IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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PRESS RELEASE/UPDATE - INTERNATIONAL

10 May 2002

IPI re-affirms countries on the Watch List

SOURCE: International Press Institute (IPI), Vienna

**Updates IFEX alerts of 22 October, 7 September, 26 June and 30 January
2001, 8
December, 30 October and 23 June 2000**

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is an IPI press release:

Ljubljana, 10 May 2002

IPI Re-affirms Countries on the Watch List

At its meeting, held in Ljubljana, Slovenia on 9 May 2002, the Executive
Board
of the International Press Institute (IPI) unanimously agreed to keep
Russia,
South Korea, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe on the "IPI Watch List".

In Russia, the Executive Board found that there had been no changes to the
media
scene. Commenting on the Russian situation, IPI Director Johann P. Fritz
said,
"In conclusion, it is difficult to see any improvement. The violence against
journalists continues unabated and, with the demise of TV-6, independent
broadcasting has all but disappeared."

With regard to South Korea, the Executive Board resolved to leave the
country on
the "IPI Watch List" because of the need to monitor the plight of the 23
media
outlets fined under the 2001 tax investigation and to ensure that these
fines do
not have a disastrous impact on their ability to operate. In addition, the
Executive Board noted that these companies have been forced to seek outside
financial assistance in order to pay their fines and IPI is concerned about
their impact on editorial independence.

Speaking of the situation, Fritz said, "What can be said with some assurance
concerning South Korea is that the government needs to frame a better
response
to calls for media reform than the imprisonment of media owners."

Concerning Sri Lanka, the Executive Board said there is a continuing need to
review the situation in the country. Commenting on the media environment,
IPI
Chairman Hugo Buetler, editor-in-chief of the Neue Zuercher Zeitung, said,
"Though not directly related to press freedom, the high numbers of deaths
during
the election campaign and on election day are a strong indication of the
problems in Sri Lanka. Until this violence ceases, the country will remain a
dangerous country for reporters."

Regarding Venezuela, Fritz said, "The failed coup is an indication of the
instability plaguing the country. Since the return of the president, there
have
been reports of media outlets refusing to cover the coup and it appears a
number
of journalists have left work due to the climate of intimidation."

Zimbabwe was also kept on the "IPI Watch List" with the Executive Board
profoundly disturbed by the attacks on the media. "An examination of the
Zimbabwean media scene reveals that both the government and the Zanu-PF
party
are deeply prejudiced against the media and there is no sign that this will
change in the near future," said Fritz.

Devised by IPI, the "IPI Watch List" is a mechanism to detect and document
regressive tendencies in countries that appear to be moving towards
restricting
press freedom. Each country's status on the "IPI Watch List" will be
evaluated
twice yearly by the IPI Executive Board.

For further information, contact IPI at Spiegelgasse 2, A-1010 Vienna,
Austria,
tel: +43 1 512 90 11, fax: +43 1 512 90 14, e-mail: Michael Kudlak at
[email protected], Barbara Trionfi at [email protected], or David Dadge
at
[email protected], Internet site: www.freemedia.at

The information contained in this press release/update is the sole
responsibility of IPI. In citing this material for broadcast or publication,
please credit IPI.
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