEW/SOT]]
GVS – Greta Van Susteren
NS – Najib Sharifi
NS: Well, the past couple of years, Afghanistan has been one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. And we have had a lot of casualties in the past couple of years. But this became, the turning point was November 2020 where the targeted killing of journalists started. This was unprecedented in the history of Afghanistan and as far as I know, in the history of the world, you know. Journalists have not been --such kind of targeted killings have not taken place anywhere else. However, what's really really admirable is that Afghan media is still producing content. They're still reporting. Afghan journalists, their bravery, despite all threats, they still do their job of informing the public about what's going on in Afghanistan. This is very admirable, but I do remain concerned about the future of press freedom in Afghanistan and we have to keep in mind this is one of the greatest achievements of the past two decades, so we can't afford to lose it.
GVS: what happened in November of 2020, that journalists became targeted? Was there some particular event? That's the first question. And the second question is, who's doing the killing?
NS: Well, we really don't know what basically led to the onset of targeted killing of journalists, a particular policy change or policy decision or you know, a tactical decision. But what I believe could have a role in the decision of, you know, to start targeted killing of journalists was the peace deal that the Taliban had with the US, which basically prohibits them from launching major attacks in the major cities. So obviously targeted killing was not one of the prohibitions in the agreement. And I believe you know, that could be a reason.Who is doing this?That's a very difficult question. The government blames the Taliban. The international community blames the Taliban, you know, the diplomatic missions and their statements have publicly stated that we understand that the Taliban are doing this and we want, we call on the Taliban to stop doing this. However the Taliban have consistently kept denying. But we look at the past: Obviously the Taliban have had their contribution in terms of killing of journalists.
GVS: What about women journalists, are they at greater risk? are they, are there a number of women journalists there?
NS: Well, we do have a significant number of women journalists know, which is basically a source of pride for us, because it's very important to know that we have a large presence of women in the media sector in Afghanistan. However, in the past six, seven months, since the onset of targeted, targeted killing of journalists, we have noticed that women journalists are more vulnerable, even than, you know, male journalists. because we want to analyze why women all of a sudden, this trend shifts when women become a bigger target. You know, the only solution, the only answer that we came up with was because of its, you know, emotional effect, that when a woman journalist is killed, this emotional impact is much greater than the male journalists killed. So they run a greater risk right now.
[[GRETA O/C]]
THAT’S ALL THE TIME …
WE HAVE FOR NOW.
THANKS TO MY GUESTS …
MANAGING EDITOR OF THE …
U.S. PRESS FREEDOM TRACKER …
KIRSTIN MCCUDDEN…
AND AFGHAN JOURNALIST...
SAFETY COMMITTEE LEADER ...
NAJIB SHARIFI.
STAY UP TO DATE …
ON THE LATEST NEWS …
AT VOANEWS.COM.
AND FOLLOW ME …
ON TWITTER …
AT GRETA.
THANK YOU FOR BEING …
PLUGGED IN.
[[STOP]]
ON PLUGGED IN …
JOURNALISM AND PRESS FREEDOM.
AMID A DETERIORATION…
OF FREE-FLOWING INFORMATION…
JOURNALISTS ARE FACING CHALLENGES…
AROUND THE GLOBE.
[[SOT KIRSTIN MCCUDDEN – “What we saw in the last year, and I'm talking about from the point of view of the US press freedom tracker which documents press freedom violations in the US, was just an outstanding and incredible uptick in violations against journalists.”]]
THE MURDER …
OF A FORMER T-V JOURNALIST ...
EXPOSES THE DANGERS …
OF THE JOB …
IN AFGHANISTAN.
[[SOT: NAJIB SHARIFI "Afghan journalists, their bravery, despite all threats, they still do their job of informing the public about what's going on in Afghanistan."]]
KEEPING THE WORLD INFORMED …
CAN BE A DANGEROUS WORK …
ON PLUGGED IN …
GLOBAL PRESS FREEDOM.
[[STOP]]
[[GRETA]]
HELLO AND WECOME...
