Media groups alarmed over murder of journalists

GENEVA - The Press Emblem Campaign and the International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists on Wednesday expressed "serious concern" over the escalating spiral of violence in Iraq where journalists were targeted to death. In September, four Iraqi journalists from one TV channel were kidnapped and killed and the president of the Iraqi Journalists Union and co-founder of the PEC Moaid Al-Lamy was targeted, wounded and hospitalized. From his hospital bed Al-Lamy called upon the International Community to act and to find practical and legal means to defend journalists worldwide and in Iraq in particular. The PEC Media Ticking Clock revealed that the total number of journalists killed from the beginning of the year now stands at 71 compared with 91 during the same period last year. Eight journalists were killed in September. In addition to the four journalists killed in Iraq, one was killed in Dagestan, one in Georgia, one in Mexico and the other in Thailand. The August figure was a record high of 15. In Sofia (Bulgaria) journalist Ognyan Stefanov was brutally attacked in September, was hospitalized and recovered from his wounds. Two journalists were wounded in military operations in Bolivia. The situation remains very dangerous and serious in Somalia. Iraq remains the most deadly country for media work with 14 journalists killed from the beginning of 2008, followed by Pakistan where 6 journalists were killed, Mexico 6, Georgia 5, the Philippines 4, Russia 4, India 3, Thailand 3, Columbia 2, Venezuela 2, Afghanistan 2, Somalia 2. One journalist was killed in the following countries: Iran, Nigeria, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama, Gaza, Bolivia, Uganda, Honduras, Brazil, Niger, Nepal, Guatemala, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Cambodia and Zimbabwe. The two organizations welcomed the statement made in Geneva on 13 September by the Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari that the Iraqi government will take steps to provide more protection for Iraqi journalists and correspondents reporting from the country. Zebari said that terrorists were targeting journalists to "murder the truth." Asked whether he would support an International Convention for the Protection of Journalists in conflict zones and other dangerous situations, Zebari said he would support any measures that would help the protection of journalists and that would help them to perform their job in a better environment. Another welcoming statement was made by the representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organization of Security and Cooperation (OSCE) Miklos Haraszti. Following the visit in Geneva of the president of the Independent Association of Georgian Journalists Zviad Pochkhua, the OSCE representative called for free access to journalists in South Ossetia and Abkazia covering the conflict zone in Georgia. In addition, the PEC and the ICPJ feel encouraged by the liberation of Burmese journalist U Win Tin (79 years old) after 20 years of detention in Burma. U Win Tin is the recipient of the UNESCO Guillermo Cano of 2001. The PEC and the ICPJ voice their strong condemnation against the detention of journalists whether it is for short or long periods. The PEC renews its call upon UN member states to respond to its global consultation process on a new draft convention to protect journalists in conflict zones and other dangerous situations. The PEC urges States to respond to the draft before October 31, 2008. - GMANews.TV