You are here

May 2016

May, 2016

Events

 

Press Freedom Days

Media organizations honored the World Press Freedom Day, marked every year on May 3. The general theme this year was focused on access to information, with an emphasis on freedom of information, protection of press freedom from censorship, and ensuring the safety of journalists. The traditional Memorandum on Press Freedom found that between May 3, 2015 and May 3, 2016 the media in Moldova kept the status of partly free under the Freedom House Report, while in the ranking compiled by Reporters Without Borders our country lost four positions from the previous year, taking no. 76. Some reasons of this decline were mentioned by the leaders of the main media organizations at the conference launching the Memorandum.
More

Action of solidarity with the Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Ismayilova and with the Centre for Journalistic Investigations of Moldova

On May 3, in front of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Chisinau, some representatives of non-governmental organizations gathered to ask for the release of Azerbaijani journalist Khadija Izmaylova, sentenced last year to 7 years in prison after an unfair trial. Protesters also expressed their solidarity with the team of the Moldova Center of Journalistic Investigations (CIJM), who were ordered in an abusive way by a representative of the Azerbaijani diplomatic mission to take off the balcony of the building the poster calling for freedom for Khadija. Flashmob participants chanted “Freedom to Khadija!”, “Hands off the CIJM!”, “Freedom to the Media!”

More

Independent Journalism Center launched the Board of Shame – “Enemies of the Press”

For the second consecutive year, the Independent Journalism Center placed in front of the parliament building the Board of Shame “Enemies of the Press.” The event took place on May 11. This time, the Board of Shame included the Liberal Party leader and MP Mihai Ghimpu; Orhei town Mayor Ilan Shor; several representatives of the Democratic Party; Liberal Democratic Party leader Vlad Filat; Democratic Party leader Marian Lupu; a group of MPs from the Party of Socialists; Balti city Mayor Renato Usatii; the Ministry of Internal Affairs. All of those persons attempted at freedom of expression in the period between May 3, 2015 and May 3, 2016, either through improper statements and actions or legislative initiatives that resulted in restriction of the rights of journalists in Moldova.
More

The Media Solidarity March:”The Media is not a Target!”

Over one hundred journalists from various national and local media outlets participated in the Media Solidarity March organized by the Independent Journalism Center. Journalists gathered in the morning in front of the Press House, where they were given ribbons and T-shirts with the image of a target and the message that the media should not be the target of politicians. Then, participants marched in front of the government building, along Stefan cel Mare Boulevard, to their final destination – the parliament building. IJC Executive Director Nadine Gogu told the media that the purpose of the action was to unite the representatives of the media community in order to request, in one voice, solution to the problems that had been found in recent years. More

Premiere of the “Media Azi” TV Program

On May 3, the Independent Journalism Center launched its first “Media Azi” program about and for journalists. It aims to draw attention to the main problems currently faced by journalists in local media – division by political criteria, concentration in broadcasting, interference of politicians-owners with their media outlets’ editorial policies, and other issues affecting the work of the media in Moldova. In the first broadcast, Nadine Gogu, Executive Director of the IJC, spoke with her guests – Alina Radu, Director of the investigative journalistic publication ”Ziarul de Garda”, and Stefan Grigorita, journalist, reporter for Agora.md – about how free the media in Moldova is after nearly a quarter of a century of independence. In May it was broadcast four editions of Media Azi. The show can be watched on Media Azi and Mediacritica online portals and on IJC YouTube channel.

More

Media Legislation

 

Article 66 of the Broadcasting Code was amended

The Decree of President Nicolae Timofti on the promulgation of the Law amending and supplementing Article 66 of the Broadcasting Code of the Republic of Moldova no. 260-XVI of 27th of July 2006 was published in the Official Journal on Friday, 6th of May 2016. Thus, the Head of State did not take into consideration the request of one of the legislative act’s authors and of the civil society not to promulgate the law. To note, that after the law was passed by the Parliament, one of its authors, Adrian Lebedinschi, withdrew his signature and urged the Speaker Andrian Candu and the President Nicolae Timofti not to sign the document. On 4th of March, a number of NGO-s addressed a declaration to President Nicolae Timofti, condemning the lack of transparency and the violation of legislative procedures for the adoption of this law on 26th of February 2016.

More

The SPRM wants to sanction the Press for the Subjects that promote Homosexuality. The Journalists say that this is contrary to the Standards of UNO

A group of deputies from the SPRM came with a legislative initiative that establishes sanctions for the propaganda of homosexuality among minors through the press, Internet, audio-video spots etc. Media experts and journalists say that this bill brings prejudice to the community of LGBT, it is contrary to the Law regarding the ensurance of equality and doesn't respect the standards of UNO. The bill was registered in the parliament on April, 28 and has a positive opinion from the Parliamentary Committee for agriculture and food industry and Committee for culture, education, research, youth, sports and mass-media.

More

Statements

 

Declaration of mass-media NGO-s in connection with clashes between a group of protesters and the journalist of Today.md

Five media organisations - Independent Journalism Center, Association of Independent Press, Association of Electronic Press, Association of Independent TV Journalists, “Acces-Info” Center expressed their worries about the clashes that occurred in the Great National Assembly Square, on Friday, 6th of May, during which a protester would have aggressed a journalist of Today.md website, and the latter reacted by striking him in the back. The signatory organisations qualified as inadmissible any attempts of intimidation or aggression against the journalists, as well as the involvement of mass-media representatives in altercations, regardless of the fact who caused them - the authorities, the politicians or the protesters.

More

Trainings

 

The Journalists have been trained how to address Issues regarding the Universal Periodic Review

A group of journalists from the national and local press participated at a workshop on Thursday, May 26, organised by the Independent Journalism Centre (IJC) and the Representative of Civil Rights Defenders (CRD) in the Republic of Moldova where they got informed about the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the commitments assumed by our country during this international exercise. The participants at the workshop discussed about the legal aspects that they should guide by when creating the journalistic materials as well as the practical ways of getting information about UPR. They also learnt how to address issues which target the field of human rights, so to captivate their readers.

More

Copyright © 2016 Centrul pentru Jurnalism Independent, All rights reserved.