The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom calls for Chinese authorities to provide due process to Australian TV journalist Cheng Lei, and release her immediately pending any judicial proceedings, in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (which China has signed). It also calls on the authorities in China to ensure that any judicial proceedings follow due process. On…
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The long-awaited report for the Parliamentary Joint Committee for Intelligence and Security's inquiry into the impact of the exercise of law enforcement and security powers on the freedom of the press was released yesterday afternoon, 26th August. The Alliance for Journalists' Freedom (AJF) has been working closely with the committee throughout the submission and hearing period. We welcome the report's…
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Nieman Lab's Jenna Hand reports that the rise of misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic has prompted various governments around the world to introduce emergency measures that, whilst often described as being for the purposes of national security and to ensure public safety during the crisis, also significantly stifle journalists' ability to do their job. Julie Posetti, Director of Research at…
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Environment and Communications References Committee press freedom inquiry hearing – 12th August 2020 AJF evidence summary + key points AJF noted that since our last hearing, a lot has happened to freedom of media both in Australia and across our region. This reaffirms our original proposition—the urgent need for a comprehensive Media Freedom Act (MFA). Regarding the MFA, we…
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If there is a time in a democracy when freedom of the press matters most, it’s during an election. That’s when we really think about the character and integrity of the people seeking our support in their campaign for public office. It’s not always pretty or dignified, but it is an essential part of how our democracy works. It’s also…
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Jimmy Lai, owner of pro-democracy publisher Apple Daily, and six other senior executives have been arrested by Hong Kong police. This marks the most aggressive crackdown on press freedom yet under the new national security law which can charge people for sedition. The NY Times Editorial Board discuss the implications of this here. Photo credit: Getty
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Jimmy Lai, owner of pro-democracy publisher Apple Daily, and six other senior executives have been arrested by Hong Kong police in an extraordinary crack down on press freedom. These arrests come as a result of the introduction of the new national security law in Hong Kong. The Guardian discusses this in detail here. Photo credit: AP via The Guardian
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The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom (AJF) urges the Malaysian Government to desist its current investigation of Al Jazeera English (AJE), as the current methods of investigation are an attack on free, independent journalism. If the Malaysian Government takes issue with Al Jazeera’s work – or any reporting – there are appropriate complaint mechanisms within a democracy to pursue this. The…
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The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom stands firmly by the Al Jazeera journalists involved in the East 101 program, Locked up in Lockdown. The Malaysian authorities’ possible charging of these journalists appears to be following an increasingly worrying trend in Malaysia in which the government targets uncomfortable journalism. The decision to include a charge of sedition in the investigation is particularly troubling…
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Covid-19 has changed press freedom in the Asia–Pacific. The Alliance for Journalists' Freedom is working to track just how the virus has altered journalists' ability to support transparency and accountability through their work, and what we, as an organisation and public, can do to better support democratic values. Read Jim Nolan's piece on Timor Leste – the latest press freedom…
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