Joint Statement: Together Against Digital Abuse

Date: September 8, 2020

Vile and vicious attacks on women journalists by those affiliated with the government, political parties, their supporters and social media wings, are increasingly impacting our work, mental wellbeing and security. These attacks include but are not restricted to gender-based and sexualized abuse, discrediting, targeting and persecution. We endorse what our fellow colleagues have put on record on 12/08/2020, and widen the scope to reflect the magnitude and degree of trauma being experienced by women in media. The kind of trolling and unfettered vulgarity being experienced subverts every norm of decency with no law enforcement agency, government or any political party taking notice or action of what is clearly transgressing all limits of decency and subverting every ethical standard.

The target of these attacks are women in media, who are often targeted for reporting on issues that are critical of any political party. This may include a journalist differing from the government or a political party’s position on any given issue. A journalist’s criticism of any given policy of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) or of political parties including Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), religious parties and accounts affiliating themselves with state institutions, may also unleash a barrage of abuse. This is almost always met with indifference and in some cases even encouragement from party leadership which further emboldens trolls and abusers. 

Unfounded accusations by government officials and politicians from all parties are hurled at journalists for ‘peddling fake news’, ‘serving political agendas’ and ‘being on the payroll’ of one political party or the other. Such accusations then trigger abusive campaigns targeting journalists. In some instances, our pictures and videos are also used and our social media timelines are then barraged with gender-based slurs, threats of sexual and physical violence. So vicious is the campaign against women that even the women/female members of our male colleagues’ families are not spared. Their photographs and videos are doctored, distorted and leaked on social media. 

In this context, we demand that we be told what the official mandate of the social media cells of the federal and provincial governments operating on tax-payers money is. Often, it seems like the mandate of these social media cells is to discredit journalists and analysts, without any evidence. We also demand that all other political parties and institutions ensure verifiable transparency regarding the mandate and operations of their respective social media wings. The Election Commission of Pakistan should demand all political parties to submit detailed workings of their social media cells. 

These sustained attacks undermine public trust in journalism and go against the basic tenets of democracy. We women journalists now often find it difficult to remain active and engage freely on digital platforms. Out of fear of being hounded and harassed; and our dignity violated through vile abuse, many of us self-censor. Hence, we refrain from sharing information, giving opinion or actively engaging online. We are being prevented from exercising our right to free speech and fully 2 participating in public discourse. Clearly when we self-censor, the public’s rights under Article 19- A are violated as they are prevented from receiving information. The most worrisome and totally unacceptable fact is that when we are under attack, we do not enjoy the protection of the law as guaranteed under Article 4. 

We call upon the government and all political parties to:

  1. Immediately draw up and adopt a code of conduct for social media teams of political parties, public bodies and other public/state institutions. 

  2. Investigate within to identify networks which have been prominently engaged in launching and running coordinated attacks, hashtag campaigns and abusive campaigns against women in the media. We also call upon Election Commission of Pakistan to direct all political parties to have declared and transparent social media setups under the Right to Access to Information Act, 2017. 

  3. Initiate investigation and take action against those officials for whom there is evidence available that they are directly or indirectly engaged in discrediting and harassing women in the media. 

  4. Whenever a journalist lodges a complaint with the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA) or the police regarding intimidation, threats and other forms of digital abuse, the case(s) should be processed fairly and efficiently, without any pressure to withdraw or an environment of victim-blaming. 

  5. The Cyber Crime Wing at the FIA must set up dedicated desks to facilitate registration of cases of digital violence against women. Given the fact that digital violence against women has translated to real life and physical violence in the past, the desk should have emergency response mechanisms to facilitate prompt investigations. Every official dealing with cases of digital violence against women must be given comprehensive gender sensitivity trainings. 

  6. The Journalist Protection Bill should be cognizant of the digital threats and violence against journalists and facilitate effective investigations of digital crimes against journalists. All stakeholders and those involved (as mentioned in para 2) should be made to adhere to a culture of no tolerance to digital abuse. 

Finally, we urge the government not to use this statement as an excuse to introduce further regulations and curbs for social media. We believe that the PTI, as the ruling party holds primary responsibility to set the tone for progressive, positive and inclusive political discourse and should lead by example. 

We call upon the Senate and National Assembly’s standing committees on human rights to take notice and ensure compliance by all political parties. Only then can journalists continue to report and disseminate information in a non-threatening environment where neither our work nor our emotional, mental and physical wellbeing and security are compromised. 

