The
PEC joins the Journalists' Union of Paraguay (Sindicato de Periodistas
del Paraguay, SPP) who condemns the murder of journalist
Carlos Artaza (photo),
in Pedro Juan Caballero. Artaza worked for the press department in the
Amambay governor's office and was targeted in a premeditated attack
during which he was shot six times. On the morning of 25 April 2013 he
was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
26 April is
the national Day of the Journalist, commemorating the 1991 murder of
journalist Santiago Leguizamón. SPP is saddened that on the eve of this
day another journalist has been killed. The organisation offers its
condolences to Artaza's family and calls for a rigorous investigation
and exemplary punishment for those responsible for this terrible
killing.
Artaza participated in a political event on the night of
24 April and when he returned home, was attacked by people driving a
motorcycle.
This incident is the latest in a line of incidents,
most recently the repeated death threats against journalist Aníbal Gómez
Caballero. Cándido Figueredo, an ABC Color correspondent in Pedro Juan
Caballero, has also received threats recently.
SPP calls on the
local authorities to put more emphasis on the safety of journalists,
with the aim of protecting them, especially in regions where there is
unrest such as in towns near the border.
The organisation pledges
that, for the sake of Artaza's wife and children, they will not let his
murder go unpunished. To do this, SPP will take the necessary steps to
punish those who are spreading this message of violence against
journalists and the general population. SPP calls for an end to impunity
and for justice for Carlos Artaza.
Carlos Artaza is the second
journalist to be killed this year in Pedro Juan Caballero, a city on the
Brazilian border that is the capital of Amambay department, following
radio station owner and manager Marcelino Vazquez February 6.
Threats marked the campaign for the 21 April general election.
According
to the PEC Ticking clock, 12 journalists were killed in Latin America
since January this year, 5 only in April, an alarming trend.
***17.04.2013.
PAKISTAN. THE PRESS EMBLEM CAMPAIGN (PEC) CONDEMNED THE SUICIDE BOMB
ATTACK IN PESHAWAR WHICH KILLED A PAKISTANI JOURNALIST AND INJURED TWO
OTHERS
PAKISTAN: The
Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), which is fighting for the protection of
journalists has strongly condemned the suicide bomb attack on a
political party rally in Pakistan’s Northwestern city of Peshawar in
which among others, a Pakistani print journalist was killed and two
other media persons sustained injuries.
The incident took place
on April 16 late evening in Yakatoot, a crowded neighbor of Peshawar
city soon after the party senior leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour came to the
gathering, however he escaped. In this happening, two children, and six
police officials among 16 people killed and dozen more including women
and children were injured.
Mr. Tariq Aslam Durrani (photo),
46 a sub-editor with Urdu language ‘the Daily Pakistan’ was killed
while covering the rally of the Awami National Party (ANP) along with
other media persons. Besides, a news editor of the same newspaper Mr.
Azhar Ali Shah and Mr. Ehtisham Khan a reporter with the Express
television sustained injuries who were shifted to hospital, however they
are out of danger now, doctors said.
The deceased has left four kids, a widow and was living in rented house, his close relatives told the PEC.
Amid
the country is preparing to hold general polls on May 11, this is the
fourth deadly attack on politicians or political parties in last three
days which is much alarming.
In such a situation, doing
journalism is becoming much difficult not only in terrorists hit tribal
areas of Pakistan, but even in major urban centers.
Latter, the
spokesman of the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Ehsanullah
Ehsan while talking to a private television channel on phone claimed the
responsibility of the blast.
It is worth mentioning that
according to the PEC record, during Jan-March 2013, Pakistan remained
the most ‘dangerous country’ for journalists to do journalism. During
this period seven journalists were been killed with impunity followed by
Syria with four journalists’ casualties and Somalia and Brazil with
three each.
This quarterly report for 2013, number of journalists
killed in the first three months of the year clocked at 28 in 15
countries, has gone down to near 10 percent as compared with the same
period last year, however the situation still grim in most parts of the
world.
During April 2012, so far three journalists have been
killed including Mr. Durrani of Pakistan. This has led the total number
on the PEC ticking clock to 31
