IPI General Assembly Resolutions, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, June 25, 2012

IPI General Assembly Resolution Calling on the Mexican Federal Government to Protect Journalists and End Impunity for the Killers of Journalists in Mexico

The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 61st Annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on June 25, 2012 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, adopted by unanimous vote a resolution calling on the Mexican federal government to protect journalists and to end impunity for their killers.

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), with which IPI has a co-operation agreement, fully supports this resolution.

Five journalists have been killed in Mexico so far this year - all in a tragic 30-day span in April and May. Mexico was the world's deadliest country for the media in 2011 with 12 journalists killed, according to IPI's Death Watch. A total of 53 journalists have lost their lives for reasons related to their work since the government began an aggressive campaign to combat drug trafficking and organised crime in 2006.

Few of these often gruesome cases are investigated and the perpetrators and masterminds are almost never brought to justice.IPI members resolved that the Mexican federal government holds ultimate responsibility for guaranteeing the safety of all journalists working within its borders - including those covering the ongoing conflict between the government and organised crime and drug traffickers.

As violence mounts and government corruption at the municipal and state levels persists, Mexican journalists are in more danger than ever. Fearing for their safety, an increasing number of reporters and media establishments have stopped covering the drug cartels and organised crime. This self-censorship severely restricts the Mexican people's basic right to information about critical public issues - thereby threatening democracy itself. IPI members said they were aware of the complexity of the public safety challenge confronting Mexico.

IPI members called upon government officials at all levels to cease harassment of, and violence against, journalists and to uphold their duty to the citizens of Mexico by bringing the perpetrators of harassment or violence to justice.

IPI members called in particular upon the winner of Mexico's July 1 presidential election to immediately prioritise journalist safety following inauguration, and to implement recently passed legislation designed to protect journalists and combat impunity.

IPI General Assembly Resolution Calling on the Ethiopian Government to stop using Anti-Terror Laws to Jail Journalists, and to Respect Press Freedom

The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 61st Annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on 23 June 2012 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, adopted by unanimous vote a resolution calling on the Ethiopian government to stop the use of anti-terror laws to jail journalists for doing their job and to respect freedom of the press.

The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), with which IPI has a co-operation agreement, fully supports this resolution.

IPI members noted an appalling deterioration of press freedom and freedom of expression in Ethiopia over the past year during which five journalists have been convicted of terrorism-related crimes. 

The verdict in the trial of Eskinder Nega, an online writer and critic of the Ethiopian government, was expected on Jun e 27, 2012. Nega was arrested in September 2011 and jailed after having criticised the use of anti-terrorism laws to jail journalists and opposition figures. He is accused of a range of terrorism-related crimes for which he could face the death penalty.

Other journalists already convicted of terrorism within the last year include: Woubshet Taye, deputy editor of the now-defunct Awramba Times, and Reyot Alemu of Feteh newspaper, who were sentenced to 14 years in prison in January 2012. The U.S. – based editor of the Ethiopian Review website, Elias Kifle, who had been tried in absentia, was given a life sentence. All three were convicted of conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, and of money laundering. The evidence presented against them was largely related to their online writings and calls for peaceful protest, according to human rights groups.

In December 2011, Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johann Persson were sentenced to 11 years in prison for aiding terrorists. They were arrested while travelling with insurgents in the Ogaden region.

Journalists covering the recent terrorism trials have also been harassed. In late April, Temesgen Desalegn, the chief editor of Feteh newspaper, was found guilty of “biased reporting” and fined after publishing an op-ed article by an opposition politician.

Pointing out that dissent and criticism of the authorities cannot be equated with terrorism and that journalists should not be prosecuted under Anti-Terror legislation, IPI members called for the immediate and unconditional release of journalists jailed under terrorism laws in Ethiopia.