Press release / Communiqué de presse
11-24-2011
ENG: http://en.rsf.org/pakistan-journalist-receives-death-threat-24-11-2011,41463.html
FRA: http://fr.rsf.org/pakistan-un-journaliste-menace-apres-avoir-24-11-2011,41461.html
PAKISTAN
Journalist receives death threat after "memogate" stories
Reporters Without Borders is concerned by a telephone death threat received three days ago by Mohammad Malick, editor of the Pakistani daily The News International, from a blocked number.
The threat followed his newspaper's prominent coverage of the so-called "memogate" scandal, which led to the resignation of Pakistan's ambassador to the United States this week.
"We ask the Pakistani authorities to take the telephone threats against Mohammad Malick seriously and to pay attention to his safety in the coming weeks," the press freedom organization said.
"We do not want to see another tragedy like the kidnapping and murder of Saleem Shahzad."
The body of Shahzad, an investigative reporter who wrote about Islamic militants and Al-Qaeda for the Asia Times online newspaper, was found in Punjab province on 31 May 48 hours after he went missing.
"The climate of insecurity surrounding journalists in the country continues while nothing is done to bring it to an end. The government must respond urgently, first by ensuring that the continual attacks on media workers do not go unpunished. If the perpetrators of the crimes and those behind them are not brought to justice, self-censorship by journalists, already widespread, will become standard practice," Reporters Without Borders continued.
Malick, contacted by Reporters Without Borders, quoted the caller as saying: "You are driving fast … and be careful as you may have accident," adding: "I am telling you, better to think."
The caller went on to warn the Rawalpindi-based journalist of serious repercussions if he continued to follow the "memogate" story.
Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, resigned on Tuesday after it emerged that he had allegedly written a memo to the U.S. government asking for Washington's help in controlling the Pakistani army.
Malick believed the threats came from one of Pakistan's intelligence agencies and resulted from his coverage of the scandal via his newspaper and on the television station Geo News TV.
"I have also confronted such situation in the past … and did not take it seriously. But this time I thought better I let my friends know," the editor said. "When I was to leave home for a function at the British High Commission the same day I found a white-colour Corolla car waiting outside my residence and it chased me for some 1,000 yards. The next morning, the same car was waiting again outside my home."
He did not name the agency or organization behind the call and the car chase, saying only : "Everybody knows who is it doing and why."
Reporters Without Borders appeals to the Pakistani authorities to publish the results of the inquiry into the murder of Hayatullah Khan, a correspondent for the dailies Nation and Ausaf and photographer for the European Pressphoto Agency, found dead in June 2006 near Mir Ali, in the Tribal Area of North Waziristan.
The government has a duty to disclose the inquiry's findings. His family has been waiting for more than five years for light to be shed on the matter. The organization invites the information minister, Firdous Ashiq Awan, to take action as soon as possible to publish its report and to demonstrate the willingness of the government to ensure those who carry out attacks on journalists do not go unpunished.
Khan was kidnapped in the Tribal Area on 5 December 2005. On 16 November 2007, his widow, a teacher, was killed by a bomb placed near the bedroom wall of her home. The couple had five children, at the time aged between 2 and 10.
Pakistan is the deadliest country in the world for media workers. So far this year at least eight journalists have been killed because of their professional activities. The country is ranked 151st of 178 in the world press freedom index compiled by Reporters Without Borders in 2010.
________________________________
PAKISTAN
Un journaliste menacé après voir écrit sur le "memogate"
Reporters sans frontières est préoccupée par les menaces téléphoniques à l'encontre du journaliste de The News International, Mohammad Malick. Le 21 novembre 2011, le journaliste a reçu l'appel d'un numéro masqué, au cours duquel il a été menacé de mort.
"Nous demandons aux autorités pakistanaises de prendre sérieusement en compte les menaces reçues par Mohammad Malick et, dans les prochaines semaines, de porter leur attention sur la sécurité du journaliste. Nous ne voulons pas d'un autre drame tel que l'enlèvement et l'assassinat de Saleem Shahzad", a déclaré Reporters sans frontières.
"Le climat d'insécurité des journalistes dans le pays se poursuit sans qu'aucune mesure ne soit prise pour y mettre un terme. Il est urgent que le gouvernement réagisse. Il doit pour cela commencer à lutter contre l'impunité des attaques à répétitions à l'encontre des professionnels des médias. Si les auteurs et les commanditaires de ces crimes ne sont pas traduits en justice, l'auto-censure des journalistes, déjà très élevée, se généralisera", a ajouté l'organisation.
"Tu roules vite… attention tu pourrais avoir un accident", a déclaré une voix non identifiée au journaliste, basé à Rawalpindi (sud d'Islamabad), contacté par Reporters sans frontières.