TO PLUGGED IN.
I’M GRETA VAN SUSTEREN …
REPORTING FROM WASHINGTON, DC.
“THE TRUTH IS UNDER ATTACK” …
THOSE WORDS WERE PART …
OF PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S SPEECH …
ON MAY 3RD….
THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY.
HIS REMARKS COME ...
AS THE YEARLY REPORT …
BY REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS ...
SHOWING THAT …
FREE-FLOWING JOURNALISM ...
IS PARTLY OR COMPLETELY BLOCKED ...
IN NEARLY THREE-QUARTERS …
OF THE WORLD’S 180 NATIONS.
THE UNITED STATES…
WHICH HAS …
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS …
WRITTEN INTO ITS …
CONSTITUTION …
IMPROVED OVER THE PAST YEAR …
MOVING FROM 48TH …
TO 44TH IN THE ANNUAL RANKINGS.
LAST SUMMER’S PROTESTS …
OVER RACIAL INEQUALITY …
IN THE U.S. …
SAW SEVERAL CLASHES …
BY BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT …
AND PROTESTORS …
WITH MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA.
ONE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION …
PARTNERED WITH A CIVIC GROUP …
TO HELP REDUCE TENSIONS.
VOA’S ARASH ARABASADI
(pronounced uh-RAHSH ARAB-uh-sah-dee)
HAS MORE …
[[STOP]]
[[ARABASADI PKG]]
((mandatory cg TWITTER @WILLIAMTURTON))
((mandatory TWITTER logo))
((NO ARCHIVE/NO RE-USE))
((VOX POP, MAN))
“Get out of here.”
((NARRATOR))
For journalists in Washington, the year started with the storming of the United States Capitol in January. Then, a pro-Trump mob tore-down barricades and attacked journalists and their gear.
((mandatory cg 7 NEWS AUSTRALIA))
((mandatory YOUTUBE logo))
That violence against journalists followed a summer in which millions protested the police killing of George Floyd - and police clashed sometimes violently with protesters and press.
((Mandatory cg: SPJ Georgia))
((NARRATOR))
So Georgia law enforcement officials and the Georgia chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, or SPJ, saw the opportunity for a teaching moment.
((Charlotte Norsworthy, Society of Professional Journalists-Georgia))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
“What we have here is a protest situation where police are needing to defuse the protesters. They’re entering an area where they shouldn’t, or things are starting to get violent, and it’s no longer peaceful.”
((mandatory cg, SPJ GEORGIA))
((NARRATOR))
Former president of the Georgia SPJ, Charlotte Norsworthy ((NORZ-worth)) appears in this training video as a reporter before a mock-crowd of protesters hostile toward police. The course at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center guides law enforcement to de-escalation instead of conflict, but it also teaches journalists to respect legal boundaries. Chadd Wilson is division director for basic training. He says the program helps bridge the divide between law enforcement and media.
((Chadd M. Wilson, Georgia Public Safety Training Center))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
((mandatory cg: SPJ GEORGIA))
“You really get to see that it’s not just a person with a microphone in your face, or it’s not just a person with a camera from our perspective. They’re human beings just like we are. And from the media perspective I think it’s important that they got to see that there’s a human being behind that shield wearing a helmet, and at the end of the day we all just want to do our job.”
((NARRATOR))
Both Norsworth and Wilson agree there is growing mistrust between journalists and law enforcement, as police have increasingly become the subject of protest. Still, both are quick to call this training a well-received step in the right direction.
((Chadd M. Wilson, Georgia Public Safety Training Center))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
((mandatory cg: SPJ GEORGIA))
“Well, I think so far it’s been way more successful than we thought it was going to be to start with.”
((Charlotte Norsworth, Society of Professional Journalists-Georgia))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
“Police and journalists have rights that start and end at very specific timeframes. It is a two-way street that requires participation and respect from both police and the press. It won’t work without that.”
