India and Pakistan got the dubious distinction of being among the world’s five deadliest countries for the media in 2013. While 10 mediapersons lost their lives in Pakistan, eight died in India, according to the South Asian Free Media Association’s annual report.
Here’s how some of the South Asian countries fared.
Afghanistan
Despite moving up 22 places to 128 on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index, 2013, Afghanistan saw a sharp increase in violence and threats against journalists by local officials, police and the Taliban. Two journalists, Mohammad Nasim Turak and Mohammad Hassin Hashemi, and an Indian diarist, Sushmita Banerjee, were killed in the war-ravaged country in 2013. At least two writers were forced to flee Afghanistan in 2013 after receiving death threats.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh moved down 15 places to 144 on the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index 2013. Blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was hacked to death near his home in Dhaka and four bloggers were detained on charges of posting “false, indecent or defamatory” information and “hurting religious sentiments” in their blogs. Another blogger, Asif Mohiuddin, required medical treatment while in jail resulting from the effects of stab wounds he received in a murder attempt in January. The government also shut down Amar Desh, the country’s biggest-circulation pro-opposition paper on April 11 and had its editor Mahmudur Rahman locked up.
Bhutan
Reporters Without Borders placed Bhutan’s state of press freedom at 82nd, 12 places down in the rung from last year’s 70th position. Observers attribute the drop in the ranking to ‘restrained’ news because of the media’s heavy reliance on the government for revenue and to the lack of a right to information act in the country.
India
The number of journalists killed in the line of duty in India went up from three in 2011 and five in 2012, to eight in 2013. No arrests have been made for any of the killings that are indicative of intolerance to alternative ideas and opinions and the impunity the attackers enjoy. An acid attack on a journalist in Parbhani, Maharashtra, and an attempt to burn alive another journalist in Kolkata, West Bengal were part of the 19 instances of attacks on journalists in 2013. Of these, four attacks came from political parties while in seven instances the media was targeted while covering protests.
In November, the Tehelka case revealed the sordid reality of workplace harassment. Tarun Tejpal, the former editor-in-chief of Tehelka stepped down as editor and was arrested after a woman colleague accused him of sexual assault.
Maldives
Political instability, resulting in threats and physical attacks on journalists and staff purges, makes it difficult to produce independent news and information. Maldives (103rd, -30) fell sharply after President Muhammad Nasheed’s removal in an alleged coup, followed by threats and attacks on journalists regarded as his supporters.
Nepal
In the days leading to the November 19 polls, there was an upsurge in press freedom violations and incidents against freedom of expression impacting several journalists. As in the past, journalists and media outlets were at the receiving end vis-a-vis the political turmoil. Twenty-two journalists fled Dailekh district after death threats made by cadres of the ruling Unified Communist Party of Nepal (UCPN), halting production at two daily newspapers and one weekly. Those behind the threats also ransacked the premises of the daily Hamro Tesro Aankha. These acts of violence were attempts to gag news providers in a country ranked 118th out of 179 countries in the 2013 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.
Pakistan
Ten journalists were killed in Pakistan in 2013 earning the country the tag of being one of the world’s deadliest five countries for media personnel. Pakistan is ranked 159th out of 179 countries in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index. Journalists in Balochistan and the Tribal Areas were mainly the targets of intimidation and violence with impunity sustaining the climate of terror.
Salik Ali Jafri, a GEO news journalist, was killed in twin bomb explosions in Karachi, on November 22. Ayub Khan Khattak, 42, a reporter of Karak Times, was shot dead, in Karak district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhuwa province on October 11. The mutilated body of Balochistan-based journalist Haji Abdul Razzak was found on August 21 in Karachi. Missing since March 24, Razzak was tortured to death. Ahmed Ali Joiya, 25, a reporter in Bahawalnagar district of Punjab province was shot dead on May 24.
Tariq Aslam of the daily Pakistan was killed in a suicide blast at Peshawar on April 16. Mehmood Ahmed Afridi of the daily Intikhab was murdered in Kalat, Balochistan on May 1. Malik Mumtaz of Jang Group was murdered on February 27. Imran Shaikh and Saif ur Rehman of Samaa TV and Mohammad Iqbal of NNI News Agency were killed in a suicide blast in Quetta on January 10. Three journalists suffered injuries in the bomb blast.
Pakistan has one of the world's worst records of prosecuting anti-press violence in which 58 journalists have been killed here since 2002 by militants, criminals, and warlords, but also by political and intelligence operatives.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is classified by Reporters Without Borders as a country “under surveillance” because of its violations of freedom of expression and is ranked 162nd out of 179 countries in its 2013 press freedom index. The threats to media include killings and disappearances, physical attacks, verbal intimidation, threats of reprisals and the constant danger of police action. The situation has forced more than 80 journalists to flee the country. Recently, senior journalist, Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema, co-editor of the Sunday Leader, and her husband Romesh Abeywickrema, business editor of the Sunday Leader, left the country after an armed attack on their home.
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