Anisa Mehdi, Ray Hanania, Ali Alarabi, Saffiya Shillo, Aladdin Elaasar and Sherif Hedayat, all professional writers, journalists and Arab Americans have launched the Arab Writers Group Synidcate to provide quality professional columns and commentary to mainstream Arab American newspapers.
The site is located at www.ArabWritersGroup.com and also features regularly published political cartoons.
# # #
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Casting call for bilingual Arab journalists
Dubai TV and Saudi News Ch 2 English are casting for experienced reporters who can speak English/Arabic to work on upcoming projects with their stations. Job duties include general news gathering, writing, and on-air news reporting.
Interviews are being scheduled for this week from 3pm until 9pm at the Sound View Studio in Long Island City (see below for address). Ideal candidate will have previous broadcast experience.
The address is:
Sound View Studio
36-01 37th Ave,
Long Island City, NY 11101
Interviews are being scheduled for this week from 3pm until 9pm at the Sound View Studio in Long Island City (see below for address). Ideal candidate will have previous broadcast experience.
The address is:
Sound View Studio
36-01 37th Ave,
Long Island City, NY 11101
Monday, August 06, 2007
Morocco censors news weeklies, confiscates papers and charges publisher
Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright
e-mail: info@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
Morocco: Government confiscates newsweeklies, charges publisher
New York, August 6, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Moroccan government’s seizure of the editions of two independent newsweeklies over the weekend. Authorities alleged that the magazines disrespected King Mohammed VI and violated public morality.
On Saturday, Moroccan police seized copies of the Arabic-language weekly Nichane from newsstands and other locations around the country and confiscated printed copies of its sister weekly, the French-language TelQuel at the printing press used by both magazines, local journalists told CPJ.
“We condemn this act of flagrant censorship and call on Moroccan officials to release both confiscated editions at once,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “The seizure of Nichane and TelQuel is further evidence that press freedom is being sharply eroded as Morocco continues to damage its reputation as a country that tolerates critical journalism.”
Some 50,000 non-assembled copies of TelQuel were destroyed at the printing house, according to sources at TelQuel. Moroccan Prime Minister Driss Jettou announced the Nichane seizure that same day, stating that the magazine had failed to show “due respect” to the king and had published articles “containing expressions contrary to morality that offend the feelings of Muslims.”
Ahmed Benchemsi, publisher of both weeklies, was formally charged earlier today with failing to show “the due respect to the King” under Article 41 of the Moroccan Press Law. He was summoned to appear in court in Casablanca on August 24 and could face between three to five years in prison and a fine up to 100,000 dirhams (US$11,000) if convicted.
An editorial written by Benchemsi and published in Nichane over the weekend triggered the seizures of the two magazines, according to journalists at TelQuel. The editorial took issue with King Mohammed VI’s commitment to democracy and questioned the use of legislative elections slated for September 7, as long as the king firmly controls all powers. The same editorial was slated to run in French in TelQuel until authorities confiscated it. Authorities also objected to an article about sexuality in Arab culture that ran in Nichane.
In a separate development on Monday, police visited the printer of the independent weekly Le Journal Hebdomadaire and demanded to see the magazine’s proofs, several journalists told CPJ. After a six-hour delay police approved printing.
The government previously banned Nichane in December 2006 for allegedly denigrating Islam when the magazine ran a 10-page article analyzing popular jokes about religion, sex, and politics. In January, a court handed down three-year suspended sentences and fines to the paper’s editor and a reporter. TelQuel has also been the target of a numerous politically motivated court judgments because of its political coverage.
Saturday’s seizures came amid growing concerns among Moroccan journalists about press freedom.
A Casablanca court will begin hearing the case on Tuesday of Abderrahim Ariri, publisher the independent weekly Al-Watan Al An and Mostafa Hormatallah, a reporter for the paper. Both were charged in July with possessing classified documents after they published a secret government document regarding terrorist threats against Morocco. Both journalists were arrested in July 17, and Hormatallah remains behind bars.