((Chadd M. Wilson, Georgia Public Safety Training Center))
((mandatory SKYPE logo))
“If we get nothing other than open lines of communication out of this, I think we’ve done more than a lot of other people had ever gotten done.”
((mandatory cg, SPJ GEORGIA))
((NARRATOR))
Wilson says the training also exposes officers from more rural areas to media presence they would typically not encounter. The physical program is new, but online training modules are available to all Georgia law enforcement. Arash Arabasadi, VOA News.
[[GRETA]]
THE COMMITTEE …
TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS ...
REPORTS THAT IN 2020
274 JOURNALISTS ...
WERE ARRESTED …
AND IMPRISONED ...
FOR THEIR WORK.
THAT’S THE MOST SINCE …
THE COMMITTEE STARTED …
TRACKING AND WORKING …
TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS.
KIRSTIN (PRONO: Keer-sten) MCCUDDEN ...
IS THE MANAGING EDITOR …
FOR THE U.S. …
PRESS FREEDOM TRACKER.
HER ORGANIZATION ...
WORKS TO PROVIDE RELIABLE …
AND ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION ...
ABOUT PRESS FREEDOM VIOLATIONS ...
IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE SPOKE ABOUT …
THE RIGHTS OF JOURNALISTS …
HERE IN THE U.S.
[[MCCUDDEN INTERVIEW SOT]]
KM = Kirstin McCudden
GVS = Greta Van Susteren
KM : The First Amendment is still very strong comparatively, when you talk about the US versus other countries, journalists do have the right to move about freely, but what we saw in the last year, and I'm talking about from the point of view of the US press freedom tracker which documents press freedom violations in the US, was just an outstanding and incredible uptick in violations against journalists, and by that Greta, I mean, assaults, that's getting hit with a rubber bullet, I mean arrests, having their equipment damages, but also even the subpoenas, the documents subpoenas that we've documented against journalists have continued to go up every year since the tracker was launched so journalists are faced with these different threats in different ways.
GVS: The rubber bullets, are those directed aimed generally at journalists? Or are we being aggressive and we sometimes put ourselves in deeper into because we all really do want to get the story and get as, as, as real as we can as accurate as we can? Are we being reckless in some ways?
KM : I don't know that I would use the word reckless, but we do document both, whether it was targeted or non-targeted so we collected all just in order to see what journalists are facing out their web but many came to us and said, “I had a press pass, I was not standing anywhere near a protest, or I was, you know, it was clear I had my shoulder camera on and I felt targeted.” What's interesting is the majority of the attacks or assaults on journalists that we documented in 2020, 80% of them came from law enforcement. So, you do have some coming from individuals that we see a lot of what we call “camera hatred, don't film us”. “You shouldn't be here,” but the majority, 80% did come from law enforcement.
GVS : I take it that these, these documented events are linked to protests?
KM : You're right, you're 100% right. Protests have always been a dangerous place for journalists that's, that's been true throughout all of our documentation and really throughout journalists covering such get togethers, there's a lot of activity. It's usually overnight it's dark, but what we saw in 2020 was not just one protest and what we're really talking about is post May 25. On May 25 George Floyd died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in police custody. On May 26 we saw our first assaults of journalists covering protests, and from May 26 through the end of the year, we saw hundreds and hundreds, in the we end up documenting more than 430 assaults of journalists from protests and that's not just in Minneapolis. It was 35 states across the US more than 80 cities. So you're right, protests have always been dangerous, and that is where we saw the majority, not just of assaults, but also of arrest or detainment of journalists.
GVS : Is there a line that we journalists can't cross? Man I've covered protests over my life and you know I've had cops come up to me and say, “get out of here,” you know, “get out of here” and I don't, you know, now like, you know, when can I stay someplace, even when is it okay for the police to move me out of there?
