[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240304__34KR8ZQ__v2__HighRes__TopshotAfghanistanLifestyle-min-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Nepal-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240319__34LU7UV__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsElection-min-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Pakistan-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Sri-Lanka-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Bhutan-1-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Bangladesh-1-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”554.9px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”131px” custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”57px|||||” border_style_all=”none” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” min_height=”65px” border_width_bottom=”5px” border_style_bottom=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Overview<\/strong><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nImperilled Democracy<\/h3>\n
The world over, the year 2023-2024 witnessed democracy in action, with the ballot of more than two billion people in about 50 countries making momentous choices. The world\u2019s most populous region \u2013 South Asia \u2013 saw citizens in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka either vote, or gear up to elect governments.<\/p>\n
Bhutan, though a newcomer to democracy, nevertheless had a peaceful transfer of power, with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay highlighting the watchdog role of the media in pressing for accountability and adherence to democratic principles.<\/p>\n
In the rest of the South Asian neighbourhood, however, democracy seemed precarious, with physical violence and bomb blasts marking polling in both Bangladesh and Pakistan and misinformation, deep political, religious and ethnic divides accompanied by sharply polarised media coverage of the election campaigns in India and Sri Lanka. In the Maldives, though the closely contested presidential elections in 2023 saw both the government-owned and private media being partisan and favouring the government, the defeat of the incumbent President Solih showed that the polling process was relatively fair.<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review. Controlling the airwaves, curbing access to information, taming and pressurising the media and crushing dissent was the modus operandi of the autocrats and their corporate cronies.<\/p>\n
In South Asia, home to one in five of the world\u2019s people and with common histories of colonialism, heterogenous communities and deep inequalities, the media endeavoured to speak truth to power, particularly at critical election junctures. Yet, the year under review saw the erosion of the expected institutional safeguards for an independent media, due to which the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms remained disappointingly unfulfilled in the region. <\/span><\/p>\nThe future of media in this context remains more critical than ever. <\/span>With legacy media across the region still alarmingly over-dependent on government or corporate revenue, independent voices continue to move over to digital platforms to challenge the establishment through professional journalism. In a digital eco-system bursting with YouTubers and content producers on Tik Tok, carving out a space amidst paid influencers and channels that fall as rapidly as they rise, has not been easy. Despite financial difficulties, stringent government surveillance and harassment, some tenacious journalists strive to keep professionalism alive, either solo or in small media ventures. The courage of these small organisations has attracted the wrath of the government, leading to renewed attempts to strengthen regulation and control over the media.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”zoom” scroll_fade_enable=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A voter shows an ink mark on their finger after casting a ballot during general elections in Thimphu on January 9, 2024. Despite only adopting a democratic constitution in 2008, Bhutan\u2019s National Assembly elections saw a peaceful transfer of power, with the media serving as an important watchdog through the process. Credit: Money Sharma \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nInexorable slide<\/h3>\n
Ongoing crises in the region \u2013 both economic and political \u2013 continued to have a devastating impact on the media\u2019s influence and sustainability in the past year.<\/p>\n
In Sri Lanka<\/strong>, the impact of the \u2018Aragalaya\u2019 or grassroots movement was still causing waves. The ongoing financial crisis continued and inflation was at an all-time high, forefronting the nation\u2019s struggle to survive. This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/p>\nThe backslide that began in Afghanistan<\/strong> after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021 continued to drive the country\u2019s stability downward. Most of the hard-won freedoms for the media, for women, and human rights have been relegated to history, stalled or slid perilously behind amid a crisis of survival for what remains of the country\u2019s media following a mass exodus of media workers from the country in recent years.<\/p>\nWhen the first elected government in Bhutan<\/strong> came to power in 2008, it inherited a severe economic crisis which was reflected in the state of the media, with newspapers closing and journalists quitting the profession in droves. The latest data from the Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) in 2023 showed continuing falling newspaper circulation over the decade, even though newspapers continue to employ the highest number of journalists (41 per cent). Meanwhile, hundreds of journalists left the profession and the country out of frustration at low wages and poor working conditions.<\/p>\nIn Nepal<\/strong>, the country\u2019s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal formed his third coalition government in a year in March 2024, after months of confabulations. Media workers already reeling under a spate of dismissals and wage struggles, were also subjected to attacks, both on and offline. Press freedom remained severely challenged.<\/p>\nThe fourth presidential multi-party election in the Maldives<\/strong> in 2023, witnessed a peaceful hand over of power, after a hotly-contested run-off that was viewed as a test of the Indian Ocean archipelago\u2019s nascent democracy, as well as its ties with China and traditional benefactor India.<\/span> The country\u2019s young media industry continued to evolve and push back on key industry counterpoints, giving testament to the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution just a decade and a half ago. However, trust in the media was low, with the public holding the media responsible for fuelling political divides and dissensions.<\/p>\nPakistan<\/strong><\/span> went through a chaotic year. The period saw a turnstile of three governments, including a six-month long constitutional limbo between an outgoing parliament and an incoming one, and an election marred by violence. Amid the volatility of the political mire, media freedoms continued to be tested on numerous fronts. Unrest continued to simmer in the tribal districts which remained marginalised and under the influence of tribal jirgas, or traditional \u2018courts\u2019. Likewise, civil unrest in <\/span>Southern Balochistan amidst precarious digital connectivity added to the feeling of alienation from the country\u2019s mainstream.<\/p>\nIn India<\/strong>, a deeply polarised legacy media pushed the discourse onto digital media and social media, with YouTube becoming a major source of news. Independent journalism suffered in the mix of the online mire. Unfiltered, with no editorial oversight, social media has emerged as a contentious, often toxic space that mirrors and exacerbates existing social cleavages of gender, religion, caste and ethnicity. The government of Narendra Modi continued to issue thinly veiled threats, in the guise of \u201cadvisories\u201d warning the media from publishing\/telecasting false content that could potentially disturb communal harmony or public order.<\/p>\nIn Bangladesh<\/strong>, Sheikh Hasina tightened her grip on the reins of power for a fifth term, in a sham election boycotted by the opposition. She seems comfortably positioned to consolidate her power unchallenged, without any checks and balances. Democratic rights, civil liberties and press freedom now look poised to slide further down the scale.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A blindfolded activist with rope around his wrists and covered with the logos of different social media platforms is dragged by a separate activist wearing a mask of President Ranil Wickremesinghe while protesting the Online Safety Act in Colombo on January 24, 2024. The law has been criticised for its potential to restrict expression online, with some identifying its targeting of protests in the vein of the 2022 Aragalaya. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nAttacking the messenger<\/h3>\n
Journalists across the region were subjected to physical assaults, abduction, arbitrary detentions, and some even paid the ultimate price for their work with eight journalists killed.<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, ten journalists died an \u201cunnatural death\u201d, with two being registered as murders, with three suspected murders being listed as road accidents.<\/p>\n
Pakistan witnessed the killing of four journalists \u2013 two in Punjab and two in Sindh, which was dubbed one of the most dangerous places to practice journalism in the country.<\/p>\n
In India, journalists came under attack from police, vigilantes and armed gangs who objected to their stories. One journalist was killed while on duty. Journalists attempting to report on the violent ethnic conflict that broke out in May 2023 in the northeastern state of Manipur found themselves under attack \u2013 from security forces as well as armed groups from both sides.<\/p>\n
In Nepal, the Federation of Nepali Journalists and Nepal Press Union recorded 45 violations of press freedom from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. Besides physical attacks, discrediting the media and journalists critical of politicians was also rife. Journalists investigating corruption, financial irregularities and administrative malfeasance were targeted, as in the past.<\/p>\n
In the Maldives, the trend of impunity continued, with justice not being served for crimes against journalists. On November 22, 2023, the criminal court dropped terrorism charges against three suspects accused of plotting the murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rasheed. The three men had been arrested in June 2022 after a breakthrough by the presidential commission on deaths and disappearances. The abrupt dismissal of charges over an alleged lack of evidence raised serious questions about the work of investigating authorities over the preceding years.<\/p>\n
Slanderous attacks on journalists, which often lends impunity to physical attacks, were a feature in press conferences in the Maldives. The Maldives Journalists\u2019 Association condemned \u201cattempts to discredit journalists with unfounded and false allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Information blockade<\/strong><\/h3>\nFollowing the backslide in hard won rights in Afghanistan, the country\u2019s Access to Information Law in 2014 (amended in 2018) has become all but defunct. Access has been curbed, with the government censoring the flow of information. Inevitably, it has led to a lack of transparency and accountability, as well as impeded the public\u2019s right to information. Reporting on sensitive issues in the absence of authentic official data has lacked credibility, and women journalists face greater barriers in accessing information, since they are not granted interviews by authorities, nor are they usually invited to press conferences and other media events.<\/p>\n
In Bhutan, which lacks a law to guarantee access to information, the appointment of government-affiliated officials to regulatory bodies like the Bhutan Infocomm and Media Authority (BICMA) is a matter of concern. Bureaucratic stonewalling and lack of transparency adversely impact the public’s right to vital information, according to journalists in Bhutan.<\/p>\n
Access to information was marred by erasure of newspaper archives in Jammu and Kashmir and the Maldives. Since 2021, journalists in Kashmir began to notice that articles critical of the government at the centre had vanished from the online archives of prominent publications. The digital archives prior to 2019, the year in which the centre revoked Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, have been partially or completely deleted in what has been described as the \u201cenforced disappearance\u201d of the media archive on the region.\u00a0While \u201ctechnical glitches\u201d are the official explanation, the attempt to erase the history of dissent is apparent, and the loss of access to this historical record is immeasurable.<\/p>\n
Over in the Maldives, a similar process unfolded with Haveeru, the country\u2019s oldest newspaper, which was forced to shut down in 2016. On March 3, 2024, while an ownership battle was settled by the Supreme Court, the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) noted the loss of the newspaper\u2019s archive that represented \u201ca record of many decades of Maldives’ history\u201d as a major blow for the industry and the public\u2019s right to know.<\/p>\n
Recent developments in Maldives show that good laws alone are not sufficient. The Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2014 was ranked the 22nd strongest RTI law in the world out of 138 countries. But, as per a study by Transparency Maldives and the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office of Maldives (ICOM) in 2023, though the media and members of the public were using the law, not a single state institution was fully compliant in following the law\u2019s dictate and nearly half of state institutions covered by the law did not have a functional website; less than 20 per cent of required information was easily accessible.<\/p>\n
Internet shutdowns continued to be used as a strategy to curb access to information and the right freedom of expression. In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. Purportedly a measure to curb disinformation and the circulation of inflammatory videos and messages on social media, particularly WhatsApp, it has also effectively prevented journalists from verifying information and publishing credible news. <\/span><\/p>\nIn Pakistan too, widespread internet shutdowns and curbs on social media access impacted freedom of expression and access to information during crucial events. <\/span>On February 8, 2024, a nationwide suspension of mobile internet services on election day impeded the right to free speech. In May 2023, a four-day internet blackout was imposed during violent protests following the arrest of Imran Khan.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”19px” custom_margin=”||20px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”749.8px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” min_height=”529px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Indian National Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge (C), along with other members of parliament, addresses the media after taking part in a protest against the suspension of 141 opposition MPs across 26 parties in New Delhi on December 21, 2023. Attacks, harassment, and insecurity have degraded the Indian media\u2019s capacity to challenge threats to democracy. Credit: Sajjad Hussain \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Dire financial straits<\/strong><\/h3>\nClimbing out of the economic pits following the Covid-19 pandemic, the media industry across the region is facing immense challenges.<\/p>\n
In Afghanistan, media organisations are unable to hire new staff or pay decent wages to existing staff. The Taliban’s control over the media and the accompanying prohibitions on various forms of entertainment has devastated advertising revenue. Unable to produce programs that resonate with their audience and attract commercial partnerships, most media organisations remain cash-strapped. According to the Afghan Independent Journalists\u2019 Union (AIJU), prior to 2021, there were 11,900 active media workers in the country, 2,833 of whom were women. However, after the Taliban takeover, only just over 4,700 journalists and media staff are currently active, just 700 of them women.<\/p>\n
The media in Bhutan has survived on the back of government subsidies to newspapers houses. The subsidy being equally divided among all the private media houses regardless of their market share has prevented commensurate gains for the more efficient ones. The attrition rate among professional journalists continues to be high.<\/p>\n
The decrease in the real GDP growth in Nepal, the lowest since 2020 literally drove Nepalis away from the country in search of better prospects. Nearly a million Nepalis, including students, left the country in the past year. For those that remain, the going is tough. Lack of payment and underpayment has plagued journalists from even prominent media houses. More than a hundred media outlets across the seven provinces of Nepal downed their shutters in 2023, and approximately 243 media personnel quit their jobs, as per data from the Freedom Forum. However, the numbers might be higher, in view of a lack of centralised database on job losses.<\/p>\n
In India, many of the media staff who were laid off during and after the Covid-19 pandemic were forced to freelance or take up lesser paying and non-journalistic work. A critical issue is the lack of accurate data on the extent of the crisis, even as media houses continued to retrench their staff. In December 2023, a major media house with cross media ownership laid off 120 employees from its digital division. It was only through word of mouth that staff learned that their name was on \u2018the list\u2019. Not surprisingly, a survey by Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies found that two third of the journalists surveyed were affected by the lack of security in their job. Toxic newsrooms and lack of job security came into focus with the sudden death of well-known journalists while on the job.<\/p>\n
In the Maldives, the media\u2019s dependence on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for advertising revenue, self-censorship and undue influence is a key concern. Lack of regulation, transparency in allocation of advertising revenue has hampered accountability and continues to encourage political influence. Viability of the media independent of advertisement revenue has yet to be established.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, journalists laboured under a cloud of uncertainty and unpredictable layoffs. An IFJ survey led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in 2023 in Sindh, found that only 39 per cent media staff were permanently employed and just 28 per cent had fixed term contracts. Lack of career opportunities, secure employment, uncertain and low wages and lack of benefits was the norm. This situation is common across the country.<\/p>\n
Still steeped in a financial crisis, journalists in Sri Lanka faced further precarity. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) shut down its regional services and introduced a voluntary retirement scheme for the employees. Meanwhile, 149 journalists and media workers were laid off by the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Limited (ANCL). Many private media houses were barely able to pay wages, and introduced austerity measures, even cutting off legitimate allowances.<\/p>\n
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Drawing heavy criticism from home and abroad, the government replaced the Digital Security Act (DSA) with another law, the Cyber Security Act (CSA).<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”25px” custom_margin=”||-1px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|0px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Afghan journalists attend a Taliban Ministry of Higher Education press conference in Kabul on August 21, 2023. Since August 2021, the Taliban has established strict barriers for journalists and media workers, with information funnelled through official channels, news restricted to official announcements, women barred from most press conference and media events. Credit: Wakil Kohsar \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Long road to gender equity<\/strong><\/h3>\nAcross the region, women journalists were worse off, whether due to conflict, or economic crisis. Hard won rights, whether to pursue a profession, move freely and be treated on par with their male colleagues remain a seemingly unattainable pipe dream for many.<\/p>\n
Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban continue to face restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in many press conferences and programs, and the ban on broadcasting women’s voices on radios in several southern provinces. Their freedom is curbed by the requirement to have a male guardian.<\/p>\n
In fact, women journalists have all but disappeared from the south and southeast of Afghanistan, in Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Uruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Logar.<\/p>\n
Women in newsrooms in Nepal too continued to face challenges. A conference on embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) organised by Nepal Investigative Multimedia Journalism Network (NIMJN) in November 2023, highlighted the lack of interest in DEI among senior level media decision-makers. From a lack of basic facilities lie washrooms and arrangements for sanitary hygiene, women journalists still face discrimination in assigning beats based on gender, caste and ethnicity. The gender pay gap is still an unfortunate reality.<\/p>\n
Gender-based layoffs were seen in Sri Lanka, where the pandemic and the financial crisis severely impacted women\u2019s employment in the media sector. Media organisations tended to lay off women while retaining men, thus further skewing the balance of female employment in the media. <\/span><\/p>\nThe prevailing culture of impunity in the Maldives is also reflected in abuse faced by women journalists. Perpetrators in two prominent cases of sexual harassment in 2020, have not faced any charges. More than a quarter of women journalists, a third of the staff in mainstream media outlets have experienced sexual harassment, according to a report on gender equality in the media published by the MJA. Online abuse is rampant, with prominent women journalists being threatened with sexual assault and murder by anonymous social media users. Others have been intimidated by trolls demanding they censor their views online.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s women journalists faced similar harassment both online and offline. They are in a minority, and their voices unheard. A mapping published in December 2023 by the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WFMP), supported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the National Press Club (NPC) found that despite women comprising around 5-30 per cent of media workforces in mapped areas, their representation in decision-making roles is less than 10 per cent or none at all. They are also grossly under-represented in unions and press clubs, the mapping found.<\/p>\n
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Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban face continue to restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in press conferences and programs.<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Police officers stand guard in front of news vans parked outside a special court hearing of jailed former Pakistani Foreign Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on August 21, 2023. Government instability and restrictions on PTI were a leading cause of unrest across Pakistan, with nation-wide, violent protests seen in the wake of former Prime Minister Imran Khan\u2019s arrest in May. Credit: Farooq Naeem \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Controlling the digital space<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe landscape of online media in Afghanistan is complex and fraught with challenges. While some digital platforms continued to function with the support of the Taliban, those critical of the regime faced censorship and license revocation. Prominent online news websites like Roznama-e-Hasht Sobh and Ettela’at-e-Rooz had their licenses revoked. On the other hand, several YouTube channels which operate within the framework of the Islamic government, enjoy relatively more freedom.<\/p>\n
In Nepal, Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 is now a tool to arrest and threaten digital journalists. Even social media platforms operating in Nepal are under the scanner and were required to set up their offices in the country, for greater government oversight. The government released a 15-point social media directive on the Operation of Social Networking 2023 in November 2023, based on the Electronics Transaction Act (ETA). This directive has been viewed as problematic because of its potential for misuse against journalists.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony. Other legislative measures such as the Media Council Bill, National Mass Communications Bill, Information Technology Bill, and Social Media Regulation and Management Bill and the Public Service Broadcasting Bill brought to unify state-owned media Radio Nepal and Nepal Television and transform into a public service broadcaster all continue to be under discussion.<\/p>\n
Digital news media in India faced immense challenges even as they remained the few critical voices. Besides control through criminalising online content, raids and arrests were the modus operandi. In October 2023, the Delhi police raided the office and home of the founder of web news portal NewsClick and arrested the founder editor Prabir Purkayastha and his physically challenged administrative officer under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a draconian anti-terror law under which it is extremely difficult to get bail.<\/p>\n
In addition to raids and \u2018searches\u2019, some journalists in India found that their devices were illegally installed with spyware. In June 2023, a new investigation by Amnesty International and the Washington Post found that the Indian government had used the invasive Pegasus spyware to target the i-phones of high-profile journalists. Among them were founder editor of the Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan and Anand Mangnale, South Asia editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.<\/p>\n
Digital platforms, increasingly emerging as important players in the news eco system in the Maldives are predominantly based in the capital Mal\u00e9, home to 40 per cent of the population. Some news websites operate out of a few of the more populous islands in the north and south, often the main source of news, aside from a few television stations. Only one newspaper, Mihaaru, releases a daily print edition.<\/p>\n
Over in Pakistan too, dynamic digital news media start-ups have made their mark. Focussed on public interest and community reporting, the connect with audiences is high. The coming together of these outlets in the 26-member Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP), represents a consolidation of the digital news media business and a healthy challenge for Pakistan\u2019s legacy media. The emergence of digital platforms has been accompanied by an increased attempt at control. In July 2023, the federal cabinet approved two problematic pieces of legislation \u2013 the E-Safety Bill and the Personal Data Protection Bill which promise to heighten surveillance.<\/p>\n
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Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Newly elected Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu speaks during his inauguration ceremony in Mal\u00e9 on November 17, 2023. Muizzu gained power following a hotly contested election between himself and his predecessor, Mohammed Solih, with the extent of his perceived pro-China stance to be seen through his coming term. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Silencing and self-censorship<\/strong><\/h3>\nBesides external control and intimidation, self-censorship was practiced across the region. In Bhutan, a survey by the Bhutan Media Foundation found that an astounding 84 per cent of journalists practice self-censorship. Interestingly, male journalists are one and a half times more likely to practice self-censorship compared to their female counterparts. A “small society syndrome,” \u2013 a well-knit society where everybody knows everyone else \u2013 and the fear of backlash are the two major reasons behind the practice.<\/p>\n
In India, fear of reprisal has prompted many media houses to carefully skirt news that is likely to annoy the government and corporate media owners. This has resulted in a dumbing down of critique and avoidance of stories that could rock the boat. Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.<\/p>\n
Censorship has always been a convenient tool in the hands of governments. In 2023, soon after the new government in Maldives was sworn in, three anti-government websites with allegedly incendiary content were blocked, amidst loud opposition. The MJA and the Editor Guild\u2019s stressed that the existing legal framework does not allow unilateral action by the government, which was advised to seek remedies through the self-regulatory mechanism of the Maldives Media Council (MMC).<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, unsubstantiated complaints of alleged blasphemy online, often puts citizens and sometimes journalists in serious trouble. Journalists practice a significant degree of self-censorship on topics concerning law and religion, to avoid attracting blasphemy allegations. This atmosphere of intimidation has eroded the quality and quantity of independent reporting on sensitive issues.<\/p>\n
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Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n.jpg” title_text=”393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Illegally terminated workers, supporters, and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) demonstrate outside the offices of the Kantipur Media Group in Kathmandu in October, 2023. After months of protests, the FNJ secured voluntary retirement packages for affected members, with some journalists continuing protest action, in a demonstration of union power amid Nepali media\u2019s economic woes. Credit: FNJ<\/p>\n
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Credibility and trust in media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\u201cDisinformation that has been \u2018scaled up and weaponised\u2019 on social networking platforms presents a major challenge and threat to democracy and media credibility,\u201d said N. Ram, director of The Hindu<\/em>, one of India\u2019s leading dailies. Speaking at fifth World Media Summit held in Guangzhou, China, in December 2023, he said Artificial Intelligence (AI) and disinformation were \u201ctwo key areas in which major and potentially disruptive challenges could become opportunities for the media to do well, empower themselves in new ways, and pursue a path of sustained development.\u201d\u00a0Misinformation, inaccurate information, disinformation, or deliberately misleading and biased information or \u2018fake news\u2019 and the entry of AI in newsrooms and on social media, have made the credibility question more complex.<\/p>\nTrust in media was a concern across the region. IFJ and MJA\u2019s \u2018Unveiling Public Trust in the Maldivian Media\u2019 report, 2023, found that 87 per cent of respondents held the media accountable for political divisions in the Maldives with television and internet news websites perceived to have the highest levels of sensational or biased coverage, depending on their ownership. Given the lack of fact-checking mechanisms, the high degree of misinformation and disinformation on social media in the run up to the presidential elections in September 2023 went virtually unchecked.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, despite the highly polarised mainstream media in India, trust in the media is high, as per data released by the Reuters Institute\u2019s Trust in News Project (2023). Of the four countries surveyed (the US, UK and Brazil were the others), the Indian public at 65.6 per cent had the highest trust in the media. Significantly, a caste element surfaced, with marginalised \u2018Other Backward Classes\u2019 three percentage points lower and the former untouchables the \u2018Scheduled Castes\u2019 and indigenous Scheduled Tribes each “more than ten percentage points less trusting”, pointing to the upper-caste and class bias in mainstream media.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, social media was believed to be most responsible for spreading fake news, as per a study by Freedom Network and the Coalition Against Disinformation released in early 2024. Exposure to increased online disinformation poses a threat to Pakistan\u2019s democratic structure and processes, felt the respondents.<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology. Myths and propaganda about religion or ethnic minorities, incendiary videos and memes built up a climate of impunity that normalised discrimination and violence.<\/p>\n
Misinformation and disinformation trends in Sri Lanka were strongly linked to the island\u2019s political economy, along with myths related to ethnic identity and religion \u2013 the staples of disinformation campaigns. In the ongoing financial crisis, much of the misinformation was targeted at economic policies including tax controversies such as misrepresentation of common levies drew panic responses. Hoaxes about the economic collapse drove companies to pull out of the island and distorted statistics on food security proliferated.<\/p>\n
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In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240108__349M3UU__v1__Preview__BangladeshPoliticsElection.jpg” title_text=”BANGLADESH-POLITICS-ELECTION” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A man reads a newspaper highlighting the election of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League party following Bangladesh\u2019s parliamentary elections in Dhaka on January 7, 2024. Hasina\u2019s consolidation of power has seen challenges to democratic rights, civil liberties, and press freedom. Credit: Indranil Mukherjee \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Positive steps
<\/strong><\/h3>\nYet, all was not bleak in the year under review, as journalists, their unions and media support organisations collaborated to improve media rights in extremely challenging circumstances.<\/p>\n
In Afghanistan, strengthening the Media Ethics Commission under the Ministry of Information and Culture and establishing coordination committees between journalists and local officials in the provinces was a step towards professionalism. Support from UNESCO’s office in Afghanistan enabled upskilling and training, empowering Afghan journalists and media outlets to produce quality content. Even as the situation in Afghanistan no longer occupies centre stage in world affairs, the challenges faced by the media industry in Afghanistan call for attention from the international community and support to uphold press freedom and independent journalism in the country. The situation of Afghan journalists in exile continues to be of concern, with many of them hanging in a no-visa limbo, with no jobs, while others have been forced to return home.<\/p>\n
The vigorous protests against the unjust dismissal of 82 media workers in Nepal by the Kantipur Media Group, the country\u2019s leading private media company, showed that union power can be a strong unifying force. The agreement between the Kantipur Media Group and the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in December 2023 led to some relief for the striking workers. However, protest actions continue to ensure implementation of the agreement.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of 2023, Maldivian journalists and workers welcomed the enactment of a much-awaited industrial relations bill drafted with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization. Ratified in January 2024, the new law guarantees the right of workers in the Maldives to take industrial action and form trade unions and introduced mechanisms for collective bargaining and dispute resolutions between workers and employers. An accompanying occupational safety and health law seeks to reduce workplace hazards and redress complaints and provide compensation for workplace injury. The MJA called it a \u201cmomentous union win\u201d achieved after \u201ca very long-standing strategic execution of plans led by workers and unions”.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, the landmark Sindh Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021, an outcome of a collaborative campaign and advocacy, inched toward its practical implementation. The Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition worked to mobilise the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners (CJMP) notified under the new Act. Further steps were taken in June 2023, when the federal government allocated PKR 1 billion (about USD 5,5 million) to insure journalists against health emergencies. In October 2023, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government promised<\/a><\/span> to amend endowment rules and increase financial assistance for the province\u2019s media workers facing financial emergencies or those rendered jobless.<\/p>\nThe Pakistani government\u2019s demand in October 2023 that Afghan refugees \u2013 including 200 journalists \u2013 return to Afghanistan, giving a one-month deadline before forced deportations, saw several solidarity actions. In June 2023, IFJ urged<\/a><\/span> state-sponsored humanitarian assistance for Afghan journalists in Pakistan, while Freedom Network launched<\/a><\/span> the \u2018Advocacy Hub for Afghan Journalists\u2019 <\/em>project in December 2023 to provide financial and legal assistance to over 100 exiled Afghan journalists to help them survive and also continue to report. This is a welcome move particularly for Afghan women journalists in exile in Pakistan, struggling with unemployment, visa issues, out-of-school children, and the threat of imminent deportation.<\/p>\nIn December 2023, the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WMFP) launched<\/a><\/span> a campaign titled \u2018Pakistan\u2019s Media Needs Women\u2019 <\/em>to advocate gender inclusivity in the media industry and in press clubs. In January 2024, key media stakeholders reiterated<\/a><\/span> their support to WMFP\u2019s campaign, pledging to proactively tackle underlying issues such as inclusivity, equal representation, and fair wages. Alongside, the National Press Club announced a \u2018Women Journalists’ Caucus’ and set up a working committee to strategise the initiative aimed at improving competence of women journalists.<\/p>\nA pushback from various stakeholders in Pakistan saw the passing of the Official Secrets (Amendment) Act, 2023, after an uproar in parliament forced the government to withdraw a controversial clause, which would have allowed intelligence agencies to conduct search and seizures \u2013 including of journalists \u2013 without warrant.<\/p>\n
The period in review also saw initiatives to unionise digital journalists with the support of the IFJ. A strategy paper for the establishment of a labour union for digital journalists was used to conduct a series of consultations in Pakistan, awareness campaigns, networking, online engagement, and advocacy with over 50 digital journalists based in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. The campaign culminated in an application for registration of a trade union for digital journalists with the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).<\/p>\n