On May 3, World Press Freedom Day, CPJ designated Morocco as one of the world’s worst backsliders on press freedom. Last month CPJ released a special report noting that press freedoms in Morocco have notably regressed in recent years. Independent journalists have been the targets of a series of politicized court cases, financial pressures, and harassment from authorities.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright
e-mail: info@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
Morocco: Government confiscates newsweeklies, charges publisher
New York, August 6, 2007— The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Moroccan government’s seizure of the editions of two independent newsweeklies over the weekend. Authorities alleged that the magazines disrespected King Mohammed VI and violated public morality.
On Saturday, Moroccan police seized copies of the Arabic-language weekly Nichane from newsstands and other locations around the country and confiscated printed copies of its sister weekly, the French-language TelQuel at the printing press used by both magazines, local journalists told CPJ.
“We condemn this act of flagrant censorship and call on Moroccan officials to release both confiscated editions at once,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “The seizure of Nichane and TelQuel is further evidence that press freedom is being sharply eroded as Morocco continues to damage its reputation as a country that tolerates critical journalism.”
Some 50,000 non-assembled copies of TelQuel were destroyed at the printing house, according to sources at TelQuel. Moroccan Prime Minister Driss Jettou announced the Nichane seizure that same day, stating that the magazine had failed to show “due respect” to the king and had published articles “containing expressions contrary to morality that offend the feelings of Muslims.”
Ahmed Benchemsi, publisher of both weeklies, was formally charged earlier today with failing to show “the due respect to the King” under Article 41 of the Moroccan Press Law. He was summoned to appear in court in Casablanca on August 24 and could face between three to five years in prison and a fine up to 100,000 dirhams (US$11,000) if convicted.
An editorial written by Benchemsi and published in Nichane over the weekend triggered the seizures of the two magazines, according to journalists at TelQuel. The editorial took issue with King Mohammed VI’s commitment to democracy and questioned the use of legislative elections slated for September 7, as long as the king firmly controls all powers. The same editorial was slated to run in French in TelQuel until authorities confiscated it. Authorities also objected to an article about sexuality in Arab culture that ran in Nichane.
In a separate development on Monday, police visited the printer of the independent weekly Le Journal Hebdomadaire and demanded to see the magazine’s proofs, several journalists told CPJ. After a six-hour delay police approved printing.
The government previously banned Nichane in December 2006 for allegedly denigrating Islam when the magazine ran a 10-page article analyzing popular jokes about religion, sex, and politics. In January, a court handed down three-year suspended sentences and fines to the paper’s editor and a reporter. TelQuel has also been the target of a numerous politically motivated court judgments because of its political coverage.
Saturday’s seizures came amid growing concerns among Moroccan journalists about press freedom.
A Casablanca court will begin hearing the case on Tuesday of Abderrahim Ariri, publisher the independent weekly Al-Watan Al An and Mostafa Hormatallah, a reporter for the paper. Both were charged in July with possessing classified documents after they published a secret government document regarding terrorist threats against Morocco. Both journalists were arrested in July 17, and Hormatallah remains behind bars.
On May 3, World Press Freedom Day, CPJ designated Morocco as one of the world’s worst backsliders on press freedom. Last month CPJ released a special report noting that press freedoms in Morocco have notably regressed in recent years. Independent journalists have been the targets of a series of politicized court cases, financial pressures, and harassment from authorities.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
Iranian journalist sentenced to death in closed trial
Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright
e-mail: awright@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x105
Iran: Journalist sentenced to death in closed trial
New York, August 6, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the death sentence handed down in mid-July by a revolutionary court against Adnan Hassanpour, a journalist and former editor for the now-defunct Kurdish-Persian weekly Aso, in Iran’s northwestern province of Kurdistan. Iranian Kurdish environmental activist Abdulvahed Butimar was also convicted and sentenced to death.
