15 Sep 2010 | News and features
The Foreign Secretary announced this morning the launch of a new independent advisory group on human rights. Promising to turn rhetoric into “accountability and lasting change”, Hague said he will convene regular meetings with NGOs and independent experts to ensure the Foreign Office has the “best possible information” on human rights abuses across the world.
In line with this the FCO will re-issue, and publish, its guidance to staff on the need to report any alleged violations of human rights that they encounter. In addition, the Foreign Secretary will now report annually to Parliament on these issues.
Hague emphasized that the coalition will move away from the previous government’s “idealism” to a more “practical and principled approach”, arguing that change cannot be imposed on other countries, however desirable that change. In what some may see as a step back from responsibility, Hague said with regard to Iraq and Afghanistan that the foundations of democracy have to be “built over time”. He stressed that the government is not resigned to a lack of change, but that it intends to work “with the grain” of individual countries. When asked whether the FCO had to pull its punches with China because of its economic power, however, Hague insisted there was “no need to water down” criticisms about human rights violations.
The Foreign Secretary went on to describe BBC World Service as “invaluable” in promoting the UK’s reputation for openness and liberty, and said that he did not support the closure of the World Service’s broadcast in Burma. In response to questions about funding for Human Rights NGOs, Hague said that he had reluctantly agreed to cuts at the Westminister Foundation for Democracy, and argued that the entire Foreign Office budget contributes to working on such issues.
15 Sep 2010 | Magazine, Volume 39.03 Autumn 2010
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14 Sep 2010 | Uncategorized
In a landmark judgment, the European Court of Human Rights overturned a ruling today that forced Dutch journalists to reveal their sources. The ruling will provide significant protection for journalists. Index on Censorship was amongst the media organisations that intervened in the case.
Mark Stephens, media lawyer from Finers Stephens Innocent LLP and a trustee of Index, said, “In this respect, if no other, Europe has a firmer protection for free speech than the US and so today’s decision is very much to be celebrated. The judgment firmly demonstrates that European governments cannot use clumsy police work to make journalists the surrogates for law enforcement.”
In January 2002, police had ordered journalists working for Sanoma Uitgevers, a Dutch magazine publishing company, to hand over photographs of illegal car races. Its publication Autoweek had promised anonymity to participants in the races as a condition for covering the story. Police believed that one of the cars had been used to make a getaway in a burglary.
The ruling today has received positive feedback from experts, who believe it is a step towards significant and clearer protection for journalists across Europe.
“This ruling was an acid test for the Court and for media freedom across Europe. It sets a high benchmark for protection of journalistic materials and will force police and prosecutors across Europe, from Russia to France, to change their practices,” said Geoffrey Robertson QC, counsel for the coalition of intervening organisations including Index on Censorship, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Article 19 and the Guardian.
Peter Noorlander, legal director at Media Legal Defence Initiative, which also intervened in the case, said: “Law enforcement can no longer ask media to relinquish journalistic material unless as a matter of last resort in the investigation of a serious crime, and after having sought judicial authorisation,” he said.
14 Sep 2010 | Index Index, minipost
A correspondent for Uganda’s Tower of Praise Radio was beaten to death by motorcycle taxi drivers on the night of 11 September. Paul Kiggundu was ambushed by the bikers, known locally as boda-boda, while he was filming some of them demolishing a house. The drivers accused Kiggundu of working for the police, despite his attempts to identify himself as a journalist. The building was reportedly the home of another driver, Frank Kagayi, who the attackers accuse of committing murder and robbery. The journalist died of internal bleeding at Kalisizo Government Hospital. No arrests have been made.