Journalism at its finest was on display in India, amidst the heat of a landmark general election in April-May 2024, where incumbent Prime Minister Modi bids for his third term. In a significant judgement on February 15, 2024, the Supreme Court of India struck down the validity of electoral bonds, a mode of funding political parties introduced in 2017 by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. While the mainstream media lagged, it was feisty independent digital media that sifted through huge amounts of data to make connections between who had donated, how much and to which party. Independent news media websites – Newslaundry, The News Minute and Scroll \u2013 with several independent reporters, collaborated to investigate and break stories that revealed a sordid corporate-political combination of patronage and plain extortion. \u201cProject Electoral Bond\u201d as this collaborative exercise was termed, demonstrates that public interest investigative journalism is thriving, despite an atmosphere hostile to independent media.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Click here to download pdf of Overview and Special Reports<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Feature Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″ module_alignment=”center” min_height=”238px” height=”331px” max_height=”486px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|-3px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” top_divider_style=”arrow2″ top_divider_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ admin_label=”Stats” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”77.3%” custom_padding=”115px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Media Rights Violations” number=”232″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#999999″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Jailed or Detained” number=”87″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#E09900″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Killings” number=”8″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#FF0000″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYOverview Imperilled Democracy The world over, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n
[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" fullwidth=\"on\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_fullwidth_slider admin_label=\"Fullwidth Slider\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"50px\" header_letter_spacing=\"7px\" background_image=\"http:\/\/x7t.a3b.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_position=\"center\" module_alignment=\"center\" min_height=\"590px\" animation_style=\"fade\" auto=\"on\"][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_93J7LL-Dissolution-of-parliament-Nepal-protest-Prakash-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_92U7LM-Mock-funeral-for-sexual-assaults-PRAKASH-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_94J2MF-Tashnuva-Anan-Shishir-Bangladesh-transgender-news-host-Munir-Uz-zaman-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BANG_000_93Z8WT-Bangladesh-protest-Mushtaq-Ahmed-Munir-death-in-custody-UZ-ZAMAN-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Maldives\/A-Covid-19-press-briefing-by-President-Solih-on-June-23-Credit-President_s-Office-2-scaled.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AFG000_94J2MK-International-womens-day-Afghanistan-WAKIL-KOHSAR-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/LAW_000_8Z94D9-Afghan-President-Ashraf-Ghani-arrives-in-Herat-January-2021-HOSHANG-HASHIMI-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"1286.7px\" custom_margin=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\"][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" min_height=\"131px\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"57px|||||\" border_style_all=\"none\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" min_height=\"65px\" border_width_bottom=\"5px\" border_style_bottom=\"solid\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Overview<\/strong><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_4\" admin_label=\"quote\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" animation_style=\"fade\"][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"3px|||||\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" width=\"97.3%\" min_height=\"1217px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]<\/h1>\r\nPandemic, the Press and the New Digital Order<\/h3>\r\n
As the second wave of the Covid pandemic surged across South Asia in early 2021, journalists found themselves in the thick of the storm, without a safety net and scant institutional support. Battling not only the deadly virus, they mounted stiff resistance to states trying to control the narrative and plaster over the horrific reality. Journalists breaking stories of rising deaths, collapsing health systems and unpreparedness and mismanagement at the highest levels of government were silenced, hounded, arrested and penalised.<\/p>\r\n
Even as journalists also mourned the loss of their colleagues and family members, they continued to work in the most challenging circumstances to publicise the truth. They reported from the frontlines without adequate protective equipment, exposing themselves to infection to tell stories of the suffering in hospitals, in graveyards and crematoria. Many fell ill, many others continue to suffer from the long-term impacts of the Covid syndrome. Hundreds of others succumbed, unsung heroic storytellers of the apocalypse that engulfed them.<\/p>\r\n
To many others continued to tell one of the biggest stories of our times, while also enduring salary cuts and delays in wage payments, denial of protective personal equipment, medical insurance or reimbursement of massive medical bills to treat Covid contracted in the line of duty. Huge numbers of media workers were also rendered jobless or forced to resign in the wake of economic impacts of Covid-19. reeling under arrests and cases of sedition and terror, unrelenting trolling and abuse online, they wrote on. Some wrote on, even without a job or payment.<\/p>\r\n
Charges of \u201canti-national\u201d, \u201cagainst national security\u201d were widely used to curb dissent through archaic laws of sedition and colonial era laws of epidemic control. With courts admitting petitions challenging the constitutionality of some of these laws, there is reason to hope for change.<\/p>\r\n
The raging pandemic, accompanying lockdowns and economic crises were only piled on to existing barriers that the region\u2019s journalists already faced. Physical attacks and intimidation, lack of access to information, control and censorship; sharpened ethnic and religious cleavages; legal repercussions for their stories and an overall precarity of the media. Impunity for crimes against journalists continued, despite small gains. Yet, journalists bore witness and told the stories that needed to be told, with professional integrity, compassion and deep humanity.<\/p>\r\n
Regional trends<\/h3>\r\nTightening regulation and digital controls<\/h4>\r\n
Controlling the flow of information seemed to be an overriding preoccupation of governments across the region. From reigning in the burgeoning independent digital media and clamping down on critical voices on social media, governments and social media platforms fell short of upholding freedom of expression at a critical juncture.<\/p>\r\n
At a time when the free flow of information was literally a matter of life and death, governments intolerant of critical questions, tended to use the pandemic as a pretext to curb information, and any opinion that was deemed \u201canti-government\u201d. Social media presented a particular anxiety for governments trying to curb dissent, and unfortunately, social media giants did not adequately protect citizen\u2019s right to free speech, instead complying with unreasonable takedown notices from governments.<\/p>\r\n
Pakistan<\/strong> suffered under the harshest clampdown on dissent by any government. Media rights and freedom of expression took a severe beating, with the government seemingly leaping at the opportunity to deprive the media of both freedom and funds, driving an already beleaguered media industry into deeper crisis.\u00a0 The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) which criminalises free speech and gives overarching powers to law enforcement authorities, was overused in Pakistan to clamp down on free speech. The media, political opponents, activists and members of the public found the boundaries of free speech indiscriminately scrunched in violation of constitutional guarantees.<\/p>\r\nArbitrary blocking of independent websites, internet and communication shutdowns were regularly deployed to censor the media. This inevitably led to the proliferation of misinformation \u2013 which Pakistan could ill-afford in the midst of not only the pandemic, but civil strife and political upheaval.\u00a0 Cutting off connectivity in politically sensitive areas in an attempt to censor news had other adverse effects during the lockdown, mainly on health and education.<\/p>\r\n
In Bangladesh<\/strong>, it took the tragic custodial death in February 2021, of writer Mushtaq Ahmed incarcerated for ten months and repeatedly denied bail, to once more shine the spotlight on the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) which has been widely used against journalists, bloggers and citizens to penalise free speech and critical opinion. The lone Cyber Crimes Tribunal, reeling under a staggering pending case load can barely manage due process in hearing cases, leave aside render justice.<\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, besides the time-honoured tactic of internet shutdowns to cut communications, the newly promulgated Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 gave the government the power to censor, order takedowns and block content without any recourse to appeal. Independent digital platforms termed the rules not just unconstitutional, but a blow to democracy itself, and have challenged this attempt at over-regulation in the highest court in the country. In addition to its attempt to control independent digital media, fast emerging as major players in the media landscape, the Indian government came down strongly on social media expression deemed to be critical of the government\u2019s handling of the pandemic. In the same vein, the new media Policy in Jammu and Kashmir (downgraded from state to centrally administered union territory in April 2019), issued in June 2020, was immediately viewed with disquiet by journalists, given that it empowers government officers to take action on \u201cfake news\u201d or \u201canti-national content\u201d.<\/p>\r\nAllegations of misinformation and rumour mongering were thrown at journalists and even citizens exposing the horrific ground reality of acute shortage of medical supplies, oxygen, overflowing hospitals and crematoria. Significantly, while content critical of the government was taken down, virulent hate speech against minorities and misogynist speech online thrived in India. Social media platforms Twitter and Facebook too succumbed to takedown requests by the government, failing to stand up for free speech.<\/p>\r\n
Across the region, governments displayed a remarkable disrespect towards the media, and took steps to increase regulation. In Nepal<\/strong>, the government moved ahead with tougher bills and regulations such as the Media Council Bill, the Public Service Broadcasting Bill, the Information Technology Bill, and the Special Service Bill \u2013 all of which have clauses that could undermine press freedom. The clampdown on social media has been proposed on pretexts of the \u201ccountry\u2019s sovereignty, security, unity or harmony\u201d. The Media Council Bill could erode the autonomy of the media, with government-appointed regulators, a provision that has been vehemently opposed by media rights organisations.<\/p>\r\nThe international norm of self-regulation by media was also violated in Sri Lanka<\/strong>, where in January 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers proposed to amend the Press Council Law to include electronic and new media and approved a proposal to \u2018structurally reform and reorganise\u2019 the Press Council to cover electronic and new media. The move was criticised by the Professional Web Journalists' Association which argued that the electronic and new media should be not controlled, but self-regulated with a stringent code of ethics developed by the media community itself.<\/p>\r\nLivelihood in peril<\/h4>\r\n
The pandemic year was also witness to dramatic loss of jobs in the media, across the region. Over 8,000 of Pakistan\u2019s<\/strong> estimated 20,000 journalists <\/span>lost their jobs in 2020<\/a> alone, and rural and district staff were more likely to be retrenched.<\/span><\/p>\r\nJournalists, mainly through the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), remained up in arms for most of the year and in early 2021 launched an \u201cenough is enough\u201d campaign across the country to protest job losses, pay cuts, censorship and rising intimidation. The media industry found new external supporters, including the legal community and civil society in institutional and organised partnerships with PFUJ to jointly resist the rising attacks on media freedoms, journalists\u2019 rights and public interest journalism in Pakistan.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, which saw a series of retrenchments from March 2020 onwards, there are no clear numbers of the job losses or salary cuts. <\/span>Estimates<\/a> put the figures in the thousands. Besides layoffs, salary cuts and delays in payments, media houses also threatened to sack staff if they wanted to work from home. The obstinacy of many managements led to staff in some media houses getting infected with the coronavirus en masse. Journalists from the regional press were harder hit, with fewer paying options than their English media counterparts. <\/span><\/p>\r\n\u00a0<\/span>The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) took up more than 500 complaints relating to job loss and non-payment of salary in Nepal<\/strong>. A survey conducted by the <\/span>FNJ in September 2020, revealed the desperate state of Nepal\u2019s journalists: the earning of 40 percent of journalists was affected by the pandemic and the nationwide lockdowns and women journalists were more severely impacted. Several media houses in Kathmandu suspended publications, cut down broadcast hours and decreased the size of the newspapers. The revenue of 75 percent of the once vibrant radio sector decreased due to the pandemic.<\/p>\r\nThe story was no different in Bangladesh<\/strong> where an estimated 1,250 journalists lost their jobs and several thousand faced salary cuts or irregular payments. While media owners blamed the pandemic for the drop in revenue and resultant salary cuts, trade unionists say that irregular payments were a norm of a section of media houses which then grasped at the pandemic as a justification to deny journalists their rights.<\/p>\r\nThe pandemic crisis however, only added to existing pressures that journalists across the region face. A major threat being the increasing polarisation on communal lines.<\/span><\/p>\r\nRising Extremism<\/h4>\r\n
South Asia has ravaged by religious, ethnic and caste divides for decades, but the growing cleavages of the last few years have been unprecedented. With hyper-nationalist parties in power in many countries in the region drawing votes and support from religiously aligned groups, the polity too has been sharply divided. Minorities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been particularly vulnerable, in this context of majoritarian politics. These divisions have inevitably affected the media. While some sections have added to the problem by exacerbating divisions and amplifying hate, others have had to struggle to remain independent.<\/p>\r\n
Existing fault lines were exacerbated by external situations that are likely to impact the whole region. The proposed withdrawal of US-NATO troops from Afghanistan by the coming September is feared to increase the Taliban's influence in Afghanistan<\/strong>, a development that could have a ripple effect in the region in terms of encouraging radicalism. Hard worn democratic and secular gains could be pushed back, with a direct impact on the media and individual journalists. Likewise, growing communalism in India<\/strong>, encouraged by the government in power, has a dangerous spill over effect in the neighbourhood, contributing to more polarisation and the strengthening of extremist groups. The media cannot be immune from attack, even as it attempts to uphold constitutional values, and the rights of women, minorities and the marginalised.<\/p>\r\nReligion in the Maldives<\/strong> is a no-go topic in public discourse, and the fear of being labelled anti-Islam contributes to the journalists practicing self-censorship of forgoing bylines while reporting on extremism in the country. As part of official control, the Communications Authority of Maldives blocks websites with anti-Islamic content upon request by ministries and other agencies. Though social media use is growing, intimidation and deaths threats pose the greatest challenge for free expression online. The yet unsolved murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rashid known for their vocal criticism of religious fundamentalism are grim reminders of the risks of speaking out for religious freedom or minority rights. In its World Report 2021, Human Rights Watch accused the government of failing to confront the influence of hard-line Islamist groups. \u201cOnline intimidation of human rights groups continued to have a chilling effect on civil society in 2020,\u201d and reiterated calls to tackle hate speech and violence online.<\/p>\r\nThe state response to tackling religious extremism however, often has serious implications for freedom of expression and civil rights. In Sri<\/strong> Lanka<\/strong>, the Prevention of Terrorism (De-radicalisation from Holding Violent Extremist Religious Ideology) Regulations were issued in march 2021, expanding on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Powers given to authorities to detain and \u2018rehabilitate\u2019 anyone who \u2018by words either spoken or intended to be read or by signs or by visible representations\u2019 causes the commission of violence or \u2018religious, racial or communal disharmony or feelings of ill will or hostility between different communities or racial or religious groups\u2019 is prone to misuse, fear activists. The spate of arrests in cases of hate speech, mostly of Tamil and Muslim minorities further reinforces this apprehension of selective use of power by law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\r\nWomen journalists in the firing line<\/h4>\r\n
The rampant vitriol and violence online were particularly targeted at women journalists in the region. Pakistani<\/strong> women journalists had a rough year, facing unrelenting abuse by organised troll armies, many backed by members of the ruling party, prompting them to release a petition taking the government to account. Similar was the case across the border in India<\/strong>, where online abuse took a heavy toll in an already stressful year of the pandemic. Sexist abuse, misogyny and spillover of online to offline stalking and violence became the price that women journalists paid for speaking out.<\/span><\/p>\r\nThe marginalised existence of women journalists in South Asia\u2019s media community is itself one of the factors contributing to precarity. A report released in early 2020 by the South Asia Women\u2019s Network, showed that women accounted for only 29 per cent of staff in Maldives<\/strong> media organisations. Only five per cent leadership roles were occupied by women. Paradoxically, the enrolment of women in journalism courses in the Maldives was higher than men at 3:1. This data begs the question: where do these professional women vanish? The answer probably lies in another finding of the study: women face immense discrimination, harassment and bullying at the workplace.<\/p>\r\nNepali<\/strong> women journalists too faced character assassination, body shaming, speculation about sexual links with prominent men, with women journalists from marginalised communities such as Madhesi and Dalit are more intensive attack. Women journalists fought back, and refused to be silenced, speedily blocking abusers, reporting them and also using aliases to move forward and express themselves online.<\/p>\r\nPatchy access to information<\/h4>\r\n
Almost all countries in South Asia sought to tighten controls over access to information, denying journalists a basic tool for accurate reporting. In Afghanistan<\/strong>, despite an Access to Information Law passed in 2014 and amended in 2018, there are barriers to information access. The setting up of an independent Information Access Commission with 65 government-level departments to assist in the transfer of information from government offices to the media, is potentially a step towards easing access. However, implementation remains a question, given other moves that restrict access, for example the 2020 restrictions authorising only governors to share information with the media, thus creating huge bottlenecks. Moreover, with the imminent withdrawal of the US-NATO troops in the coming year, the barriers to accessing information regarding the opaque agencies of security, justice and peace will undoubtedly impact credible reporting at this crucial juncture.<\/p>\r\nIn Bhutan<\/strong>, access to information is still wrapped up in red-tape and complicated bureaucratic procedure in a hierarchical set up, necessitating permissions to record videos or take a photo. Besides media persons, researchers and scholars in Bhutan are also coming up against the same obstacles. Free speech and expression as well as pursuit of research are thus impeded by official barriers.<\/p>\r\nDespite the passage of the Right to Information Act in the Maldives<\/strong> six years ago, a culture of secrecy persists and journalists are hard put to access information from certain state agencies. A survey by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives released in December 2020 showed that a majority of people were dissatisfied with access to official information and only 36 percent found the right to information law to have been helpful.<\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, the repercussions of the 2019 amendments to the once robust Right to Information Act could be seen during the pandemic when access to information was vital \u2013 access to data on funds, vaccine roll out and health infrastructure was repeatedly blocked by official agencies and the Central Information Commission did little to enable the flow of critical information.<\/p>\r\nLikewise, Sri Lanka<\/strong> too witnessed the dilution of its Right to Information Commission, which could affect its independent functioning.<\/p>\r\nWelcome pushback<\/h4>\r\n
\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Despite the relentless battles on several fronts, while struggling to stay afloat, South Asian journalists valiantly put up a resistance to the onslaught on media rights in all countries of the region. Challenges in court, mobilising and collective action despite the restrictions in mobility and the overwhelming public health crisis, were evidence of a spirited defiance.<\/p>\r\nThe attempt to control the digital space by governments in several countries in the region was met with a heartening push back. In Pakistan,<\/strong> independent online journalism platforms together formed the Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP<\/a>) to challenge and resist the state\u2019s increasing authoritarianism on national dialogues initiated by grassroots communities. DigiMAP represents the emerging bold new ecosystem of independent media start-ups that have taken it upon themselves to champion the cause of public interest journalism that the legacy media has been forced to surrender before an increasingly hostile state. DigiMAP also put out a strong statement<\/a> against the new digital regulations.<\/p>\r\nDespite the burgeoning digital media in India<\/strong> and its vital role in promoting independent journalism, there was until now no single body representing the digital news media. Eleven digital media organisations came together in October 2020 to launch the DIGIPUB News India Foundation \u201cto represent, amplify and evolve best practices to build a robust digital news ecology that is truly world-class, independent and upholds the highest standards of journalism,\u201d One of its first actions was to challenge the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 in court, as an infringement of freedom of expression.<\/p>\r\n
[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240319__34LU7UV__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsElection-min-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Pakistan-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Sri-Lanka-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Bhutan-1-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Bangladesh-1-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”554.9px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”131px” custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”57px|||||” border_style_all=”none” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” min_height=”65px” border_width_bottom=”5px” border_style_bottom=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Overview<\/strong><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nImperilled Democracy<\/h3>\n
The world over, the year 2023-2024 witnessed democracy in action, with the ballot of more than two billion people in about 50 countries making momentous choices. The world\u2019s most populous region \u2013 South Asia \u2013 saw citizens in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka either vote, or gear up to elect governments.<\/p>\n
Bhutan, though a newcomer to democracy, nevertheless had a peaceful transfer of power, with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay highlighting the watchdog role of the media in pressing for accountability and adherence to democratic principles.<\/p>\n
In the rest of the South Asian neighbourhood, however, democracy seemed precarious, with physical violence and bomb blasts marking polling in both Bangladesh and Pakistan and misinformation, deep political, religious and ethnic divides accompanied by sharply polarised media coverage of the election campaigns in India and Sri Lanka. In the Maldives, though the closely contested presidential elections in 2023 saw both the government-owned and private media being partisan and favouring the government, the defeat of the incumbent President Solih showed that the polling process was relatively fair.<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review. Controlling the airwaves, curbing access to information, taming and pressurising the media and crushing dissent was the modus operandi of the autocrats and their corporate cronies.<\/p>\n
In South Asia, home to one in five of the world\u2019s people and with common histories of colonialism, heterogenous communities and deep inequalities, the media endeavoured to speak truth to power, particularly at critical election junctures. Yet, the year under review saw the erosion of the expected institutional safeguards for an independent media, due to which the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms remained disappointingly unfulfilled in the region. <\/span><\/p>\nThe future of media in this context remains more critical than ever. <\/span>With legacy media across the region still alarmingly over-dependent on government or corporate revenue, independent voices continue to move over to digital platforms to challenge the establishment through professional journalism. In a digital eco-system bursting with YouTubers and content producers on Tik Tok, carving out a space amidst paid influencers and channels that fall as rapidly as they rise, has not been easy. Despite financial difficulties, stringent government surveillance and harassment, some tenacious journalists strive to keep professionalism alive, either solo or in small media ventures. The courage of these small organisations has attracted the wrath of the government, leading to renewed attempts to strengthen regulation and control over the media.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”zoom” scroll_fade_enable=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A voter shows an ink mark on their finger after casting a ballot during general elections in Thimphu on January 9, 2024. Despite only adopting a democratic constitution in 2008, Bhutan\u2019s National Assembly elections saw a peaceful transfer of power, with the media serving as an important watchdog through the process. Credit: Money Sharma \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nInexorable slide<\/h3>\n
Ongoing crises in the region \u2013 both economic and political \u2013 continued to have a devastating impact on the media\u2019s influence and sustainability in the past year.<\/p>\n
In Sri Lanka<\/strong>, the impact of the \u2018Aragalaya\u2019 or grassroots movement was still causing waves. The ongoing financial crisis continued and inflation was at an all-time high, forefronting the nation\u2019s struggle to survive. This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/p>\nThe backslide that began in Afghanistan<\/strong> after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021 continued to drive the country\u2019s stability downward. Most of the hard-won freedoms for the media, for women, and human rights have been relegated to history, stalled or slid perilously behind amid a crisis of survival for what remains of the country\u2019s media following a mass exodus of media workers from the country in recent years.<\/p>\nWhen the first elected government in Bhutan<\/strong> came to power in 2008, it inherited a severe economic crisis which was reflected in the state of the media, with newspapers closing and journalists quitting the profession in droves. The latest data from the Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) in 2023 showed continuing falling newspaper circulation over the decade, even though newspapers continue to employ the highest number of journalists (41 per cent). Meanwhile, hundreds of journalists left the profession and the country out of frustration at low wages and poor working conditions.<\/p>\nIn Nepal<\/strong>, the country\u2019s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal formed his third coalition government in a year in March 2024, after months of confabulations. Media workers already reeling under a spate of dismissals and wage struggles, were also subjected to attacks, both on and offline. Press freedom remained severely challenged.<\/p>\nThe fourth presidential multi-party election in the Maldives<\/strong> in 2023, witnessed a peaceful hand over of power, after a hotly-contested run-off that was viewed as a test of the Indian Ocean archipelago\u2019s nascent democracy, as well as its ties with China and traditional benefactor India.<\/span> The country\u2019s young media industry continued to evolve and push back on key industry counterpoints, giving testament to the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution just a decade and a half ago. However, trust in the media was low, with the public holding the media responsible for fuelling political divides and dissensions.<\/p>\nPakistan<\/strong><\/span> went through a chaotic year. The period saw a turnstile of three governments, including a six-month long constitutional limbo between an outgoing parliament and an incoming one, and an election marred by violence. Amid the volatility of the political mire, media freedoms continued to be tested on numerous fronts. Unrest continued to simmer in the tribal districts which remained marginalised and under the influence of tribal jirgas, or traditional \u2018courts\u2019. Likewise, civil unrest in <\/span>Southern Balochistan amidst precarious digital connectivity added to the feeling of alienation from the country\u2019s mainstream.<\/p>\nIn India<\/strong>, a deeply polarised legacy media pushed the discourse onto digital media and social media, with YouTube becoming a major source of news. Independent journalism suffered in the mix of the online mire. Unfiltered, with no editorial oversight, social media has emerged as a contentious, often toxic space that mirrors and exacerbates existing social cleavages of gender, religion, caste and ethnicity. The government of Narendra Modi continued to issue thinly veiled threats, in the guise of \u201cadvisories\u201d warning the media from publishing\/telecasting false content that could potentially disturb communal harmony or public order.<\/p>\nIn Bangladesh<\/strong>, Sheikh Hasina tightened her grip on the reins of power for a fifth term, in a sham election boycotted by the opposition. She seems comfortably positioned to consolidate her power unchallenged, without any checks and balances. Democratic rights, civil liberties and press freedom now look poised to slide further down the scale.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A blindfolded activist with rope around his wrists and covered with the logos of different social media platforms is dragged by a separate activist wearing a mask of President Ranil Wickremesinghe while protesting the Online Safety Act in Colombo on January 24, 2024. The law has been criticised for its potential to restrict expression online, with some identifying its targeting of protests in the vein of the 2022 Aragalaya. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nAttacking the messenger<\/h3>\n
Journalists across the region were subjected to physical assaults, abduction, arbitrary detentions, and some even paid the ultimate price for their work with eight journalists killed.<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, ten journalists died an \u201cunnatural death\u201d, with two being registered as murders, with three suspected murders being listed as road accidents.<\/p>\n
Pakistan witnessed the killing of four journalists \u2013 two in Punjab and two in Sindh, which was dubbed one of the most dangerous places to practice journalism in the country.<\/p>\n
In India, journalists came under attack from police, vigilantes and armed gangs who objected to their stories. One journalist was killed while on duty. Journalists attempting to report on the violent ethnic conflict that broke out in May 2023 in the northeastern state of Manipur found themselves under attack \u2013 from security forces as well as armed groups from both sides.<\/p>\n
In Nepal, the Federation of Nepali Journalists and Nepal Press Union recorded 45 violations of press freedom from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. Besides physical attacks, discrediting the media and journalists critical of politicians was also rife. Journalists investigating corruption, financial irregularities and administrative malfeasance were targeted, as in the past.<\/p>\n
In the Maldives, the trend of impunity continued, with justice not being served for crimes against journalists. On November 22, 2023, the criminal court dropped terrorism charges against three suspects accused of plotting the murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rasheed. The three men had been arrested in June 2022 after a breakthrough by the presidential commission on deaths and disappearances. The abrupt dismissal of charges over an alleged lack of evidence raised serious questions about the work of investigating authorities over the preceding years.<\/p>\n
Slanderous attacks on journalists, which often lends impunity to physical attacks, were a feature in press conferences in the Maldives. The Maldives Journalists\u2019 Association condemned \u201cattempts to discredit journalists with unfounded and false allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Information blockade<\/strong><\/h3>\nFollowing the backslide in hard won rights in Afghanistan, the country\u2019s Access to Information Law in 2014 (amended in 2018) has become all but defunct. Access has been curbed, with the government censoring the flow of information. Inevitably, it has led to a lack of transparency and accountability, as well as impeded the public\u2019s right to information. Reporting on sensitive issues in the absence of authentic official data has lacked credibility, and women journalists face greater barriers in accessing information, since they are not granted interviews by authorities, nor are they usually invited to press conferences and other media events.<\/p>\n
In Bhutan, which lacks a law to guarantee access to information, the appointment of government-affiliated officials to regulatory bodies like the Bhutan Infocomm and Media Authority (BICMA) is a matter of concern. Bureaucratic stonewalling and lack of transparency adversely impact the public’s right to vital information, according to journalists in Bhutan.<\/p>\n
Access to information was marred by erasure of newspaper archives in Jammu and Kashmir and the Maldives. Since 2021, journalists in Kashmir began to notice that articles critical of the government at the centre had vanished from the online archives of prominent publications. The digital archives prior to 2019, the year in which the centre revoked Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, have been partially or completely deleted in what has been described as the \u201cenforced disappearance\u201d of the media archive on the region.\u00a0While \u201ctechnical glitches\u201d are the official explanation, the attempt to erase the history of dissent is apparent, and the loss of access to this historical record is immeasurable.<\/p>\n
Over in the Maldives, a similar process unfolded with Haveeru, the country\u2019s oldest newspaper, which was forced to shut down in 2016. On March 3, 2024, while an ownership battle was settled by the Supreme Court, the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) noted the loss of the newspaper\u2019s archive that represented \u201ca record of many decades of Maldives’ history\u201d as a major blow for the industry and the public\u2019s right to know.<\/p>\n
Recent developments in Maldives show that good laws alone are not sufficient. The Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2014 was ranked the 22nd strongest RTI law in the world out of 138 countries. But, as per a study by Transparency Maldives and the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office of Maldives (ICOM) in 2023, though the media and members of the public were using the law, not a single state institution was fully compliant in following the law\u2019s dictate and nearly half of state institutions covered by the law did not have a functional website; less than 20 per cent of required information was easily accessible.<\/p>\n
Internet shutdowns continued to be used as a strategy to curb access to information and the right freedom of expression. In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. Purportedly a measure to curb disinformation and the circulation of inflammatory videos and messages on social media, particularly WhatsApp, it has also effectively prevented journalists from verifying information and publishing credible news. <\/span><\/p>\nIn Pakistan too, widespread internet shutdowns and curbs on social media access impacted freedom of expression and access to information during crucial events. <\/span>On February 8, 2024, a nationwide suspension of mobile internet services on election day impeded the right to free speech. In May 2023, a four-day internet blackout was imposed during violent protests following the arrest of Imran Khan.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”19px” custom_margin=”||20px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”749.8px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” min_height=”529px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Indian National Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge (C), along with other members of parliament, addresses the media after taking part in a protest against the suspension of 141 opposition MPs across 26 parties in New Delhi on December 21, 2023. Attacks, harassment, and insecurity have degraded the Indian media\u2019s capacity to challenge threats to democracy. Credit: Sajjad Hussain \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Dire financial straits<\/strong><\/h3>\nClimbing out of the economic pits following the Covid-19 pandemic, the media industry across the region is facing immense challenges.<\/p>\n
In Afghanistan, media organisations are unable to hire new staff or pay decent wages to existing staff. The Taliban’s control over the media and the accompanying prohibitions on various forms of entertainment has devastated advertising revenue. Unable to produce programs that resonate with their audience and attract commercial partnerships, most media organisations remain cash-strapped. According to the Afghan Independent Journalists\u2019 Union (AIJU), prior to 2021, there were 11,900 active media workers in the country, 2,833 of whom were women. However, after the Taliban takeover, only just over 4,700 journalists and media staff are currently active, just 700 of them women.<\/p>\n
The media in Bhutan has survived on the back of government subsidies to newspapers houses. The subsidy being equally divided among all the private media houses regardless of their market share has prevented commensurate gains for the more efficient ones. The attrition rate among professional journalists continues to be high.<\/p>\n