Hassanpour was convicted of endangering national security and engaging in propaganda against the state, one of his attorneys, Sirvan Hosmandi, told CPJ in a telephone interview conducted Wednesday through an interpreter.
“We are alarmed that this death sentence has been issued in a closed trial,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Iranian authorities must provide a fair and transparent legal process.”
Iranian judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi was quoted by the official Islamic Republic News Agency on Tuesday confirming that both men “have been sentenced to execution on the charge of moharebeh,” The Associated Press reported. In the Iranian Islamic penal code, Moharebeh (fighting with God) is used by the Iranian authorities against persons who allegedly take up arms to violently overthrow the regime. Jamshidi gave the remarks during a weekly news conference, Reuters said. The news agency quoted him as saying that Hassanpour and Butimar “have taken arms to topple the system.”
Hassanpour and Butimar will appeal their sentence to Iran’s Supreme Court, U.S. government-funded Radio Farda reported. Hosmandi told CPJ that both men were currently being held in Kurdistan province’s capital, Sanandaj.
The exact charges and the evidence used to convict the men remain murky. Dr. Roya Toloui, a Kurdish women’s rights activist and journalist currently based in the United States, told CPJ that she suspects Hassanpour’s critical writings are behind the charges that led to his death penalty. Toloui is a former journalist at Aso and a friend of Hassanpour.
The Revolutionary Court has only confirmed the death sentence against Hassanpour and Butimar, but has not publicly provided full information about the basis for its convictions. Hassanpour’s attorneys say the specific charges used to convict their client are not directly related to his journalism.
Security agents seized the reporter in his hometown of Marivan, in the Kurdistan province, on January 25, according to news reports and international human rights organizations. There are conflicting news reports as to the exact date Butimar was arrested, but it was sometime in late December 2006 or early January 2007.
Hassanpour and Butimar were taken to an intelligence ministry jail in Sanandaj and held for several months without charge before being transferred in late March to a prison in Marivan, according to Amnesty International.
Hassanpour worked as an editor for nearly two years at Aso. The weekly was banned in August 2005 following its coverage of violent protests in the Kurdistan area that summer. Hassanpour has a separate, ongoing court case over articles he wrote for Aso.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright
e-mail: awright@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x105
Iran: Journalist sentenced to death in closed trial
New York, August 6, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the death sentence handed down in mid-July by a revolutionary court against Adnan Hassanpour, a journalist and former editor for the now-defunct Kurdish-Persian weekly Aso, in Iran’s northwestern province of Kurdistan. Iranian Kurdish environmental activist Abdulvahed Butimar was also convicted and sentenced to death.
Hassanpour was convicted of endangering national security and engaging in propaganda against the state, one of his attorneys, Sirvan Hosmandi, told CPJ in a telephone interview conducted Wednesday through an interpreter.
“We are alarmed that this death sentence has been issued in a closed trial,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Iranian authorities must provide a fair and transparent legal process.”
Iranian judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi was quoted by the official Islamic Republic News Agency on Tuesday confirming that both men “have been sentenced to execution on the charge of moharebeh,” The Associated Press reported. In the Iranian Islamic penal code, Moharebeh (fighting with God) is used by the Iranian authorities against persons who allegedly take up arms to violently overthrow the regime. Jamshidi gave the remarks during a weekly news conference, Reuters said. The news agency quoted him as saying that Hassanpour and Butimar “have taken arms to topple the system.”
Hassanpour and Butimar will appeal their sentence to Iran’s Supreme Court, U.S. government-funded Radio Farda reported. Hosmandi told CPJ that both men were currently being held in Kurdistan province’s capital, Sanandaj.
The exact charges and the evidence used to convict the men remain murky. Dr. Roya Toloui, a Kurdish women’s rights activist and journalist currently based in the United States, told CPJ that she suspects Hassanpour’s critical writings are behind the charges that led to his death penalty. Toloui is a former journalist at Aso and a friend of Hassanpour.