Signatories

  1. Aalia Shah, DW 

  2. Afia Salam, Freelance 

  3. Afshan Qureshi, Daily Jinan

  4. Ailia Zahra, Naya Daur 

  5. Aleena Farooq Sheikh, Geo News 

  6. Alia Chughtai, Journalist 

  7. Alia Jawad, Geo Sports 

  8. Amber Rahim Shamsi 

  9. Ambreen Fatima, Nawa e Waqt 

  10. Amel Ghani, Media Matters for Democracy 

  11. Aneela Ashraf, Freelance

  12. Aneela Khan, Independent 

  13. Aneela Mehmood, Journalist

  14. Aniqa Nisar, Capital TV 

  15. Annam Lodhi, Freelancer 

  16. Asifa Idrees, Freelance

  17. Asiya Ansar, BBC Urdu 

  18. Asma Ali Zain, Arab News 

  19. Asma Shirazi, Aaj News 

  20. Ayesha Ehtisham, Neo 

  21. Ayesha Shoaib, Neo 

  22. Batul Rajput, Freelancer

  23. Beenish Jawed, Online Journalist 

  24. Beenish Saleem, Neo News 

  25. Dilrukshi Handunnetti, Journalist 

  26. Diya Rehman, Radio Pakistan 

  27. Fahmidah Yosafi, Rava.pk 

  28. Faiza Shah, Dawn Farah Iqrar, Samaa News 

  29. Farah Sadia, ATV/Public News 

  30. Farhat Fatima, APP Islamabad 

  31. Farhat Rabbani, BBC 

  32. Farzana Ali, Aaj TV

  33. Fatima Ali, Independent Urdu 

  34. Fatima Nazish, Hum News 

  35. Fatima Saleem, Geo News 

  36. Fauzia Khan, NNI 

  37. Fereeha Idress, AbbTak News

  38.  Gharidah Farooqi, News One 

  39. Ghazala Naureen, AbbTak 

  40. Hamna Malik, Voice of Balochistan 

  41. Hija Kamran, Digital Rights Monitor 

  42. Huda Ikram, BBC Urdu 

  43. Huma Amir Shah, Geo News

  44. Iffat Rizvi, Independent & DW

  45. Imrana Komal, Freelance 

  46. Irfana Yasser, BBC Urdu 

  47. Irum Zaeem, Samaa TV 

  48. Iqra Haris, 24 News

  49. Javeria Siddique, TRT 

  50. Kiran Nazish, CFWIJ 

  51. Laiba Zainab, Sujag 

  52. Lubna Jerar Naqvi, KUJ 

  53. Madiha Abid Ali, Dunya News 

  54. Madiha Naqvi, ARY News 

  55. Maleeha Hashmi, Freelance 

  56. Maria Memon, ARY News

  57.  Maria Shirazi, The News Int. 

  58. Maria Zulfiqar, HUM News 

  59. Meher Bokhari, Dawn News 

  60. Mehmal Sarfraz, Geo News 

  61. Mehr Tarar, AbbTak 

  62. Mehreen Zahra Malik, Arab News 

  63. Mishal Fatima, Freelance

  64.  Mona Khan, Independent Urdu 

  65. Moneeba Iftekhar, APP 

  66. Munazza Anwar, BBC 

  67. Nabeela Hafiz, VoP 

  68. Nabya Shahid, Samaa 

  69. Nadia Murtaza, Dawn News 

  70. Nadia Naqi, Newsone TV

  71.  Nadia Suleman, BBC Urdu 

  72. Nadiya Mirza, PTV News 

  73. Naheed Akhtar, APP 

  74. Naheed Jahangir, Tribal News 

  75. Naila Naeem, FM Radio 

  76. Najia Ashar, Media Bethak 

  77. Nargis Janjua, Daily Jinan 

  78. Nasim Zehra, 24 News 

  79. Nausheen Yousaf, Geo News 

  80. Nazish Zafar, BBC 

  81. Neelum Nawab, DIN

  82. Noreen Zahra, Geo News 

  83. Paras Jahanzaib

  84.  Pernia Khan

  85.  Quatrina Hosain, PTV

  86. Raboa Mushtaq, CWIJ

  87. Rabia Shahab, Dawn News 

  88. Rameeza Ahmad, Freelancer 

  89. Ramsha Jahangir, Dawn 

  90. Rani Wahidi, Freelance 

  91. Rashida Sial, AbbTak 

  92. Reem Khurshid, Dawn 

  93. Riffat Shah, Aap News

  94. Sabahat Khan, DW 

  95. Sadaf Jabbar, ARY News 

  96. Sadaf Khan, Media Matters for Democracy 

  97. Sadia Kamal, APP 