KM : So it's a great question, and it's by jurisdiction. So, you should know your rights, where you can be. And that you do journalist should not obstruct a police officer but often you have the right to be you have the right to be on a sidewalk on a public sidewalk. Most jurisdictions have exemptions for press so there's always curfew, and you'll get asked the question, well, there was a curfew, why aren't journalists sent home as well you know if you were out after curfew, then you are subject to the same penalties and usually, not always but usually there's a press exemption or immediate exemption from a curfew, so it is dependent upon the journalist to know where you are and what your rights are in that area.
GVS - What is media? I mean that seems to be, in the old days probably, you know, a couple print people. Now it's gone from print, to electronic TV, to streaming, to blogging, to being citizen journalists. I mean, who gets within that umbrella I mentioned, jurisdiction, jurisdiction, but the umbrella of being media exemptions to curfews?
KM - You know we have a pretty wide definition of a journalist because we think that the wider the umbrella is actually protects more people. That is anybody who is there to document, we asked them if they are outwardly showing press Do you have press written on you, are you affiliated with any press groups by chance, you don't have to carry a press pass and you're right, not everybody has that Fedora anymore with a little press hat, you know and you know you don't call it the rewrite desk anymore. It's not like that but the larger protection for more people to be able to document actually upholds the First Amendment, even better, so if you were there to document, if you hold yourself out as press as media. If you are sharing your documentation with the public. That is what we consider being a journalist for that day.
[GRETA]
TURKEY WAS ONCE SEEN …
AS A GROWING DEMOCRACY...
IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
NOW, IT IS AMONG ...
THE WORLD’S TOP JAILERS …
OF JOURNALISTS.
RECENT DECISIONS ...
BY MEDIA COMPANIES ...
TO COMPLY WITH ...
TURKEY’S CONTROVERSIAL …
SOCIAL MEDIA LAWS ...
ARE RAISING MORE CONCERNS …
ABOUT PRESS FREEDOM …
IN THE COUNTRY.
FROM ISTANBUL,
VOA’S DORIAN JONES
TELLS US MORE.
[[STOP]]
[[DORIAN JONES PKG]]
((VIDEO SHOT:OFFICE WORKING))
((NARRATOR))
In the Istanbul office of news portal Dokuz8Haber, the latest news reports are compiled....
((VIDEO SHOT: JOURNALISTS DISCUSSING))
….by both professional and citizen journalists.
((VIDEO SHOT: DOKUZ8HABER WEBPAGE))
The news site relies on social media, which has become the main platform for independent reporting in Turkey.
((Gokhan Bicici, Dokuz8Haber Editor-in-Chief ((male in English))
“Ninety percent of the whole media apparatus is in control of the state, of the government in Turkey. There is no mainstream in Turkey anymore. It is an apparatus of the government against the society. So, people can follow trustworthy news (only) through social media.”
((VIDEO SHOT: LEAGUE TABLE REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS))
((NARRATOR))
The Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders this month ranked Turkey 153 in terms of media freedom.
((VIDEO SHOT: PARLIAMENT - AFP))
Yet Turkey’s government wants to extend its control of media to the Internet by pressuring social media platforms to open offices in Turkey.
((VIDEO SHOT: TURKISH COURT HOUSE))
This will put the companies’ operations in the country under Turkish jurisdiction – with controls that Ankara claims are similar to those of other European countries.
((VIDEO – EU HEADQUARTERS/FLAGS - AFP))
Advocates see some similarities to legislation being considered in Europe, but question how Turkey will apply restrictions.
((Yaman Akdeniz, Freedom of Expression Association ((male in English))
((Mandatory cg: Skype))
“The government, in addition to warnings and financial penalties, and advertisement bans, was going to impose a bandwidth restriction ban. The government was going to throttle the servers of these social media platform providers who did not comply with having legal representation in Turkey.”
((VIDEO SHOT: OFFICES))
((NARRATOR))
Twitter, Google, Facebook, Tiktok and others have opened offices in Istanbul, meeting an April deadline.
((VIDEO SHOT: TWITTER GRAPHIC LISTING REMOVAL REQUESTS)-TWITTER))
Twitter says Turkey submits the most requests to remove postings and users, but up to this point, the company has complied with only a few.