The Revolutionary Court has only confirmed the death sentence against Hassanpour and Butimar, but has not publicly provided full information about the basis for its convictions. Hassanpour’s attorneys say the specific charges used to convict their client are not directly related to his journalism.
Security agents seized the reporter in his hometown of Marivan, in the Kurdistan province, on January 25, according to news reports and international human rights organizations. There are conflicting news reports as to the exact date Butimar was arrested, but it was sometime in late December 2006 or early January 2007.
Hassanpour and Butimar were taken to an intelligence ministry jail in Sanandaj and held for several months without charge before being transferred in late March to a prison in Marivan, according to Amnesty International.
Hassanpour worked as an editor for nearly two years at Aso. The weekly was banned in August 2005 following its coverage of violent protests in the Kurdistan area that summer. Hassanpour has a separate, ongoing court case over articles he wrote for Aso.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Eliav Sartawi Awards deadline nears Aug. 15
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
2007 ELIAV-SARTAWI AWARDS FOR MIDDLE EASTERN JOURNALISM
(SPONSORED BY THE ZEL LURIE JOURNALISM FUND)
Search for Common Ground requests submissions for this annual competition to recognise and encourage journalism that contributes to a better understanding among people and to maintaining political dialogue in the Middle East. Awards will be offered for articles published originally in Arabic, in Hebrew and in other languages, including English. The articles must have been published between May 1st, 2006 and August 15th, 2007 in a recognized newspaper, magazine, web-publication or other periodical. Winners in each category will receive a monetary award of $1,000 (one thousand U.S. dollars). An Awards Ceremony will be organised in New York at the Columbia School of Journalism and the School of International & Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University in November 2007. Please send submissions BEFORE AUGUST 15, 2007 to AwardsME2007@sfcg.org .
For details, including the submission process, please visit:
http://www.sfcg.org/sfcg/sfcg_cgawards_me.html.
2007 ELIAV-SARTAWI AWARDS FOR MIDDLE EASTERN JOURNALISM
(SPONSORED BY THE ZEL LURIE JOURNALISM FUND)
Search for Common Ground requests submissions for this annual competition to recognise and encourage journalism that contributes to a better understanding among people and to maintaining political dialogue in the Middle East. Awards will be offered for articles published originally in Arabic, in Hebrew and in other languages, including English. The articles must have been published between May 1st, 2006 and August 15th, 2007 in a recognized newspaper, magazine, web-publication or other periodical. Winners in each category will receive a monetary award of $1,000 (one thousand U.S. dollars). An Awards Ceremony will be organised in New York at the Columbia School of Journalism and the School of International & Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University in November 2007. Please send submissions BEFORE AUGUST 15, 2007 to AwardsME2007@sfcg.org .
For details, including the submission process, please visit:
http://www.sfcg.org/sfcg/sfcg_cgawards_me.html.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Feature on New Jersey/New York newspaper Aramica
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTc1ODg1JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==
Newspaper is voice for Arab-Americans
Monday, July 30, 2007
By SAMANTHA HENRYHERALD NEWS
MICHAEL KARAS / HERALD NEWS
Copies of Aramica on display at the Arab-American festival in New York City.
There was a scarcity of Arab-American voices in the mainstream media before Sept. 11, 2001.
Following the attacks, they were all but silenced. That's when Antoine Faisal chose to speak out.
"Our community here wasn't being covered by anyone," Faisal said. "Mainstream media was lashing out at us, and no one was covering us, so that became my focus."
Faisal started a free biweekly, bilingual Arabic and English newspaper called Aramica –
a combination of the words Arab and America -- in early 2002.
"The challenge was how can you get the Arab-American community here to pick up an Arab-American newspaper after Sept. 11," Faisal said. "And in finding a common denominator that would make a Yemeni Muslim and a Maronite or Lebanese Christian pick up the same newspaper."
