Attacks Against Journalists: Cross-border media cooperation launched

The International Press Institute (IPI) and five South Asian media organisations on Thursday launched a cross-border cooperation to highlight attacks on journalists and create public awareness and influence policymakers to end impunity for crimes against journalists in the region.

News organisations partnering with IPI under the project -- "Covering and investigating attacks against journalists in South Asia: a Cross-Border cooperation" -- are The Daily Star in Bangladesh, The Week – Malayala Manorama in India, Dawn in Pakistan, and Nagarik (Nepali) and myRepublica (English) in Nepal.

"We are excited at the prospect of working with some of South Asia's most respected news organisations to give visibility to the attacks that journalists face in the region as well as their consequences on people's right and ability to be informed," IPI Executive Director Barbara Trionfi said.

The project is partially supported by UNESCO's Global Media Defence Fund, a multi-partner trust fund. The media partners will gather information about attacks on journalists and the impunity for crimes against journalists in their respective countries.

Also, throughout the year, the participating newspapers will cover the issue of journalist safety through different journalistic formats, in line with their editorial policies.

Special attention will be given to attacks against women journalists. The partners will also publish in-depth reports on the topic. All the stories and reports will be shared for publication by participating news organisations.

IPI will engage with like-minded organisations in South Asia and around the world to raise awareness about the challenges journalists face.

Speaking on the collaboration, The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam said, "South Asia has witnessed a rapid decline in press freedom and safety of journalists. At least seven journalists have been killed in the four countries this year and investigations in earlier killings remain pending.

"The collaboration between publications in the region will shed light on this grave situation and allow us to highlight the challenges that we journalists face."

The Week Editor-in-Charge VS Jayachandran said The Week has been proud of standing by courageous journalists who risk their lives for truth and freedom, both of which are vital to the magazine's own existence as an honest and unbiased publication, as well as to the growth of good journalism in India, a country that has seen a number of attempts at silencing journalists in modern times.

Dawn Editor Zaffar Abbas said the cross-border collaboration is an excellent initiative as safety of journalists is a common cause for all.

"I am quite confident that together we will be able to highlight the issue of threat to journalists and journalism not just in our own countries but in the whole of South Asia."

Nagarik Editor-in-Chief Guna Raj Luintel said it's an important and timely effort to highlight the issue of safety of journalists in South Asia.