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CHAPTER 7Fighting back: What the IFJ and journalists’organisations can doPut a stop toharassmentof this editorTo: Mr Nisar A. MemonFederal Minister forInformation and MediaIslamic Republic of Pakistan30 July 2002The International Federationof Journalists is deeplyconcerned over the recentinterrogation and threatsagainst Jasarat editor,Muzaffar Ejaz.According to our sources,Ejaz was abducted bymembers of the Inter-Services Intelligence as heleft his office on July 25,2002 at 11pm. He wasinterrogated and released at4am the next morning. Hisabduction and interrogationwas the culmination ofweeks of harassment thatfollowed the publication of acontroversial story. …The IFJ urges you to put astop to the harassment ofMuzaffar Ejaz and to ensurethat all journalists workingin Pakistan are able tocontinue their work freefrom persecution andintimidation.Christopher WarrenPresident, IFJExtract from an IFJ protest.press freedom organisations, including the Committee to ProtectJournalists, the International Press Institute, Reporters sansFrontières, Article 19 and others. Each week faxes, e-mails and lettersare sent to leaders around the world asking for assurancesabout the safety of a journalist who has been detained, demandingthe release of those who have been imprisoned or asking for a highlevelinvestigation into the one of the numerous attacks on journalists.These acts of solidarity remind imprisoned journalists, orthose who have been attacked, that they will not be forgotten.Journalists’ organisations around the world actively seek ways toprotect journalists from intimidation and violence. Where a localunion or association cannot make its voice heard on its own behalf,international organisations, such as the IFJ, must speak for them.The IFJ is the world’s largest organisation of journalists, representing500,000 reporters, editors, photojournalists and broadcastersin over 100 countries, and has been campaigning for 20 yearsfor better standards of safety. The IFJ is part of the globalInternational Freedom of Expression eXchange network, and canalso take action at the level of the United Nations (UN) to remindGovernments of their duties to promote media freedom and protectjournalists. In recognition of its expertise in representing journalists,UNESCO recently granted the IFJ Associate Relations status,the highest level of accreditation for a non governmental organisation(NGO). The IFJ has called on the UN, not only to condemn murdersof media workers, but to insist that governments end impunity,by giving details of such events and taking steps to apprehendthe killers.Sharing know-how and experienceThe IFJ advises its affiliates to adopt a standard approach to assistany journalist who gets into trouble or experiences hostile interference.The IFJ recommends that each affiliate designates an officerto co-ordinate work and to prepare in three important ways:◆ to increase members’ awareness of the problems and dangers,◆ to make advance arrangements with relevant ministries on proceduresto be adopted in emergencies, and◆ to make arrangements with employers covering who will beresponsible for what, in a crisis.To support journalists in difficult situations, it is essential toobtain accurate information without minimising problems orexaggerating them (exaggerated claims cause unnecessary fear and100