The decrease in the real GDP growth in Nepal, the lowest since 2020 literally drove Nepalis away from the country in search of better prospects. Nearly a million Nepalis, including students, left the country in the past year. For those that remain, the going is tough. Lack of payment and underpayment has plagued journalists from even prominent media houses. More than a hundred media outlets across the seven provinces of Nepal downed their shutters in 2023, and approximately 243 media personnel quit their jobs, as per data from the Freedom Forum. However, the numbers might be higher, in view of a lack of centralised database on job losses.<\/p>\n
In India, many of the media staff who were laid off during and after the Covid-19 pandemic were forced to freelance or take up lesser paying and non-journalistic work. A critical issue is the lack of accurate data on the extent of the crisis, even as media houses continued to retrench their staff. In December 2023, a major media house with cross media ownership laid off 120 employees from its digital division. It was only through word of mouth that staff learned that their name was on \u2018the list\u2019. Not surprisingly, a survey by Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies found that two third of the journalists surveyed were affected by the lack of security in their job. Toxic newsrooms and lack of job security came into focus with the sudden death of well-known journalists while on the job.<\/p>\n
In the Maldives, the media\u2019s dependence on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for advertising revenue, self-censorship and undue influence is a key concern. Lack of regulation, transparency in allocation of advertising revenue has hampered accountability and continues to encourage political influence. Viability of the media independent of advertisement revenue has yet to be established.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, journalists laboured under a cloud of uncertainty and unpredictable layoffs. An IFJ survey led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in 2023 in Sindh, found that only 39 per cent media staff were permanently employed and just 28 per cent had fixed term contracts. Lack of career opportunities, secure employment, uncertain and low wages and lack of benefits was the norm. This situation is common across the country.<\/p>\n
Still steeped in a financial crisis, journalists in Sri Lanka faced further precarity. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) shut down its regional services and introduced a voluntary retirement scheme for the employees. Meanwhile, 149 journalists and media workers were laid off by the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Limited (ANCL). Many private media houses were barely able to pay wages, and introduced austerity measures, even cutting off legitimate allowances.<\/p>\n
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Drawing heavy criticism from home and abroad, the government replaced the Digital Security Act (DSA) with another law, the Cyber Security Act (CSA).<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”25px” custom_margin=”||-1px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|0px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Afghan journalists attend a Taliban Ministry of Higher Education press conference in Kabul on August 21, 2023. Since August 2021, the Taliban has established strict barriers for journalists and media workers, with information funnelled through official channels, news restricted to official announcements, women barred from most press conference and media events. Credit: Wakil Kohsar \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Long road to gender equity<\/strong><\/h3>\nAcross the region, women journalists were worse off, whether due to conflict, or economic crisis. Hard won rights, whether to pursue a profession, move freely and be treated on par with their male colleagues remain a seemingly unattainable pipe dream for many.<\/p>\n
Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban continue to face restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in many press conferences and programs, and the ban on broadcasting women’s voices on radios in several southern provinces. Their freedom is curbed by the requirement to have a male guardian.<\/p>\n
In fact, women journalists have all but disappeared from the south and southeast of Afghanistan, in Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Uruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Logar.<\/p>\n
Women in newsrooms in Nepal too continued to face challenges. A conference on embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) organised by Nepal Investigative Multimedia Journalism Network (NIMJN) in November 2023, highlighted the lack of interest in DEI among senior level media decision-makers. From a lack of basic facilities lie washrooms and arrangements for sanitary hygiene, women journalists still face discrimination in assigning beats based on gender, caste and ethnicity. The gender pay gap is still an unfortunate reality.<\/p>\n
Gender-based layoffs were seen in Sri Lanka, where the pandemic and the financial crisis severely impacted women\u2019s employment in the media sector. Media organisations tended to lay off women while retaining men, thus further skewing the balance of female employment in the media. <\/span><\/p>\nThe prevailing culture of impunity in the Maldives is also reflected in abuse faced by women journalists. Perpetrators in two prominent cases of sexual harassment in 2020, have not faced any charges. More than a quarter of women journalists, a third of the staff in mainstream media outlets have experienced sexual harassment, according to a report on gender equality in the media published by the MJA. Online abuse is rampant, with prominent women journalists being threatened with sexual assault and murder by anonymous social media users. Others have been intimidated by trolls demanding they censor their views online.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s women journalists faced similar harassment both online and offline. They are in a minority, and their voices unheard. A mapping published in December 2023 by the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WFMP), supported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the National Press Club (NPC) found that despite women comprising around 5-30 per cent of media workforces in mapped areas, their representation in decision-making roles is less than 10 per cent or none at all. They are also grossly under-represented in unions and press clubs, the mapping found.<\/p>\n
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Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban face continue to restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in press conferences and programs.<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Police officers stand guard in front of news vans parked outside a special court hearing of jailed former Pakistani Foreign Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on August 21, 2023. Government instability and restrictions on PTI were a leading cause of unrest across Pakistan, with nation-wide, violent protests seen in the wake of former Prime Minister Imran Khan\u2019s arrest in May. Credit: Farooq Naeem \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Controlling the digital space<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe landscape of online media in Afghanistan is complex and fraught with challenges. While some digital platforms continued to function with the support of the Taliban, those critical of the regime faced censorship and license revocation. Prominent online news websites like Roznama-e-Hasht Sobh and Ettela’at-e-Rooz had their licenses revoked. On the other hand, several YouTube channels which operate within the framework of the Islamic government, enjoy relatively more freedom.<\/p>\n
In Nepal, Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 is now a tool to arrest and threaten digital journalists. Even social media platforms operating in Nepal are under the scanner and were required to set up their offices in the country, for greater government oversight. The government released a 15-point social media directive on the Operation of Social Networking 2023 in November 2023, based on the Electronics Transaction Act (ETA). This directive has been viewed as problematic because of its potential for misuse against journalists.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony. Other legislative measures such as the Media Council Bill, National Mass Communications Bill, Information Technology Bill, and Social Media Regulation and Management Bill and the Public Service Broadcasting Bill brought to unify state-owned media Radio Nepal and Nepal Television and transform into a public service broadcaster all continue to be under discussion.<\/p>\n
Digital news media in India faced immense challenges even as they remained the few critical voices. Besides control through criminalising online content, raids and arrests were the modus operandi. In October 2023, the Delhi police raided the office and home of the founder of web news portal NewsClick and arrested the founder editor Prabir Purkayastha and his physically challenged administrative officer under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a draconian anti-terror law under which it is extremely difficult to get bail.<\/p>\n
In addition to raids and \u2018searches\u2019, some journalists in India found that their devices were illegally installed with spyware. In June 2023, a new investigation by Amnesty International and the Washington Post found that the Indian government had used the invasive Pegasus spyware to target the i-phones of high-profile journalists. Among them were founder editor of the Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan and Anand Mangnale, South Asia editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.<\/p>\n
Digital platforms, increasingly emerging as important players in the news eco system in the Maldives are predominantly based in the capital Mal\u00e9, home to 40 per cent of the population. Some news websites operate out of a few of the more populous islands in the north and south, often the main source of news, aside from a few television stations. Only one newspaper, Mihaaru, releases a daily print edition.<\/p>\n
Over in Pakistan too, dynamic digital news media start-ups have made their mark. Focussed on public interest and community reporting, the connect with audiences is high. The coming together of these outlets in the 26-member Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP), represents a consolidation of the digital news media business and a healthy challenge for Pakistan\u2019s legacy media. The emergence of digital platforms has been accompanied by an increased attempt at control. In July 2023, the federal cabinet approved two problematic pieces of legislation \u2013 the E-Safety Bill and the Personal Data Protection Bill which promise to heighten surveillance.<\/p>\n
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Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Newly elected Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu speaks during his inauguration ceremony in Mal\u00e9 on November 17, 2023. Muizzu gained power following a hotly contested election between himself and his predecessor, Mohammed Solih, with the extent of his perceived pro-China stance to be seen through his coming term. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Silencing and self-censorship<\/strong><\/h3>\nBesides external control and intimidation, self-censorship was practiced across the region. In Bhutan, a survey by the Bhutan Media Foundation found that an astounding 84 per cent of journalists practice self-censorship. Interestingly, male journalists are one and a half times more likely to practice self-censorship compared to their female counterparts. A “small society syndrome,” \u2013 a well-knit society where everybody knows everyone else \u2013 and the fear of backlash are the two major reasons behind the practice.<\/p>\n
In India, fear of reprisal has prompted many media houses to carefully skirt news that is likely to annoy the government and corporate media owners. This has resulted in a dumbing down of critique and avoidance of stories that could rock the boat. Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.<\/p>\n
Censorship has always been a convenient tool in the hands of governments. In 2023, soon after the new government in Maldives was sworn in, three anti-government websites with allegedly incendiary content were blocked, amidst loud opposition. The MJA and the Editor Guild\u2019s stressed that the existing legal framework does not allow unilateral action by the government, which was advised to seek remedies through the self-regulatory mechanism of the Maldives Media Council (MMC).<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, unsubstantiated complaints of alleged blasphemy online, often puts citizens and sometimes journalists in serious trouble. Journalists practice a significant degree of self-censorship on topics concerning law and religion, to avoid attracting blasphemy allegations. This atmosphere of intimidation has eroded the quality and quantity of independent reporting on sensitive issues.<\/p>\n
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Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n.jpg” title_text=”393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Illegally terminated workers, supporters, and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) demonstrate outside the offices of the Kantipur Media Group in Kathmandu in October, 2023. After months of protests, the FNJ secured voluntary retirement packages for affected members, with some journalists continuing protest action, in a demonstration of union power amid Nepali media\u2019s economic woes. Credit: FNJ<\/p>\n
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Credibility and trust in media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\u201cDisinformation that has been \u2018scaled up and weaponised\u2019 on social networking platforms presents a major challenge and threat to democracy and media credibility,\u201d said N. Ram, director of The Hindu<\/em>, one of India\u2019s leading dailies. Speaking at fifth World Media Summit held in Guangzhou, China, in December 2023, he said Artificial Intelligence (AI) and disinformation were \u201ctwo key areas in which major and potentially disruptive challenges could become opportunities for the media to do well, empower themselves in new ways, and pursue a path of sustained development.\u201d\u00a0Misinformation, inaccurate information, disinformation, or deliberately misleading and biased information or \u2018fake news\u2019 and the entry of AI in newsrooms and on social media, have made the credibility question more complex.<\/p>\nTrust in media was a concern across the region. IFJ and MJA\u2019s \u2018Unveiling Public Trust in the Maldivian Media\u2019 report, 2023, found that 87 per cent of respondents held the media accountable for political divisions in the Maldives with television and internet news websites perceived to have the highest levels of sensational or biased coverage, depending on their ownership. Given the lack of fact-checking mechanisms, the high degree of misinformation and disinformation on social media in the run up to the presidential elections in September 2023 went virtually unchecked.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, despite the highly polarised mainstream media in India, trust in the media is high, as per data released by the Reuters Institute\u2019s Trust in News Project (2023). Of the four countries surveyed (the US, UK and Brazil were the others), the Indian public at 65.6 per cent had the highest trust in the media. Significantly, a caste element surfaced, with marginalised \u2018Other Backward Classes\u2019 three percentage points lower and the former untouchables the \u2018Scheduled Castes\u2019 and indigenous Scheduled Tribes each “more than ten percentage points less trusting”, pointing to the upper-caste and class bias in mainstream media.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, social media was believed to be most responsible for spreading fake news, as per a study by Freedom Network and the Coalition Against Disinformation released in early 2024. Exposure to increased online disinformation poses a threat to Pakistan\u2019s democratic structure and processes, felt the respondents.<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology. Myths and propaganda about religion or ethnic minorities, incendiary videos and memes built up a climate of impunity that normalised discrimination and violence.<\/p>\n
Misinformation and disinformation trends in Sri Lanka were strongly linked to the island\u2019s political economy, along with myths related to ethnic identity and religion \u2013 the staples of disinformation campaigns. In the ongoing financial crisis, much of the misinformation was targeted at economic policies including tax controversies such as misrepresentation of common levies drew panic responses. Hoaxes about the economic collapse drove companies to pull out of the island and distorted statistics on food security proliferated.<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”7d273a9b-b3cd-4896-8734-4f1ffd2f6b4e” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240108__349M3UU__v1__Preview__BangladeshPoliticsElection.jpg” title_text=”BANGLADESH-POLITICS-ELECTION” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A man reads a newspaper highlighting the election of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League party following Bangladesh\u2019s parliamentary elections in Dhaka on January 7, 2024. Hasina\u2019s consolidation of power has seen challenges to democratic rights, civil liberties, and press freedom. Credit: Indranil Mukherjee \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”4px||9px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” custom_margin=”1px|||||” custom_padding=”||1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Positive steps
<\/strong><\/h3>\nYet, all was not bleak in the year under review, as journalists, their unions and media support organisations collaborated to improve media rights in extremely challenging circumstances.<\/p>\n
In Afghanistan, strengthening the Media Ethics Commission under the Ministry of Information and Culture and establishing coordination committees between journalists and local officials in the provinces was a step towards professionalism. Support from UNESCO’s office in Afghanistan enabled upskilling and training, empowering Afghan journalists and media outlets to produce quality content. Even as the situation in Afghanistan no longer occupies centre stage in world affairs, the challenges faced by the media industry in Afghanistan call for attention from the international community and support to uphold press freedom and independent journalism in the country. The situation of Afghan journalists in exile continues to be of concern, with many of them hanging in a no-visa limbo, with no jobs, while others have been forced to return home.<\/p>\n
The vigorous protests against the unjust dismissal of 82 media workers in Nepal by the Kantipur Media Group, the country\u2019s leading private media company, showed that union power can be a strong unifying force. The agreement between the Kantipur Media Group and the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in December 2023 led to some relief for the striking workers. However, protest actions continue to ensure implementation of the agreement.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of 2023, Maldivian journalists and workers welcomed the enactment of a much-awaited industrial relations bill drafted with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization. Ratified in January 2024, the new law guarantees the right of workers in the Maldives to take industrial action and form trade unions and introduced mechanisms for collective bargaining and dispute resolutions between workers and employers. An accompanying occupational safety and health law seeks to reduce workplace hazards and redress complaints and provide compensation for workplace injury. The MJA called it a \u201cmomentous union win\u201d achieved after \u201ca very long-standing strategic execution of plans led by workers and unions”.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, the landmark Sindh Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021, an outcome of a collaborative campaign and advocacy, inched toward its practical implementation. The Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition worked to mobilise the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners (CJMP) notified under the new Act. Further steps were taken in June 2023, when the federal government allocated PKR 1 billion (about USD 5,5 million) to insure journalists against health emergencies. In October 2023, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government promised<\/a><\/span> to amend endowment rules and increase financial assistance for the province\u2019s media workers facing financial emergencies or those rendered jobless.<\/p>\nThe Pakistani government\u2019s demand in October 2023 that Afghan refugees \u2013 including 200 journalists \u2013 return to Afghanistan, giving a one-month deadline before forced deportations, saw several solidarity actions. In June 2023, IFJ urged<\/a><\/span> state-sponsored humanitarian assistance for Afghan journalists in Pakistan, while Freedom Network launched<\/a><\/span> the \u2018Advocacy Hub for Afghan Journalists\u2019 <\/em>project in December 2023 to provide financial and legal assistance to over 100 exiled Afghan journalists to help them survive and also continue to report. This is a welcome move particularly for Afghan women journalists in exile in Pakistan, struggling with unemployment, visa issues, out-of-school children, and the threat of imminent deportation.<\/p>\nIn December 2023, the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WMFP) launched<\/a><\/span> a campaign titled \u2018Pakistan\u2019s Media Needs Women\u2019 <\/em>to advocate gender inclusivity in the media industry and in press clubs. In January 2024, key media stakeholders reiterated<\/a><\/span> their support to WMFP\u2019s campaign, pledging to proactively tackle underlying issues such as inclusivity, equal representation, and fair wages. Alongside, the National Press Club announced a \u2018Women Journalists’ Caucus’ and set up a working committee to strategise the initiative aimed at improving competence of women journalists.<\/p>\nA pushback from various stakeholders in Pakistan saw the passing of the Official Secrets (Amendment) Act, 2023, after an uproar in parliament forced the government to withdraw a controversial clause, which would have allowed intelligence agencies to conduct search and seizures \u2013 including of journalists \u2013 without warrant.<\/p>\n
The period in review also saw initiatives to unionise digital journalists with the support of the IFJ. A strategy paper for the establishment of a labour union for digital journalists was used to conduct a series of consultations in Pakistan, awareness campaigns, networking, online engagement, and advocacy with over 50 digital journalists based in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. The campaign culminated in an application for registration of a trade union for digital journalists with the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).<\/p>\n
Journalism at its finest was on display in India, amidst the heat of a landmark general election in April-May 2024, where incumbent Prime Minister Modi bids for his third term. In a significant judgement on February 15, 2024, the Supreme Court of India struck down the validity of electoral bonds, a mode of funding political parties introduced in 2017 by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. While the mainstream media lagged, it was feisty independent digital media that sifted through huge amounts of data to make connections between who had donated, how much and to which party. Independent news media websites – Newslaundry, The News Minute and Scroll \u2013 with several independent reporters, collaborated to investigate and break stories that revealed a sordid corporate-political combination of patronage and plain extortion. \u201cProject Electoral Bond\u201d as this collaborative exercise was termed, demonstrates that public interest investigative journalism is thriving, despite an atmosphere hostile to independent media.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Click here to download pdf of Overview and Special Reports<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Feature Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″ module_alignment=”center” min_height=”238px” height=”331px” max_height=”486px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|-3px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” top_divider_style=”arrow2″ top_divider_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ admin_label=”Stats” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”77.3%” custom_padding=”115px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Media Rights Violations” number=”232″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#999999″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Jailed or Detained” number=”87″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#E09900″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Killings” number=”8″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#FF0000″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYOverview Imperilled Democracy The world over, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n
[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" fullwidth=\"on\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_fullwidth_slider admin_label=\"Fullwidth Slider\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"50px\" header_letter_spacing=\"7px\" background_image=\"http:\/\/x7t.a3b.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_position=\"center\" module_alignment=\"center\" min_height=\"590px\" animation_style=\"fade\" auto=\"on\"][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_93J7LL-Dissolution-of-parliament-Nepal-protest-Prakash-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_92U7LM-Mock-funeral-for-sexual-assaults-PRAKASH-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_94J2MF-Tashnuva-Anan-Shishir-Bangladesh-transgender-news-host-Munir-Uz-zaman-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BANG_000_93Z8WT-Bangladesh-protest-Mushtaq-Ahmed-Munir-death-in-custody-UZ-ZAMAN-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Maldives\/A-Covid-19-press-briefing-by-President-Solih-on-June-23-Credit-President_s-Office-2-scaled.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AFG000_94J2MK-International-womens-day-Afghanistan-WAKIL-KOHSAR-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/LAW_000_8Z94D9-Afghan-President-Ashraf-Ghani-arrives-in-Herat-January-2021-HOSHANG-HASHIMI-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"1286.7px\" custom_margin=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\"][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" min_height=\"131px\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"57px|||||\" border_style_all=\"none\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" min_height=\"65px\" border_width_bottom=\"5px\" border_style_bottom=\"solid\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Overview<\/strong><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_4\" admin_label=\"quote\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" animation_style=\"fade\"][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"3px|||||\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" width=\"97.3%\" min_height=\"1217px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]<\/h1>\r\nPandemic, the Press and the New Digital Order<\/h3>\r\n
As the second wave of the Covid pandemic surged across South Asia in early 2021, journalists found themselves in the thick of the storm, without a safety net and scant institutional support. Battling not only the deadly virus, they mounted stiff resistance to states trying to control the narrative and plaster over the horrific reality. Journalists breaking stories of rising deaths, collapsing health systems and unpreparedness and mismanagement at the highest levels of government were silenced, hounded, arrested and penalised.<\/p>\r\n
Even as journalists also mourned the loss of their colleagues and family members, they continued to work in the most challenging circumstances to publicise the truth. They reported from the frontlines without adequate protective equipment, exposing themselves to infection to tell stories of the suffering in hospitals, in graveyards and crematoria. Many fell ill, many others continue to suffer from the long-term impacts of the Covid syndrome. Hundreds of others succumbed, unsung heroic storytellers of the apocalypse that engulfed them.<\/p>\r\n
To many others continued to tell one of the biggest stories of our times, while also enduring salary cuts and delays in wage payments, denial of protective personal equipment, medical insurance or reimbursement of massive medical bills to treat Covid contracted in the line of duty. Huge numbers of media workers were also rendered jobless or forced to resign in the wake of economic impacts of Covid-19. reeling under arrests and cases of sedition and terror, unrelenting trolling and abuse online, they wrote on. Some wrote on, even without a job or payment.<\/p>\r\n
Charges of \u201canti-national\u201d, \u201cagainst national security\u201d were widely used to curb dissent through archaic laws of sedition and colonial era laws of epidemic control. With courts admitting petitions challenging the constitutionality of some of these laws, there is reason to hope for change.<\/p>\r\n
The raging pandemic, accompanying lockdowns and economic crises were only piled on to existing barriers that the region\u2019s journalists already faced. Physical attacks and intimidation, lack of access to information, control and censorship; sharpened ethnic and religious cleavages; legal repercussions for their stories and an overall precarity of the media. Impunity for crimes against journalists continued, despite small gains. Yet, journalists bore witness and told the stories that needed to be told, with professional integrity, compassion and deep humanity.<\/p>\r\n
Regional trends<\/h3>\r\nTightening regulation and digital controls<\/h4>\r\n
Controlling the flow of information seemed to be an overriding preoccupation of governments across the region. From reigning in the burgeoning independent digital media and clamping down on critical voices on social media, governments and social media platforms fell short of upholding freedom of expression at a critical juncture.<\/p>\r\n
At a time when the free flow of information was literally a matter of life and death, governments intolerant of critical questions, tended to use the pandemic as a pretext to curb information, and any opinion that was deemed \u201canti-government\u201d. Social media presented a particular anxiety for governments trying to curb dissent, and unfortunately, social media giants did not adequately protect citizen\u2019s right to free speech, instead complying with unreasonable takedown notices from governments.<\/p>\r\n
Pakistan<\/strong> suffered under the harshest clampdown on dissent by any government. Media rights and freedom of expression took a severe beating, with the government seemingly leaping at the opportunity to deprive the media of both freedom and funds, driving an already beleaguered media industry into deeper crisis.\u00a0 The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) which criminalises free speech and gives overarching powers to law enforcement authorities, was overused in Pakistan to clamp down on free speech. The media, political opponents, activists and members of the public found the boundaries of free speech indiscriminately scrunched in violation of constitutional guarantees.<\/p>\r\nArbitrary blocking of independent websites, internet and communication shutdowns were regularly deployed to censor the media. This inevitably led to the proliferation of misinformation \u2013 which Pakistan could ill-afford in the midst of not only the pandemic, but civil strife and political upheaval.\u00a0 Cutting off connectivity in politically sensitive areas in an attempt to censor news had other adverse effects during the lockdown, mainly on health and education.<\/p>\r\n
In Bangladesh<\/strong>, it took the tragic custodial death in February 2021, of writer Mushtaq Ahmed incarcerated for ten months and repeatedly denied bail, to once more shine the spotlight on the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) which has been widely used against journalists, bloggers and citizens to penalise free speech and critical opinion. The lone Cyber Crimes Tribunal, reeling under a staggering pending case load can barely manage due process in hearing cases, leave aside render justice.<\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, besides the time-honoured tactic of internet shutdowns to cut communications, the newly promulgated Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 gave the government the power to censor, order takedowns and block content without any recourse to appeal. Independent digital platforms termed the rules not just unconstitutional, but a blow to democracy itself, and have challenged this attempt at over-regulation in the highest court in the country. In addition to its attempt to control independent digital media, fast emerging as major players in the media landscape, the Indian government came down strongly on social media expression deemed to be critical of the government\u2019s handling of the pandemic. In the same vein, the new media Policy in Jammu and Kashmir (downgraded from state to centrally administered union territory in April 2019), issued in June 2020, was immediately viewed with disquiet by journalists, given that it empowers government officers to take action on \u201cfake news\u201d or \u201canti-national content\u201d.<\/p>\r\nAllegations of misinformation and rumour mongering were thrown at journalists and even citizens exposing the horrific ground reality of acute shortage of medical supplies, oxygen, overflowing hospitals and crematoria. Significantly, while content critical of the government was taken down, virulent hate speech against minorities and misogynist speech online thrived in India. Social media platforms Twitter and Facebook too succumbed to takedown requests by the government, failing to stand up for free speech.<\/p>\r\n
Across the region, governments displayed a remarkable disrespect towards the media, and took steps to increase regulation. In Nepal<\/strong>, the government moved ahead with tougher bills and regulations such as the Media Council Bill, the Public Service Broadcasting Bill, the Information Technology Bill, and the Special Service Bill \u2013 all of which have clauses that could undermine press freedom. The clampdown on social media has been proposed on pretexts of the \u201ccountry\u2019s sovereignty, security, unity or harmony\u201d. The Media Council Bill could erode the autonomy of the media, with government-appointed regulators, a provision that has been vehemently opposed by media rights organisations.<\/p>\r\nThe international norm of self-regulation by media was also violated in Sri Lanka<\/strong>, where in January 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers proposed to amend the Press Council Law to include electronic and new media and approved a proposal to \u2018structurally reform and reorganise\u2019 the Press Council to cover electronic and new media. The move was criticised by the Professional Web Journalists' Association which argued that the electronic and new media should be not controlled, but self-regulated with a stringent code of ethics developed by the media community itself.<\/p>\r\nLivelihood in peril<\/h4>\r\n
The pandemic year was also witness to dramatic loss of jobs in the media, across the region. Over 8,000 of Pakistan\u2019s<\/strong> estimated 20,000 journalists <\/span>lost their jobs in 2020<\/a> alone, and rural and district staff were more likely to be retrenched.<\/span><\/p>\r\nJournalists, mainly through the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), remained up in arms for most of the year and in early 2021 launched an \u201cenough is enough\u201d campaign across the country to protest job losses, pay cuts, censorship and rising intimidation. The media industry found new external supporters, including the legal community and civil society in institutional and organised partnerships with PFUJ to jointly resist the rising attacks on media freedoms, journalists\u2019 rights and public interest journalism in Pakistan.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, which saw a series of retrenchments from March 2020 onwards, there are no clear numbers of the job losses or salary cuts. <\/span>Estimates<\/a> put the figures in the thousands. Besides layoffs, salary cuts and delays in payments, media houses also threatened to sack staff if they wanted to work from home. The obstinacy of many managements led to staff in some media houses getting infected with the coronavirus en masse. Journalists from the regional press were harder hit, with fewer paying options than their English media counterparts. <\/span><\/p>\r\n\u00a0<\/span>The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) took up more than 500 complaints relating to job loss and non-payment of salary in Nepal<\/strong>. A survey conducted by the <\/span>FNJ in September 2020, revealed the desperate state of Nepal\u2019s journalists: the earning of 40 percent of journalists was affected by the pandemic and the nationwide lockdowns and women journalists were more severely impacted. Several media houses in Kathmandu suspended publications, cut down broadcast hours and decreased the size of the newspapers. The revenue of 75 percent of the once vibrant radio sector decreased due to the pandemic.<\/p>\r\nThe story was no different in Bangladesh<\/strong> where an estimated 1,250 journalists lost their jobs and several thousand faced salary cuts or irregular payments. While media owners blamed the pandemic for the drop in revenue and resultant salary cuts, trade unionists say that irregular payments were a norm of a section of media houses which then grasped at the pandemic as a justification to deny journalists their rights.<\/p>\r\nThe pandemic crisis however, only added to existing pressures that journalists across the region face. A major threat being the increasing polarisation on communal lines.<\/span><\/p>\r\nRising Extremism<\/h4>\r\n
South Asia has ravaged by religious, ethnic and caste divides for decades, but the growing cleavages of the last few years have been unprecedented. With hyper-nationalist parties in power in many countries in the region drawing votes and support from religiously aligned groups, the polity too has been sharply divided. Minorities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been particularly vulnerable, in this context of majoritarian politics. These divisions have inevitably affected the media. While some sections have added to the problem by exacerbating divisions and amplifying hate, others have had to struggle to remain independent.<\/p>\r\n
Existing fault lines were exacerbated by external situations that are likely to impact the whole region. The proposed withdrawal of US-NATO troops from Afghanistan by the coming September is feared to increase the Taliban's influence in Afghanistan<\/strong>, a development that could have a ripple effect in the region in terms of encouraging radicalism. Hard worn democratic and secular gains could be pushed back, with a direct impact on the media and individual journalists. Likewise, growing communalism in India<\/strong>, encouraged by the government in power, has a dangerous spill over effect in the neighbourhood, contributing to more polarisation and the strengthening of extremist groups. The media cannot be immune from attack, even as it attempts to uphold constitutional values, and the rights of women, minorities and the marginalised.<\/p>\r\nReligion in the Maldives<\/strong> is a no-go topic in public discourse, and the fear of being labelled anti-Islam contributes to the journalists practicing self-censorship of forgoing bylines while reporting on extremism in the country. As part of official control, the Communications Authority of Maldives blocks websites with anti-Islamic content upon request by ministries and other agencies. Though social media use is growing, intimidation and deaths threats pose the greatest challenge for free expression online. The yet unsolved murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rashid known for their vocal criticism of religious fundamentalism are grim reminders of the risks of speaking out for religious freedom or minority rights. In its World Report 2021, Human Rights Watch accused the government of failing to confront the influence of hard-line Islamist groups. \u201cOnline intimidation of human rights groups continued to have a chilling effect on civil society in 2020,\u201d and reiterated calls to tackle hate speech and violence online.<\/p>\r\nThe state response to tackling religious extremism however, often has serious implications for freedom of expression and civil rights. In Sri<\/strong> Lanka<\/strong>, the Prevention of Terrorism (De-radicalisation from Holding Violent Extremist Religious Ideology) Regulations were issued in march 2021, expanding on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Powers given to authorities to detain and \u2018rehabilitate\u2019 anyone who \u2018by words either spoken or intended to be read or by signs or by visible representations\u2019 causes the commission of violence or \u2018religious, racial or communal disharmony or feelings of ill will or hostility between different communities or racial or religious groups\u2019 is prone to misuse, fear activists. The spate of arrests in cases of hate speech, mostly of Tamil and Muslim minorities further reinforces this apprehension of selective use of power by law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\r\nWomen journalists in the firing line<\/h4>\r\n