"Je te préviens, tu devrais réfléchir" a-t-il ajouté, avertissant Mohammad Malick des répercussions auxquelles il s'exposerait s'il continuait à couvrir l'affaire du "memogate".
Ces menaces pourraient provenir d'une des agences des services de renseignement, et faire suite à sa couverture, à travers des articles et des interventions télévisées dans des émissions politiques sur Geo News TV, du récent scandale du "memogate". Cette affaire implique principalement l'ex ambassadeur du Pakistan aux Etats-Unis, Hussain Haqqani, contraint de démissionner après avoir supposément écrit un "mémo" au gouvernement américain demandant son appui face aux militaires pakistanais.
"J'ai déjà été confronté à ce genre de situations dans le passé, et ne les prenais pas au sérieux. Mais cette fois, j'ai pensé qu'il valait mieux avertir mes amis. Le jour de l'appel téléphonique, quand je quittais mon domicile pour aller travailler à la British High Commission, je me suis aperçu qu'une voiture blanche de marque Corolla attendait à l'extérieur de la résidence. Elle m'a suivi sur environ un kilomètre. Le lendemain, la voiture attendait encore à l'extérieur de mon domicile", nous a déclaré Mohammad Malick.
Le journaliste n'a pas donné de nom ni mentionné l'agence des services de renseignement mais a ajouté que "tout le monde (savait) qui (était) derrière ces agissements et pourquoi".
Par ailleurs, Reporters sans frontières appelle les autorités pakistanaises à rendre publics les résultats de l'enquête sur l'assassinat d'Hayatullah Khan, correspondant des quotidiens pakistanais Nation et Ausaf et photographe pour l'agence European Press Photo Agency (EPA), retrouvé mort, le 16 juin 2006, près de la ville de Mir Ali, dans la zone tribale du Nord-Waziristan.
Le gouvernement a le devoir de révéler les résultats de l'enquête sur la mort d'Hayatullah Khan. Sa famille attend de puis plus de cinq ans que la lumière soit faite sur cette affaire. L'organisation invite le ministre de l'information, Firdous Ashiq Awan, à intervenir dans les plus brefs délais pour rendre public le rapport d'enquête, et ainsi témoigner de la volonté du gouvernement de lutter contre l'impunité et les violences faites contre les journalistes.
Hayatullah Khan avait été enlevé dans la zone tribale du Nord-Waziristan le 5 décembre 2005. Le 16 novembre 2007, la veuve du journaliste, institutrice, avait été tuée dans l'explosion d'une bombe près du mur de sa chambre à son domicile. Le couple avait cinq enfants, âgés de 2 à 10 ans au moment des faits.
Le Pakistan est le pays le plus meurtrier au monde pour les professionnels des médias. En 2011, au moins huit journalistes on été tués en raison de leur activité professionnelle. Le pays est classé 151ème sur 178 pays, dans le classement de la liberté de la presse établi par Reporters sans frontières en 2010.
Benjamin Ismaïl
Twitter: @RSFAsiaPacific, @RSFAsiaPacific2 (中文)
--
Iqbal Khattak
Tariq Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan.
GSM = 0300-9599007 and 0333-9599007
Email: Tariqgulkhattak@gmail.com
Thanks for participating.
Kindly suggest improvements.
Please let us know:
I. If you want to receive individual emails
II. Receive one mail with all activity in it
III. Do not want to receive any mail at all
REQUESTS:
1) Please directly contact sender for personal/individual correspondence.
2) Try to discuss issues that will catch attention of many readers.
3) Please avoid sending messages in any language other than English
4) Avoid sending messages addressed to many recipients.
5) Do not send messages aimed at personal publicity.
6) Please do not send personal/other links unless necessary.
7) The Group is not obliged to publish printed news,
very short/long comments and objectionable material.
8) Every mail cannot be published; it will overload Mailboxes
of our valued members.
9) Try to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable, Unsympathetic and/or Unpleasant.
x==x==x==x==x==x
Please note that,
It is a common platform for journalists and all others who are interested in knowing about the issues that are sometimes not reported. This group favours philosophy of progress, reform and the protection of civil liberties. Please share and educate others. The owners and managers of this site do not necessarily agree with any of the information. It is an open forum; everyone is allowed to share anything. Mails sent by members and non-members are subject to approval. However, we are not responsible in any way for the contents of mails / opinion sent by members. We do not guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. (Nor can print and electronic media). If you find content on this site which you feel is inappropriate or inaccurate, incomplete, or useless you are most welcome to report it or contradict it.
Thanks a lot.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Gujranwalafun@Aol.com
Gujranwala@windiowslive.com