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Helsinki Edition
October 1998
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RSF fights for fellow journalists
The right to write. A matter of course for journalists in the west. But around the world many reporters fear for their lives each time their articles go to print. Some of them are silenced by persecution or jail. Reporters Sans Frontières, RSF, is trying to change that.
On the 25th of October 1997 the Mexican photographer José Luis Cabezas was found dead with a bullet in his head and his hands tied behind the back. Someone didn't like his way of illustrating an article on police corruption.
50 years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was agreed in the United Nations much is left to be done. Too often the declaration turns out to be nothing but empty words.
Article 19 supports freedom of expression. But among the 185 countries which have seats in the UN, only 30 respect press freedom fully. There are plenty of "no-go" areas. Single-party regimes and monarchs who rule by divine right turn journalists into targets. There is a plethora of measures to silence those who "distort the truth".
RSF is trying to keep the debate on the agenda wherever and whenever it is needed. By supporting journalists in prison and by trying to improve laws regulating the right to free speech, the organization is working to make article 19 a reality.
The majority of the members are western journalists. They are the ones who can spare a few hours every now and then to send some protest letters.
"It's about solidarity between journalists all over the world. I became a member in 1994 when journalists were killed and threatened for doing their job in Algeria and Bosnia", says Olof Dahlberg, chairman of RSF Sweden.
The obstacles to the free flow of information coincide with other kinds of violations of democratic rights. But there is also work to be done and rights that need to be protected in countries with a firm democratic foundation, he says. The increasing media-concentration and the lack of openness within the European Union are two issues that might be put on the agenda in the future.
Facts about RSF
RSF is an independent international organization defending press freedom around the world. It was founded in 1985 and at the moment the organization has 3000 members in more than 70 countries.
The work is financed by subscription, private and public subsidies. RFS has consultative status with the Council of Europe, the UN Commission on Human Rights and UNESCO.
As a member you get RSF's monthly newsletter with summaries of cases to protest on. You can find the organization on www.rsf.fr .
Sara Bengtsson |
