Tuesday, 7 May ‘24
This week’s overview of key events and links to essential reading.
Russian Security Official to be Tried for Torture
During the occupation of Kharkiv region, the accused ordered and participated in the detention and torture of local residents.
The Courage of Local Voices
The painstaking work of proper journalism is the bedrock of our freedoms.
Press Freedom Struggles in Kenya
Cases of harassment have mounted amid a surge in police brutality as well as overt government antagonism.
Pressure Builds on Central Asia Media
Freedom of speech in Central Asia has deteriorated in recent years, with fresh restrictions on media and bloggers alike and a growing number of criminal cases initiated against journalists.
Israel’s Media Blindness Over Gaza
Why there’s such a gap between what Israelis and the rest of the world see on their TV screens and social media feeds.
Ukraine’s Information Vacuum
Those living under occupation can only get their news from Russian media and social networks.
Moldova Struggles to Balance Security and Free Speech
Opinion remains divided on how effective bans on pro-Kremlin outlets have been in protecting country’s information space.
Latin America: Journalism Continues to Hold Power to Account
Despite coming under constant attack, independent media are achieving remarkable impact.
IWPR Women’s Prize for Journalism
IWPR’s inaugural award for outstanding journalism recognises the work of our network of women reporters worldwide. Working in often challenging environments, these journalists face additional threats such as harassment, gender-based violence and systemic misogyny.
"What was significant for all three of us [judges] was how the stories stayed with us - not just for the amazing yet harrowing insights into these women’s lives but the courage it took for them to keep going, to experience the harshness in which they lived and to tell the world about it through their stories."
World Press Freedom Day 2024
On World Press Freedom Day we focus on local journalists facing myriad challenges in the tireless pursuit of truth and their enduring efforts to bring meaningful change.
Highlights from IWPR’s Consortium to Support Independent Journalism in Latin America (CAPIR).
An investigation by ContraCorriente, one of the investigative units IWPR supports in Honduras, revealed abuses including robbery, torture and kidnappings allegedly inflicted on citizens by police officers. The investigation also addressed how the state of emergency, in place since 2022, has allowed these abuses to occur with impunity. The authorities deny responsibility, claiming that organised criminal groups are using replica uniforms to pose as police officers.
A transnational publication by the investigative units of Plaza Pública and Criterio media revealed the huge extent of Asian cigarette smuggling in northern Central America. In addition to the health problems and millions of dollars lost to tax evasion, this also finances organised crime trafficking of drugs, weapons and humans. The investigation highlighted the failure of institutional efforts to stop this problem, aggravated by the complicity of officials who help falsify documents.
A story by the IWPR beneficiaries Guardiana and La Nube media outlets revealed the unauthorised sale of "medical preparations" to treat mental illnesses such as depression in a market in Cochabamba, one of Bolivia's largest cities. The story showed how products were marketed without information about their ingredients, including unlicensed natural remedies from Peru and Brazil. In response, the Cochabamba department of health announced it would increase the number of police operatives in the market where these products are sold.
Highlights from IWPR’s Central Asia network of analysis and investigations.
The construction of the Qosh Tepa canal in Afghanistan is causing water shortages in southern Uzbekistan, while in Kyrgyzstan the government is considering the construction of a nuclear power plant. In Kazakstan, conservation activists are working to save the Central Asian tortoise from extinction.
Elsewhere, CABAR delves into the efforts by Central Asian authorities to detect, reduce and prevent statelessness across the region.
Ukraine: IWPR Emergency Medical Training
Odesa workshop provides journalists and rights defenders with key safety and security skills.
IWPR Responding in Syria
Focus is supporting Syrian partners to provide life-saving assistance as well as psychological support for adults and children.
The Reckoning Project: Ukraine Testifies
Project aims to help conflict journalists meet evidential standards that will allow their work to support future justice processes.
Moldova: Hire Me
Testing workshops explore a fun way to encourage girls to enter the IT sector.
Azerbaijan: Peacebuilding for Women
Training, mentorship and network-building contribute to creating a more equal and inclusive society.
Building Resilience in the Eastern Neighbourhood
Subgrants in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova support peace, security and stability.
Central Asian’s Vulnerability to Russian Propaganda
International discussion hears that response must be as complex and varied as disinformation itself.
Silence is Not an Option for Latin America
Independent journalists refuse to submit to widespread repression.
Moldova: From Village to Village
Project trains people in more isolated areas how to identify and combat fake news.
Ukraine Justice Report
Countering Disinformation in Moldova
Ukraine War Diary by Anthony Borden
Democratic accountability comes from journalists investigating their own societies – IWPR provides a much needed platform and support for those reporting from some of the most dangerous and difficult places in the world.
Disinformation is a major global threat , especially in conflict and post-conflict areas. IWPR performs a vital mission, building up local voices as a bulwark against this challenge.
IWPR fills a critical gap by helping local journalists to focus on human rights and justice issues. In the process, it contributes to democratic transitions, and demonstrates that the best war reporting is not about military conflict, but human consequences.