Media Safety News and Views
April 29, 2013 Leave a comment
By INSI
Aymaras Indigenous collect their harvest of oats in Huarina on the outskirts of La Paz, Bolivia. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
This week INSI issued a safety advisory for journalists working in Bolivia. Though rich in mineral and energy resources, it is one of the poorest countries in South America.
February 12, 2013 Leave a comment
By Helena Williams
Protesters gather during a demonstration in Tunis Saturday Feb. 9, 2013. Several thousand supporters of Tunisia’s ruling moderate Islamist party rallied in the capital in a pro-government demonstration Saturday, a day after the funeral of an assassinated opposition politician. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)
The International News Safety Institute has issued a safety advisory for journalists and news crews covering the unrest in Tunisia following the assassination of liberal politician Chokri Belaid on Friday 8 February.
INSI provides a check list to consider before heading out to a demonstration, what to do while on the ground and what to do if trouble erupts.
January 31, 2013 Leave a comment
By Helena Williams
Demonstrators set up burning tyre roadblocks to protest the results of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) primary elections, in the town of Ahero in western Kenya Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. (AP Photo)
The International News Safety Institute has updated their safety advisory for journalists and news crews preparing to cover the upcoming elections in Kenya.
Kenya heads to the polls on March 4. More than 1,000 people died and 600,000 were displaced when inter-ethnic fighting broke out around the disputed last election in 2007.
January 28, 2013 Leave a comment
By INSI
Libyans watch a protest against Ansar al-Shariah Brigades and other Islamic militias, in Benghazi, September 2012. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
UPDATE – 24/01/13
The International News Safety Institute has been alerted by credible sources that terrorist organisations may be planning to attack oil fields in Libya.
Intelligence suggests that the attacks may mirror last week’s hostage situation in Algeria.
January 23, 2013 Leave a comment
By Helena Williams
Security forces move in after demonstrators set up burning tyre roadblocks to protest the results of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) primary elections, in western Kenya (AP Photo)
Kidnapping in some areas, such as Lamu Island, in support of insurgents operating in and around Mali is just one of many acts of violence predicted during the upcoming Kenyan elections.
Numerous threats hang over the country as it heads to the polls on March 4. As journalists and news crews prepare to cover the election they are advised to take note of the security situation there.
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January 22, 2013 Leave a comment
By Helena Williams
Demonstrators wave the Jordanian flag during a protest by the Muslim Brotherhood movement and other opposition parties against the upcoming parliamentary elections, in Amman, Jordan, Friday, Jan. 18, 2013. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
The International News Safety Institute has updated their safety advisory for journalists and news crews travelling to Jordan, to include a section about Queen Alia International Airport.
The updated information (Jordan as at 22/01/13) advises media workers to look after their equipment and tie it together when they land in order to avoid losing it in the hustle and bustle of arrivals. INSI also advises journalists to avoid unregistered drivers and to instead search for the official taxi office, where a uniformed driver will write you a receipt for the trip.
January 15, 2013 1 Comment
By INSI
A French military armoured vehicle is unloaded from a British C17, plane after it landed at Bamako airport, Mali. French forces led an all-night aerial bombing campaign on Tuesday to wrest control of a small Malian town from armed Islamist extremists who seized the area. (AP Photo/SAC Dek Taylor, MOD)
The safety advisory issued on 15/01/13 was updated on 22/01/13 to include a section about background research.
General comments
Mali is a poverty stricken West African state and a former French colony. Al-Qaeda (AQ) has been a lingering problem for a long time with international players trying to “ignore” the problem until now. Mali has been asking for assistance for quite a while and it is only now that the region has responded with military assistance.
The French, with UN backing, have now decided to support the Mali government in their fight against AQ. Mali is fast turning into a violent conflict, with a risk of kidnap that is likely to increase as the conflict progresses. It has the potential to soon be a war zone and should be treated as such, if going there to report on the events. Moving around conflict zones is dangerous, so make sure you understand the risks and do everything you can to avoid becoming a target yourself.
It is your responsibility to be adequately prepared.
December 20, 2012 1 Comment
By Consultant in the Field
Protesters chant slogans at a demonstration against government corruption in Amman, Jordan, Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. The placard reads in Arabic, “the people wants to reform the regime.” (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
The safety advisory issued on 11/12/12 was updated on 22/01/13 to include a section about the international airport.
General comments
Jordan has always been a calm peaceful country however Amman, the capital, is a simmering place at the moment. The security in the country is now being beefed up. The changes at the airport are a stark reminder of this.
Small anti-government protests over the past 23 months have shifted focus from dissatisfaction with the government to calls for the end of the monarchy. Essentially, the situation could stabilise or deteriorate depending on King Abdullah II’s decisions.
December 10, 2012 Leave a comment
By Consultant in the Field
Photo: Protesters gather in Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012. A protest by tens of thousands of Egyptians outside the presidential palace in Cairo turned violent on Tuesday as tensions grew over Islamist President Mohammed Morsi’s seizure of nearly unrestricted powers. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
General comments
National and international females living and working in Cairo have reported an increase in sexual harassment; touching and being exposed to or flashed. Caution is advised in crowds and if walking on deserted streets. Walking alone when dark is not advised in quiet areas.
December 7, 2012 Leave a comment
By Consultant in the Field
Photo: Two MONUSCO UN soldiers stand guard in Goma’s port as Police Nationale du Congo officers who fled Goma when M23 rebels took over the city Nov. 18 2012, return on a barge to the port of Goma, eastern Congo, Friday Nov. 30, 2012. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