((VIDEO SHOT: DOKUZ8HABER OFFICE))
However, news portals like Dokuz8haber fear these social media platforms will become more compliant with Turkish authorities.
((Gurkan Ozturan, Dokuz8Haber Executive Manager ((male in English))
((Mandatory cg: Skype))
“If these social media companies become a tool to increase this oppression in Turkey, then it will become an even bigger challenge for us, and this is the biggest concern we have at the moment.”
((VIDEO SHOT: IMAGES FACEBOOK, TWITTER))
((NARRATOR))
Several social media platforms have issued statements saying they remain committed to freedom of expression.
((VIDEO SHOT: NEW STUDIO CONSTRUCTION))
Meantime, Dokuz8Haber is expanding its operations ahead of expected early elections in Turkey. It and others are banking on the social media platforms remaining free and open.
((Dorian Jones, for VOA News, Istanbul))
[GRETA]
SINCE FBERUARY,
VIOLENCE IN MYANMAR...
HAS ESCALATED.
THAT’S WHEN THE MILITARY …
CONDUCTED A COUP …
OF THE DEMOCRATICALLY-ELECTED ...
GOVERNMENT.
JOURNALISTS COVERING THAT COUP...
HAVE FACED INTERNET BLACKOUTS ...
AND ARRESTS ON CHARGES ...
OF INCITING PROTESTS.
THE MEDIA CRACKDOWN ...
HAS BROADER IMPLICATIONS ...
FOR HOW PEOPLE IN THE REGION ...
GET THEIR NEWS.
IN FEBRUARY,
NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST ...
KARA SWISHER AND I DISCUSSED THIS.
[[STOP]]
[[SOT/SWISHER]]
GVS – Greta Van Susteren
KS – Kara Swisher
GVS: Well, if you look at like Myanmar where there's recently a political coup. They've taken down the internet, they have taken people off Facebook and Twitter, and you see parts of in India right now where there's this, there's a protest about farmers is another problem taking down. I mean how does how does Twitter, how to Twitter and Facebook handle these international problems?
KS: Well not well i mean i think that's the issue there's so complex in Myanmar, that's happened several times, there's a lot of incidents of Facebook doing a bad job monitoring its platform and then riots and deaths, resulting that was several years ago. In this case, the government's really want to control the flow of information and most people get their news from Facebook it's like, it's some number in the 90s of how many people get their daily news from Facebook. it's pretty high in the United States. And so they definitely want to control the flow of information, the ability to organize and things like that. In other cases, like in the Philippines, the government uses it to, to put out false information about its opponents and so it can be used, you know, both in ways that are good for dictators and bad for dictators and so they want to control it.
[GRETA]
HARASSMENT AND ASSAULTS...
AGAINST FEMALE REPORTERS...
ARE IMPACTING THE PUSH...
FOR EQUALITY...
IN BANGLADESH.
IN THIS YEAR’S WORLD
PRESS FREEDOM INDEX.
BANGLADESH IS RANKED 152ND
OUT OF 180 COUNTRIES.
THE LOW RANKING IS RAISING CONCERNS
FOR JOURNALISTS ON ASSIGNMENT,
HERE IS A REPORT FROM
VOA’S BANGLA SERVICE.
[[STOP]]
[[BANGLADESH PKG]]
((NARRATOR))
Mobs surrounding and harassing media during protests by fundamentalist or Islamist groups.
Bangladesh is seeing more incidents like this, prompting female journalists and their news managers to rethink personal safety and the risk of covering some stories.
Earlier this year, members of the Hefazat e-Islam Islamist group attacked Gazi TV's Rubina Easmin during protests against a visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
((Rubina Easmin, Gazi TV Crime Reporter)) ((Woman, Bangla))
“Some activists came to me and asked why I was dressed in men's clothes. I did not want to engage in any argument at that moment, fearing for my life even though I was wearing a bullet-proof vest. They complained that I was not wearing a veil.”
