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Eyes have been rolling since the Greek Parliament passed a new law last week (November 11) aimed at curtailing, allegedly, fake news related to the coronavirus pandemic and vaccinations. Journalist and rights organizations fear the law’s vague language can harm news coverage. The law passed with support of the ruling coalition and none from the opposition.
The law prescribes - in Article 36 - prosecutions and jail terms for “fake news which may cause anxiety or fear to the citizens.” The heart of the matter for Greek news media are provisions that could criminalize reporting. “If the act was repeatedly committed through the press or via the internet, the perpetrator is punished with imprisonment of at least six months and a fine,” says the law. “The actual owner or issuer of the instrument with which the acts of the previous paragraphs were performed is punished with the same penalty.” (See more about media in Greece here)
The term “fake news” has received appropriate derision since first uttered by now-removed US president Donald Trump during election campaign appearances in 2015. In current usage, among responsible speakers and writers, it refers to any item of information contrary to a politician’s whim. The preferable term now is disinformation, perhaps due to being four syllables. (See more about fake news here)
“There is a danger that justice will intervene and restrict the constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of speech and expression of opinions about what is happening around us on the grounds that this spreads false news,” said Journalist’s Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (ESIEA) president Maria Antoniadou, quoted by News247 GR (November 13). “That causes concern and fear of the citizens and the trust of the public is shaken.”
The Greek legal profession is also not impressed. “This element, the ability to provoke fear or anxiety, is completely subjective, vague and yet immeasurable,” said Union of Judges and Prosecutors representative Charalambos Sevastidis. “It must be avoided, at any sacrifice, the establishment of a single state truth and the prosecution of opposing views. That practice can easily lead to censorship.”
How foreign news correspondents carry out their work is determined, to a large degree, by their level of comfort. This applies equally to placid environments and war zones. Certainly, big international news organizations cover major events with short-term reporting by specialist teams. Journalism by routine observation develops over time, quite often years.
The United States and Chinese governments agreed this week to “relax” multiple-entry visa rules for respective foreign correspondents. “We welcome this progress but see it simply as initial steps,” said a US State Department spokesperson, quoted by Reuters (November 16). Chinese correspondents will be issued one-year multiple-entry visas to work in the US. The Chinese authorities will reciprocate “once the US policies come into force,” noted state media outlet Global Times (November 16). (See more about media in China here)
Under the previous US administration (March 2020) several Chinese nationals working for state media were expelled from the US. Swatting back, several foreign correspondents, US and other nationals, were booted out of China. The new framework agreement allows “currently displaced” journalists “may return to their posts in respective countries… based on applicable laws and regulations.” That predicate is seen by some observers as the Chinese side maintaining its tight grip.
Quite soon football fans the world over will learn the match schedule for the Qatar football world cup. Sports writers and the fans who follow them will pour over these charts for hints, talking points and arguments. The Qatar World Cup, which was awarded in 2010, gets under way in a year.
In the meantime, there is yet another controversy. On Monday former Qatar World Cup organizing committee communications director Abdullah Ihbais was arrested. Football magazine Josimar reported the arrest took place hours before an arranged meeting between Mr. Ihbais and Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reporter Halvor Ekeland was to take place. Josimar has been threatened with lawsuits from the Qatar group over contents of their published material.
Josimar is a Norwegian magazine and online portal specializing in football “as a sport, cultural phenomenon and business.” Most of its writers come from fields outside sports journalism. It was founded in 2009. “Josimar vision is to go under the skin of the beautiful game, to show football’s greatness, but also to uncover the darker side of the game – the political battles, how regimes are abusing football to whitewash their image, the rampant corruption and cronyism,” says its published description. (See more about media in Norway here)
Mr. Ihbais was arrested, tried and sentenced earlier this year for financial impropriety. The Josimar article claims he was prosecuted because of his defense of migrant workers constructing the Qatar facilities. The verdict is under appeal, which was due to be heard November 23. Mr. Ihbais claims his arrest this week was hastened by media coverage. Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have monitored migrant labor in Qatar for months, regularly distributing statements. Amnesty International Norway published (November 15) an exposé saying “old abusive practices (toward migrant labor) have flourished again.” (See more about sports and media here)
Mr. Ekland said he has no idea what happened to Mr. Ihbais, to NRK (November 16). German regional public broadcaster WRD sports reporter Benjamin Best claims to have spoken with Mr. Ihbais since his most recent arrest. Mr. Ihbais reportedly told Mr. Best police at the jail where he is being held told him his original five-year sentence is now underway, sans appeal.
Diplomatic intervention is not known for lightening speed. There are consultations, reports, negotiations, statements and more consultations. Certainly, urgent issues like war and threats thereof take priority. Press freedom doesn’t make the top ten. This past weekend was a bit different.
The sudden termination by Cuban authorities of work visas for several - five or six - Spanish news agency EFE staff members quickly became a diplomatic incident. Cuba’s International Press Center (Centro de Prensa Internacional - CPI), a government agency, summoned the EFE employees on Saturday (November 13) and revoked the visas without clarification. Two and a half months ago the CPI withdrew accreditation of EFE’s Havana bureau chief Atahualpa Amerise.
Spain’s ambassador to Cuba Ángel Martín Peccis reached out to authorities as Spain’s Foreign Ministry called in Cuba’s charge d’affaires for a consultation. The US State Department got involved along with powerful US House of Representatives Foreign Relations committee chair Bob Mendenez, a Cuban-American. Within hours visas for two employees - a camera operator and an editor - were reinstated. Officially, only crickets were heard from Cuban authorities.
One plausible explanation for revoking the visas, widely reported, is the expected major public demonstrations in Havana on Monday (November 15), which the government has declared illegal. Sr. Amerise was booted after a demonstration earlier embarrassed Cuban authorities. EFE (Agencia EFE) is the major Spanish-language news agency and fourth largest in the world after AP, Reuters and AFP. It was founded in 1939. (See more about news agencies here)
Half a world away, another diplomatic intervention on behalf of a news reporter took place this weekend. Frontier Myanmar managing editor Danny Fenster, a US citizen, was released from prison after serving three days of an 11 year sentence in hard labor. A Myanmar military court imposed the punishment last Friday (November 12) citing sedition and spreading false information while Mr. Fenster worked for the now-shuttered Myanmar Now news portal. He was arrested in May and detained at the infamous Insein Prison. (See more about media in Southeast Asia here)
His release was secured after a “private humanitarian visit” by former US Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson with Myanmar armed forces commander in chief General Min Aung Hlaing, reported Reuters (November 15). Ambassador Richardson previously negotiated with North Korean military officials for the release of political prisoners. General Hlaing who named himself prime minister after a coup earlier this year, issued Mr. Fenster a full pardon. He left Myanmar with Ambassador Richardson.
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