Just since January there are a significant number of members of the press who have been assassinated and a larger number imprisoned throughout the world. Take a look at this list of news journalists who have paid the ultimate price for their work:
Assassinated journalists and media workers
Raja Assad Hameed (Pakistan)
Reporter for the daily Nation and Waqt TV Channel
Killed on 26 March 2009 in Pakistan
Jawed Ahmad (Afghanistan)
Reporter for the Canadian media, including CTV News.
Killed on 10 March 2009 in Afghanistan
Haider Hashim (Iraq)
Correspondent for the private TV broadcaster Al-Baghdadia
Killed on 10 March 2009 in Iraq
Suhaib Adnan (Iraq)
Cameraman for the private TV broadcaster Al-Baghdadia
Killed on 10 March 2009 in Iraq
Ernesto Rollin (Philippines)
Journalist for local radio DxSY-AM
Killed on 23 February 2009 in Philippines
Jean Paul Ibarra Ramírez (Mexico)
Photographer for El Correo newspaper
Killed on 13 February 2009 in Mexico
Ando Ratovonirina (Madagascar)
Reporter for the privately-owned Radio et Télévision Analamanga (RTA).
Killed on 7 February 2009 in Madagascar
Said Tahlil Ahmed (Somalia)
Director of Horn Afrik Radio/TV
Killed on 4 February 2009 in Somalia
Bruno Ossébi (Republic of Congo)
Columnist for the online newspaper Mwinda
Killed on 2 February 2009 in Republic of Congo
Francis Nyaruri (Kenya)
Journalist for the independent Weekly Citizen
Killed on 29 January 2009 in Kenya
Shafiq Amrakhov (Russian Federation)
Owner and editor of the online regional news agency RIA 51
Killed on 19 January 2009 in Russian Federation
Anastasia Baburova (Russian Federation)
Journalist for Novaya Gazeta
Killed on 19 January 2009 in Russian Federation
Orel Sambrano (Venezuela)
Editor of a weekly magazine ABC
Killed on 16 January 2009 in Venezuela
Uma Singh (Nepal)
Journalist for daily newspaper Janakpur Today and Radio Today FM
Killed on 11 January 2009 in Nepal
Lasantha Wickrematunga (Sri Lanka)
Editor of the Sri Lankan newspaper Sunday Leader
Killed on 8 January 2009 in Sri Lanka
Basel Faraj (Palestine)
Cameraman for the Algerian TV network ENTV and for the Palestine Broadcast Production Company
Killed on 6 January 2009 in Palestine
The Roxana Saberi Matter
Roxana Saberi is a 31 year old journalist with joint U.S. and Iranian citizenship. She has been residing in Iran for six years where she's been studying for a masters degree in Iranian studies, and reporting for NPR, the BBC, ABC News and other international news organizations. Her plans were to return to the U.S. this year when she completed a book about Iranian culture she was writing.
Saberi was arrested at the end of January initially for purchasing wine (alcohol is banned in Iran) then officials alleged she continued to work as a journalist after her credentials were revoked. This finally converted to charges of unspecified "espionage."
On April 18th she was convicted and sentenced to 8 years of jail in a trial that was short of any international standards.
If you do nothing else to mark this this Word Press Freedom Day, click on these two sites and add your voice to the call for Roxana Saberi to be freed.
- Amnesty International Site - send a letter to His Excellency -Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei asking for a fair and public review of the allegations against her and without any verifiable evidence otherwise, she be released.
- Go to the site set up by Roxana's parents for her. Leave a note of support on the guest book.
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