Faisal found those commonalities by offering readers a mix of hyper-local coverage of the Arab-American diaspora, as well as interviews with national newsmakers and public opinion surveys on perceptions of Arab-Americans among non-Arabs.
Aramica, which started with a print-run of 10,000 copies, has steadily grown to its present-day distribution of 30,000, according to Faisal. The paper is based in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, but is distributed throughout North Jersey, where it has several local advertisers such as Nouri Bros. of South Paterson. Each issue features news from Arab-American communities across the United States, a synopsis of world events and a lighter section of jokes, puzzles and horoscopes.
It often includes commentary from members of North Jersey's Arab-American community, such as a recent issue examining the topic of sex in the holy texts of different religions.
Sami Merhi, a Totowa businessman and leader of the Druze religious community -- an offshoot of Islam -- was one of those interviewed for the article.
Merhi said he supported Faisal's efforts to tackle issues that might be considered taboo in many of the countries from which Arab-Americans hail.
"The beauty of America comes in many colors," Merhi said. "One of which is we can say and talk our minds without the fear of retribution, that is the beauty of the freedom of speech."
Merhi said he liked the way Aramica's coverage reflected the diverse backgrounds of Arab-Americans in the United States.
"Any type of media that can bring the community, or people together, or be a bridge of truth in bringing a message -- I applaud," he said.
The publication is widely available in many shops along South Paterson's business corridor.
"I like it, I read different papers, but this has a lot of new stuff," said Khitam Arabiat, who works in a Middle Eastern gift store on Main Avenue. Arabiat said she still prefers to read it in Arabic, but knows American-born young people who pick it up for the English.
"A lot of customers take it," she said.
Faisal, now 34, emigrated from Beirut, Lebanon, in his early 20s. He parlayed a background in advertising into a marketing job in New York City, but was laid off when the economy suffered a post-Sept. 11 hit.
"I was an Arab in New York after Sept. 11. No one would hire me," Faisal said.
He decided to go into business for himself. Now, he dreams of one day expanding Aramica into a national paper, but one whose mission will remain the same: to offer a forum for the many diverse voices of Arab-Americans living in the United States.
"Many times, we have criticized our own community with the same intensity that we have defended it," Faisal said.
"We are not just flatterers, or covering events, we do have a say or an opinion, we do consider ourselves part of this community."
Reach Samantha Henry at 973-569-7172 or henrys@northjersey.com.
Newspaper is voice for Arab-Americans
Monday, July 30, 2007
By SAMANTHA HENRYHERALD NEWS
MICHAEL KARAS / HERALD NEWS
Copies of Aramica on display at the Arab-American festival in New York City.
There was a scarcity of Arab-American voices in the mainstream media before Sept. 11, 2001.
Following the attacks, they were all but silenced. That's when Antoine Faisal chose to speak out.
"Our community here wasn't being covered by anyone," Faisal said. "Mainstream media was lashing out at us, and no one was covering us, so that became my focus."
Faisal started a free biweekly, bilingual Arabic and English newspaper called Aramica –
a combination of the words Arab and America -- in early 2002.
"The challenge was how can you get the Arab-American community here to pick up an Arab-American newspaper after Sept. 11," Faisal said. "And in finding a common denominator that would make a Yemeni Muslim and a Maronite or Lebanese Christian pick up the same newspaper."
Faisal found those commonalities by offering readers a mix of hyper-local coverage of the Arab-American diaspora, as well as interviews with national newsmakers and public opinion surveys on perceptions of Arab-Americans among non-Arabs.
Aramica, which started with a print-run of 10,000 copies, has steadily grown to its present-day distribution of 30,000, according to Faisal. The paper is based in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, but is distributed throughout North Jersey, where it has several local advertisers such as Nouri Bros. of South Paterson. Each issue features news from Arab-American communities across the United States, a synopsis of world events and a lighter section of jokes, puzzles and horoscopes.
It often includes commentary from members of North Jersey's Arab-American community, such as a recent issue examining the topic of sex in the holy texts of different religions.