The rampant vitriol and violence online were particularly targeted at women journalists in the region. Pakistani<\/strong> women journalists had a rough year, facing unrelenting abuse by organised troll armies, many backed by members of the ruling party, prompting them to release a petition taking the government to account. Similar was the case across the border in India<\/strong>, where online abuse took a heavy toll in an already stressful year of the pandemic. Sexist abuse, misogyny and spillover of online to offline stalking and violence became the price that women journalists paid for speaking out.<\/span><\/p>\r\nThe marginalised existence of women journalists in South Asia\u2019s media community is itself one of the factors contributing to precarity. A report released in early 2020 by the South Asia Women\u2019s Network, showed that women accounted for only 29 per cent of staff in Maldives<\/strong> media organisations. Only five per cent leadership roles were occupied by women. Paradoxically, the enrolment of women in journalism courses in the Maldives was higher than men at 3:1. This data begs the question: where do these professional women vanish? The answer probably lies in another finding of the study: women face immense discrimination, harassment and bullying at the workplace.<\/p>\r\nNepali<\/strong> women journalists too faced character assassination, body shaming, speculation about sexual links with prominent men, with women journalists from marginalised communities such as Madhesi and Dalit are more intensive attack. Women journalists fought back, and refused to be silenced, speedily blocking abusers, reporting them and also using aliases to move forward and express themselves online.<\/p>\r\nPatchy access to information<\/h4>\r\n
Almost all countries in South Asia sought to tighten controls over access to information, denying journalists a basic tool for accurate reporting. In Afghanistan<\/strong>, despite an Access to Information Law passed in 2014 and amended in 2018, there are barriers to information access. The setting up of an independent Information Access Commission with 65 government-level departments to assist in the transfer of information from government offices to the media, is potentially a step towards easing access. However, implementation remains a question, given other moves that restrict access, for example the 2020 restrictions authorising only governors to share information with the media, thus creating huge bottlenecks. Moreover, with the imminent withdrawal of the US-NATO troops in the coming year, the barriers to accessing information regarding the opaque agencies of security, justice and peace will undoubtedly impact credible reporting at this crucial juncture.<\/p>\r\nIn Bhutan<\/strong>, access to information is still wrapped up in red-tape and complicated bureaucratic procedure in a hierarchical set up, necessitating permissions to record videos or take a photo. Besides media persons, researchers and scholars in Bhutan are also coming up against the same obstacles. Free speech and expression as well as pursuit of research are thus impeded by official barriers.<\/p>\r\nDespite the passage of the Right to Information Act in the Maldives<\/strong> six years ago, a culture of secrecy persists and journalists are hard put to access information from certain state agencies. A survey by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives released in December 2020 showed that a majority of people were dissatisfied with access to official information and only 36 percent found the right to information law to have been helpful.<\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, the repercussions of the 2019 amendments to the once robust Right to Information Act could be seen during the pandemic when access to information was vital \u2013 access to data on funds, vaccine roll out and health infrastructure was repeatedly blocked by official agencies and the Central Information Commission did little to enable the flow of critical information.<\/p>\r\nLikewise, Sri Lanka<\/strong> too witnessed the dilution of its Right to Information Commission, which could affect its independent functioning.<\/p>\r\nWelcome pushback<\/h4>\r\n
\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Despite the relentless battles on several fronts, while struggling to stay afloat, South Asian journalists valiantly put up a resistance to the onslaught on media rights in all countries of the region. Challenges in court, mobilising and collective action despite the restrictions in mobility and the overwhelming public health crisis, were evidence of a spirited defiance.<\/p>\r\nThe attempt to control the digital space by governments in several countries in the region was met with a heartening push back. In Pakistan,<\/strong> independent online journalism platforms together formed the Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP<\/a>) to challenge and resist the state\u2019s increasing authoritarianism on national dialogues initiated by grassroots communities. DigiMAP represents the emerging bold new ecosystem of independent media start-ups that have taken it upon themselves to champion the cause of public interest journalism that the legacy media has been forced to surrender before an increasingly hostile state. DigiMAP also put out a strong statement<\/a> against the new digital regulations.<\/p>\r\nDespite the burgeoning digital media in India<\/strong> and its vital role in promoting independent journalism, there was until now no single body representing the digital news media. Eleven digital media organisations came together in October 2020 to launch the DIGIPUB News India Foundation \u201cto represent, amplify and evolve best practices to build a robust digital news ecology that is truly world-class, independent and upholds the highest standards of journalism,\u201d One of its first actions was to challenge the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 in court, as an infringement of freedom of expression.<\/p>\r\n
[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Sri-Lanka-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Bhutan-1-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Bangladesh-1-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”554.9px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”131px” custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”57px|||||” border_style_all=”none” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” min_height=”65px” border_width_bottom=”5px” border_style_bottom=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Overview<\/strong><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nImperilled Democracy<\/h3>\n
The world over, the year 2023-2024 witnessed democracy in action, with the ballot of more than two billion people in about 50 countries making momentous choices. The world\u2019s most populous region \u2013 South Asia \u2013 saw citizens in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka either vote, or gear up to elect governments.<\/p>\n
Bhutan, though a newcomer to democracy, nevertheless had a peaceful transfer of power, with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay highlighting the watchdog role of the media in pressing for accountability and adherence to democratic principles.<\/p>\n
In the rest of the South Asian neighbourhood, however, democracy seemed precarious, with physical violence and bomb blasts marking polling in both Bangladesh and Pakistan and misinformation, deep political, religious and ethnic divides accompanied by sharply polarised media coverage of the election campaigns in India and Sri Lanka. In the Maldives, though the closely contested presidential elections in 2023 saw both the government-owned and private media being partisan and favouring the government, the defeat of the incumbent President Solih showed that the polling process was relatively fair.<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review. Controlling the airwaves, curbing access to information, taming and pressurising the media and crushing dissent was the modus operandi of the autocrats and their corporate cronies.<\/p>\n
In South Asia, home to one in five of the world\u2019s people and with common histories of colonialism, heterogenous communities and deep inequalities, the media endeavoured to speak truth to power, particularly at critical election junctures. Yet, the year under review saw the erosion of the expected institutional safeguards for an independent media, due to which the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms remained disappointingly unfulfilled in the region. <\/span><\/p>\nThe future of media in this context remains more critical than ever. <\/span>With legacy media across the region still alarmingly over-dependent on government or corporate revenue, independent voices continue to move over to digital platforms to challenge the establishment through professional journalism. In a digital eco-system bursting with YouTubers and content producers on Tik Tok, carving out a space amidst paid influencers and channels that fall as rapidly as they rise, has not been easy. Despite financial difficulties, stringent government surveillance and harassment, some tenacious journalists strive to keep professionalism alive, either solo or in small media ventures. The courage of these small organisations has attracted the wrath of the government, leading to renewed attempts to strengthen regulation and control over the media.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”zoom” scroll_fade_enable=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A voter shows an ink mark on their finger after casting a ballot during general elections in Thimphu on January 9, 2024. Despite only adopting a democratic constitution in 2008, Bhutan\u2019s National Assembly elections saw a peaceful transfer of power, with the media serving as an important watchdog through the process. Credit: Money Sharma \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nInexorable slide<\/h3>\n
Ongoing crises in the region \u2013 both economic and political \u2013 continued to have a devastating impact on the media\u2019s influence and sustainability in the past year.<\/p>\n
In Sri Lanka<\/strong>, the impact of the \u2018Aragalaya\u2019 or grassroots movement was still causing waves. The ongoing financial crisis continued and inflation was at an all-time high, forefronting the nation\u2019s struggle to survive. This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/p>\nThe backslide that began in Afghanistan<\/strong> after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021 continued to drive the country\u2019s stability downward. Most of the hard-won freedoms for the media, for women, and human rights have been relegated to history, stalled or slid perilously behind amid a crisis of survival for what remains of the country\u2019s media following a mass exodus of media workers from the country in recent years.<\/p>\nWhen the first elected government in Bhutan<\/strong> came to power in 2008, it inherited a severe economic crisis which was reflected in the state of the media, with newspapers closing and journalists quitting the profession in droves. The latest data from the Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) in 2023 showed continuing falling newspaper circulation over the decade, even though newspapers continue to employ the highest number of journalists (41 per cent). Meanwhile, hundreds of journalists left the profession and the country out of frustration at low wages and poor working conditions.<\/p>\nIn Nepal<\/strong>, the country\u2019s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal formed his third coalition government in a year in March 2024, after months of confabulations. Media workers already reeling under a spate of dismissals and wage struggles, were also subjected to attacks, both on and offline. Press freedom remained severely challenged.<\/p>\nThe fourth presidential multi-party election in the Maldives<\/strong> in 2023, witnessed a peaceful hand over of power, after a hotly-contested run-off that was viewed as a test of the Indian Ocean archipelago\u2019s nascent democracy, as well as its ties with China and traditional benefactor India.<\/span> The country\u2019s young media industry continued to evolve and push back on key industry counterpoints, giving testament to the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution just a decade and a half ago. However, trust in the media was low, with the public holding the media responsible for fuelling political divides and dissensions.<\/p>\nPakistan<\/strong><\/span> went through a chaotic year. The period saw a turnstile of three governments, including a six-month long constitutional limbo between an outgoing parliament and an incoming one, and an election marred by violence. Amid the volatility of the political mire, media freedoms continued to be tested on numerous fronts. Unrest continued to simmer in the tribal districts which remained marginalised and under the influence of tribal jirgas, or traditional \u2018courts\u2019. Likewise, civil unrest in <\/span>Southern Balochistan amidst precarious digital connectivity added to the feeling of alienation from the country\u2019s mainstream.<\/p>\nIn India<\/strong>, a deeply polarised legacy media pushed the discourse onto digital media and social media, with YouTube becoming a major source of news. Independent journalism suffered in the mix of the online mire. Unfiltered, with no editorial oversight, social media has emerged as a contentious, often toxic space that mirrors and exacerbates existing social cleavages of gender, religion, caste and ethnicity. The government of Narendra Modi continued to issue thinly veiled threats, in the guise of \u201cadvisories\u201d warning the media from publishing\/telecasting false content that could potentially disturb communal harmony or public order.<\/p>\nIn Bangladesh<\/strong>, Sheikh Hasina tightened her grip on the reins of power for a fifth term, in a sham election boycotted by the opposition. She seems comfortably positioned to consolidate her power unchallenged, without any checks and balances. Democratic rights, civil liberties and press freedom now look poised to slide further down the scale.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A blindfolded activist with rope around his wrists and covered with the logos of different social media platforms is dragged by a separate activist wearing a mask of President Ranil Wickremesinghe while protesting the Online Safety Act in Colombo on January 24, 2024. The law has been criticised for its potential to restrict expression online, with some identifying its targeting of protests in the vein of the 2022 Aragalaya. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nAttacking the messenger<\/h3>\n
Journalists across the region were subjected to physical assaults, abduction, arbitrary detentions, and some even paid the ultimate price for their work with eight journalists killed.<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, ten journalists died an \u201cunnatural death\u201d, with two being registered as murders, with three suspected murders being listed as road accidents.<\/p>\n
Pakistan witnessed the killing of four journalists \u2013 two in Punjab and two in Sindh, which was dubbed one of the most dangerous places to practice journalism in the country.<\/p>\n
In India, journalists came under attack from police, vigilantes and armed gangs who objected to their stories. One journalist was killed while on duty. Journalists attempting to report on the violent ethnic conflict that broke out in May 2023 in the northeastern state of Manipur found themselves under attack \u2013 from security forces as well as armed groups from both sides.<\/p>\n
In Nepal, the Federation of Nepali Journalists and Nepal Press Union recorded 45 violations of press freedom from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. Besides physical attacks, discrediting the media and journalists critical of politicians was also rife. Journalists investigating corruption, financial irregularities and administrative malfeasance were targeted, as in the past.<\/p>\n
In the Maldives, the trend of impunity continued, with justice not being served for crimes against journalists. On November 22, 2023, the criminal court dropped terrorism charges against three suspects accused of plotting the murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rasheed. The three men had been arrested in June 2022 after a breakthrough by the presidential commission on deaths and disappearances. The abrupt dismissal of charges over an alleged lack of evidence raised serious questions about the work of investigating authorities over the preceding years.<\/p>\n
Slanderous attacks on journalists, which often lends impunity to physical attacks, were a feature in press conferences in the Maldives. The Maldives Journalists\u2019 Association condemned \u201cattempts to discredit journalists with unfounded and false allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Information blockade<\/strong><\/h3>\nFollowing the backslide in hard won rights in Afghanistan, the country\u2019s Access to Information Law in 2014 (amended in 2018) has become all but defunct. Access has been curbed, with the government censoring the flow of information. Inevitably, it has led to a lack of transparency and accountability, as well as impeded the public\u2019s right to information. Reporting on sensitive issues in the absence of authentic official data has lacked credibility, and women journalists face greater barriers in accessing information, since they are not granted interviews by authorities, nor are they usually invited to press conferences and other media events.<\/p>\n
In Bhutan, which lacks a law to guarantee access to information, the appointment of government-affiliated officials to regulatory bodies like the Bhutan Infocomm and Media Authority (BICMA) is a matter of concern. Bureaucratic stonewalling and lack of transparency adversely impact the public’s right to vital information, according to journalists in Bhutan.<\/p>\n
Access to information was marred by erasure of newspaper archives in Jammu and Kashmir and the Maldives. Since 2021, journalists in Kashmir began to notice that articles critical of the government at the centre had vanished from the online archives of prominent publications. The digital archives prior to 2019, the year in which the centre revoked Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, have been partially or completely deleted in what has been described as the \u201cenforced disappearance\u201d of the media archive on the region.\u00a0While \u201ctechnical glitches\u201d are the official explanation, the attempt to erase the history of dissent is apparent, and the loss of access to this historical record is immeasurable.<\/p>\n
Over in the Maldives, a similar process unfolded with Haveeru, the country\u2019s oldest newspaper, which was forced to shut down in 2016. On March 3, 2024, while an ownership battle was settled by the Supreme Court, the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) noted the loss of the newspaper\u2019s archive that represented \u201ca record of many decades of Maldives’ history\u201d as a major blow for the industry and the public\u2019s right to know.<\/p>\n
Recent developments in Maldives show that good laws alone are not sufficient. The Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2014 was ranked the 22nd strongest RTI law in the world out of 138 countries. But, as per a study by Transparency Maldives and the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office of Maldives (ICOM) in 2023, though the media and members of the public were using the law, not a single state institution was fully compliant in following the law\u2019s dictate and nearly half of state institutions covered by the law did not have a functional website; less than 20 per cent of required information was easily accessible.<\/p>\n
Internet shutdowns continued to be used as a strategy to curb access to information and the right freedom of expression. In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. Purportedly a measure to curb disinformation and the circulation of inflammatory videos and messages on social media, particularly WhatsApp, it has also effectively prevented journalists from verifying information and publishing credible news. <\/span><\/p>\nIn Pakistan too, widespread internet shutdowns and curbs on social media access impacted freedom of expression and access to information during crucial events. <\/span>On February 8, 2024, a nationwide suspension of mobile internet services on election day impeded the right to free speech. In May 2023, a four-day internet blackout was imposed during violent protests following the arrest of Imran Khan.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”19px” custom_margin=”||20px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”749.8px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” min_height=”529px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Indian National Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge (C), along with other members of parliament, addresses the media after taking part in a protest against the suspension of 141 opposition MPs across 26 parties in New Delhi on December 21, 2023. Attacks, harassment, and insecurity have degraded the Indian media\u2019s capacity to challenge threats to democracy. Credit: Sajjad Hussain \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Dire financial straits<\/strong><\/h3>\nClimbing out of the economic pits following the Covid-19 pandemic, the media industry across the region is facing immense challenges.<\/p>\n
In Afghanistan, media organisations are unable to hire new staff or pay decent wages to existing staff. The Taliban’s control over the media and the accompanying prohibitions on various forms of entertainment has devastated advertising revenue. Unable to produce programs that resonate with their audience and attract commercial partnerships, most media organisations remain cash-strapped. According to the Afghan Independent Journalists\u2019 Union (AIJU), prior to 2021, there were 11,900 active media workers in the country, 2,833 of whom were women. However, after the Taliban takeover, only just over 4,700 journalists and media staff are currently active, just 700 of them women.<\/p>\n
The media in Bhutan has survived on the back of government subsidies to newspapers houses. The subsidy being equally divided among all the private media houses regardless of their market share has prevented commensurate gains for the more efficient ones. The attrition rate among professional journalists continues to be high.<\/p>\n
The decrease in the real GDP growth in Nepal, the lowest since 2020 literally drove Nepalis away from the country in search of better prospects. Nearly a million Nepalis, including students, left the country in the past year. For those that remain, the going is tough. Lack of payment and underpayment has plagued journalists from even prominent media houses. More than a hundred media outlets across the seven provinces of Nepal downed their shutters in 2023, and approximately 243 media personnel quit their jobs, as per data from the Freedom Forum. However, the numbers might be higher, in view of a lack of centralised database on job losses.<\/p>\n
In India, many of the media staff who were laid off during and after the Covid-19 pandemic were forced to freelance or take up lesser paying and non-journalistic work. A critical issue is the lack of accurate data on the extent of the crisis, even as media houses continued to retrench their staff. In December 2023, a major media house with cross media ownership laid off 120 employees from its digital division. It was only through word of mouth that staff learned that their name was on \u2018the list\u2019. Not surprisingly, a survey by Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies found that two third of the journalists surveyed were affected by the lack of security in their job. Toxic newsrooms and lack of job security came into focus with the sudden death of well-known journalists while on the job.<\/p>\n
In the Maldives, the media\u2019s dependence on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for advertising revenue, self-censorship and undue influence is a key concern. Lack of regulation, transparency in allocation of advertising revenue has hampered accountability and continues to encourage political influence. Viability of the media independent of advertisement revenue has yet to be established.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, journalists laboured under a cloud of uncertainty and unpredictable layoffs. An IFJ survey led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in 2023 in Sindh, found that only 39 per cent media staff were permanently employed and just 28 per cent had fixed term contracts. Lack of career opportunities, secure employment, uncertain and low wages and lack of benefits was the norm. This situation is common across the country.<\/p>\n
Still steeped in a financial crisis, journalists in Sri Lanka faced further precarity. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) shut down its regional services and introduced a voluntary retirement scheme for the employees. Meanwhile, 149 journalists and media workers were laid off by the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Limited (ANCL). Many private media houses were barely able to pay wages, and introduced austerity measures, even cutting off legitimate allowances.<\/p>\n
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Drawing heavy criticism from home and abroad, the government replaced the Digital Security Act (DSA) with another law, the Cyber Security Act (CSA).<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”25px” custom_margin=”||-1px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|0px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Afghan journalists attend a Taliban Ministry of Higher Education press conference in Kabul on August 21, 2023. Since August 2021, the Taliban has established strict barriers for journalists and media workers, with information funnelled through official channels, news restricted to official announcements, women barred from most press conference and media events. Credit: Wakil Kohsar \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”7px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Long road to gender equity<\/strong><\/h3>\nAcross the region, women journalists were worse off, whether due to conflict, or economic crisis. Hard won rights, whether to pursue a profession, move freely and be treated on par with their male colleagues remain a seemingly unattainable pipe dream for many.<\/p>\n
Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban continue to face restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in many press conferences and programs, and the ban on broadcasting women’s voices on radios in several southern provinces. Their freedom is curbed by the requirement to have a male guardian.<\/p>\n
In fact, women journalists have all but disappeared from the south and southeast of Afghanistan, in Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Uruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Logar.<\/p>\n
Women in newsrooms in Nepal too continued to face challenges. A conference on embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) organised by Nepal Investigative Multimedia Journalism Network (NIMJN) in November 2023, highlighted the lack of interest in DEI among senior level media decision-makers. From a lack of basic facilities lie washrooms and arrangements for sanitary hygiene, women journalists still face discrimination in assigning beats based on gender, caste and ethnicity. The gender pay gap is still an unfortunate reality.<\/p>\n
Gender-based layoffs were seen in Sri Lanka, where the pandemic and the financial crisis severely impacted women\u2019s employment in the media sector. Media organisations tended to lay off women while retaining men, thus further skewing the balance of female employment in the media. <\/span><\/p>\nThe prevailing culture of impunity in the Maldives is also reflected in abuse faced by women journalists. Perpetrators in two prominent cases of sexual harassment in 2020, have not faced any charges. More than a quarter of women journalists, a third of the staff in mainstream media outlets have experienced sexual harassment, according to a report on gender equality in the media published by the MJA. Online abuse is rampant, with prominent women journalists being threatened with sexual assault and murder by anonymous social media users. Others have been intimidated by trolls demanding they censor their views online.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s women journalists faced similar harassment both online and offline. They are in a minority, and their voices unheard. A mapping published in December 2023 by the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WFMP), supported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the National Press Club (NPC) found that despite women comprising around 5-30 per cent of media workforces in mapped areas, their representation in decision-making roles is less than 10 per cent or none at all. They are also grossly under-represented in unions and press clubs, the mapping found.<\/p>\n
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Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban face continue to restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in press conferences and programs.<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Police officers stand guard in front of news vans parked outside a special court hearing of jailed former Pakistani Foreign Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on August 21, 2023. Government instability and restrictions on PTI were a leading cause of unrest across Pakistan, with nation-wide, violent protests seen in the wake of former Prime Minister Imran Khan\u2019s arrest in May. Credit: Farooq Naeem \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Controlling the digital space<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe landscape of online media in Afghanistan is complex and fraught with challenges. While some digital platforms continued to function with the support of the Taliban, those critical of the regime faced censorship and license revocation. Prominent online news websites like Roznama-e-Hasht Sobh and Ettela’at-e-Rooz had their licenses revoked. On the other hand, several YouTube channels which operate within the framework of the Islamic government, enjoy relatively more freedom.<\/p>\n
In Nepal, Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 is now a tool to arrest and threaten digital journalists. Even social media platforms operating in Nepal are under the scanner and were required to set up their offices in the country, for greater government oversight. The government released a 15-point social media directive on the Operation of Social Networking 2023 in November 2023, based on the Electronics Transaction Act (ETA). This directive has been viewed as problematic because of its potential for misuse against journalists.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony. Other legislative measures such as the Media Council Bill, National Mass Communications Bill, Information Technology Bill, and Social Media Regulation and Management Bill and the Public Service Broadcasting Bill brought to unify state-owned media Radio Nepal and Nepal Television and transform into a public service broadcaster all continue to be under discussion.<\/p>\n
Digital news media in India faced immense challenges even as they remained the few critical voices. Besides control through criminalising online content, raids and arrests were the modus operandi. In October 2023, the Delhi police raided the office and home of the founder of web news portal NewsClick and arrested the founder editor Prabir Purkayastha and his physically challenged administrative officer under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a draconian anti-terror law under which it is extremely difficult to get bail.<\/p>\n
In addition to raids and \u2018searches\u2019, some journalists in India found that their devices were illegally installed with spyware. In June 2023, a new investigation by Amnesty International and the Washington Post found that the Indian government had used the invasive Pegasus spyware to target the i-phones of high-profile journalists. Among them were founder editor of the Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan and Anand Mangnale, South Asia editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.<\/p>\n
Digital platforms, increasingly emerging as important players in the news eco system in the Maldives are predominantly based in the capital Mal\u00e9, home to 40 per cent of the population. Some news websites operate out of a few of the more populous islands in the north and south, often the main source of news, aside from a few television stations. Only one newspaper, Mihaaru, releases a daily print edition.<\/p>\n
Over in Pakistan too, dynamic digital news media start-ups have made their mark. Focussed on public interest and community reporting, the connect with audiences is high. The coming together of these outlets in the 26-member Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP), represents a consolidation of the digital news media business and a healthy challenge for Pakistan\u2019s legacy media. The emergence of digital platforms has been accompanied by an increased attempt at control. In July 2023, the federal cabinet approved two problematic pieces of legislation \u2013 the E-Safety Bill and the Personal Data Protection Bill which promise to heighten surveillance.<\/p>\n
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Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Newly elected Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu speaks during his inauguration ceremony in Mal\u00e9 on November 17, 2023. Muizzu gained power following a hotly contested election between himself and his predecessor, Mohammed Solih, with the extent of his perceived pro-China stance to be seen through his coming term. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Silencing and self-censorship<\/strong><\/h3>\nBesides external control and intimidation, self-censorship was practiced across the region. In Bhutan, a survey by the Bhutan Media Foundation found that an astounding 84 per cent of journalists practice self-censorship. Interestingly, male journalists are one and a half times more likely to practice self-censorship compared to their female counterparts. A “small society syndrome,” \u2013 a well-knit society where everybody knows everyone else \u2013 and the fear of backlash are the two major reasons behind the practice.<\/p>\n
In India, fear of reprisal has prompted many media houses to carefully skirt news that is likely to annoy the government and corporate media owners. This has resulted in a dumbing down of critique and avoidance of stories that could rock the boat. Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.<\/p>\n
Censorship has always been a convenient tool in the hands of governments. In 2023, soon after the new government in Maldives was sworn in, three anti-government websites with allegedly incendiary content were blocked, amidst loud opposition. The MJA and the Editor Guild\u2019s stressed that the existing legal framework does not allow unilateral action by the government, which was advised to seek remedies through the self-regulatory mechanism of the Maldives Media Council (MMC).<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, unsubstantiated complaints of alleged blasphemy online, often puts citizens and sometimes journalists in serious trouble. Journalists practice a significant degree of self-censorship on topics concerning law and religion, to avoid attracting blasphemy allegations. This atmosphere of intimidation has eroded the quality and quantity of independent reporting on sensitive issues.<\/p>\n
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Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n.jpg” title_text=”393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Illegally terminated workers, supporters, and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) demonstrate outside the offices of the Kantipur Media Group in Kathmandu in October, 2023. After months of protests, the FNJ secured voluntary retirement packages for affected members, with some journalists continuing protest action, in a demonstration of union power amid Nepali media\u2019s economic woes. Credit: FNJ<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Credibility and trust in media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\u201cDisinformation that has been \u2018scaled up and weaponised\u2019 on social networking platforms presents a major challenge and threat to democracy and media credibility,\u201d said N. Ram, director of The Hindu<\/em>, one of India\u2019s leading dailies. Speaking at fifth World Media Summit held in Guangzhou, China, in December 2023, he said Artificial Intelligence (AI) and disinformation were \u201ctwo key areas in which major and potentially disruptive challenges could become opportunities for the media to do well, empower themselves in new ways, and pursue a path of sustained development.\u201d\u00a0Misinformation, inaccurate information, disinformation, or deliberately misleading and biased information or \u2018fake news\u2019 and the entry of AI in newsrooms and on social media, have made the credibility question more complex.<\/p>\nTrust in media was a concern across the region. IFJ and MJA\u2019s \u2018Unveiling Public Trust in the Maldivian Media\u2019 report, 2023, found that 87 per cent of respondents held the media accountable for political divisions in the Maldives with television and internet news websites perceived to have the highest levels of sensational or biased coverage, depending on their ownership. Given the lack of fact-checking mechanisms, the high degree of misinformation and disinformation on social media in the run up to the presidential elections in September 2023 went virtually unchecked.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, despite the highly polarised mainstream media in India, trust in the media is high, as per data released by the Reuters Institute\u2019s Trust in News Project (2023). Of the four countries surveyed (the US, UK and Brazil were the others), the Indian public at 65.6 per cent had the highest trust in the media. Significantly, a caste element surfaced, with marginalised \u2018Other Backward Classes\u2019 three percentage points lower and the former untouchables the \u2018Scheduled Castes\u2019 and indigenous Scheduled Tribes each “more than ten percentage points less trusting”, pointing to the upper-caste and class bias in mainstream media.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, social media was believed to be most responsible for spreading fake news, as per a study by Freedom Network and the Coalition Against Disinformation released in early 2024. Exposure to increased online disinformation poses a threat to Pakistan\u2019s democratic structure and processes, felt the respondents.<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology. Myths and propaganda about religion or ethnic minorities, incendiary videos and memes built up a climate of impunity that normalised discrimination and violence.<\/p>\n
Misinformation and disinformation trends in Sri Lanka were strongly linked to the island\u2019s political economy, along with myths related to ethnic identity and religion \u2013 the staples of disinformation campaigns. In the ongoing financial crisis, much of the misinformation was targeted at economic policies including tax controversies such as misrepresentation of common levies drew panic responses. Hoaxes about the economic collapse drove companies to pull out of the island and distorted statistics on food security proliferated.<\/p>\n
