Change Qatar press law or we leave..
By Anwar Elshamy
THE chief of the Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF) yesterday called on Qatar to amend its press law, while threatening to leave if the law was not amended.
Addressing a press conference to release the first annual report by the DCMF on media freedom in the Middle East and North Africa, Robert Menard, the director general of the centre, said the Qatari press law, which was issued in 1979, had never been amended in spite of a revolution in the local media scene in the country. “Without changing the status of press freedom in Qatar, it would be impossible for the centre to criticise any other country for imposing restrictions on media freedom,” Menard said.
“I thank God that the press law is not strictly enforced, otherwise the number of you attending the press conference would have been less,” he said, adding that the centre sought to maintain its independence and credibility.
However, Menard, who was the chief of the Reporters Without Borders Organisation, claimed that he had been assured by top authorities of changes to the situation of press freedom in Qatar.
“In return I made a commitment to them to have a body in Qatar that enjoyed respect around the world,” he added.
“There should be an association to defend journalists working in Qatar. How can a journalist be asked to work while he is threatened to be deported the next day because of his work,” he asked.
He announced that the DCMF had set up a round-the-clock hotline which journalists around the world, including Qatar, can use to seek its help.
Asked about his expectations, he expressed optimism, saying that although the DCMF was funded by Qatar, “we have no restrictions about our work in the country”.
“I have been given full freedom to work. Tour the region and count the number of the countries which can allow a body to criticise the country which funds it. So far HH Sheikha Mozah gave us an opportunity and I hope things will change for the better. Otherwise it will be failure for all and I will leave,” he said.
He also called for the establishment of an association to defend journalists in Qatar, saying that the DCMF could not work as an association for them.
“There is a vacuum because of the absence of such a union of journalists. The centre cannot fill it up.”
About the practice of employers holding the passports of journalists, Menard claimed it was imposing restrictions on the freedom of journalists.
“Even if such practice is not confined to journalists, employers have no right to hold passports,” he added.
In its annual report about Qatar, the DCMF said that journalists “must tread carefully to avoid being sacked or even deported. Journalists are also vulnerable because Qatar has no association that can defend them before their employers or the authorities, since the trade unions are strictly forbidden here.”
It also called for a special court to handle media offences.
About future projects, Menard said that an independent media centre would be set up in Gaza to defend journalists in the Palestinian territory. “It would work independently from any political factions.”
The Doha centre will also set up a press agency in Djibouti for Somali journalists whose lives are threatened in the war-torn Somalia.
“We seek to reach out to all the hotspots around the world and help journalists,” he added.
Meanwhile, the International Federation of Journalists is planning to open a regional office in Bahrain to cover the Arab world, Iran and Pakistan, the Bahrain Journalists’ Association said in a statement yesterday.
It said the accord was reached during a visit to the kingdom by Brussels-based IFJ chief Aidan White.
Who needs 'real' journalism anyway?
As long as the newspaper can sell for the 'larger population of readers' in Qatar, why not?
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
I'll just say that free press is a main requirement of a modern society.
We need to know more, not less, and we can judge who is saying something right, and who's just inventing their own news.
I would also agree that we as a society don't have enough educated people, and nobody reads anything important, not even in the Arabic newspapers (skim the news, read the comics, have a look at the stock market trends, and then read the sports section).
> I fail to see where stereotyping all Qataris as not
> really writing and working serves any purpose in this
> discussion.
I'm not stereotyping anyone. There are Qataris who work for all the English-language newspapers. I've never seen any article bylined to a Qatari journalist. How is that stereotyping?
You know the problems with women entering the workforce in Qatar. How the female graduates of Northwestern are going to change the dynamics inside newsrooms is unfathomable, when you'd have to be pretty optimistic to assume any of them would be working in newspapers in five years time.
Sorry, I dont know why I referred to you as 'genius', but take it as a compliment. :)
In reference to Kuwait, if a free press was available in Kuwait then it could seriously question the parlimentary decision to fire the ministry board.
The key to avoid electing political extremes, whether it be islamist, facist, communist etc., is Transparacy and Accountability; this is impossible without a free and fearless press.
"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365
not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the
many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers
were given. Satan - 10."
PM, there are Qataris in every newspaper's staff. Just like every other business, newspapers have to follow the Qatarization rules.
Mostly, they are called "diplomatic staff" or some other imaginary job title. Also the Editor-in-Chief of every newspaper is Qatari.