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory courtesy: Nadia Sharmeen))
It is becoming difficult for women journalists in Bangladesh to survive, says Nadia Sharmeen, a crime reporter for Channel 71.
((Nadia Sharmeen, Channel 71 Crime Reporter)) ((Woman, Bangla))
“Women journalists are usually seen as not so important. Very few media outlets in Bangladesh have moved away from that notion. Many media officials are proud to say that their organization does not hire women.”
((NARRATOR))
Female journalists are doing good work, and dedication and professionalism are driving them forward, says Shakil Ahmed, head of news for Channel 71. But Ahmed says he worries about the risk of attack out in the field.
((Shakil Ahmed, Head of News Channel 71)) ((Male, Bangla))
“I have to think multiple times before assigning a woman on a risky assignment. Even five years back they could easily cover these kinds of assignments but now the scenario has changed a lot. My worry is the lifelong impact a mob attack could have on a female reporter.”
((NARRATOR))
The risk factor in assigning a female journalist to some stories is impacting the fight for equality, says journalist Ishrat Jahan Urmi.
((Israt Jahan Urmi, DBC News Senior Reporter (FEMALE, Bangla))
“When women are being physically attacked and have life threatening injuries how can one fight for equal rights? I think these incidents are instigating women to stop fighting for their rights.”
((NARRATOR))
Despite the challenges, women journalists in Bangladesh say they will keep working to win their fight for equality.
((Sanjana Feroz, VOA News, Washington))
[[GRETA]]
FEMALE JOURNALISTS …
IN PAKISTAN ...
FACE CONSTANT CHALLENGES ...
INCLUDING MEN ...
WHO TELL THEM ...
THEY DO NOT BELONG …
IN THE INDUSTRY.
OUR VOA CORRESPONDENT...
IN PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN …
MET WITH …
TWO WOMEN JOURNALISTS ...
INCLUDING A 20-YEAR …
NEWS VETERAN WHO SAYS ...
AT FIRST …
SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED …
TO COVER BIG STORIES …
SUCH AS POLITICS …
AND TERRORISM.
[[STOP]]
[[ PKG ]]
((Narrator))
When she started out in journalism, Farzana Ali - from Pakistan’s conservative Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - was told women don’t belong in the profession. But she pushed back and is now the first female bureau chief of Aaj News in Peshawar, the province’s capital.
((Farzana Ali, Aaj News Peshawar Bureau Chief )) ((Female, Urdu))
“In the beginning I was told, ‘Men don’t do the kind of things you are doing’ or even, ‘Men don’t dare say no to us. Who was I to say no to them?’ Well, look. I am not a thing. I am a journalist and it is my job to convey information to the people.”
((NARRATOR))
The 20-year news veteran says women were not allowed to cover politics, terrorism and other big issues. But she stepped up to take on those beats.
Now as bureau chief, a top worry is the safety of her team, especially in districts with extremism and terrorism.
((Farzana Ali, Aaj News Bureau Chief)) ((Female, Urdu))
“If it seems to us that our lives will be in trouble, mine, my reporter’s or anyone working with me--especially those working in merged districts--then we advise them to report only that news that would not risk their lives. That is why many issues go unreported.”
((Narrator))
Other female journalists say whatever the subject, reporting from the field can be more difficult for female journalists.
((Anmol Shiraz, Freelance Journalist)) ((Female, Urdu))
“When I go in the field to report, people harass me, calling me names and staring at me. The way they stare makes you feel uncomfortable. I am sitting here like this, but in the field, I cover myself in a shawl.”
((NARRATOR))
But in some cases, Ali says being a female journalist actually helps give depth to their reporting, especially on women’s issues.
((Farzana Ali, Aaj News Bureau Chief, Aaj News)) ((Female, Urdu))
“You get access to the original stories, If a man goes, he will talk to men only. A male reporter will never tell the negative side of the story about a woman’s issues. I, on the other hand, would bring what a woman really has to say.”
((Narrator))
In Pakistan, one challenge exists for all journalists in the country—access to information.