Sami Merhi, a Totowa businessman and leader of the Druze religious community -- an offshoot of Islam -- was one of those interviewed for the article.
Merhi said he supported Faisal's efforts to tackle issues that might be considered taboo in many of the countries from which Arab-Americans hail.
"The beauty of America comes in many colors," Merhi said. "One of which is we can say and talk our minds without the fear of retribution, that is the beauty of the freedom of speech."
Merhi said he liked the way Aramica's coverage reflected the diverse backgrounds of Arab-Americans in the United States.
"Any type of media that can bring the community, or people together, or be a bridge of truth in bringing a message -- I applaud," he said.
The publication is widely available in many shops along South Paterson's business corridor.
"I like it, I read different papers, but this has a lot of new stuff," said Khitam Arabiat, who works in a Middle Eastern gift store on Main Avenue. Arabiat said she still prefers to read it in Arabic, but knows American-born young people who pick it up for the English.
"A lot of customers take it," she said.
Faisal, now 34, emigrated from Beirut, Lebanon, in his early 20s. He parlayed a background in advertising into a marketing job in New York City, but was laid off when the economy suffered a post-Sept. 11 hit.
"I was an Arab in New York after Sept. 11. No one would hire me," Faisal said.
He decided to go into business for himself. Now, he dreams of one day expanding Aramica into a national paper, but one whose mission will remain the same: to offer a forum for the many diverse voices of Arab-Americans living in the United States.
"Many times, we have criticized our own community with the same intensity that we have defended it," Faisal said.
"We are not just flatterers, or covering events, we do have a say or an opinion, we do consider ourselves part of this community."
Reach Samantha Henry at 973-569-7172 or henrys@northjersey.com.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Moroccan journalists charged by government
Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright e-mail: awright@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x105
Moroccan journalists charged for publishing secret government documents
New York, July 24, 2007—Two Moroccan journalists detained for more than a week were charged today with possessing classified documents after they recently published secret government papers regarding terrorist threats against Morocco.
The Casablanca public prosecutor charged Abderrahim Ariri, publisher of the Moroccan weekly Al-Watan Al An and Mustafa Hormatallah, a journalist for the paper, with “concealing items derived from a crime” under article 571 of the Moroccan Penal Code, said the journalists’ lawyer, Jalal Taher. Taher told CPJ that it is not clear what his clients specifically concealed and that they are expecting to find out in court on Thursday when the public prosecutor will give more details. If convicted, the journalists face up to five years in prison and a fine.
“These charges should be dismissed at once,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “These two journalists are being punished for doing what good journalists are supposed to do by publishing news that is clearly in the public interest.”
On July 14, Al-Watan Al An published an article about secret government documents that reveal terrorist threats against Morocco. The weekly reproduced one of the purported secret documents of the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, a Moroccan security agency, which discussed the monitoring of jihadist Web sites.
The reproduced document cited an online video in which militants threatened to wage jihad against Morocco and other North African states. It said the video contained pictures showing jihadists imprisoned in Morocco, followed by images of U.S. President George Bush talking to the leaders of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Although the video focuses heavily on Moroccan King Mohammed VI’s meeting with Bush, Al-Watan Al An deleted the king’s name from the directorate’s document.
Staff at Al-Watan Al An told CPJ that at around the time of the journalists’ detention about 20 plainclothes security agents raided the newspaper’s Casablanca office and confiscated part of Al-Watan Al An’s archives and Ariri’s personal computer.
Ariri and Hormatallah were summoned for questioning by police in Casablanca on July 17 and detained pending investigation for allegedly revealing national defense secrets. Ariri was released today and told CPJ that the prosecutor extended Hormatallah’s detention until Thursday because the journalist had authored the article relating to the secret documents.
Al-Watan Al An frequently publishes stories critical of the Moroccan authorities. In March, it ran a story that criticized the king and palace officials for failing to cooperate with the Moroccan press.
