Media Statement
Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia
4 Aug 2011
Police receiving reporters cover a serious breach of media freedom
Centre for Independent Journalism views a military sequence to Malaysiakini journalist Joseph Sipalan to surrender his cover to them upon 3 Aug 2011 as a serious breach of media freedom.
While Section 51(1) of a Criminal Procedure Code allows for any justice or military military officer to acquire documents which are deliberate necessary for a purpose of its investigation, you destroy to see how a notepad itself is applicable to military investigation over a politicians alleged fake claims when a journalist himself has already been questioned upon 2 Aug as a witness for having attended a press discussion by a politician.
Notepads or any alternative recording inclination used by reporters in a march of their work not usually enclose information about a story in question, though additionally alternative stories they have published or are working on. These recording inclination might additionally enclose details of sources, some of whom might have oral in confidence.
Protection of sources is sacrosanct to reporters as it has a direct temperament upon their capability to work. As such, reporters recording inclination should never be arcane to any one else though for a many compelling of reasons related to an evident as well as demonstrable direct hazard to public safety.
This latest military action might lead to a chilling outcome upon a capability of reporters to do their work. If a military do not refrain from such actions in future, reporters might consider twice about covering sure sources or issues which they consider might lead to them being called in as potential military witnesses as well as have their tools of a traffic surrendered to a police.
Journalists should be means to report according to their professional dictates but having to be concerned about a possibility of their lap! tops, ca meras, notepads as well as such recording inclination being theme to military sei! zure.
In addition, this investigation shows continued nuisance by a authorities of all those concerned in a Bersih 2.0 rally upon 9 Jul 2011 which called for clean as well as satisfactory elections. This is yet an additional act which infringes upon adults leisure of countenance as well as even goes serve by threatening a leisure of a press.
We therefore call upon a authorities to rught away cease all prosecutions of those concerned with a Bersih 2.0 rally which was a bona fide countenance by a people of their views as well as an exercise of their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
Filed under: Journalism
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