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In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240108__349M3UU__v1__Preview__BangladeshPoliticsElection.jpg” title_text=”BANGLADESH-POLITICS-ELECTION” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A man reads a newspaper highlighting the election of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League party following Bangladesh\u2019s parliamentary elections in Dhaka on January 7, 2024. Hasina\u2019s consolidation of power has seen challenges to democratic rights, civil liberties, and press freedom. Credit: Indranil Mukherjee \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Positive steps
<\/strong><\/h3>\nYet, all was not bleak in the year under review, as journalists, their unions and media support organisations collaborated to improve media rights in extremely challenging circumstances.<\/p>\n
In Afghanistan, strengthening the Media Ethics Commission under the Ministry of Information and Culture and establishing coordination committees between journalists and local officials in the provinces was a step towards professionalism. Support from UNESCO’s office in Afghanistan enabled upskilling and training, empowering Afghan journalists and media outlets to produce quality content. Even as the situation in Afghanistan no longer occupies centre stage in world affairs, the challenges faced by the media industry in Afghanistan call for attention from the international community and support to uphold press freedom and independent journalism in the country. The situation of Afghan journalists in exile continues to be of concern, with many of them hanging in a no-visa limbo, with no jobs, while others have been forced to return home.<\/p>\n
The vigorous protests against the unjust dismissal of 82 media workers in Nepal by the Kantipur Media Group, the country\u2019s leading private media company, showed that union power can be a strong unifying force. The agreement between the Kantipur Media Group and the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in December 2023 led to some relief for the striking workers. However, protest actions continue to ensure implementation of the agreement.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of 2023, Maldivian journalists and workers welcomed the enactment of a much-awaited industrial relations bill drafted with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization. Ratified in January 2024, the new law guarantees the right of workers in the Maldives to take industrial action and form trade unions and introduced mechanisms for collective bargaining and dispute resolutions between workers and employers. An accompanying occupational safety and health law seeks to reduce workplace hazards and redress complaints and provide compensation for workplace injury. The MJA called it a \u201cmomentous union win\u201d achieved after \u201ca very long-standing strategic execution of plans led by workers and unions”.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, the landmark Sindh Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021, an outcome of a collaborative campaign and advocacy, inched toward its practical implementation. The Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition worked to mobilise the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners (CJMP) notified under the new Act. Further steps were taken in June 2023, when the federal government allocated PKR 1 billion (about USD 5,5 million) to insure journalists against health emergencies. In October 2023, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government promised<\/a><\/span> to amend endowment rules and increase financial assistance for the province\u2019s media workers facing financial emergencies or those rendered jobless.<\/p>\nThe Pakistani government\u2019s demand in October 2023 that Afghan refugees \u2013 including 200 journalists \u2013 return to Afghanistan, giving a one-month deadline before forced deportations, saw several solidarity actions. In June 2023, IFJ urged<\/a><\/span> state-sponsored humanitarian assistance for Afghan journalists in Pakistan, while Freedom Network launched<\/a><\/span> the \u2018Advocacy Hub for Afghan Journalists\u2019 <\/em>project in December 2023 to provide financial and legal assistance to over 100 exiled Afghan journalists to help them survive and also continue to report. This is a welcome move particularly for Afghan women journalists in exile in Pakistan, struggling with unemployment, visa issues, out-of-school children, and the threat of imminent deportation.<\/p>\nIn December 2023, the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WMFP) launched<\/a><\/span> a campaign titled \u2018Pakistan\u2019s Media Needs Women\u2019 <\/em>to advocate gender inclusivity in the media industry and in press clubs. In January 2024, key media stakeholders reiterated<\/a><\/span> their support to WMFP\u2019s campaign, pledging to proactively tackle underlying issues such as inclusivity, equal representation, and fair wages. Alongside, the National Press Club announced a \u2018Women Journalists’ Caucus’ and set up a working committee to strategise the initiative aimed at improving competence of women journalists.<\/p>\nA pushback from various stakeholders in Pakistan saw the passing of the Official Secrets (Amendment) Act, 2023, after an uproar in parliament forced the government to withdraw a controversial clause, which would have allowed intelligence agencies to conduct search and seizures \u2013 including of journalists \u2013 without warrant.<\/p>\n
The period in review also saw initiatives to unionise digital journalists with the support of the IFJ. A strategy paper for the establishment of a labour union for digital journalists was used to conduct a series of consultations in Pakistan, awareness campaigns, networking, online engagement, and advocacy with over 50 digital journalists based in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. The campaign culminated in an application for registration of a trade union for digital journalists with the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).<\/p>\n
Journalism at its finest was on display in India, amidst the heat of a landmark general election in April-May 2024, where incumbent Prime Minister Modi bids for his third term. In a significant judgement on February 15, 2024, the Supreme Court of India struck down the validity of electoral bonds, a mode of funding political parties introduced in 2017 by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. While the mainstream media lagged, it was feisty independent digital media that sifted through huge amounts of data to make connections between who had donated, how much and to which party. Independent news media websites – Newslaundry, The News Minute and Scroll \u2013 with several independent reporters, collaborated to investigate and break stories that revealed a sordid corporate-political combination of patronage and plain extortion. \u201cProject Electoral Bond\u201d as this collaborative exercise was termed, demonstrates that public interest investigative journalism is thriving, despite an atmosphere hostile to independent media.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Click here to download pdf of Overview and Special Reports<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Feature Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″ module_alignment=”center” min_height=”238px” height=”331px” max_height=”486px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|-3px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” top_divider_style=”arrow2″ top_divider_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ admin_label=”Stats” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”77.3%” custom_padding=”115px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Media Rights Violations” number=”232″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#999999″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Jailed or Detained” number=”87″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#E09900″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Killings” number=”8″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#FF0000″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYOverview Imperilled Democracy The world over, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n
[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" fullwidth=\"on\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_fullwidth_slider admin_label=\"Fullwidth Slider\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"50px\" header_letter_spacing=\"7px\" background_image=\"http:\/\/x7t.a3b.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_position=\"center\" module_alignment=\"center\" min_height=\"590px\" animation_style=\"fade\" auto=\"on\"][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_93J7LL-Dissolution-of-parliament-Nepal-protest-Prakash-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_92U7LM-Mock-funeral-for-sexual-assaults-PRAKASH-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_94J2MF-Tashnuva-Anan-Shishir-Bangladesh-transgender-news-host-Munir-Uz-zaman-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BANG_000_93Z8WT-Bangladesh-protest-Mushtaq-Ahmed-Munir-death-in-custody-UZ-ZAMAN-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Maldives\/A-Covid-19-press-briefing-by-President-Solih-on-June-23-Credit-President_s-Office-2-scaled.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AFG000_94J2MK-International-womens-day-Afghanistan-WAKIL-KOHSAR-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/LAW_000_8Z94D9-Afghan-President-Ashraf-Ghani-arrives-in-Herat-January-2021-HOSHANG-HASHIMI-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"1286.7px\" custom_margin=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\"][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" min_height=\"131px\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"57px|||||\" border_style_all=\"none\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" min_height=\"65px\" border_width_bottom=\"5px\" border_style_bottom=\"solid\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Overview<\/strong><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_4\" admin_label=\"quote\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" animation_style=\"fade\"][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"3px|||||\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" width=\"97.3%\" min_height=\"1217px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]<\/h1>\r\nPandemic, the Press and the New Digital Order<\/h3>\r\n
As the second wave of the Covid pandemic surged across South Asia in early 2021, journalists found themselves in the thick of the storm, without a safety net and scant institutional support. Battling not only the deadly virus, they mounted stiff resistance to states trying to control the narrative and plaster over the horrific reality. Journalists breaking stories of rising deaths, collapsing health systems and unpreparedness and mismanagement at the highest levels of government were silenced, hounded, arrested and penalised.<\/p>\r\n
Even as journalists also mourned the loss of their colleagues and family members, they continued to work in the most challenging circumstances to publicise the truth. They reported from the frontlines without adequate protective equipment, exposing themselves to infection to tell stories of the suffering in hospitals, in graveyards and crematoria. Many fell ill, many others continue to suffer from the long-term impacts of the Covid syndrome. Hundreds of others succumbed, unsung heroic storytellers of the apocalypse that engulfed them.<\/p>\r\n
To many others continued to tell one of the biggest stories of our times, while also enduring salary cuts and delays in wage payments, denial of protective personal equipment, medical insurance or reimbursement of massive medical bills to treat Covid contracted in the line of duty. Huge numbers of media workers were also rendered jobless or forced to resign in the wake of economic impacts of Covid-19. reeling under arrests and cases of sedition and terror, unrelenting trolling and abuse online, they wrote on. Some wrote on, even without a job or payment.<\/p>\r\n
Charges of \u201canti-national\u201d, \u201cagainst national security\u201d were widely used to curb dissent through archaic laws of sedition and colonial era laws of epidemic control. With courts admitting petitions challenging the constitutionality of some of these laws, there is reason to hope for change.<\/p>\r\n
The raging pandemic, accompanying lockdowns and economic crises were only piled on to existing barriers that the region\u2019s journalists already faced. Physical attacks and intimidation, lack of access to information, control and censorship; sharpened ethnic and religious cleavages; legal repercussions for their stories and an overall precarity of the media. Impunity for crimes against journalists continued, despite small gains. Yet, journalists bore witness and told the stories that needed to be told, with professional integrity, compassion and deep humanity.<\/p>\r\n
Regional trends<\/h3>\r\nTightening regulation and digital controls<\/h4>\r\n
Controlling the flow of information seemed to be an overriding preoccupation of governments across the region. From reigning in the burgeoning independent digital media and clamping down on critical voices on social media, governments and social media platforms fell short of upholding freedom of expression at a critical juncture.<\/p>\r\n
At a time when the free flow of information was literally a matter of life and death, governments intolerant of critical questions, tended to use the pandemic as a pretext to curb information, and any opinion that was deemed \u201canti-government\u201d. Social media presented a particular anxiety for governments trying to curb dissent, and unfortunately, social media giants did not adequately protect citizen\u2019s right to free speech, instead complying with unreasonable takedown notices from governments.<\/p>\r\n
Pakistan<\/strong> suffered under the harshest clampdown on dissent by any government. Media rights and freedom of expression took a severe beating, with the government seemingly leaping at the opportunity to deprive the media of both freedom and funds, driving an already beleaguered media industry into deeper crisis.\u00a0 The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) which criminalises free speech and gives overarching powers to law enforcement authorities, was overused in Pakistan to clamp down on free speech. The media, political opponents, activists and members of the public found the boundaries of free speech indiscriminately scrunched in violation of constitutional guarantees.<\/p>\r\nArbitrary blocking of independent websites, internet and communication shutdowns were regularly deployed to censor the media. This inevitably led to the proliferation of misinformation \u2013 which Pakistan could ill-afford in the midst of not only the pandemic, but civil strife and political upheaval.\u00a0 Cutting off connectivity in politically sensitive areas in an attempt to censor news had other adverse effects during the lockdown, mainly on health and education.<\/p>\r\n
In Bangladesh<\/strong>, it took the tragic custodial death in February 2021, of writer Mushtaq Ahmed incarcerated for ten months and repeatedly denied bail, to once more shine the spotlight on the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) which has been widely used against journalists, bloggers and citizens to penalise free speech and critical opinion. The lone Cyber Crimes Tribunal, reeling under a staggering pending case load can barely manage due process in hearing cases, leave aside render justice.<\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, besides the time-honoured tactic of internet shutdowns to cut communications, the newly promulgated Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 gave the government the power to censor, order takedowns and block content without any recourse to appeal. Independent digital platforms termed the rules not just unconstitutional, but a blow to democracy itself, and have challenged this attempt at over-regulation in the highest court in the country. In addition to its attempt to control independent digital media, fast emerging as major players in the media landscape, the Indian government came down strongly on social media expression deemed to be critical of the government\u2019s handling of the pandemic. In the same vein, the new media Policy in Jammu and Kashmir (downgraded from state to centrally administered union territory in April 2019), issued in June 2020, was immediately viewed with disquiet by journalists, given that it empowers government officers to take action on \u201cfake news\u201d or \u201canti-national content\u201d.<\/p>\r\nAllegations of misinformation and rumour mongering were thrown at journalists and even citizens exposing the horrific ground reality of acute shortage of medical supplies, oxygen, overflowing hospitals and crematoria. Significantly, while content critical of the government was taken down, virulent hate speech against minorities and misogynist speech online thrived in India. Social media platforms Twitter and Facebook too succumbed to takedown requests by the government, failing to stand up for free speech.<\/p>\r\n
Across the region, governments displayed a remarkable disrespect towards the media, and took steps to increase regulation. In Nepal<\/strong>, the government moved ahead with tougher bills and regulations such as the Media Council Bill, the Public Service Broadcasting Bill, the Information Technology Bill, and the Special Service Bill \u2013 all of which have clauses that could undermine press freedom. The clampdown on social media has been proposed on pretexts of the \u201ccountry\u2019s sovereignty, security, unity or harmony\u201d. The Media Council Bill could erode the autonomy of the media, with government-appointed regulators, a provision that has been vehemently opposed by media rights organisations.<\/p>\r\nThe international norm of self-regulation by media was also violated in Sri Lanka<\/strong>, where in January 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers proposed to amend the Press Council Law to include electronic and new media and approved a proposal to \u2018structurally reform and reorganise\u2019 the Press Council to cover electronic and new media. The move was criticised by the Professional Web Journalists' Association which argued that the electronic and new media should be not controlled, but self-regulated with a stringent code of ethics developed by the media community itself.<\/p>\r\nLivelihood in peril<\/h4>\r\n
The pandemic year was also witness to dramatic loss of jobs in the media, across the region. Over 8,000 of Pakistan\u2019s<\/strong> estimated 20,000 journalists <\/span>lost their jobs in 2020<\/a> alone, and rural and district staff were more likely to be retrenched.<\/span><\/p>\r\nJournalists, mainly through the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), remained up in arms for most of the year and in early 2021 launched an \u201cenough is enough\u201d campaign across the country to protest job losses, pay cuts, censorship and rising intimidation. The media industry found new external supporters, including the legal community and civil society in institutional and organised partnerships with PFUJ to jointly resist the rising attacks on media freedoms, journalists\u2019 rights and public interest journalism in Pakistan.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, which saw a series of retrenchments from March 2020 onwards, there are no clear numbers of the job losses or salary cuts. <\/span>Estimates<\/a> put the figures in the thousands. Besides layoffs, salary cuts and delays in payments, media houses also threatened to sack staff if they wanted to work from home. The obstinacy of many managements led to staff in some media houses getting infected with the coronavirus en masse. Journalists from the regional press were harder hit, with fewer paying options than their English media counterparts. <\/span><\/p>\r\n\u00a0<\/span>The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) took up more than 500 complaints relating to job loss and non-payment of salary in Nepal<\/strong>. A survey conducted by the <\/span>FNJ in September 2020, revealed the desperate state of Nepal\u2019s journalists: the earning of 40 percent of journalists was affected by the pandemic and the nationwide lockdowns and women journalists were more severely impacted. Several media houses in Kathmandu suspended publications, cut down broadcast hours and decreased the size of the newspapers. The revenue of 75 percent of the once vibrant radio sector decreased due to the pandemic.<\/p>\r\nThe story was no different in Bangladesh<\/strong> where an estimated 1,250 journalists lost their jobs and several thousand faced salary cuts or irregular payments. While media owners blamed the pandemic for the drop in revenue and resultant salary cuts, trade unionists say that irregular payments were a norm of a section of media houses which then grasped at the pandemic as a justification to deny journalists their rights.<\/p>\r\nThe pandemic crisis however, only added to existing pressures that journalists across the region face. A major threat being the increasing polarisation on communal lines.<\/span><\/p>\r\nRising Extremism<\/h4>\r\n
South Asia has ravaged by religious, ethnic and caste divides for decades, but the growing cleavages of the last few years have been unprecedented. With hyper-nationalist parties in power in many countries in the region drawing votes and support from religiously aligned groups, the polity too has been sharply divided. Minorities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been particularly vulnerable, in this context of majoritarian politics. These divisions have inevitably affected the media. While some sections have added to the problem by exacerbating divisions and amplifying hate, others have had to struggle to remain independent.<\/p>\r\n
Existing fault lines were exacerbated by external situations that are likely to impact the whole region. The proposed withdrawal of US-NATO troops from Afghanistan by the coming September is feared to increase the Taliban's influence in Afghanistan<\/strong>, a development that could have a ripple effect in the region in terms of encouraging radicalism. Hard worn democratic and secular gains could be pushed back, with a direct impact on the media and individual journalists. Likewise, growing communalism in India<\/strong>, encouraged by the government in power, has a dangerous spill over effect in the neighbourhood, contributing to more polarisation and the strengthening of extremist groups. The media cannot be immune from attack, even as it attempts to uphold constitutional values, and the rights of women, minorities and the marginalised.<\/p>\r\nReligion in the Maldives<\/strong> is a no-go topic in public discourse, and the fear of being labelled anti-Islam contributes to the journalists practicing self-censorship of forgoing bylines while reporting on extremism in the country. As part of official control, the Communications Authority of Maldives blocks websites with anti-Islamic content upon request by ministries and other agencies. Though social media use is growing, intimidation and deaths threats pose the greatest challenge for free expression online. The yet unsolved murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rashid known for their vocal criticism of religious fundamentalism are grim reminders of the risks of speaking out for religious freedom or minority rights. In its World Report 2021, Human Rights Watch accused the government of failing to confront the influence of hard-line Islamist groups. \u201cOnline intimidation of human rights groups continued to have a chilling effect on civil society in 2020,\u201d and reiterated calls to tackle hate speech and violence online.<\/p>\r\nThe state response to tackling religious extremism however, often has serious implications for freedom of expression and civil rights. In Sri<\/strong> Lanka<\/strong>, the Prevention of Terrorism (De-radicalisation from Holding Violent Extremist Religious Ideology) Regulations were issued in march 2021, expanding on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Powers given to authorities to detain and \u2018rehabilitate\u2019 anyone who \u2018by words either spoken or intended to be read or by signs or by visible representations\u2019 causes the commission of violence or \u2018religious, racial or communal disharmony or feelings of ill will or hostility between different communities or racial or religious groups\u2019 is prone to misuse, fear activists. The spate of arrests in cases of hate speech, mostly of Tamil and Muslim minorities further reinforces this apprehension of selective use of power by law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\r\nWomen journalists in the firing line<\/h4>\r\n
The rampant vitriol and violence online were particularly targeted at women journalists in the region. Pakistani<\/strong> women journalists had a rough year, facing unrelenting abuse by organised troll armies, many backed by members of the ruling party, prompting them to release a petition taking the government to account. Similar was the case across the border in India<\/strong>, where online abuse took a heavy toll in an already stressful year of the pandemic. Sexist abuse, misogyny and spillover of online to offline stalking and violence became the price that women journalists paid for speaking out.<\/span><\/p>\r\nThe marginalised existence of women journalists in South Asia\u2019s media community is itself one of the factors contributing to precarity. A report released in early 2020 by the South Asia Women\u2019s Network, showed that women accounted for only 29 per cent of staff in Maldives<\/strong> media organisations. Only five per cent leadership roles were occupied by women. Paradoxically, the enrolment of women in journalism courses in the Maldives was higher than men at 3:1. This data begs the question: where do these professional women vanish? The answer probably lies in another finding of the study: women face immense discrimination, harassment and bullying at the workplace.<\/p>\r\nNepali<\/strong> women journalists too faced character assassination, body shaming, speculation about sexual links with prominent men, with women journalists from marginalised communities such as Madhesi and Dalit are more intensive attack. Women journalists fought back, and refused to be silenced, speedily blocking abusers, reporting them and also using aliases to move forward and express themselves online.<\/p>\r\nPatchy access to information<\/h4>\r\n
Almost all countries in South Asia sought to tighten controls over access to information, denying journalists a basic tool for accurate reporting. In Afghanistan<\/strong>, despite an Access to Information Law passed in 2014 and amended in 2018, there are barriers to information access. The setting up of an independent Information Access Commission with 65 government-level departments to assist in the transfer of information from government offices to the media, is potentially a step towards easing access. However, implementation remains a question, given other moves that restrict access, for example the 2020 restrictions authorising only governors to share information with the media, thus creating huge bottlenecks. Moreover, with the imminent withdrawal of the US-NATO troops in the coming year, the barriers to accessing information regarding the opaque agencies of security, justice and peace will undoubtedly impact credible reporting at this crucial juncture.<\/p>\r\nIn Bhutan<\/strong>, access to information is still wrapped up in red-tape and complicated bureaucratic procedure in a hierarchical set up, necessitating permissions to record videos or take a photo. Besides media persons, researchers and scholars in Bhutan are also coming up against the same obstacles. Free speech and expression as well as pursuit of research are thus impeded by official barriers.<\/p>\r\nDespite the passage of the Right to Information Act in the Maldives<\/strong> six years ago, a culture of secrecy persists and journalists are hard put to access information from certain state agencies. A survey by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives released in December 2020 showed that a majority of people were dissatisfied with access to official information and only 36 percent found the right to information law to have been helpful.<\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, the repercussions of the 2019 amendments to the once robust Right to Information Act could be seen during the pandemic when access to information was vital \u2013 access to data on funds, vaccine roll out and health infrastructure was repeatedly blocked by official agencies and the Central Information Commission did little to enable the flow of critical information.<\/p>\r\nLikewise, Sri Lanka<\/strong> too witnessed the dilution of its Right to Information Commission, which could affect its independent functioning.<\/p>\r\nWelcome pushback<\/h4>\r\n
\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Despite the relentless battles on several fronts, while struggling to stay afloat, South Asian journalists valiantly put up a resistance to the onslaught on media rights in all countries of the region. Challenges in court, mobilising and collective action despite the restrictions in mobility and the overwhelming public health crisis, were evidence of a spirited defiance.<\/p>\r\nThe attempt to control the digital space by governments in several countries in the region was met with a heartening push back. In Pakistan,<\/strong> independent online journalism platforms together formed the Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP<\/a>) to challenge and resist the state\u2019s increasing authoritarianism on national dialogues initiated by grassroots communities. DigiMAP represents the emerging bold new ecosystem of independent media start-ups that have taken it upon themselves to champion the cause of public interest journalism that the legacy media has been forced to surrender before an increasingly hostile state. DigiMAP also put out a strong statement<\/a> against the new digital regulations.<\/p>\r\nDespite the burgeoning digital media in India<\/strong> and its vital role in promoting independent journalism, there was until now no single body representing the digital news media. Eleven digital media organisations came together in October 2020 to launch the DIGIPUB News India Foundation \u201cto represent, amplify and evolve best practices to build a robust digital news ecology that is truly world-class, independent and upholds the highest standards of journalism,\u201d One of its first actions was to challenge the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 in court, as an infringement of freedom of expression.<\/p>\r\n
[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=”ARTIFICIAL INDEPENDENCE” use_bg_overlay=”on” bg_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.24)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”58px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” body_font_size=”30px” background_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_color=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Bangladesh-1-scaled.jpg” background_enable_image=”on” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_transition=”on”]<\/p>\n
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”554.9px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”131px” custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”57px|||||” border_style_all=”none” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” min_height=”65px” border_width_bottom=”5px” border_style_bottom=”solid” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Overview<\/strong><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nImperilled Democracy<\/h3>\n
The world over, the year 2023-2024 witnessed democracy in action, with the ballot of more than two billion people in about 50 countries making momentous choices. The world\u2019s most populous region \u2013 South Asia \u2013 saw citizens in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka either vote, or gear up to elect governments.<\/p>\n
Bhutan, though a newcomer to democracy, nevertheless had a peaceful transfer of power, with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay highlighting the watchdog role of the media in pressing for accountability and adherence to democratic principles.<\/p>\n
In the rest of the South Asian neighbourhood, however, democracy seemed precarious, with physical violence and bomb blasts marking polling in both Bangladesh and Pakistan and misinformation, deep political, religious and ethnic divides accompanied by sharply polarised media coverage of the election campaigns in India and Sri Lanka. In the Maldives, though the closely contested presidential elections in 2023 saw both the government-owned and private media being partisan and favouring the government, the defeat of the incumbent President Solih showed that the polling process was relatively fair.<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review. Controlling the airwaves, curbing access to information, taming and pressurising the media and crushing dissent was the modus operandi of the autocrats and their corporate cronies.<\/p>\n
In South Asia, home to one in five of the world\u2019s people and with common histories of colonialism, heterogenous communities and deep inequalities, the media endeavoured to speak truth to power, particularly at critical election junctures. Yet, the year under review saw the erosion of the expected institutional safeguards for an independent media, due to which the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms remained disappointingly unfulfilled in the region. <\/span><\/p>\nThe future of media in this context remains more critical than ever. <\/span>With legacy media across the region still alarmingly over-dependent on government or corporate revenue, independent voices continue to move over to digital platforms to challenge the establishment through professional journalism. In a digital eco-system bursting with YouTubers and content producers on Tik Tok, carving out a space amidst paid influencers and channels that fall as rapidly as they rise, has not been easy. Despite financial difficulties, stringent government surveillance and harassment, some tenacious journalists strive to keep professionalism alive, either solo or in small media ventures. The courage of these small organisations has attracted the wrath of the government, leading to renewed attempts to strengthen regulation and control over the media.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”zoom” scroll_fade_enable=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A voter shows an ink mark on their finger after casting a ballot during general elections in Thimphu on January 9, 2024. Despite only adopting a democratic constitution in 2008, Bhutan\u2019s National Assembly elections saw a peaceful transfer of power, with the media serving as an important watchdog through the process. Credit: Money Sharma \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nInexorable slide<\/h3>\n
Ongoing crises in the region \u2013 both economic and political \u2013 continued to have a devastating impact on the media\u2019s influence and sustainability in the past year.<\/p>\n
In Sri Lanka<\/strong>, the impact of the \u2018Aragalaya\u2019 or grassroots movement was still causing waves. The ongoing financial crisis continued and inflation was at an all-time high, forefronting the nation\u2019s struggle to survive. This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/p>\nThe backslide that began in Afghanistan<\/strong> after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021 continued to drive the country\u2019s stability downward. Most of the hard-won freedoms for the media, for women, and human rights have been relegated to history, stalled or slid perilously behind amid a crisis of survival for what remains of the country\u2019s media following a mass exodus of media workers from the country in recent years.<\/p>\nWhen the first elected government in Bhutan<\/strong> came to power in 2008, it inherited a severe economic crisis which was reflected in the state of the media, with newspapers closing and journalists quitting the profession in droves. The latest data from the Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) in 2023 showed continuing falling newspaper circulation over the decade, even though newspapers continue to employ the highest number of journalists (41 per cent). Meanwhile, hundreds of journalists left the profession and the country out of frustration at low wages and poor working conditions.<\/p>\nIn Nepal<\/strong>, the country\u2019s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal formed his third coalition government in a year in March 2024, after months of confabulations. Media workers already reeling under a spate of dismissals and wage struggles, were also subjected to attacks, both on and offline. Press freedom remained severely challenged.<\/p>\nThe fourth presidential multi-party election in the Maldives<\/strong> in 2023, witnessed a peaceful hand over of power, after a hotly-contested run-off that was viewed as a test of the Indian Ocean archipelago\u2019s nascent democracy, as well as its ties with China and traditional benefactor India.<\/span> The country\u2019s young media industry continued to evolve and push back on key industry counterpoints, giving testament to the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution just a decade and a half ago. However, trust in the media was low, with the public holding the media responsible for fuelling political divides and dissensions.<\/p>\nPakistan<\/strong><\/span> went through a chaotic year. The period saw a turnstile of three governments, including a six-month long constitutional limbo between an outgoing parliament and an incoming one, and an election marred by violence. Amid the volatility of the political mire, media freedoms continued to be tested on numerous fronts. Unrest continued to simmer in the tribal districts which remained marginalised and under the influence of tribal jirgas, or traditional \u2018courts\u2019. Likewise, civil unrest in <\/span>Southern Balochistan amidst precarious digital connectivity added to the feeling of alienation from the country\u2019s mainstream.<\/p>\nIn India<\/strong>, a deeply polarised legacy media pushed the discourse onto digital media and social media, with YouTube becoming a major source of news. Independent journalism suffered in the mix of the online mire. Unfiltered, with no editorial oversight, social media has emerged as a contentious, often toxic space that mirrors and exacerbates existing social cleavages of gender, religion, caste and ethnicity. The government of Narendra Modi continued to issue thinly veiled threats, in the guise of \u201cadvisories\u201d warning the media from publishing\/telecasting false content that could potentially disturb communal harmony or public order.<\/p>\nIn Bangladesh<\/strong>, Sheikh Hasina tightened her grip on the reins of power for a fifth term, in a sham election boycotted by the opposition. She seems comfortably positioned to consolidate her power unchallenged, without any checks and balances. Democratic rights, civil liberties and press freedom now look poised to slide further down the scale.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A blindfolded activist with rope around his wrists and covered with the logos of different social media platforms is dragged by a separate activist wearing a mask of President Ranil Wickremesinghe while protesting the Online Safety Act in Colombo on January 24, 2024. The law has been criticised for its potential to restrict expression online, with some identifying its targeting of protests in the vein of the 2022 Aragalaya. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nAttacking the messenger<\/h3>\n
Journalists across the region were subjected to physical assaults, abduction, arbitrary detentions, and some even paid the ultimate price for their work with eight journalists killed.<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, ten journalists died an \u201cunnatural death\u201d, with two being registered as murders, with three suspected murders being listed as road accidents.<\/p>\n
Pakistan witnessed the killing of four journalists \u2013 two in Punjab and two in Sindh, which was dubbed one of the most dangerous places to practice journalism in the country.<\/p>\n
In India, journalists came under attack from police, vigilantes and armed gangs who objected to their stories. One journalist was killed while on duty. Journalists attempting to report on the violent ethnic conflict that broke out in May 2023 in the northeastern state of Manipur found themselves under attack \u2013 from security forces as well as armed groups from both sides.<\/p>\n
In Nepal, the Federation of Nepali Journalists and Nepal Press Union recorded 45 violations of press freedom from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. Besides physical attacks, discrediting the media and journalists critical of politicians was also rife. Journalists investigating corruption, financial irregularities and administrative malfeasance were targeted, as in the past.<\/p>\n