  98. Saima Sajjad, Geo News 

  99. Samia Liaquat, Dawn 

  100. Samreen Hameed, Geo News 

  101. Sana Asif Dar, BBC 

  102. Sana Bucha, Aaj TV 

  103. Sana Jamal, Gulf News 

  104. Sanovia Chaudhry, Geo News 

  105. Sara Atiq, BBC 

  106. Sarah Hasan, VOA 

  107. Sarah Zafar, Media Matters for Democracy 

  108. Seema Tahir, CEO News One 

  109. Sehrish Khokar, ARY News 

  110. Sehrish Lodhi, PTV 

  111. Shafaq Iqbal, Nawa-e-Waqt 

  112. Shaista Hakim, Freelance Swat 

  113. Shaista Yasmeen, UKS 

  114. Shamim Ashraf, Daily Kashmir 

  115. Sharmeen Ali, PTV 

  116. Shazia Nayyar, Aap News 

  117. Shazia Sikendar, Freelance 

  118. Shazia Tahir, Freelancer 

  119. Shazia, Express TV 

  120. Sheema Siddiqui, Geo 

  121. Shiffa Yousufzai, HUM News 

  122. Shumaila Jaffery, BBC 

  123. Sitara Jabeen, TRT World 

  124. Sophiya Anjam PTV/FM 91 

  125. Sumaira Latif, Geo News 

  126. Sumeera Ali, GNN News 

  127. Sumeira Khan, Indus News 

  128. Syeda Qurat ul Ain Shirazi, Hum News 

  129. Tanzeela Mazhar, GTV 

  130. Tanzeela Rania, Aaj News 

  131. Umaima Ahmed, The News 

  132. Uneeba Zamir Shah, Geo News 

  133. Urooj Raza Siami, Roze TV 

  134. Wajiha, Dawn News 

  135. Xari Jaleel, Dawn 

  136. Yashfeen Jamal, Qalam-Camera 

  137. Zahra Noor Abbas, AbbTak 

  138. Zanobia Ilya, Turton GTV 

  139. Zanobia, Freelancer 

  140. Zaryab Arif, Hum News

  141.  Zeynep Gürcan, CFWIJ

  142.  Zivile Diminskyte, CWIJ 

  143. Zoya Anwar, Freelance

  144.  Zoya Rehman, Digital Rights Monitor

In Solidarity

  1. Aajiz Jamali, KUJ 

  2. Adil Abbasi, ARY News 

  3. Arif Hameed Bhatti, GNN 

  4. Arshad Sharif, ARY News 

  5. Asad Baig, Media Matters for Democracy 

  6. Ehtsham Ameeruddin, Samaa TV 

  7. GM Jamali, PFUJ 

  8. Habib Akram, Dunya News 

  9. Hafiz Tariq, News One 

  10. Hamid Mir, Geo News 

  11. Hassan Abbas, KUJ 

  12. Hassan Abdullah, TRT World

  13. Imran Khan, GNN 

  14. Kamran Khan, Dunya News 

  15. Kashan Akmal Gill, BBC 

  16. Kashif Abbasi, ARY News 

  17. Khawar Ghumman, Dunya News 

  18. Mazhar Abbas, Geo News 

  19. Mohammad Malick, Hum News 

  20. Mujeeb ur Rehmam Shami, Dunya 

  21. Nasrullah Malik, Neo News 

  22. Owais Tauheed, PTV 

  23. Raza Azeem, PFUJ 

  24. Shahzada Zulfiqar, PFUJ

  25. Shahzad Iqbal, Geo News 

  26. Syed Ali Haider, Samaa TV 

  27. Syed Imran Shafqat 

  28. Zarar Khoro, Dawn News 

Supporting Bodies

  1. Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ)

  2. Network of Journalists for Digital Rights 

  3. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)

  4. Women in Media Alliance (WIMA)

  5. The Coalition for Women in Journalism (CWIJ)

 

The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.

Previous
Previous

Pakistan: Shaheena Shaheen Baloch’s Murder Is A Despicable Reminder Of Deterioration Of Women Journalist’s Rights. CFWIJ Signs The Joint Statement Demanding Women Journalists Are Safe

Next
Next

Hungary: Index.hu Staff Who Walked Out Of Their Newsroom Over Government Interference Is Launching A New Media Platform