((Farzana Ali, Aaj News Peshawar Bureau Chief)) ((Female, Urdu))
“It’s said that we have freedom of expression in Pakistan. Everyone can say what is on their mind. But I am not ready to accept that. You don’t have access to information, you don’t have access to [certain] areas, so where is the freedom of expression and where is the freedom of press?”
((Narrator))
Still, these journalists vow to keep pushing to fully cover issues that affect their communities.
((For Umer Farooq in Peshawar, Pakistan, Bezhan Hamdard, VOA News))
[[GRETA]]
WITH THE US MILITARY …
SET TO WITHDRAW …
FROM AFGHANISTAN ...
BY SEPTEMBER 11TH ...
THREATS AGAINST
AND ATTACKS …
ON JOURNALISTS …
BY THE TALIBAN …
HAVE INCREASED.
LAST MONTH …
THREE FEMALE JOURNALISTS …
WERE KILLED.
AND DAYS AGO …
A FORMER T-V NEWS ANCHOR ...
WAS ALSO KILLED …
THESE DEATHS ARE A REMINDER...
OF THE DANGERS …
JOURNALISTS FACE EVERY DAY …
IN AFGHANISTAN.
VOA’S BEZHAN HAMDARD
(pronounced BEIGE-on HAM-dard)
HAS THAT STORY.
[[STOP]]
[[HAMDARD PKG]]
((NARRATOR))
In Afghanistan’s southern province of Kandahar, former TOLO NEWS anchor Nemat Rawan, who recently joined the country’s Ministry of Finance as a media official, was gunned down early Thursday. Twenty-eight-year-old Rawan is the fifth journalist to be killed in the country this year.
Local journalists are demanding an immediate investigation.
((Syed Sattar Mehttabi, Journalist)) ((Male in Pashto))
“We are extremely concerned because this is not the first time that a journalist has been killed in Kandahar and the region. Previously, we had more journalists killed in Helmand. The situation has gotten tense because the previous day, Taliban had issued new threats to journalists and then there were reports that the head of NDS (Afghanistan’s intelligence agency) also made threatening remarks. The journalists are very concerned, and their lives are in danger.”
((Abdullah Hamim, Former Colleague of Nemat Rawan)) ((Male in Pashto))
“Journalists should not be killed as they are the people who report on the public’s problems.”
((NARRATOR))
Although the Taliban have not claimed responsibility for Rawan’s killing, his death comes a day after the Taliban accused media in Afghanistan of taking sides and issued a warning.
Afghan government officials say the Taliban should focus on the peace process instead of issuing threats.
Presidential spokesperson Fatima Murchal.
((Fatima Murchal, Afghan President’s Deputy Spokesperson)) ((Female in Pashto))
“We don’t support the situation of militarism and war in Afghanistan. Our Priority is Peace. Taliban have intensified their attacks but have lost the war in each battleground. So, the time has come for Taliban to understand the realities of the situation on the battleground instead of the wrong calculation of winning the fight, useless attacks, and threatening journalists.”
((NARRATOR))
At the same time, an Afghan lawmaker tweeted that the chief of the country’s intelligence agency made comments in a closed meeting warning journalists against news coverage that appeared favorable to the Taliban.
Media advocacy group NAI’s chief says, it is not in either side’s benefit to threaten a free press.
((Mujib Khelwatgar, Chief of Media Advocacy Group ‘NAI’)) ((Male in Dari))
“Neither side has the right to threaten media and journalists. Any threat against media and journalists at the time when we are moving towards peace can hurt media and the peace process.”
((NARRATOR))
Under increasing pressure from the Taliban and the government, some Afghan journalists are appealing to the international community for help.
((Hussain Sadat, Journalist)) ((Male in Dari))
“The Taliban didn’t specify which media or which reporter are violating but we are in a very sensitive time of peace talks. We want the international community, especially the U.S., to bring the discussion of freedom of press and supporting media into the peace talks. So, we don’t face threats like this in the future.”