In the Maldives, the trend of impunity continued, with justice not being served for crimes against journalists. On November 22, 2023, the criminal court dropped terrorism charges against three suspects accused of plotting the murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rasheed. The three men had been arrested in June 2022 after a breakthrough by the presidential commission on deaths and disappearances. The abrupt dismissal of charges over an alleged lack of evidence raised serious questions about the work of investigating authorities over the preceding years.<\/p>\n
Slanderous attacks on journalists, which often lends impunity to physical attacks, were a feature in press conferences in the Maldives. The Maldives Journalists\u2019 Association condemned \u201cattempts to discredit journalists with unfounded and false allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Information blockade<\/strong><\/h3>\nFollowing the backslide in hard won rights in Afghanistan, the country\u2019s Access to Information Law in 2014 (amended in 2018) has become all but defunct. Access has been curbed, with the government censoring the flow of information. Inevitably, it has led to a lack of transparency and accountability, as well as impeded the public\u2019s right to information. Reporting on sensitive issues in the absence of authentic official data has lacked credibility, and women journalists face greater barriers in accessing information, since they are not granted interviews by authorities, nor are they usually invited to press conferences and other media events.<\/p>\n
In Bhutan, which lacks a law to guarantee access to information, the appointment of government-affiliated officials to regulatory bodies like the Bhutan Infocomm and Media Authority (BICMA) is a matter of concern. Bureaucratic stonewalling and lack of transparency adversely impact the public’s right to vital information, according to journalists in Bhutan.<\/p>\n
Access to information was marred by erasure of newspaper archives in Jammu and Kashmir and the Maldives. Since 2021, journalists in Kashmir began to notice that articles critical of the government at the centre had vanished from the online archives of prominent publications. The digital archives prior to 2019, the year in which the centre revoked Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, have been partially or completely deleted in what has been described as the \u201cenforced disappearance\u201d of the media archive on the region.\u00a0While \u201ctechnical glitches\u201d are the official explanation, the attempt to erase the history of dissent is apparent, and the loss of access to this historical record is immeasurable.<\/p>\n
Over in the Maldives, a similar process unfolded with Haveeru, the country\u2019s oldest newspaper, which was forced to shut down in 2016. On March 3, 2024, while an ownership battle was settled by the Supreme Court, the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) noted the loss of the newspaper\u2019s archive that represented \u201ca record of many decades of Maldives’ history\u201d as a major blow for the industry and the public\u2019s right to know.<\/p>\n
Recent developments in Maldives show that good laws alone are not sufficient. The Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2014 was ranked the 22nd strongest RTI law in the world out of 138 countries. But, as per a study by Transparency Maldives and the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office of Maldives (ICOM) in 2023, though the media and members of the public were using the law, not a single state institution was fully compliant in following the law\u2019s dictate and nearly half of state institutions covered by the law did not have a functional website; less than 20 per cent of required information was easily accessible.<\/p>\n
Internet shutdowns continued to be used as a strategy to curb access to information and the right freedom of expression. In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. Purportedly a measure to curb disinformation and the circulation of inflammatory videos and messages on social media, particularly WhatsApp, it has also effectively prevented journalists from verifying information and publishing credible news. <\/span><\/p>\nIn Pakistan too, widespread internet shutdowns and curbs on social media access impacted freedom of expression and access to information during crucial events. <\/span>On February 8, 2024, a nationwide suspension of mobile internet services on election day impeded the right to free speech. In May 2023, a four-day internet blackout was imposed during violent protests following the arrest of Imran Khan.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”19px” custom_margin=”||20px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”749.8px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” min_height=”529px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Indian National Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge (C), along with other members of parliament, addresses the media after taking part in a protest against the suspension of 141 opposition MPs across 26 parties in New Delhi on December 21, 2023. Attacks, harassment, and insecurity have degraded the Indian media\u2019s capacity to challenge threats to democracy. Credit: Sajjad Hussain \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Dire financial straits<\/strong><\/h3>\nClimbing out of the economic pits following the Covid-19 pandemic, the media industry across the region is facing immense challenges.<\/p>\n
In Afghanistan, media organisations are unable to hire new staff or pay decent wages to existing staff. The Taliban’s control over the media and the accompanying prohibitions on various forms of entertainment has devastated advertising revenue. Unable to produce programs that resonate with their audience and attract commercial partnerships, most media organisations remain cash-strapped. According to the Afghan Independent Journalists\u2019 Union (AIJU), prior to 2021, there were 11,900 active media workers in the country, 2,833 of whom were women. However, after the Taliban takeover, only just over 4,700 journalists and media staff are currently active, just 700 of them women.<\/p>\n
The media in Bhutan has survived on the back of government subsidies to newspapers houses. The subsidy being equally divided among all the private media houses regardless of their market share has prevented commensurate gains for the more efficient ones. The attrition rate among professional journalists continues to be high.<\/p>\n
The decrease in the real GDP growth in Nepal, the lowest since 2020 literally drove Nepalis away from the country in search of better prospects. Nearly a million Nepalis, including students, left the country in the past year. For those that remain, the going is tough. Lack of payment and underpayment has plagued journalists from even prominent media houses. More than a hundred media outlets across the seven provinces of Nepal downed their shutters in 2023, and approximately 243 media personnel quit their jobs, as per data from the Freedom Forum. However, the numbers might be higher, in view of a lack of centralised database on job losses.<\/p>\n
In India, many of the media staff who were laid off during and after the Covid-19 pandemic were forced to freelance or take up lesser paying and non-journalistic work. A critical issue is the lack of accurate data on the extent of the crisis, even as media houses continued to retrench their staff. In December 2023, a major media house with cross media ownership laid off 120 employees from its digital division. It was only through word of mouth that staff learned that their name was on \u2018the list\u2019. Not surprisingly, a survey by Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies found that two third of the journalists surveyed were affected by the lack of security in their job. Toxic newsrooms and lack of job security came into focus with the sudden death of well-known journalists while on the job.<\/p>\n
In the Maldives, the media\u2019s dependence on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for advertising revenue, self-censorship and undue influence is a key concern. Lack of regulation, transparency in allocation of advertising revenue has hampered accountability and continues to encourage political influence. Viability of the media independent of advertisement revenue has yet to be established.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, journalists laboured under a cloud of uncertainty and unpredictable layoffs. An IFJ survey led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in 2023 in Sindh, found that only 39 per cent media staff were permanently employed and just 28 per cent had fixed term contracts. Lack of career opportunities, secure employment, uncertain and low wages and lack of benefits was the norm. This situation is common across the country.<\/p>\n
Still steeped in a financial crisis, journalists in Sri Lanka faced further precarity. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) shut down its regional services and introduced a voluntary retirement scheme for the employees. Meanwhile, 149 journalists and media workers were laid off by the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Limited (ANCL). Many private media houses were barely able to pay wages, and introduced austerity measures, even cutting off legitimate allowances.<\/p>\n
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Drawing heavy criticism from home and abroad, the government replaced the Digital Security Act (DSA) with another law, the Cyber Security Act (CSA).<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”25px” custom_margin=”||-1px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|0px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Afghan journalists attend a Taliban Ministry of Higher Education press conference in Kabul on August 21, 2023. Since August 2021, the Taliban has established strict barriers for journalists and media workers, with information funnelled through official channels, news restricted to official announcements, women barred from most press conference and media events. Credit: Wakil Kohsar \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Long road to gender equity<\/strong><\/h3>\nAcross the region, women journalists were worse off, whether due to conflict, or economic crisis. Hard won rights, whether to pursue a profession, move freely and be treated on par with their male colleagues remain a seemingly unattainable pipe dream for many.<\/p>\n
Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban continue to face restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in many press conferences and programs, and the ban on broadcasting women’s voices on radios in several southern provinces. Their freedom is curbed by the requirement to have a male guardian.<\/p>\n
In fact, women journalists have all but disappeared from the south and southeast of Afghanistan, in Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Uruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Logar.<\/p>\n
Women in newsrooms in Nepal too continued to face challenges. A conference on embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) organised by Nepal Investigative Multimedia Journalism Network (NIMJN) in November 2023, highlighted the lack of interest in DEI among senior level media decision-makers. From a lack of basic facilities lie washrooms and arrangements for sanitary hygiene, women journalists still face discrimination in assigning beats based on gender, caste and ethnicity. The gender pay gap is still an unfortunate reality.<\/p>\n
Gender-based layoffs were seen in Sri Lanka, where the pandemic and the financial crisis severely impacted women\u2019s employment in the media sector. Media organisations tended to lay off women while retaining men, thus further skewing the balance of female employment in the media. <\/span><\/p>\nThe prevailing culture of impunity in the Maldives is also reflected in abuse faced by women journalists. Perpetrators in two prominent cases of sexual harassment in 2020, have not faced any charges. More than a quarter of women journalists, a third of the staff in mainstream media outlets have experienced sexual harassment, according to a report on gender equality in the media published by the MJA. Online abuse is rampant, with prominent women journalists being threatened with sexual assault and murder by anonymous social media users. Others have been intimidated by trolls demanding they censor their views online.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s women journalists faced similar harassment both online and offline. They are in a minority, and their voices unheard. A mapping published in December 2023 by the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WFMP), supported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the National Press Club (NPC) found that despite women comprising around 5-30 per cent of media workforces in mapped areas, their representation in decision-making roles is less than 10 per cent or none at all. They are also grossly under-represented in unions and press clubs, the mapping found.<\/p>\n
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Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban face continue to restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in press conferences and programs.<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Police officers stand guard in front of news vans parked outside a special court hearing of jailed former Pakistani Foreign Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on August 21, 2023. Government instability and restrictions on PTI were a leading cause of unrest across Pakistan, with nation-wide, violent protests seen in the wake of former Prime Minister Imran Khan\u2019s arrest in May. Credit: Farooq Naeem \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Controlling the digital space<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe landscape of online media in Afghanistan is complex and fraught with challenges. While some digital platforms continued to function with the support of the Taliban, those critical of the regime faced censorship and license revocation. Prominent online news websites like Roznama-e-Hasht Sobh and Ettela’at-e-Rooz had their licenses revoked. On the other hand, several YouTube channels which operate within the framework of the Islamic government, enjoy relatively more freedom.<\/p>\n
In Nepal, Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 is now a tool to arrest and threaten digital journalists. Even social media platforms operating in Nepal are under the scanner and were required to set up their offices in the country, for greater government oversight. The government released a 15-point social media directive on the Operation of Social Networking 2023 in November 2023, based on the Electronics Transaction Act (ETA). This directive has been viewed as problematic because of its potential for misuse against journalists.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony. Other legislative measures such as the Media Council Bill, National Mass Communications Bill, Information Technology Bill, and Social Media Regulation and Management Bill and the Public Service Broadcasting Bill brought to unify state-owned media Radio Nepal and Nepal Television and transform into a public service broadcaster all continue to be under discussion.<\/p>\n
Digital news media in India faced immense challenges even as they remained the few critical voices. Besides control through criminalising online content, raids and arrests were the modus operandi. In October 2023, the Delhi police raided the office and home of the founder of web news portal NewsClick and arrested the founder editor Prabir Purkayastha and his physically challenged administrative officer under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a draconian anti-terror law under which it is extremely difficult to get bail.<\/p>\n
In addition to raids and \u2018searches\u2019, some journalists in India found that their devices were illegally installed with spyware. In June 2023, a new investigation by Amnesty International and the Washington Post found that the Indian government had used the invasive Pegasus spyware to target the i-phones of high-profile journalists. Among them were founder editor of the Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan and Anand Mangnale, South Asia editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.<\/p>\n
Digital platforms, increasingly emerging as important players in the news eco system in the Maldives are predominantly based in the capital Mal\u00e9, home to 40 per cent of the population. Some news websites operate out of a few of the more populous islands in the north and south, often the main source of news, aside from a few television stations. Only one newspaper, Mihaaru, releases a daily print edition.<\/p>\n
Over in Pakistan too, dynamic digital news media start-ups have made their mark. Focussed on public interest and community reporting, the connect with audiences is high. The coming together of these outlets in the 26-member Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP), represents a consolidation of the digital news media business and a healthy challenge for Pakistan\u2019s legacy media. The emergence of digital platforms has been accompanied by an increased attempt at control. In July 2023, the federal cabinet approved two problematic pieces of legislation \u2013 the E-Safety Bill and the Personal Data Protection Bill which promise to heighten surveillance.<\/p>\n
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Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Newly elected Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu speaks during his inauguration ceremony in Mal\u00e9 on November 17, 2023. Muizzu gained power following a hotly contested election between himself and his predecessor, Mohammed Solih, with the extent of his perceived pro-China stance to be seen through his coming term. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n
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Silencing and self-censorship<\/strong><\/h3>\nBesides external control and intimidation, self-censorship was practiced across the region. In Bhutan, a survey by the Bhutan Media Foundation found that an astounding 84 per cent of journalists practice self-censorship. Interestingly, male journalists are one and a half times more likely to practice self-censorship compared to their female counterparts. A “small society syndrome,” \u2013 a well-knit society where everybody knows everyone else \u2013 and the fear of backlash are the two major reasons behind the practice.<\/p>\n
In India, fear of reprisal has prompted many media houses to carefully skirt news that is likely to annoy the government and corporate media owners. This has resulted in a dumbing down of critique and avoidance of stories that could rock the boat. Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.<\/p>\n
Censorship has always been a convenient tool in the hands of governments. In 2023, soon after the new government in Maldives was sworn in, three anti-government websites with allegedly incendiary content were blocked, amidst loud opposition. The MJA and the Editor Guild\u2019s stressed that the existing legal framework does not allow unilateral action by the government, which was advised to seek remedies through the self-regulatory mechanism of the Maldives Media Council (MMC).<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, unsubstantiated complaints of alleged blasphemy online, often puts citizens and sometimes journalists in serious trouble. Journalists practice a significant degree of self-censorship on topics concerning law and religion, to avoid attracting blasphemy allegations. This atmosphere of intimidation has eroded the quality and quantity of independent reporting on sensitive issues.<\/p>\n
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Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n.jpg” title_text=”393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Illegally terminated workers, supporters, and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) demonstrate outside the offices of the Kantipur Media Group in Kathmandu in October, 2023. After months of protests, the FNJ secured voluntary retirement packages for affected members, with some journalists continuing protest action, in a demonstration of union power amid Nepali media\u2019s economic woes. Credit: FNJ<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Credibility and trust in media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\u201cDisinformation that has been \u2018scaled up and weaponised\u2019 on social networking platforms presents a major challenge and threat to democracy and media credibility,\u201d said N. Ram, director of The Hindu<\/em>, one of India\u2019s leading dailies. Speaking at fifth World Media Summit held in Guangzhou, China, in December 2023, he said Artificial Intelligence (AI) and disinformation were \u201ctwo key areas in which major and potentially disruptive challenges could become opportunities for the media to do well, empower themselves in new ways, and pursue a path of sustained development.\u201d\u00a0Misinformation, inaccurate information, disinformation, or deliberately misleading and biased information or \u2018fake news\u2019 and the entry of AI in newsrooms and on social media, have made the credibility question more complex.<\/p>\nTrust in media was a concern across the region. IFJ and MJA\u2019s \u2018Unveiling Public Trust in the Maldivian Media\u2019 report, 2023, found that 87 per cent of respondents held the media accountable for political divisions in the Maldives with television and internet news websites perceived to have the highest levels of sensational or biased coverage, depending on their ownership. Given the lack of fact-checking mechanisms, the high degree of misinformation and disinformation on social media in the run up to the presidential elections in September 2023 went virtually unchecked.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, despite the highly polarised mainstream media in India, trust in the media is high, as per data released by the Reuters Institute\u2019s Trust in News Project (2023). Of the four countries surveyed (the US, UK and Brazil were the others), the Indian public at 65.6 per cent had the highest trust in the media. Significantly, a caste element surfaced, with marginalised \u2018Other Backward Classes\u2019 three percentage points lower and the former untouchables the \u2018Scheduled Castes\u2019 and indigenous Scheduled Tribes each “more than ten percentage points less trusting”, pointing to the upper-caste and class bias in mainstream media.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, social media was believed to be most responsible for spreading fake news, as per a study by Freedom Network and the Coalition Against Disinformation released in early 2024. Exposure to increased online disinformation poses a threat to Pakistan\u2019s democratic structure and processes, felt the respondents.<\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology. Myths and propaganda about religion or ethnic minorities, incendiary videos and memes built up a climate of impunity that normalised discrimination and violence.<\/p>\n
Misinformation and disinformation trends in Sri Lanka were strongly linked to the island\u2019s political economy, along with myths related to ethnic identity and religion \u2013 the staples of disinformation campaigns. In the ongoing financial crisis, much of the misinformation was targeted at economic policies including tax controversies such as misrepresentation of common levies drew panic responses. Hoaxes about the economic collapse drove companies to pull out of the island and distorted statistics on food security proliferated.<\/p>\n
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In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240108__349M3UU__v1__Preview__BangladeshPoliticsElection.jpg” title_text=”BANGLADESH-POLITICS-ELECTION” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
A man reads a newspaper highlighting the election of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League party following Bangladesh\u2019s parliamentary elections in Dhaka on January 7, 2024. Hasina\u2019s consolidation of power has seen challenges to democratic rights, civil liberties, and press freedom. Credit: Indranil Mukherjee \/ AFP<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”4px||9px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” custom_margin=”1px|||||” custom_padding=”||1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Positive steps
<\/strong><\/h3>\nYet, all was not bleak in the year under review, as journalists, their unions and media support organisations collaborated to improve media rights in extremely challenging circumstances.<\/p>\n
In Afghanistan, strengthening the Media Ethics Commission under the Ministry of Information and Culture and establishing coordination committees between journalists and local officials in the provinces was a step towards professionalism. Support from UNESCO’s office in Afghanistan enabled upskilling and training, empowering Afghan journalists and media outlets to produce quality content. Even as the situation in Afghanistan no longer occupies centre stage in world affairs, the challenges faced by the media industry in Afghanistan call for attention from the international community and support to uphold press freedom and independent journalism in the country. The situation of Afghan journalists in exile continues to be of concern, with many of them hanging in a no-visa limbo, with no jobs, while others have been forced to return home.<\/p>\n
The vigorous protests against the unjust dismissal of 82 media workers in Nepal by the Kantipur Media Group, the country\u2019s leading private media company, showed that union power can be a strong unifying force. The agreement between the Kantipur Media Group and the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in December 2023 led to some relief for the striking workers. However, protest actions continue to ensure implementation of the agreement.<\/p>\n
Towards the end of 2023, Maldivian journalists and workers welcomed the enactment of a much-awaited industrial relations bill drafted with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization. Ratified in January 2024, the new law guarantees the right of workers in the Maldives to take industrial action and form trade unions and introduced mechanisms for collective bargaining and dispute resolutions between workers and employers. An accompanying occupational safety and health law seeks to reduce workplace hazards and redress complaints and provide compensation for workplace injury. The MJA called it a \u201cmomentous union win\u201d achieved after \u201ca very long-standing strategic execution of plans led by workers and unions”.<\/p>\n
In Pakistan, the landmark Sindh Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021, an outcome of a collaborative campaign and advocacy, inched toward its practical implementation. The Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition worked to mobilise the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners (CJMP) notified under the new Act. Further steps were taken in June 2023, when the federal government allocated PKR 1 billion (about USD 5,5 million) to insure journalists against health emergencies. In October 2023, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government promised<\/a><\/span> to amend endowment rules and increase financial assistance for the province\u2019s media workers facing financial emergencies or those rendered jobless.<\/p>\nThe Pakistani government\u2019s demand in October 2023 that Afghan refugees \u2013 including 200 journalists \u2013 return to Afghanistan, giving a one-month deadline before forced deportations, saw several solidarity actions. In June 2023, IFJ urged<\/a><\/span> state-sponsored humanitarian assistance for Afghan journalists in Pakistan, while Freedom Network launched<\/a><\/span> the \u2018Advocacy Hub for Afghan Journalists\u2019 <\/em>project in December 2023 to provide financial and legal assistance to over 100 exiled Afghan journalists to help them survive and also continue to report. This is a welcome move particularly for Afghan women journalists in exile in Pakistan, struggling with unemployment, visa issues, out-of-school children, and the threat of imminent deportation.<\/p>\nIn December 2023, the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WMFP) launched<\/a><\/span> a campaign titled \u2018Pakistan\u2019s Media Needs Women\u2019 <\/em>to advocate gender inclusivity in the media industry and in press clubs. In January 2024, key media stakeholders reiterated<\/a><\/span> their support to WMFP\u2019s campaign, pledging to proactively tackle underlying issues such as inclusivity, equal representation, and fair wages. Alongside, the National Press Club announced a \u2018Women Journalists’ Caucus’ and set up a working committee to strategise the initiative aimed at improving competence of women journalists.<\/p>\nA pushback from various stakeholders in Pakistan saw the passing of the Official Secrets (Amendment) Act, 2023, after an uproar in parliament forced the government to withdraw a controversial clause, which would have allowed intelligence agencies to conduct search and seizures \u2013 including of journalists \u2013 without warrant.<\/p>\n
The period in review also saw initiatives to unionise digital journalists with the support of the IFJ. A strategy paper for the establishment of a labour union for digital journalists was used to conduct a series of consultations in Pakistan, awareness campaigns, networking, online engagement, and advocacy with over 50 digital journalists based in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. The campaign culminated in an application for registration of a trade union for digital journalists with the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).<\/p>\n
Journalism at its finest was on display in India, amidst the heat of a landmark general election in April-May 2024, where incumbent Prime Minister Modi bids for his third term. In a significant judgement on February 15, 2024, the Supreme Court of India struck down the validity of electoral bonds, a mode of funding political parties introduced in 2017 by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. While the mainstream media lagged, it was feisty independent digital media that sifted through huge amounts of data to make connections between who had donated, how much and to which party. Independent news media websites – Newslaundry, The News Minute and Scroll \u2013 with several independent reporters, collaborated to investigate and break stories that revealed a sordid corporate-political combination of patronage and plain extortion. \u201cProject Electoral Bond\u201d as this collaborative exercise was termed, demonstrates that public interest investigative journalism is thriving, despite an atmosphere hostile to independent media.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Click here to download pdf of Overview and Special Reports<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Feature Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″ module_alignment=”center” min_height=”238px” height=”331px” max_height=”486px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|-3px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” top_divider_style=”arrow2″ top_divider_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ admin_label=”Stats” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”77.3%” custom_padding=”115px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Media Rights Violations” number=”232″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#999999″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Jailed or Detained” number=”87″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#E09900″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Killings” number=”8″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#FF0000″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYOverview Imperilled Democracy The world over, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n
[et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" fullwidth=\"on\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_fullwidth_slider admin_label=\"Fullwidth Slider\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"50px\" header_letter_spacing=\"7px\" background_image=\"http:\/\/x7t.a3b.myftpupload.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_position=\"center\" module_alignment=\"center\" min_height=\"590px\" animation_style=\"fade\" auto=\"on\"][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_93J7LL-Dissolution-of-parliament-Nepal-protest-Prakash-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_92U7LM-Mock-funeral-for-sexual-assaults-PRAKASH-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_94J2MF-Tashnuva-Anan-Shishir-Bangladesh-transgender-news-host-Munir-Uz-zaman-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BANG_000_93Z8WT-Bangladesh-protest-Mushtaq-Ahmed-Munir-death-in-custody-UZ-ZAMAN-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Maldives\/A-Covid-19-press-briefing-by-President-Solih-on-June-23-Credit-President_s-Office-2-scaled.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AFG000_94J2MK-International-womens-day-Afghanistan-WAKIL-KOHSAR-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/LAW_000_8Z94D9-Afghan-President-Ashraf-Ghani-arrives-in-Herat-January-2021-HOSHANG-HASHIMI-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"1286.7px\" custom_margin=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\"][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" min_height=\"131px\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"57px|||||\" border_style_all=\"none\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" min_height=\"65px\" border_width_bottom=\"5px\" border_style_bottom=\"solid\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]Overview<\/strong><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_4\" admin_label=\"quote\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" animation_style=\"fade\"][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"3px|||||\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" width=\"97.3%\" min_height=\"1217px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]<\/h1>\r\nPandemic, the Press and the New Digital Order<\/h3>\r\n
As the second wave of the Covid pandemic surged across South Asia in early 2021, journalists found themselves in the thick of the storm, without a safety net and scant institutional support. Battling not only the deadly virus, they mounted stiff resistance to states trying to control the narrative and plaster over the horrific reality. Journalists breaking stories of rising deaths, collapsing health systems and unpreparedness and mismanagement at the highest levels of government were silenced, hounded, arrested and penalised.<\/p>\r\n
Even as journalists also mourned the loss of their colleagues and family members, they continued to work in the most challenging circumstances to publicise the truth. They reported from the frontlines without adequate protective equipment, exposing themselves to infection to tell stories of the suffering in hospitals, in graveyards and crematoria. Many fell ill, many others continue to suffer from the long-term impacts of the Covid syndrome. Hundreds of others succumbed, unsung heroic storytellers of the apocalypse that engulfed them.<\/p>\r\n
To many others continued to tell one of the biggest stories of our times, while also enduring salary cuts and delays in wage payments, denial of protective personal equipment, medical insurance or reimbursement of massive medical bills to treat Covid contracted in the line of duty. Huge numbers of media workers were also rendered jobless or forced to resign in the wake of economic impacts of Covid-19. reeling under arrests and cases of sedition and terror, unrelenting trolling and abuse online, they wrote on. Some wrote on, even without a job or payment.<\/p>\r\n
Charges of \u201canti-national\u201d, \u201cagainst national security\u201d were widely used to curb dissent through archaic laws of sedition and colonial era laws of epidemic control. With courts admitting petitions challenging the constitutionality of some of these laws, there is reason to hope for change.<\/p>\r\n
The raging pandemic, accompanying lockdowns and economic crises were only piled on to existing barriers that the region\u2019s journalists already faced. Physical attacks and intimidation, lack of access to information, control and censorship; sharpened ethnic and religious cleavages; legal repercussions for their stories and an overall precarity of the media. Impunity for crimes against journalists continued, despite small gains. Yet, journalists bore witness and told the stories that needed to be told, with professional integrity, compassion and deep humanity.<\/p>\r\n
Regional trends<\/h3>\r\nTightening regulation and digital controls<\/h4>\r\n
Controlling the flow of information seemed to be an overriding preoccupation of governments across the region. From reigning in the burgeoning independent digital media and clamping down on critical voices on social media, governments and social media platforms fell short of upholding freedom of expression at a critical juncture.<\/p>\r\n
At a time when the free flow of information was literally a matter of life and death, governments intolerant of critical questions, tended to use the pandemic as a pretext to curb information, and any opinion that was deemed \u201canti-government\u201d. Social media presented a particular anxiety for governments trying to curb dissent, and unfortunately, social media giants did not adequately protect citizen\u2019s right to free speech, instead complying with unreasonable takedown notices from governments.<\/p>\r\n
Pakistan<\/strong> suffered under the harshest clampdown on dissent by any government. Media rights and freedom of expression took a severe beating, with the government seemingly leaping at the opportunity to deprive the media of both freedom and funds, driving an already beleaguered media industry into deeper crisis.\u00a0 The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) which criminalises free speech and gives overarching powers to law enforcement authorities, was overused in Pakistan to clamp down on free speech. The media, political opponents, activists and members of the public found the boundaries of free speech indiscriminately scrunched in violation of constitutional guarantees.<\/p>\r\nArbitrary blocking of independent websites, internet and communication shutdowns were regularly deployed to censor the media. This inevitably led to the proliferation of misinformation \u2013 which Pakistan could ill-afford in the midst of not only the pandemic, but civil strife and political upheaval.\u00a0 Cutting off connectivity in politically sensitive areas in an attempt to censor news had other adverse effects during the lockdown, mainly on health and education.<\/p>\r\n
In Bangladesh<\/strong>, it took the tragic custodial death in February 2021, of writer Mushtaq Ahmed incarcerated for ten months and repeatedly denied bail, to once more shine the spotlight on the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) which has been widely used against journalists, bloggers and citizens to penalise free speech and critical opinion. The lone Cyber Crimes Tribunal, reeling under a staggering pending case load can barely manage due process in hearing cases, leave aside render justice.<\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, besides the time-honoured tactic of internet shutdowns to cut communications, the newly promulgated Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 gave the government the power to censor, order takedowns and block content without any recourse to appeal. Independent digital platforms termed the rules not just unconstitutional, but a blow to democracy itself, and have challenged this attempt at over-regulation in the highest court in the country. In addition to its attempt to control independent digital media, fast emerging as major players in the media landscape, the Indian government came down strongly on social media expression deemed to be critical of the government\u2019s handling of the pandemic. In the same vein, the new media Policy in Jammu and Kashmir (downgraded from state to centrally administered union territory in April 2019), issued in June 2020, was immediately viewed with disquiet by journalists, given that it empowers government officers to take action on \u201cfake news\u201d or \u201canti-national content\u201d.<\/p>\r\nAllegations of misinformation and rumour mongering were thrown at journalists and even citizens exposing the horrific ground reality of acute shortage of medical supplies, oxygen, overflowing hospitals and crematoria. Significantly, while content critical of the government was taken down, virulent hate speech against minorities and misogynist speech online thrived in India. Social media platforms Twitter and Facebook too succumbed to takedown requests by the government, failing to stand up for free speech.<\/p>\r\n