If Qataris have the jobs, but don't write, then it seems rather irrational to think that adding more Qataris will solve the problem.
genesis
Some people in the thread about Qatarization ridiculed the girl's letter. I didn't. I pointed out that over 50% of Qataris leave school unable to read or write, so the system was unworkable.
I can give you a few examples of what Qatari's would gain from a free press:
1. Criminals would be named, so you could avoid them.
2. Dirty restaurants and shops would be named, so you could avoid them.
3. Banks would be questioned about their annual reports, so you'd know where your money was safest.
4. Politicians would be confronted with their undelivered promises, which might make eager to only promise what it's possible to deliver.
I think the most important benefit of having a free press is believability. At the moment, I don't know many educated people who believe a story about Qatar in a Qatari paper. It would take decades of truthful and complete reporting to build up the trust in the local press. Until then, most people won't think they're being told the truth.
You write that "Qataris like all arabs can accept criticism from each other, but can never accept criticism from strangers." The papers are 100% owned by Qataris. The Arab press, despite what is commonly said about Al Arab, is even more heavily controlled than the English press.
-
Are you aware of what's happening in Kuwait?
They hold elections, they question the government, even the parliament recently had the entire ministry board resign.
Did it change any thing? Kuwaitis are arrogant as ever, expatriates (specially Egyptians & Palestinians) are treated like crap,& Islamic party is taking over the country. sorry, we just don't need that in Qatar.
...that 'they' have to make some point where they can discuss Qatar-related issues and a little bit of different nationality's "news reports around the globe" to give 'themselves' a chance to 'advertise' theirs with a larger space and page on a newspaper or a longer runtime broadcast for a local TV news...
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
And that's not me asking..
If this law will ever be amended it must pass through the advisory council & supreme Ministry council for review.
What will Qataris benefit from this law?I can already predict qataris will be bashed on all articles..
Just few days back,"ngourlay" ridiculed the qatari girl letter to GT editor. And he's so fond of freedom of press!
99% of journalists here are expatriates.Whatever they will write will only reflect their view points & concern. What will the nation benefit?
Qataris like all arabs can accept criticism from each other, but can never accept criticism from strangers (No matter how intellect they are)
When they eventually get around to holding elections then it will give Qataris the oppotunity to question and comment on the decisions made on their behalf by their elected representitives.
But I can see that such a body, having in it's control the power to amend such a law, would find it quite tempting to make no change what so ever.
your question should be: " What's in it for the governing Qataris?"
"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365
not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the
many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers
were given. Satan - 10."
I would love to know your reasoning behind that last statement?
Would it be a case of not rocking the boat and being left in ignorence is better than having troubling thoughts?
"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365
not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the
many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers
were given. Satan - 10."
well they can leave and make Qatar more peaceful.
to publish and be damned?!
"Deaths in the Bible. God - 2,270,365
not including the victims of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, or the
many plagues, famines, fiery serpents, etc because no specific numbers
were given. Satan - 10."
Gypsy
Northwestern will stick around for as long as they keep handing out the salary cheques. The management are trying to convince themselves they are making a difference by behind-the-scenes conversations with senior royals. I asked Richard Roth why he bothered carrying on with his "hotline to the gods", when everyone else knew he wasn't making any difference.
He told me that "With that kind of cynicism and negativism, I’m surprised you are still here. Go home, or believe in a better tomorrow. I came here to make a difference, not to despair about what is or what was."
I think he's an idiot, and a disgrace to journalism. [edit] That's probably a bit too strong. He's laid the blame on journalists for the poor state of Qatar's newspapers, while he knows that the problem stems from the press laws and ownership. That, to me, says that he's quite happy to live in his plush pad at the Four Seasons until it's time to retire.
Before you worry about freedom of the press how about the newspapers employ people who know how to write???
Really the standard is dire...all sorts of mangled sentences.
Well it appears they were originally promised that it would begin to open up to a free press and free speech, but it hasn't happened.
I can't imagine NorthWestern sticking it out to long here either if they don't open up the press.
PM - see my comment on the other thread (link above) where I pasted the DCMFs "mission statement". Despite the misleading name, the Doha Centre for Media Freedom isn't here to promote the freedom of media in Doha. It's a refuge for journalists that happens to be located in Doha.
However, it does seem they've now realised the irony of being located in a country where journalists don't have the freedom they should. Hence the threat to leave if the laws don't change as they were promised they would.
Great to see it made the local papers.
You can't teach experience...
yes tallg , sorry i ddnt notice the thread.
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=272183&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56
______________________________________________
Listen to Many..Speak to a few.
Was this in today's paper?
Started discussing yesterday; http://www.qatarliving.com/node/368706