The National Committee Backing Al-Watan Al An¸ a group composed of journalists, activists, lawyers, and politicians, was set up to support the journalists. The committee’s coordinator Mohammed Hafeed told CPJ that its members gathered outside the paper’s offices on Saturday to show their support.
In a special report released earlier this month, CPJ noted that press freedoms in Morocco have notably regressed in recent years. Independent journalists have been the targets of a series of politicized court cases, financial pressures, and harassment from authorities.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright e-mail: awright@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x105
Moroccan journalists charged for publishing secret government documents
New York, July 24, 2007—Two Moroccan journalists detained for more than a week were charged today with possessing classified documents after they recently published secret government papers regarding terrorist threats against Morocco.
The Casablanca public prosecutor charged Abderrahim Ariri, publisher of the Moroccan weekly Al-Watan Al An and Mustafa Hormatallah, a journalist for the paper, with “concealing items derived from a crime” under article 571 of the Moroccan Penal Code, said the journalists’ lawyer, Jalal Taher. Taher told CPJ that it is not clear what his clients specifically concealed and that they are expecting to find out in court on Thursday when the public prosecutor will give more details. If convicted, the journalists face up to five years in prison and a fine.
“These charges should be dismissed at once,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “These two journalists are being punished for doing what good journalists are supposed to do by publishing news that is clearly in the public interest.”
On July 14, Al-Watan Al An published an article about secret government documents that reveal terrorist threats against Morocco. The weekly reproduced one of the purported secret documents of the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, a Moroccan security agency, which discussed the monitoring of jihadist Web sites.
The reproduced document cited an online video in which militants threatened to wage jihad against Morocco and other North African states. It said the video contained pictures showing jihadists imprisoned in Morocco, followed by images of U.S. President George Bush talking to the leaders of Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Although the video focuses heavily on Moroccan King Mohammed VI’s meeting with Bush, Al-Watan Al An deleted the king’s name from the directorate’s document.
Staff at Al-Watan Al An told CPJ that at around the time of the journalists’ detention about 20 plainclothes security agents raided the newspaper’s Casablanca office and confiscated part of Al-Watan Al An’s archives and Ariri’s personal computer.
Ariri and Hormatallah were summoned for questioning by police in Casablanca on July 17 and detained pending investigation for allegedly revealing national defense secrets. Ariri was released today and told CPJ that the prosecutor extended Hormatallah’s detention until Thursday because the journalist had authored the article relating to the secret documents.
Al-Watan Al An frequently publishes stories critical of the Moroccan authorities. In March, it ran a story that criticized the king and palace officials for failing to cooperate with the Moroccan press.
The National Committee Backing Al-Watan Al An¸ a group composed of journalists, activists, lawyers, and politicians, was set up to support the journalists. The committee’s coordinator Mohammed Hafeed told CPJ that its members gathered outside the paper’s offices on Saturday to show their support.
In a special report released earlier this month, CPJ noted that press freedoms in Morocco have notably regressed in recent years. Independent journalists have been the targets of a series of politicized court cases, financial pressures, and harassment from authorities.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
Middle East Journalism Award deadline nears
ELIAV-SARTAWI AWARDS FOR MIDDLE EASTERN JOURNALISM
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
2007 ELIAV-SARTAWI AWARDS FOR MIDDLE EASTERN JOURNALISM
(SPONSORED BY THE ZEL LURIE JOURNALISM FUND)
Search for Common Ground requests submissions for this annual competition to recognise and encourage journalism that contributes to a better understanding among people and to maintaining political dialogue in the Middle East. Awards will be offered for articles published originally in Arabic, in Hebrew and in other languages, including English.
The articles must have been published between May 1st, 2006 and July 31st, 2007 in a recognized newspaper, magazine, web-publication or other periodical. Winners in each category will receive a monetary award of $1,000 (one thousand U.S. dollars).
An Awards Ceremony will be organised in New York at the Columbia School of Journalism and the School of International & Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University in November 2007.