((Abdulhaq Omari, Afghan Journalist)) ((Male in Pashto))
“We are worried. The situation is worrisome as journalist endure pressure from both sides and have sacrificed so much. We are being killed. We want the U.S. and the international community to take a constructive step, to improve the current situation and play a positive role in the peace process otherwise we will lose the 20-year gains for freedom of expression in this country.”
((NARRATOR))
According to the Afghan journalists’ safety committee, 43 Afghan journalists have left the country and over one thousand others have given up on their profession due to the increase in targeted killings in the last six months.
((For Azizullah Popal in Kandahar, Hikmat Sorosh and Jalal Mirzad in Kabul, Afghanistan – Bezhan Hamdard – VOA NEWS))
[[GRETA]]
DESPITE THREATS …
OF VIOLENCE ...
AND ACTUAL VIOLENCE…
AFGHANISTAN’S …
INDEPENDENT NEWS MEDIA …
HAS THRIVED.
IT HAS BEEN A FORCE FOR DEBATE
AND ACCOUNTABILITY...
OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES.
NAJIB SHARIFI [PRONO: nah-JEEB shar-EE-FEE]
LEADS THE ‘AFGHAN JOURNALISTS...
SAFETY COMMITTEE,’....
AN INDEPENDENT GROUP...
WORKING TO PROTECT...
MEDIA WORKERS IN THE REGION.
WE SPOKE EARLIER...
ABOUT THE CHALLENGES...
REPORTERS ARE FACING...
AND WHAT THIS MOMENT...
MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF....
AFGHANISTAN’S FREE PRESS.
[[STOP]]
[[SHARIFI INTERVIEW/SOT]]
GVS – Greta Van Susteren
NS – Najib Sharifi
NS: Well, the past couple of years, Afghanistan has been one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. And we have had a lot of casualties in the past couple of years. But this became, the turning point was November 2020 where the targeted killing of journalists started. This was unprecedented in the history of Afghanistan and as far as I know, in the history of the world, you know. Journalists have not been --such kind of targeted killings have not taken place anywhere else. However, what's really really admirable is that Afghan media is still producing content. They're still reporting. Afghan journalists, their bravery, despite all threats, they still do their job of informing the public about what's going on in Afghanistan. This is very admirable, but I do remain concerned about the future of press freedom in Afghanistan and we have to keep in mind this is one of the greatest achievements of the past two decades, so we can't afford to lose it.
GVS: what happened in November of 2020, that journalists became targeted? Was there some particular event? That's the first question. And the second question is, who's doing the killing?
NS: Well, we really don't know what basically led to the onset of targeted killing of journalists, a particular policy change or policy decision or you know, a tactical decision. But what I believe could have a role in the decision of, you know, to start targeted killing of journalists was the peace deal that the Taliban had with the US, which basically prohibits them from launching major attacks in the major cities. So obviously targeted killing was not one of the prohibitions in the agreement. And I believe you know, that could be a reason.Who is doing this?That's a very difficult question. The government blames the Taliban. The international community blames the Taliban, you know, the diplomatic missions and their statements have publicly stated that we understand that the Taliban are doing this and we want, we call on the Taliban to stop doing this. However the Taliban have consistently kept denying. But we look at the past: Obviously the Taliban have had their contribution in terms of killing of journalists.
GVS: What about women journalists, are they at greater risk? are they, are there a number of women journalists there?
NS: Well, we do have a significant number of women journalists know, which is basically a source of pride for us, because it's very important to know that we have a large presence of women in the media sector in Afghanistan. However, in the past six, seven months, since the onset of targeted, targeted killing of journalists, we have noticed that women journalists are more vulnerable, even than, you know, male journalists. because we want to analyze why women all of a sudden, this trend shifts when women become a bigger target. You know, the only solution, the only answer that we came up with was because of its, you know, emotional effect, that when a woman journalist is killed, this emotional impact is much greater than the male journalists killed. So they run a greater risk right now.
[[GRETA O/C]]
THAT’S ALL THE TIME …
WE HAVE FOR NOW.
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