Across the region, governments displayed a remarkable disrespect towards the media, and took steps to increase regulation. In Nepal<\/strong>, the government moved ahead with tougher bills and regulations such as the Media Council Bill, the Public Service Broadcasting Bill, the Information Technology Bill, and the Special Service Bill \u2013 all of which have clauses that could undermine press freedom. The clampdown on social media has been proposed on pretexts of the \u201ccountry\u2019s sovereignty, security, unity or harmony\u201d. The Media Council Bill could erode the autonomy of the media, with government-appointed regulators, a provision that has been vehemently opposed by media rights organisations.<\/p>\r\nThe international norm of self-regulation by media was also violated in Sri Lanka<\/strong>, where in January 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers proposed to amend the Press Council Law to include electronic and new media and approved a proposal to \u2018structurally reform and reorganise\u2019 the Press Council to cover electronic and new media. The move was criticised by the Professional Web Journalists' Association which argued that the electronic and new media should be not controlled, but self-regulated with a stringent code of ethics developed by the media community itself.<\/p>\r\nLivelihood in peril<\/h4>\r\n
The pandemic year was also witness to dramatic loss of jobs in the media, across the region. Over 8,000 of Pakistan\u2019s<\/strong> estimated 20,000 journalists <\/span>lost their jobs in 2020<\/a> alone, and rural and district staff were more likely to be retrenched.<\/span><\/p>\r\nJournalists, mainly through the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), remained up in arms for most of the year and in early 2021 launched an \u201cenough is enough\u201d campaign across the country to protest job losses, pay cuts, censorship and rising intimidation. The media industry found new external supporters, including the legal community and civil society in institutional and organised partnerships with PFUJ to jointly resist the rising attacks on media freedoms, journalists\u2019 rights and public interest journalism in Pakistan.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, which saw a series of retrenchments from March 2020 onwards, there are no clear numbers of the job losses or salary cuts. <\/span>Estimates<\/a> put the figures in the thousands. Besides layoffs, salary cuts and delays in payments, media houses also threatened to sack staff if they wanted to work from home. The obstinacy of many managements led to staff in some media houses getting infected with the coronavirus en masse. Journalists from the regional press were harder hit, with fewer paying options than their English media counterparts. <\/span><\/p>\r\n\u00a0<\/span>The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) took up more than 500 complaints relating to job loss and non-payment of salary in Nepal<\/strong>. A survey conducted by the <\/span>FNJ in September 2020, revealed the desperate state of Nepal\u2019s journalists: the earning of 40 percent of journalists was affected by the pandemic and the nationwide lockdowns and women journalists were more severely impacted. Several media houses in Kathmandu suspended publications, cut down broadcast hours and decreased the size of the newspapers. The revenue of 75 percent of the once vibrant radio sector decreased due to the pandemic.<\/p>\r\nThe story was no different in Bangladesh<\/strong> where an estimated 1,250 journalists lost their jobs and several thousand faced salary cuts or irregular payments. While media owners blamed the pandemic for the drop in revenue and resultant salary cuts, trade unionists say that irregular payments were a norm of a section of media houses which then grasped at the pandemic as a justification to deny journalists their rights.<\/p>\r\nThe pandemic crisis however, only added to existing pressures that journalists across the region face. A major threat being the increasing polarisation on communal lines.<\/span><\/p>\r\nRising Extremism<\/h4>\r\n
South Asia has ravaged by religious, ethnic and caste divides for decades, but the growing cleavages of the last few years have been unprecedented. With hyper-nationalist parties in power in many countries in the region drawing votes and support from religiously aligned groups, the polity too has been sharply divided. Minorities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been particularly vulnerable, in this context of majoritarian politics. These divisions have inevitably affected the media. While some sections have added to the problem by exacerbating divisions and amplifying hate, others have had to struggle to remain independent.<\/p>\r\n
Existing fault lines were exacerbated by external situations that are likely to impact the whole region. The proposed withdrawal of US-NATO troops from Afghanistan by the coming September is feared to increase the Taliban's influence in Afghanistan<\/strong>, a development that could have a ripple effect in the region in terms of encouraging radicalism. Hard worn democratic and secular gains could be pushed back, with a direct impact on the media and individual journalists. Likewise, growing communalism in India<\/strong>, encouraged by the government in power, has a dangerous spill over effect in the neighbourhood, contributing to more polarisation and the strengthening of extremist groups. The media cannot be immune from attack, even as it attempts to uphold constitutional values, and the rights of women, minorities and the marginalised.<\/p>\r\nReligion in the Maldives<\/strong> is a no-go topic in public discourse, and the fear of being labelled anti-Islam contributes to the journalists practicing self-censorship of forgoing bylines while reporting on extremism in the country. As part of official control, the Communications Authority of Maldives blocks websites with anti-Islamic content upon request by ministries and other agencies. Though social media use is growing, intimidation and deaths threats pose the greatest challenge for free expression online. The yet unsolved murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rashid known for their vocal criticism of religious fundamentalism are grim reminders of the risks of speaking out for religious freedom or minority rights. In its World Report 2021, Human Rights Watch accused the government of failing to confront the influence of hard-line Islamist groups. \u201cOnline intimidation of human rights groups continued to have a chilling effect on civil society in 2020,\u201d and reiterated calls to tackle hate speech and violence online.<\/p>\r\nThe state response to tackling religious extremism however, often has serious implications for freedom of expression and civil rights. In Sri<\/strong> Lanka<\/strong>, the Prevention of Terrorism (De-radicalisation from Holding Violent Extremist Religious Ideology) Regulations were issued in march 2021, expanding on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Powers given to authorities to detain and \u2018rehabilitate\u2019 anyone who \u2018by words either spoken or intended to be read or by signs or by visible representations\u2019 causes the commission of violence or \u2018religious, racial or communal disharmony or feelings of ill will or hostility between different communities or racial or religious groups\u2019 is prone to misuse, fear activists. The spate of arrests in cases of hate speech, mostly of Tamil and Muslim minorities further reinforces this apprehension of selective use of power by law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\r\nWomen journalists in the firing line<\/h4>\r\n
The rampant vitriol and violence online were particularly targeted at women journalists in the region. Pakistani<\/strong> women journalists had a rough year, facing unrelenting abuse by organised troll armies, many backed by members of the ruling party, prompting them to release a petition taking the government to account. Similar was the case across the border in India<\/strong>, where online abuse took a heavy toll in an already stressful year of the pandemic. Sexist abuse, misogyny and spillover of online to offline stalking and violence became the price that women journalists paid for speaking out.<\/span><\/p>\r\nThe marginalised existence of women journalists in South Asia\u2019s media community is itself one of the factors contributing to precarity. A report released in early 2020 by the South Asia Women\u2019s Network, showed that women accounted for only 29 per cent of staff in Maldives<\/strong> media organisations. Only five per cent leadership roles were occupied by women. Paradoxically, the enrolment of women in journalism courses in the Maldives was higher than men at 3:1. This data begs the question: where do these professional women vanish? The answer probably lies in another finding of the study: women face immense discrimination, harassment and bullying at the workplace.<\/p>\r\nNepali<\/strong> women journalists too faced character assassination, body shaming, speculation about sexual links with prominent men, with women journalists from marginalised communities such as Madhesi and Dalit are more intensive attack. Women journalists fought back, and refused to be silenced, speedily blocking abusers, reporting them and also using aliases to move forward and express themselves online.<\/p>\r\nPatchy access to information<\/h4>\r\n
Almost all countries in South Asia sought to tighten controls over access to information, denying journalists a basic tool for accurate reporting. In Afghanistan<\/strong>, despite an Access to Information Law passed in 2014 and amended in 2018, there are barriers to information access. The setting up of an independent Information Access Commission with 65 government-level departments to assist in the transfer of information from government offices to the media, is potentially a step towards easing access. However, implementation remains a question, given other moves that restrict access, for example the 2020 restrictions authorising only governors to share information with the media, thus creating huge bottlenecks. Moreover, with the imminent withdrawal of the US-NATO troops in the coming year, the barriers to accessing information regarding the opaque agencies of security, justice and peace will undoubtedly impact credible reporting at this crucial juncture.<\/p>\r\nIn Bhutan<\/strong>, access to information is still wrapped up in red-tape and complicated bureaucratic procedure in a hierarchical set up, necessitating permissions to record videos or take a photo. Besides media persons, researchers and scholars in Bhutan are also coming up against the same obstacles. Free speech and expression as well as pursuit of research are thus impeded by official barriers.<\/p>\r\nDespite the passage of the Right to Information Act in the Maldives<\/strong> six years ago, a culture of secrecy persists and journalists are hard put to access information from certain state agencies. A survey by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives released in December 2020 showed that a majority of people were dissatisfied with access to official information and only 36 percent found the right to information law to have been helpful.<\/p>\r\nIn India<\/strong>, the repercussions of the 2019 amendments to the once robust Right to Information Act could be seen during the pandemic when access to information was vital \u2013 access to data on funds, vaccine roll out and health infrastructure was repeatedly blocked by official agencies and the Central Information Commission did little to enable the flow of critical information.<\/p>\r\nLikewise, Sri Lanka<\/strong> too witnessed the dilution of its Right to Information Commission, which could affect its independent functioning.<\/p>\r\nWelcome pushback<\/h4>\r\n
\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Despite the relentless battles on several fronts, while struggling to stay afloat, South Asian journalists valiantly put up a resistance to the onslaught on media rights in all countries of the region. Challenges in court, mobilising and collective action despite the restrictions in mobility and the overwhelming public health crisis, were evidence of a spirited defiance.<\/p>\r\nThe attempt to control the digital space by governments in several countries in the region was met with a heartening push back. In Pakistan,<\/strong> independent online journalism platforms together formed the Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP<\/a>) to challenge and resist the state\u2019s increasing authoritarianism on national dialogues initiated by grassroots communities. DigiMAP represents the emerging bold new ecosystem of independent media start-ups that have taken it upon themselves to champion the cause of public interest journalism that the legacy media has been forced to surrender before an increasingly hostile state. DigiMAP also put out a strong statement<\/a> against the new digital regulations.<\/p>\r\nDespite the burgeoning digital media in India<\/strong> and its vital role in promoting independent journalism, there was until now no single body representing the digital news media. Eleven digital media organisations came together in October 2020 to launch the DIGIPUB News India Foundation \u201cto represent, amplify and evolve best practices to build a robust digital news ecology that is truly world-class, independent and upholds the highest standards of journalism,\u201d One of its first actions was to challenge the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 in court, as an infringement of freedom of expression.<\/p>\r\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
<\/h1>\nImperilled Democracy<\/h3>\n
The world over, the year 2023-2024 witnessed democracy in action, with the ballot of more than two billion people in about 50 countries making momentous choices. The world\u2019s most populous region \u2013 South Asia \u2013 saw citizens in Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka either vote, or gear up to elect governments.<\/p>\n
Bhutan, though a newcomer to democracy, nevertheless had a peaceful transfer of power, with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay highlighting the watchdog role of the media in pressing for accountability and adherence to democratic principles.<\/p>\n
In the rest of the South Asian neighbourhood, however, democracy seemed precarious, with physical violence and bomb blasts marking polling in both Bangladesh and Pakistan and misinformation, deep political, religious and ethnic divides accompanied by sharply polarised media coverage of the election campaigns in India and Sri Lanka. In the Maldives, though the closely contested presidential elections in 2023 saw both the government-owned and private media being partisan and favouring the government, the defeat of the incumbent President Solih showed that the polling process was relatively fair.<\/p>\n
With elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review. Controlling the airwaves, curbing access to information, taming and pressurising the media and crushing dissent was the modus operandi of the autocrats and their corporate cronies.<\/p>\n
In South Asia, home to one in five of the world\u2019s people and with common histories of colonialism, heterogenous communities and deep inequalities, the media endeavoured to speak truth to power, particularly at critical election junctures. Yet, the year under review saw the erosion of the expected institutional safeguards for an independent media, due to which the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms remained disappointingly unfulfilled in the region. <\/span><\/p>\n The future of media in this context remains more critical than ever. <\/span>With legacy media across the region still alarmingly over-dependent on government or corporate revenue, independent voices continue to move over to digital platforms to challenge the establishment through professional journalism. In a digital eco-system bursting with YouTubers and content producers on Tik Tok, carving out a space amidst paid influencers and channels that fall as rapidly as they rise, has not been easy. Despite financial difficulties, stringent government surveillance and harassment, some tenacious journalists strive to keep professionalism alive, either solo or in small media ventures. The courage of these small organisations has attracted the wrath of the government, leading to renewed attempts to strengthen regulation and control over the media.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”zoom” scroll_fade_enable=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240109__34BT9KT__v2__HighRes__TopshotBhutanPoliticsVote-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A voter shows an ink mark on their finger after casting a ballot during general elections in Thimphu on January 9, 2024. Despite only adopting a democratic constitution in 2008, Bhutan\u2019s National Assembly elections saw a peaceful transfer of power, with the media serving as an important watchdog through the process. Credit: Money Sharma \/ AFP<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Ongoing crises in the region \u2013 both economic and political \u2013 continued to have a devastating impact on the media\u2019s influence and sustainability in the past year.<\/p>\n In Sri Lanka<\/strong>, the impact of the \u2018Aragalaya\u2019 or grassroots movement was still causing waves. The ongoing financial crisis continued and inflation was at an all-time high, forefronting the nation\u2019s struggle to survive. This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/p>\n The backslide that began in Afghanistan<\/strong> after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021 continued to drive the country\u2019s stability downward. Most of the hard-won freedoms for the media, for women, and human rights have been relegated to history, stalled or slid perilously behind amid a crisis of survival for what remains of the country\u2019s media following a mass exodus of media workers from the country in recent years.<\/p>\n When the first elected government in Bhutan<\/strong> came to power in 2008, it inherited a severe economic crisis which was reflected in the state of the media, with newspapers closing and journalists quitting the profession in droves. The latest data from the Bhutan Media Foundation (BMF) in 2023 showed continuing falling newspaper circulation over the decade, even though newspapers continue to employ the highest number of journalists (41 per cent). Meanwhile, hundreds of journalists left the profession and the country out of frustration at low wages and poor working conditions.<\/p>\n In Nepal<\/strong>, the country\u2019s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal formed his third coalition government in a year in March 2024, after months of confabulations. Media workers already reeling under a spate of dismissals and wage struggles, were also subjected to attacks, both on and offline. Press freedom remained severely challenged.<\/p>\n The fourth presidential multi-party election in the Maldives<\/strong> in 2023, witnessed a peaceful hand over of power, after a hotly-contested run-off that was viewed as a test of the Indian Ocean archipelago\u2019s nascent democracy, as well as its ties with China and traditional benefactor India.<\/span> The country\u2019s young media industry continued to evolve and push back on key industry counterpoints, giving testament to the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution just a decade and a half ago. However, trust in the media was low, with the public holding the media responsible for fuelling political divides and dissensions.<\/p>\n Pakistan<\/strong><\/span> went through a chaotic year. The period saw a turnstile of three governments, including a six-month long constitutional limbo between an outgoing parliament and an incoming one, and an election marred by violence. Amid the volatility of the political mire, media freedoms continued to be tested on numerous fronts. Unrest continued to simmer in the tribal districts which remained marginalised and under the influence of tribal jirgas, or traditional \u2018courts\u2019. Likewise, civil unrest in <\/span>Southern Balochistan amidst precarious digital connectivity added to the feeling of alienation from the country\u2019s mainstream.<\/p>\n In India<\/strong>, a deeply polarised legacy media pushed the discourse onto digital media and social media, with YouTube becoming a major source of news. Independent journalism suffered in the mix of the online mire. Unfiltered, with no editorial oversight, social media has emerged as a contentious, often toxic space that mirrors and exacerbates existing social cleavages of gender, religion, caste and ethnicity. The government of Narendra Modi continued to issue thinly veiled threats, in the guise of \u201cadvisories\u201d warning the media from publishing\/telecasting false content that could potentially disturb communal harmony or public order.<\/p>\n In Bangladesh<\/strong>, Sheikh Hasina tightened her grip on the reins of power for a fifth term, in a sham election boycotted by the opposition. She seems comfortably positioned to consolidate her power unchallenged, without any checks and balances. Democratic rights, civil liberties and press freedom now look poised to slide further down the scale.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20240124__34GL77A__v1__HighRes__SriLankaPoliticsInternet-min” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A blindfolded activist with rope around his wrists and covered with the logos of different social media platforms is dragged by a separate activist wearing a mask of President Ranil Wickremesinghe while protesting the Online Safety Act in Colombo on January 24, 2024. The law has been criticised for its potential to restrict expression online, with some identifying its targeting of protests in the vein of the 2022 Aragalaya. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Journalists across the region were subjected to physical assaults, abduction, arbitrary detentions, and some even paid the ultimate price for their work with eight journalists killed.<\/p>\n In Bangladesh, ten journalists died an \u201cunnatural death\u201d, with two being registered as murders, with three suspected murders being listed as road accidents.<\/p>\n Pakistan witnessed the killing of four journalists \u2013 two in Punjab and two in Sindh, which was dubbed one of the most dangerous places to practice journalism in the country.<\/p>\n In India, journalists came under attack from police, vigilantes and armed gangs who objected to their stories. One journalist was killed while on duty. Journalists attempting to report on the violent ethnic conflict that broke out in May 2023 in the northeastern state of Manipur found themselves under attack \u2013 from security forces as well as armed groups from both sides.<\/p>\n In Nepal, the Federation of Nepali Journalists and Nepal Press Union recorded 45 violations of press freedom from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. Besides physical attacks, discrediting the media and journalists critical of politicians was also rife. Journalists investigating corruption, financial irregularities and administrative malfeasance were targeted, as in the past.<\/p>\n In the Maldives, the trend of impunity continued, with justice not being served for crimes against journalists. On November 22, 2023, the criminal court dropped terrorism charges against three suspects accused of plotting the murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rasheed. The three men had been arrested in June 2022 after a breakthrough by the presidential commission on deaths and disappearances. The abrupt dismissal of charges over an alleged lack of evidence raised serious questions about the work of investigating authorities over the preceding years.<\/p>\n Slanderous attacks on journalists, which often lends impunity to physical attacks, were a feature in press conferences in the Maldives. The Maldives Journalists\u2019 Association condemned \u201cattempts to discredit journalists with unfounded and false allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n Following the backslide in hard won rights in Afghanistan, the country\u2019s Access to Information Law in 2014 (amended in 2018) has become all but defunct. Access has been curbed, with the government censoring the flow of information. Inevitably, it has led to a lack of transparency and accountability, as well as impeded the public\u2019s right to information. Reporting on sensitive issues in the absence of authentic official data has lacked credibility, and women journalists face greater barriers in accessing information, since they are not granted interviews by authorities, nor are they usually invited to press conferences and other media events.<\/p>\n In Bhutan, which lacks a law to guarantee access to information, the appointment of government-affiliated officials to regulatory bodies like the Bhutan Infocomm and Media Authority (BICMA) is a matter of concern. Bureaucratic stonewalling and lack of transparency adversely impact the public’s right to vital information, according to journalists in Bhutan.<\/p>\n Access to information was marred by erasure of newspaper archives in Jammu and Kashmir and the Maldives. Since 2021, journalists in Kashmir began to notice that articles critical of the government at the centre had vanished from the online archives of prominent publications. The digital archives prior to 2019, the year in which the centre revoked Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, have been partially or completely deleted in what has been described as the \u201cenforced disappearance\u201d of the media archive on the region.\u00a0While \u201ctechnical glitches\u201d are the official explanation, the attempt to erase the history of dissent is apparent, and the loss of access to this historical record is immeasurable.<\/p>\n Over in the Maldives, a similar process unfolded with Haveeru, the country\u2019s oldest newspaper, which was forced to shut down in 2016. On March 3, 2024, while an ownership battle was settled by the Supreme Court, the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) noted the loss of the newspaper\u2019s archive that represented \u201ca record of many decades of Maldives’ history\u201d as a major blow for the industry and the public\u2019s right to know.<\/p>\n Recent developments in Maldives show that good laws alone are not sufficient. The Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2014 was ranked the 22nd strongest RTI law in the world out of 138 countries. But, as per a study by Transparency Maldives and the Information Commissioner\u2019s Office of Maldives (ICOM) in 2023, though the media and members of the public were using the law, not a single state institution was fully compliant in following the law\u2019s dictate and nearly half of state institutions covered by the law did not have a functional website; less than 20 per cent of required information was easily accessible.<\/p>\n Internet shutdowns continued to be used as a strategy to curb access to information and the right freedom of expression. In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. Purportedly a measure to curb disinformation and the circulation of inflammatory videos and messages on social media, particularly WhatsApp, it has also effectively prevented journalists from verifying information and publishing credible news. <\/span><\/p>\n In Pakistan too, widespread internet shutdowns and curbs on social media access impacted freedom of expression and access to information during crucial events. <\/span>On February 8, 2024, a nationwide suspension of mobile internet services on election day impeded the right to free speech. In May 2023, a four-day internet blackout was imposed during violent protests following the arrest of Imran Khan.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”19px” custom_margin=”||20px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”749.8px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231221__348M8WT__v1__HighRes__IndiaPoliticsParliament-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”RGBA(0,0,0,0)” min_height=”529px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Indian National Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge (C), along with other members of parliament, addresses the media after taking part in a protest against the suspension of 141 opposition MPs across 26 parties in New Delhi on December 21, 2023. Attacks, harassment, and insecurity have degraded the Indian media\u2019s capacity to challenge threats to democracy. Credit: Sajjad Hussain \/ AFP<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Climbing out of the economic pits following the Covid-19 pandemic, the media industry across the region is facing immense challenges.<\/p>\n In Afghanistan, media organisations are unable to hire new staff or pay decent wages to existing staff. The Taliban’s control over the media and the accompanying prohibitions on various forms of entertainment has devastated advertising revenue. Unable to produce programs that resonate with their audience and attract commercial partnerships, most media organisations remain cash-strapped. According to the Afghan Independent Journalists\u2019 Union (AIJU), prior to 2021, there were 11,900 active media workers in the country, 2,833 of whom were women. However, after the Taliban takeover, only just over 4,700 journalists and media staff are currently active, just 700 of them women.<\/p>\n The media in Bhutan has survived on the back of government subsidies to newspapers houses. The subsidy being equally divided among all the private media houses regardless of their market share has prevented commensurate gains for the more efficient ones. The attrition rate among professional journalists continues to be high.<\/p>\n The decrease in the real GDP growth in Nepal, the lowest since 2020 literally drove Nepalis away from the country in search of better prospects. Nearly a million Nepalis, including students, left the country in the past year. For those that remain, the going is tough. Lack of payment and underpayment has plagued journalists from even prominent media houses. More than a hundred media outlets across the seven provinces of Nepal downed their shutters in 2023, and approximately 243 media personnel quit their jobs, as per data from the Freedom Forum. However, the numbers might be higher, in view of a lack of centralised database on job losses.<\/p>\n In India, many of the media staff who were laid off during and after the Covid-19 pandemic were forced to freelance or take up lesser paying and non-journalistic work. A critical issue is the lack of accurate data on the extent of the crisis, even as media houses continued to retrench their staff. In December 2023, a major media house with cross media ownership laid off 120 employees from its digital division. It was only through word of mouth that staff learned that their name was on \u2018the list\u2019. Not surprisingly, a survey by Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies found that two third of the journalists surveyed were affected by the lack of security in their job. Toxic newsrooms and lack of job security came into focus with the sudden death of well-known journalists while on the job.<\/p>\n In the Maldives, the media\u2019s dependence on state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for advertising revenue, self-censorship and undue influence is a key concern. Lack of regulation, transparency in allocation of advertising revenue has hampered accountability and continues to encourage political influence. Viability of the media independent of advertisement revenue has yet to be established.<\/p>\n In Pakistan, journalists laboured under a cloud of uncertainty and unpredictable layoffs. An IFJ survey led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in 2023 in Sindh, found that only 39 per cent media staff were permanently employed and just 28 per cent had fixed term contracts. Lack of career opportunities, secure employment, uncertain and low wages and lack of benefits was the norm. This situation is common across the country.<\/p>\n Still steeped in a financial crisis, journalists in Sri Lanka faced further precarity. The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) shut down its regional services and introduced a voluntary retirement scheme for the employees. Meanwhile, 149 journalists and media workers were laid off by the Associated Newspapers Ceylon Limited (ANCL). Many private media houses were barely able to pay wages, and introduced austerity measures, even cutting off legitimate allowances.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-4px||-14px|-25px||” global_module=”2093″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_divider show_divider=”off” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”25px” custom_margin=”||-1px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|0px||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RV7YL__v1__HighRes__AfghanistanSocietyMedia-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Afghan journalists attend a Taliban Ministry of Higher Education press conference in Kabul on August 21, 2023. Since August 2021, the Taliban has established strict barriers for journalists and media workers, with information funnelled through official channels, news restricted to official announcements, women barred from most press conference and media events. Credit: Wakil Kohsar \/ AFP<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.20.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”7px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Across the region, women journalists were worse off, whether due to conflict, or economic crisis. Hard won rights, whether to pursue a profession, move freely and be treated on par with their male colleagues remain a seemingly unattainable pipe dream for many.<\/p>\n Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban continue to face restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in many press conferences and programs, and the ban on broadcasting women’s voices on radios in several southern provinces. Their freedom is curbed by the requirement to have a male guardian.<\/p>\n In fact, women journalists have all but disappeared from the south and southeast of Afghanistan, in Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Uruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Logar.<\/p>\n Women in newsrooms in Nepal too continued to face challenges. A conference on embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) organised by Nepal Investigative Multimedia Journalism Network (NIMJN) in November 2023, highlighted the lack of interest in DEI among senior level media decision-makers. From a lack of basic facilities lie washrooms and arrangements for sanitary hygiene, women journalists still face discrimination in assigning beats based on gender, caste and ethnicity. The gender pay gap is still an unfortunate reality.<\/p>\n Gender-based layoffs were seen in Sri Lanka, where the pandemic and the financial crisis severely impacted women\u2019s employment in the media sector. Media organisations tended to lay off women while retaining men, thus further skewing the balance of female employment in the media. <\/span><\/p>\n The prevailing culture of impunity in the Maldives is also reflected in abuse faced by women journalists. Perpetrators in two prominent cases of sexual harassment in 2020, have not faced any charges. More than a quarter of women journalists, a third of the staff in mainstream media outlets have experienced sexual harassment, according to a report on gender equality in the media published by the MJA. Online abuse is rampant, with prominent women journalists being threatened with sexual assault and murder by anonymous social media users. Others have been intimidated by trolls demanding they censor their views online.<\/p>\n Pakistan\u2019s women journalists faced similar harassment both online and offline. They are in a minority, and their voices unheard. A mapping published in December 2023 by the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WFMP), supported by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the National Press Club (NPC) found that despite women comprising around 5-30 per cent of media workforces in mapped areas, their representation in decision-making roles is less than 10 per cent or none at all. They are also grossly under-represented in unions and press clubs, the mapping found.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20230821__33RR3HL__v1__HighRes__PakistanPoliticsMediaSecurity-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Police officers stand guard in front of news vans parked outside a special court hearing of jailed former Pakistani Foreign Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Islamabad on August 21, 2023. Government instability and restrictions on PTI were a leading cause of unrest across Pakistan, with nation-wide, violent protests seen in the wake of former Prime Minister Imran Khan\u2019s arrest in May. Credit: Farooq Naeem \/ AFP<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ min_height=”947.2px” custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The landscape of online media in Afghanistan is complex and fraught with challenges. While some digital platforms continued to function with the support of the Taliban, those critical of the regime faced censorship and license revocation. Prominent online news websites like Roznama-e-Hasht Sobh and Ettela’at-e-Rooz had their licenses revoked. On the other hand, several YouTube channels which operate within the framework of the Islamic government, enjoy relatively more freedom.<\/p>\n In Nepal, Section 47 of the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008 is now a tool to arrest and threaten digital journalists. Even social media platforms operating in Nepal are under the scanner and were required to set up their offices in the country, for greater government oversight. The government released a 15-point social media directive on the Operation of Social Networking 2023 in November 2023, based on the Electronics Transaction Act (ETA). This directive has been viewed as problematic because of its potential for misuse against journalists.<\/p>\n Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony. Other legislative measures such as the Media Council Bill, National Mass Communications Bill, Information Technology Bill, and Social Media Regulation and Management Bill and the Public Service Broadcasting Bill brought to unify state-owned media Radio Nepal and Nepal Television and transform into a public service broadcaster all continue to be under discussion.<\/p>\n Digital news media in India faced immense challenges even as they remained the few critical voices. Besides control through criminalising online content, raids and arrests were the modus operandi. In October 2023, the Delhi police raided the office and home of the founder of web news portal NewsClick and arrested the founder editor Prabir Purkayastha and his physically challenged administrative officer under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a draconian anti-terror law under which it is extremely difficult to get bail.<\/p>\n In addition to raids and \u2018searches\u2019, some journalists in India found that their devices were illegally installed with spyware. In June 2023, a new investigation by Amnesty International and the Washington Post found that the Indian government had used the invasive Pegasus spyware to target the i-phones of high-profile journalists. Among them were founder editor of the Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan and Anand Mangnale, South Asia editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.<\/p>\n Digital platforms, increasingly emerging as important players in the news eco system in the Maldives are predominantly based in the capital Mal\u00e9, home to 40 per cent of the population. Some news websites operate out of a few of the more populous islands in the north and south, often the main source of news, aside from a few television stations. Only one newspaper, Mihaaru, releases a daily print edition.<\/p>\n Over in Pakistan too, dynamic digital news media start-ups have made their mark. Focussed on public interest and community reporting, the connect with audiences is high. The coming together of these outlets in the 26-member Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP), represents a consolidation of the digital news media business and a healthy challenge for Pakistan\u2019s legacy media. The emergence of digital platforms has been accompanied by an increased attempt at control. In July 2023, the federal cabinet approved two problematic pieces of legislation \u2013 the E-Safety Bill and the Personal Data Protection Bill which promise to heighten surveillance.