Defending media freedom

The third Forum for Media Freedom Defenders in the Arab World, just held in Amman, is a timely effort by journalists across the area to coordinate efforts with a view to stopping violations that hinder the free, professional performance of media personnel.

Journalists in some parts of the Arab world — like many elsewhere of the globe — run the risk of being killed, kidnapped, tortured or treated inhumanly, says the Centre for Defending Freedom of Journalists, which hosted the forum in cooperation with the Norwegian embassy in Amman.

Over 350 Arab journalists participated, seeking effective ways to stop violations of their right to practise their job freely, and to put an end to attempts to silence or prevent them from informing the public about the events in their countries.

Despite the new wave of freedoms that swept the Arab countries in the wake of the Arab Spring, journalists in many Arab countries do not fare better.

If anything, attacks on journalists and interference in the way they conduct their work increased.

Often they are denied access to vital information and are forced to exercise self censorship in order to pacify political leaders.

The choice of Jordan as a venue for this conference is testimony to the high level of freedom media personnel enjoys.

Jordan has indeed set an example of media freedoms and is a model for defenders of this noble profession without which no democratic country can live up to its ideals and standards.

That media defenders at national and regional levels should join forces with NGOs, coordinating efforts to promote and protect media freedoms, reinforces the conviction that there is now an Arab awakening and awareness of the need to stand by journalists in these critical times when they still come under attack for telling it as it is.