Report on journalism, civil liberties and the war on terror

By EDRi · May 4, 2005

The international federation of journalists (IFJ) and the UK civil liberties group Statewatch have launched a new report on 3 May 2005, World Press Freedom Day. The report examines how democratic states sacrifice civil liberties and free expression in the name of security and concludes: “The war on terrorism amounts to a devastating challenge to the global culture of human rights and civil liberties established almost 60 years ago.”

According to the press release the report also concludes:

-Media and independent journalism suffer in a ‘pervasive atmosphere of paranoia’ which is leading to dangerous levels of self-censorship
-Dissent inside and outside media is being restricted
-Fundamental rights to a fair trial are routinely violated
-Governments are covertly creating massive databanks for surveillance of their citizens
-New international rules are being agreed in a secret process of ‘policy laundering’

IFJ press release (03.05.2005)
http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3107&Language=EN

Full report (available since 10.05.2005)
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2005/may/03ifj-statewatch.htm