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min-scaled.jpg” title_text=”AFP__20231002__33XC7AD__v1__HighRes__MaldivesPoliticsVote-min” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Newly elected Maldivian president Mohamed Muizzu speaks during his inauguration ceremony in Mal\u00e9 on November 17, 2023. Muizzu gained power following a hotly contested election between himself and his predecessor, Mohammed Solih, with the extent of his perceived pro-China stance to be seen through his coming term. Credit: Ishara S. Kodikara \/ AFP<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Besides external control and intimidation, self-censorship was practiced across the region. In Bhutan, a survey by the Bhutan Media Foundation found that an astounding 84 per cent of journalists practice self-censorship. Interestingly, male journalists are one and a half times more likely to practice self-censorship compared to their female counterparts. A “small society syndrome,” \u2013 a well-knit society where everybody knows everyone else \u2013 and the fear of backlash are the two major reasons behind the practice.<\/p>\n In India, fear of reprisal has prompted many media houses to carefully skirt news that is likely to annoy the government and corporate media owners. This has resulted in a dumbing down of critique and avoidance of stories that could rock the boat. Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.<\/p>\n Censorship has always been a convenient tool in the hands of governments. In 2023, soon after the new government in Maldives was sworn in, three anti-government websites with allegedly incendiary content were blocked, amidst loud opposition. The MJA and the Editor Guild\u2019s stressed that the existing legal framework does not allow unilateral action by the government, which was advised to seek remedies through the self-regulatory mechanism of the Maldives Media Council (MMC).<\/p>\n In Pakistan, unsubstantiated complaints of alleged blasphemy online, often puts citizens and sometimes journalists in serious trouble. Journalists practice a significant degree of self-censorship on topics concerning law and religion, to avoid attracting blasphemy allegations. This atmosphere of intimidation has eroded the quality and quantity of independent reporting on sensitive issues.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||-14px|-25px||” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n.jpg” title_text=”393325327_642278611401436_694523778264460978_n” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Illegally terminated workers, supporters, and members of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) demonstrate outside the offices of the Kantipur Media Group in Kathmandu in October, 2023. After months of protests, the FNJ secured voluntary retirement packages for affected members, with some journalists continuing protest action, in a demonstration of union power amid Nepali media\u2019s economic woes. Credit: FNJ<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”text” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”|auto|1px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cDisinformation that has been \u2018scaled up and weaponised\u2019 on social networking platforms presents a major challenge and threat to democracy and media credibility,\u201d said N. Ram, director of The Hindu<\/em>, one of India\u2019s leading dailies. Speaking at fifth World Media Summit held in Guangzhou, China, in December 2023, he said Artificial Intelligence (AI) and disinformation were \u201ctwo key areas in which major and potentially disruptive challenges could become opportunities for the media to do well, empower themselves in new ways, and pursue a path of sustained development.\u201d\u00a0Misinformation, inaccurate information, disinformation, or deliberately misleading and biased information or \u2018fake news\u2019 and the entry of AI in newsrooms and on social media, have made the credibility question more complex.<\/p>\n Trust in media was a concern across the region. IFJ and MJA\u2019s \u2018Unveiling Public Trust in the Maldivian Media\u2019 report, 2023, found that 87 per cent of respondents held the media accountable for political divisions in the Maldives with television and internet news websites perceived to have the highest levels of sensational or biased coverage, depending on their ownership. Given the lack of fact-checking mechanisms, the high degree of misinformation and disinformation on social media in the run up to the presidential elections in September 2023 went virtually unchecked.<\/p>\n Surprisingly, despite the highly polarised mainstream media in India, trust in the media is high, as per data released by the Reuters Institute\u2019s Trust in News Project (2023). Of the four countries surveyed (the US, UK and Brazil were the others), the Indian public at 65.6 per cent had the highest trust in the media. Significantly, a caste element surfaced, with marginalised \u2018Other Backward Classes\u2019 three percentage points lower and the former untouchables the \u2018Scheduled Castes\u2019 and indigenous Scheduled Tribes each “more than ten percentage points less trusting”, pointing to the upper-caste and class bias in mainstream media.<\/p>\n In Pakistan, social media was believed to be most responsible for spreading fake news, as per a study by Freedom Network and the Coalition Against Disinformation released in early 2024. Exposure to increased online disinformation poses a threat to Pakistan\u2019s democratic structure and processes, felt the respondents.<\/p>\n In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology. Myths and propaganda about religion or ethnic minorities, incendiary videos and memes built up a climate of impunity that normalised discrimination and violence.<\/p>\n Misinformation and disinformation trends in Sri Lanka were strongly linked to the island\u2019s political economy, along with myths related to ethnic identity and religion \u2013 the staples of disinformation campaigns. In the ongoing financial crisis, much of the misinformation was targeted at economic policies including tax controversies such as misrepresentation of common levies drew panic responses. Hoaxes about the economic collapse drove companies to pull out of the island and distorted statistics on food security proliferated.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ admin_label=”quote” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” animation_style=”fade” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb admin_label=”Blurb” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”7d273a9b-b3cd-4896-8734-4f1ffd2f6b4e” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_blurb][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR23-24\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/AFP__20240108__349M3UU__v1__Preview__BangladeshPoliticsElection.jpg” title_text=”BANGLADESH-POLITICS-ELECTION” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”6671dcc6-349c-4400-ae04-612e8c6d39b3″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A man reads a newspaper highlighting the election of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League party following Bangladesh\u2019s parliamentary elections in Dhaka on January 7, 2024. Hasina\u2019s consolidation of power has seen challenges to democratic rights, civil liberties, and press freedom. Credit: Indranil Mukherjee \/ AFP<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”3_4,1_4″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”4px||9px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_font_size=”52px” width=”97.3%” min_height=”273px” custom_margin=”1px|||||” custom_padding=”||1px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Yet, all was not bleak in the year under review, as journalists, their unions and media support organisations collaborated to improve media rights in extremely challenging circumstances.<\/p>\n In Afghanistan, strengthening the Media Ethics Commission under the Ministry of Information and Culture and establishing coordination committees between journalists and local officials in the provinces was a step towards professionalism. Support from UNESCO’s office in Afghanistan enabled upskilling and training, empowering Afghan journalists and media outlets to produce quality content. Even as the situation in Afghanistan no longer occupies centre stage in world affairs, the challenges faced by the media industry in Afghanistan call for attention from the international community and support to uphold press freedom and independent journalism in the country. The situation of Afghan journalists in exile continues to be of concern, with many of them hanging in a no-visa limbo, with no jobs, while others have been forced to return home.<\/p>\n The vigorous protests against the unjust dismissal of 82 media workers in Nepal by the Kantipur Media Group, the country\u2019s leading private media company, showed that union power can be a strong unifying force. The agreement between the Kantipur Media Group and the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) in December 2023 led to some relief for the striking workers. However, protest actions continue to ensure implementation of the agreement.<\/p>\n Towards the end of 2023, Maldivian journalists and workers welcomed the enactment of a much-awaited industrial relations bill drafted with technical assistance from the International Labour Organization. Ratified in January 2024, the new law guarantees the right of workers in the Maldives to take industrial action and form trade unions and introduced mechanisms for collective bargaining and dispute resolutions between workers and employers. An accompanying occupational safety and health law seeks to reduce workplace hazards and redress complaints and provide compensation for workplace injury. The MJA called it a \u201cmomentous union win\u201d achieved after \u201ca very long-standing strategic execution of plans led by workers and unions”.<\/p>\n In Pakistan, the landmark Sindh Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021, an outcome of a collaborative campaign and advocacy, inched toward its practical implementation. The Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition worked to mobilise the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners (CJMP) notified under the new Act. Further steps were taken in June 2023, when the federal government allocated PKR 1 billion (about USD 5,5 million) to insure journalists against health emergencies. In October 2023, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government promised<\/a><\/span> to amend endowment rules and increase financial assistance for the province\u2019s media workers facing financial emergencies or those rendered jobless.<\/p>\n The Pakistani government\u2019s demand in October 2023 that Afghan refugees \u2013 including 200 journalists \u2013 return to Afghanistan, giving a one-month deadline before forced deportations, saw several solidarity actions. In June 2023, IFJ urged<\/a><\/span> state-sponsored humanitarian assistance for Afghan journalists in Pakistan, while Freedom Network launched<\/a><\/span> the \u2018Advocacy Hub for Afghan Journalists\u2019 <\/em>project in December 2023 to provide financial and legal assistance to over 100 exiled Afghan journalists to help them survive and also continue to report. This is a welcome move particularly for Afghan women journalists in exile in Pakistan, struggling with unemployment, visa issues, out-of-school children, and the threat of imminent deportation.<\/p>\n In December 2023, the Women\u2019s Media Forum Pakistan (WMFP) launched<\/a><\/span> a campaign titled \u2018Pakistan\u2019s Media Needs Women\u2019 <\/em>to advocate gender inclusivity in the media industry and in press clubs. In January 2024, key media stakeholders reiterated<\/a><\/span> their support to WMFP\u2019s campaign, pledging to proactively tackle underlying issues such as inclusivity, equal representation, and fair wages. Alongside, the National Press Club announced a \u2018Women Journalists’ Caucus’ and set up a working committee to strategise the initiative aimed at improving competence of women journalists.<\/p>\n A pushback from various stakeholders in Pakistan saw the passing of the Official Secrets (Amendment) Act, 2023, after an uproar in parliament forced the government to withdraw a controversial clause, which would have allowed intelligence agencies to conduct search and seizures \u2013 including of journalists \u2013 without warrant.<\/p>\n The period in review also saw initiatives to unionise digital journalists with the support of the IFJ. A strategy paper for the establishment of a labour union for digital journalists was used to conduct a series of consultations in Pakistan, awareness campaigns, networking, online engagement, and advocacy with over 50 digital journalists based in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. The campaign culminated in an application for registration of a trade union for digital journalists with the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC).<\/p>\n Journalism at its finest was on display in India, amidst the heat of a landmark general election in April-May 2024, where incumbent Prime Minister Modi bids for his third term. In a significant judgement on February 15, 2024, the Supreme Court of India struck down the validity of electoral bonds, a mode of funding political parties introduced in 2017 by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. While the mainstream media lagged, it was feisty independent digital media that sifted through huge amounts of data to make connections between who had donated, how much and to which party. Independent news media websites – Newslaundry, The News Minute and Scroll \u2013 with several independent reporters, collaborated to investigate and break stories that revealed a sordid corporate-political combination of patronage and plain extortion. \u201cProject Electoral Bond\u201d as this collaborative exercise was termed, demonstrates that public interest investigative journalism is thriving, despite an atmosphere hostile to independent media.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n Click here to download pdf of Overview and Special Reports<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Feature Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e5e5e5″ module_alignment=”center” min_height=”238px” height=”331px” max_height=”486px” custom_margin=”0px|0px|-3px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false” top_divider_style=”arrow2″ top_divider_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ admin_label=”Stats” _builder_version=”4.16″ width=”77.3%” custom_padding=”115px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Media Rights Violations” number=”232″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#999999″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Jailed or Detained” number=”87″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#E09900″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ admin_label=”Column” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_number_counter title=”Killings” number=”8″ percent_sign=”off” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font=”Oswald|300|||||||” title_line_height=”1.2em” number_font=”Oswald|700|||||||” number_text_color=”#FF0000″ number_font_size=”84px” width=”67.9%” custom_margin=”||-3px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_number_counter][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" THE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYTHE FIGHT TO SAVE MEDIA AND DEMOCRACYOverview Imperilled Democracy The world over, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\r\n As the second wave of the Covid pandemic surged across South Asia in early 2021, journalists found themselves in the thick of the storm, without a safety net and scant institutional support. Battling not only the deadly virus, they mounted stiff resistance to states trying to control the narrative and plaster over the horrific reality. Journalists breaking stories of rising deaths, collapsing health systems and unpreparedness and mismanagement at the highest levels of government were silenced, hounded, arrested and penalised.<\/p>\r\n Even as journalists also mourned the loss of their colleagues and family members, they continued to work in the most challenging circumstances to publicise the truth. They reported from the frontlines without adequate protective equipment, exposing themselves to infection to tell stories of the suffering in hospitals, in graveyards and crematoria. Many fell ill, many others continue to suffer from the long-term impacts of the Covid syndrome. Hundreds of others succumbed, unsung heroic storytellers of the apocalypse that engulfed them.<\/p>\r\n To many others continued to tell one of the biggest stories of our times, while also enduring salary cuts and delays in wage payments, denial of protective personal equipment, medical insurance or reimbursement of massive medical bills to treat Covid contracted in the line of duty. Huge numbers of media workers were also rendered jobless or forced to resign in the wake of economic impacts of Covid-19. reeling under arrests and cases of sedition and terror, unrelenting trolling and abuse online, they wrote on. Some wrote on, even without a job or payment.<\/p>\r\n Charges of \u201canti-national\u201d, \u201cagainst national security\u201d were widely used to curb dissent through archaic laws of sedition and colonial era laws of epidemic control. With courts admitting petitions challenging the constitutionality of some of these laws, there is reason to hope for change.<\/p>\r\n The raging pandemic, accompanying lockdowns and economic crises were only piled on to existing barriers that the region\u2019s journalists already faced. Physical attacks and intimidation, lack of access to information, control and censorship; sharpened ethnic and religious cleavages; legal repercussions for their stories and an overall precarity of the media. Impunity for crimes against journalists continued, despite small gains. Yet, journalists bore witness and told the stories that needed to be told, with professional integrity, compassion and deep humanity.<\/p>\r\n Controlling the flow of information seemed to be an overriding preoccupation of governments across the region. From reigning in the burgeoning independent digital media and clamping down on critical voices on social media, governments and social media platforms fell short of upholding freedom of expression at a critical juncture.<\/p>\r\n At a time when the free flow of information was literally a matter of life and death, governments intolerant of critical questions, tended to use the pandemic as a pretext to curb information, and any opinion that was deemed \u201canti-government\u201d. Social media presented a particular anxiety for governments trying to curb dissent, and unfortunately, social media giants did not adequately protect citizen\u2019s right to free speech, instead complying with unreasonable takedown notices from governments.<\/p>\r\n Pakistan<\/strong> suffered under the harshest clampdown on dissent by any government. Media rights and freedom of expression took a severe beating, with the government seemingly leaping at the opportunity to deprive the media of both freedom and funds, driving an already beleaguered media industry into deeper crisis.\u00a0 The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) which criminalises free speech and gives overarching powers to law enforcement authorities, was overused in Pakistan to clamp down on free speech. The media, political opponents, activists and members of the public found the boundaries of free speech indiscriminately scrunched in violation of constitutional guarantees.<\/p>\r\n Arbitrary blocking of independent websites, internet and communication shutdowns were regularly deployed to censor the media. This inevitably led to the proliferation of misinformation \u2013 which Pakistan could ill-afford in the midst of not only the pandemic, but civil strife and political upheaval.\u00a0 Cutting off connectivity in politically sensitive areas in an attempt to censor news had other adverse effects during the lockdown, mainly on health and education.<\/p>\r\n In Bangladesh<\/strong>, it took the tragic custodial death in February 2021, of writer Mushtaq Ahmed incarcerated for ten months and repeatedly denied bail, to once more shine the spotlight on the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) which has been widely used against journalists, bloggers and citizens to penalise free speech and critical opinion. The lone Cyber Crimes Tribunal, reeling under a staggering pending case load can barely manage due process in hearing cases, leave aside render justice.<\/p>\r\n In India<\/strong>, besides the time-honoured tactic of internet shutdowns to cut communications, the newly promulgated Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 gave the government the power to censor, order takedowns and block content without any recourse to appeal. Independent digital platforms termed the rules not just unconstitutional, but a blow to democracy itself, and have challenged this attempt at over-regulation in the highest court in the country. In addition to its attempt to control independent digital media, fast emerging as major players in the media landscape, the Indian government came down strongly on social media expression deemed to be critical of the government\u2019s handling of the pandemic. In the same vein, the new media Policy in Jammu and Kashmir (downgraded from state to centrally administered union territory in April 2019), issued in June 2020, was immediately viewed with disquiet by journalists, given that it empowers government officers to take action on \u201cfake news\u201d or \u201canti-national content\u201d.<\/p>\r\n Allegations of misinformation and rumour mongering were thrown at journalists and even citizens exposing the horrific ground reality of acute shortage of medical supplies, oxygen, overflowing hospitals and crematoria. Significantly, while content critical of the government was taken down, virulent hate speech against minorities and misogynist speech online thrived in India. Social media platforms Twitter and Facebook too succumbed to takedown requests by the government, failing to stand up for free speech.<\/p>\r\n Across the region, governments displayed a remarkable disrespect towards the media, and took steps to increase regulation. In Nepal<\/strong>, the government moved ahead with tougher bills and regulations such as the Media Council Bill, the Public Service Broadcasting Bill, the Information Technology Bill, and the Special Service Bill \u2013 all of which have clauses that could undermine press freedom. The clampdown on social media has been proposed on pretexts of the \u201ccountry\u2019s sovereignty, security, unity or harmony\u201d. The Media Council Bill could erode the autonomy of the media, with government-appointed regulators, a provision that has been vehemently opposed by media rights organisations.<\/p>\r\n The international norm of self-regulation by media was also violated in Sri Lanka<\/strong>, where in January 2021, the Cabinet of Ministers proposed to amend the Press Council Law to include electronic and new media and approved a proposal to \u2018structurally reform and reorganise\u2019 the Press Council to cover electronic and new media. The move was criticised by the Professional Web Journalists' Association which argued that the electronic and new media should be not controlled, but self-regulated with a stringent code of ethics developed by the media community itself.<\/p>\r\n The pandemic year was also witness to dramatic loss of jobs in the media, across the region. Over 8,000 of Pakistan\u2019s<\/strong> estimated 20,000 journalists <\/span>lost their jobs in 2020<\/a> alone, and rural and district staff were more likely to be retrenched.<\/span><\/p>\r\n Journalists, mainly through the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), remained up in arms for most of the year and in early 2021 launched an \u201cenough is enough\u201d campaign across the country to protest job losses, pay cuts, censorship and rising intimidation. The media industry found new external supporters, including the legal community and civil society in institutional and organised partnerships with PFUJ to jointly resist the rising attacks on media freedoms, journalists\u2019 rights and public interest journalism in Pakistan.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\r\n In India<\/strong>, which saw a series of retrenchments from March 2020 onwards, there are no clear numbers of the job losses or salary cuts. <\/span>Estimates<\/a> put the figures in the thousands. Besides layoffs, salary cuts and delays in payments, media houses also threatened to sack staff if they wanted to work from home. The obstinacy of many managements led to staff in some media houses getting infected with the coronavirus en masse. Journalists from the regional press were harder hit, with fewer paying options than their English media counterparts. <\/span><\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/span>The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) took up more than 500 complaints relating to job loss and non-payment of salary in Nepal<\/strong>. A survey conducted by the <\/span>FNJ in September 2020, revealed the desperate state of Nepal\u2019s journalists: the earning of 40 percent of journalists was affected by the pandemic and the nationwide lockdowns and women journalists were more severely impacted. Several media houses in Kathmandu suspended publications, cut down broadcast hours and decreased the size of the newspapers. The revenue of 75 percent of the once vibrant radio sector decreased due to the pandemic.<\/p>\r\n The story was no different in Bangladesh<\/strong> where an estimated 1,250 journalists lost their jobs and several thousand faced salary cuts or irregular payments. While media owners blamed the pandemic for the drop in revenue and resultant salary cuts, trade unionists say that irregular payments were a norm of a section of media houses which then grasped at the pandemic as a justification to deny journalists their rights.<\/p>\r\n The pandemic crisis however, only added to existing pressures that journalists across the region face. A major threat being the increasing polarisation on communal lines.<\/span><\/p>\r\n South Asia has ravaged by religious, ethnic and caste divides for decades, but the growing cleavages of the last few years have been unprecedented. With hyper-nationalist parties in power in many countries in the region drawing votes and support from religiously aligned groups, the polity too has been sharply divided. Minorities in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been particularly vulnerable, in this context of majoritarian politics. These divisions have inevitably affected the media. While some sections have added to the problem by exacerbating divisions and amplifying hate, others have had to struggle to remain independent.<\/p>\r\n Existing fault lines were exacerbated by external situations that are likely to impact the whole region. The proposed withdrawal of US-NATO troops from Afghanistan by the coming September is feared to increase the Taliban's influence in Afghanistan<\/strong>, a development that could have a ripple effect in the region in terms of encouraging radicalism. Hard worn democratic and secular gains could be pushed back, with a direct impact on the media and individual journalists. Likewise, growing communalism in India<\/strong>, encouraged by the government in power, has a dangerous spill over effect in the neighbourhood, contributing to more polarisation and the strengthening of extremist groups. The media cannot be immune from attack, even as it attempts to uphold constitutional values, and the rights of women, minorities and the marginalised.<\/p>\r\n Religion in the Maldives<\/strong> is a no-go topic in public discourse, and the fear of being labelled anti-Islam contributes to the journalists practicing self-censorship of forgoing bylines while reporting on extremism in the country. As part of official control, the Communications Authority of Maldives blocks websites with anti-Islamic content upon request by ministries and other agencies. Though social media use is growing, intimidation and deaths threats pose the greatest challenge for free expression online. The yet unsolved murders of journalist Ahmed Rilwan and blogger Yameen Rashid known for their vocal criticism of religious fundamentalism are grim reminders of the risks of speaking out for religious freedom or minority rights. In its World Report 2021, Human Rights Watch accused the government of failing to confront the influence of hard-line Islamist groups. \u201cOnline intimidation of human rights groups continued to have a chilling effect on civil society in 2020,\u201d and reiterated calls to tackle hate speech and violence online.<\/p>\r\n The state response to tackling religious extremism however, often has serious implications for freedom of expression and civil rights. In Sri<\/strong> Lanka<\/strong>, the Prevention of Terrorism (De-radicalisation from Holding Violent Extremist Religious Ideology) Regulations were issued in march 2021, expanding on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Powers given to authorities to detain and \u2018rehabilitate\u2019 anyone who \u2018by words either spoken or intended to be read or by signs or by visible representations\u2019 causes the commission of violence or \u2018religious, racial or communal disharmony or feelings of ill will or hostility between different communities or racial or religious groups\u2019 is prone to misuse, fear activists. The spate of arrests in cases of hate speech, mostly of Tamil and Muslim minorities further reinforces this apprehension of selective use of power by law enforcement agencies.<\/p>\r\n The rampant vitriol and violence online were particularly targeted at women journalists in the region. Pakistani<\/strong> women journalists had a rough year, facing unrelenting abuse by organised troll armies, many backed by members of the ruling party, prompting them to release a petition taking the government to account. Similar was the case across the border in India<\/strong>, where online abuse took a heavy toll in an already stressful year of the pandemic. Sexist abuse, misogyny and spillover of online to offline stalking and violence became the price that women journalists paid for speaking out.<\/span><\/p>\r\n The marginalised existence of women journalists in South Asia\u2019s media community is itself one of the factors contributing to precarity. A report released in early 2020 by the South Asia Women\u2019s Network, showed that women accounted for only 29 per cent of staff in Maldives<\/strong> media organisations. Only five per cent leadership roles were occupied by women. Paradoxically, the enrolment of women in journalism courses in the Maldives was higher than men at 3:1. This data begs the question: where do these professional women vanish? The answer probably lies in another finding of the study: women face immense discrimination, harassment and bullying at the workplace.<\/p>\r\n Nepali<\/strong> women journalists too faced character assassination, body shaming, speculation about sexual links with prominent men, with women journalists from marginalised communities such as Madhesi and Dalit are more intensive attack. Women journalists fought back, and refused to be silenced, speedily blocking abusers, reporting them and also using aliases to move forward and express themselves online.<\/p>\r\n Almost all countries in South Asia sought to tighten controls over access to information, denying journalists a basic tool for accurate reporting. In Afghanistan<\/strong>, despite an Access to Information Law passed in 2014 and amended in 2018, there are barriers to information access. The setting up of an independent Information Access Commission with 65 government-level departments to assist in the transfer of information from government offices to the media, is potentially a step towards easing access. However, implementation remains a question, given other moves that restrict access, for example the 2020 restrictions authorising only governors to share information with the media, thus creating huge bottlenecks. Moreover, with the imminent withdrawal of the US-NATO troops in the coming year, the barriers to accessing information regarding the opaque agencies of security, justice and peace will undoubtedly impact credible reporting at this crucial juncture.<\/p>\r\n In Bhutan<\/strong>, access to information is still wrapped up in red-tape and complicated bureaucratic procedure in a hierarchical set up, necessitating permissions to record videos or take a photo. Besides media persons, researchers and scholars in Bhutan are also coming up against the same obstacles. Free speech and expression as well as pursuit of research are thus impeded by official barriers.<\/p>\r\n Despite the passage of the Right to Information Act in the Maldives<\/strong> six years ago, a culture of secrecy persists and journalists are hard put to access information from certain state agencies. A survey by the Human Rights Commission of Maldives released in December 2020 showed that a majority of people were dissatisfied with access to official information and only 36 percent found the right to information law to have been helpful.<\/p>\r\n In India<\/strong>, the repercussions of the 2019 amendments to the once robust Right to Information Act could be seen during the pandemic when access to information was vital \u2013 access to data on funds, vaccine roll out and health infrastructure was repeatedly blocked by official agencies and the Central Information Commission did little to enable the flow of critical information.<\/p>\r\n Likewise, Sri Lanka<\/strong> too witnessed the dilution of its Right to Information Commission, which could affect its independent functioning.<\/p>\r\n \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Despite the relentless battles on several fronts, while struggling to stay afloat, South Asian journalists valiantly put up a resistance to the onslaught on media rights in all countries of the region. Challenges in court, mobilising and collective action despite the restrictions in mobility and the overwhelming public health crisis, were evidence of a spirited defiance.<\/p>\r\n The attempt to control the digital space by governments in several countries in the region was met with a heartening push back. In Pakistan,<\/strong> independent online journalism platforms together formed the Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP<\/a>) to challenge and resist the state\u2019s increasing authoritarianism on national dialogues initiated by grassroots communities. DigiMAP represents the emerging bold new ecosystem of independent media start-ups that have taken it upon themselves to champion the cause of public interest journalism that the legacy media has been forced to surrender before an increasingly hostile state. DigiMAP also put out a strong statement<\/a> against the new digital regulations.<\/p>\r\n Despite the burgeoning digital media in India<\/strong> and its vital role in promoting independent journalism, there was until now no single body representing the digital news media. Eleven digital media organisations came together in October 2020 to launch the DIGIPUB News India Foundation \u201cto represent, amplify and evolve best practices to build a robust digital news ecology that is truly world-class, independent and upholds the highest standards of journalism,\u201d One of its first actions was to challenge the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 in court, as an infringement of freedom of expression.<\/p>\r\nWith elected autocracies gaining ground globally, the synergy between freedom of expression and robust democracy was never more apparent in the year in review.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/h1>\n
Inexorable slide<\/h3>\n
This pressure vacuum pushed concerns of civil liberties and press freedom off the radar even as journalists and activists associated with the Aragalaya continued to be harassed. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/h1>\n
Attacking the messenger<\/h3>\n
Information blockade<\/strong><\/h3>\n
In Manipur in northeast India, which was reeling under a violent ethnic conflict from May 2023, the internet was shut down for seven months and continues to be patchy in designated areas. <\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
Dire financial straits<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Drawing heavy criticism from home and abroad, the government replaced the Digital Security Act (DSA) with another law, the Cyber Security Act (CSA).<\/span><\/h2>\n
Long road to gender equity<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Women journalists in Afghanistan under the Taliban face continue to restrictions including the requirement to cover their faces when appearing on television, the denial of participation in press conferences and programs.<\/span><\/h2>\n
Controlling the digital space<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Towards the end of 2023, during protests led by businessman Durga Parsai demanding the restoration of monarchy, the Nepali government banned TikTok, on grounds of it affecting social harmony.\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Silencing and self-censorship<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Mainstream media in India is rarely carrying out investigative journalism or reporting stories that hold the government to account. Instead, it is the independent digital portals that dare to do journalism in the public interest.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
Credibility and trust in media<\/strong><\/h3>\n
In Bangladesh, too, the proliferation of disinformation and false propaganda both for and against the government have been fuelled with and by AI technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
Positive steps
<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/NEP_000_92U7LM-Mock-funeral-for-sexual-assaults-PRAKASH-MATHEMA-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]
The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_94J2MF-Tashnuva-Anan-Shishir-Bangladesh-transgender-news-host-Munir-Uz-zaman-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]
The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BANG_000_93Z8WT-Bangladesh-protest-Mushtaq-Ahmed-Munir-death-in-custody-UZ-ZAMAN-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]
The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Maldives\/A-Covid-19-press-briefing-by-President-Solih-on-June-23-Credit-President_s-Office-2-scaled.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]
The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/AFG000_94J2MK-International-womens-day-Afghanistan-WAKIL-KOHSAR-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]
The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/OV_000_8RX38L-Amritsar-protest-against-agriculture-reform-bills-NARINDER-NANU-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]
The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][et_pb_slide heading=\"Truth in a time of contagion\" use_bg_overlay=\"on\" bg_overlay_color=\"rgba(0,0,0,0.43)\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" body_font_size=\"30px\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" background_enable_color=\"on\" background_image=\"http:\/\/samsn.ifj.org\/SAPFR\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/LAW_000_8Z94D9-Afghan-President-Ashraf-Ghani-arrives-in-Herat-January-2021-HOSHANG-HASHIMI-AFP.jpg\" background_enable_image=\"on\" global_colors_info=\"{}\" sticky_transition=\"on\"]
The Viral Frontline<\/span><\/h1>[\/et_pb_slide][\/et_pb_fullwidth_slider][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" admin_label=\"Section\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" min_height=\"1286.7px\" custom_margin=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\"][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" min_height=\"131px\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"57px|||||\" border_style_all=\"none\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" min_height=\"65px\" border_width_bottom=\"5px\" border_style_bottom=\"solid\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]
Overview<\/strong><\/h2>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_4\" admin_label=\"quote\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" custom_padding=\"0px|0px|0px|0px|false|false\" animation_style=\"fade\"][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"3_4,1_4\" admin_label=\"text\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_margin=\"|auto|1px|auto|false|false\" custom_padding=\"3px|||||\"][et_pb_column type=\"3_4\" admin_label=\"Column\" _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" custom_padding=\"|||\" custom_padding__hover=\"|||\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.4\" _module_preset=\"default\" header_font_size=\"52px\" width=\"97.3%\" min_height=\"1217px\" global_colors_info=\"{}\"]
<\/h1>\r\n
Pandemic, the Press and the New Digital Order<\/h3>\r\n
Regional trends<\/h3>\r\n
Tightening regulation and digital controls<\/h4>\r\n
Livelihood in peril<\/h4>\r\n
Rising Extremism<\/h4>\r\n
Women journalists in the firing line<\/h4>\r\n
Patchy access to information<\/h4>\r\n
Welcome pushback<\/h4>\r\n
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<\/p>\r\n