JournalismPakistan.com | Published May 03, 2018
Join our WhatsApp channel
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its South Asia affiliates, together with the South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN) have launched the 16th South Asia Press Freedom Report, Clampdowns and Courage.
Just three days after ten journalists and media workers were brutally murdered in Afghanistan in the country’s deadliest day for media, the IFJ’s report documents the clampdowns and violence that is continuing to take a hefty toll on the region’s media and more broadly on freedom of expression.
The IFJ said: “The devastating irony of the killings in Afghanistan happening just prior to World Press Freedom Day cannot be under-emphasized at this time. The mass killing of journalists in one black day is an unspeakable tragedy to hit Afghanistan, where media workers are already under horrendous daily pressures in terms of their conditions and safety.”
The annual report documents the state of press freedom across South Asia. This year, it also puts focus on the plight of rural and small-town journalists, and the flow-on impacts of the #MeToo movement in South Asia’s media and the scourge of sexual harassment impacting women journalists. It is covered in a special chapter featuring first-person essays by women working in the region, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh.
Clampdowns and Courage documents impunity issues, underlining that the rate of conviction for killings continues to be near-zero for the region and highlights the 16-year campaign by Anshul Chhatrapati to seek justice over the killing of his father, Indian journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, who was killed in 2002 in India.
“Sadly, the long road to justice for journalist killings is fraught with poor investigation, tardy trial procedures and political pressure that often let the accused abscond or roam scot-free.”
The brutal murder of Gauri Lankesh in India in September saw India and region come together and united in solidarity, both to condemn her murder and demand action.
In a positive development this week, the IFJ notes a significant impunity breakthrough with the sentencing of nine people in India, including the mastermind, who were found guilty for their role in the brutal murder of Indian journalist Jyotirmoy Dey seven years ago.
During the reporting period (from May 1, 2017, to April 30, 2018), the IFJ documented 35 journalist and media worker killings, including the ten killed this week in Afghanistan’s deadliest day for media in two separate incidents on April 30, 2018. The IFJ is addressing the growing safety challenges through the International Convention on the Safety and Independence of Journalists and Other Media Professionals, which it drafted and released in November 2017.
The IFJ again noted the increasing impact of internet shutdowns on press freedom in South Asia, with 97 incidents documented in IFJ monitoring during the period. India is leading the charge with 82 shutdowns, followed by Pakistan with 12.
The detention and jailing of journalists and media workers are also given focus, with 11 journalists and media workers currently jailed in South Asia and many more detained and subsequently released during the period. Pakistan leads with 21 journalists jailed or detained, followed by Nepal with 19, largely rounded up and detained around the country’s national election period.
The IFJ said: “We document the attacks, clampdowns, repression and muzzling by legal means and more. But we also pay tribute to the other factor that unites South Asia’s media – and that is courage. In the face of adversity, its media fearlessly perseveres, despite the suffering and despite increased controls and criminalisation of their craft. For these reasons and more, Clampdowns and Courage encapsulates a record of this past year and the work of many. And, most importantly, we hope it will continue to support the South Asia Media Solidarity Network to continue its campaign for justice – because that is what we all deserve.” – IFJ media release/Photo: AFP
June 11, 2025: Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025: Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.
May 26, 2025: In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.
May 25, 2025: PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.
May 25, 2025: Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.