Please send submissions BEFORE JULY 31, 2007 to AwardsME2007@sfcg.org .
For details, including the submission process, please visit: http://www.sfcg.org/sfcg/sfcg_cgawards_me.html .
end
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
2007 ELIAV-SARTAWI AWARDS FOR MIDDLE EASTERN JOURNALISM
(SPONSORED BY THE ZEL LURIE JOURNALISM FUND)
Search for Common Ground requests submissions for this annual competition to recognise and encourage journalism that contributes to a better understanding among people and to maintaining political dialogue in the Middle East. Awards will be offered for articles published originally in Arabic, in Hebrew and in other languages, including English.
The articles must have been published between May 1st, 2006 and July 31st, 2007 in a recognized newspaper, magazine, web-publication or other periodical. Winners in each category will receive a monetary award of $1,000 (one thousand U.S. dollars).
An Awards Ceremony will be organised in New York at the Columbia School of Journalism and the School of International & Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University in November 2007.
Please send submissions BEFORE JULY 31, 2007 to AwardsME2007@sfcg.org .
For details, including the submission process, please visit: http://www.sfcg.org/sfcg/sfcg_cgawards_me.html .
end
Saturday, July 21, 2007
PBS Feature on Arab World Woman's TV Show "Kalam Nawaem" July 31
WIDE ANGLE PRESENTS AN exclusive report on the ground-breaking all-female talk show that is shaking up the Middle East
Dishing Democracy Premieres Tuesday, July 31 At 9 P.M. As WIDE ANGLE Continues Its Sixth Season On PBS
While the United States has been striving to promote democracy in the Arab world, a home-grown revolution is already taking place. Every Sunday night in living rooms throughout the Middle East, tens of millions of viewers are tuning in to a fearless all-female talk show whose four hosts discuss controversial subjects, shatter stereotypes and provoke debate. Originally inspired by ABC’s hit The View, Kalam Nawaem (Sweet Talk) is taped in studios over the Middle East and broadcast each week from Dubai. Five years after its premiere, the show is a top-rated program on MBC, one of the first privately owned Arab satellite television channels.
With exclusive access to both the private and the professional lives of Kalam Nawaem’s hosts and producers, Wide Angle: Dishing Democracy provides a nuanced portrait of Arab women harnessing the power of transnational satellite television to boldly and effectively push social reform. Dishing Democracy premieres Tuesday, July 31 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings).
While the United States has been striving to promote democracy in the Arab world, a home-grown revolution is already taking place. Every Sunday night in living rooms throughout the Middle East, tens of millions of viewers are tuning in to a fearless all-female talk show whose four hosts discuss controversial subjects, shatter stereotypes and provoke debate. Originally inspired by ABC’s hit The View, Kalam Nawaem (Sweet Talk) is taped in studios over the Middle East and broadcast each week from Dubai. Five years after its premiere, the show is a top-rated program on MBC, one of the first privately owned Arab satellite television channels.
With exclusive access to both the private and the professional lives of Kalam Nawaem’s hosts and producers, Wide Angle: Dishing Democracy provides a nuanced portrait of Arab women harnessing the power of transnational satellite television to boldly and effectively push social reform. Dishing Democracy premieres Tuesday, July 31 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings).
The show is hosted by four women of different ages, nationalities and points of view who have become household names and role models across the Muslim world. Muna AbuSulayman, the very first Saudi woman to appear on Arab satellite television; Farah Bseiso, a Palestinian actress; Fawzia Salama, an Egyptian newspaper columnist; and Rania Barghout, a liberal Lebanese, meet in the production studio to discuss – and disagree on – a wide range of news, entertainment and social issues with invited guests. WIDE ANGLE’s cameras capture censorship discussions in editorial meetings, tension and camaraderie in the dressing room, and viewer reaction on the Arab street.
All four hosts are working mothers with strong family values, but when it comes to dishing it out, no subject matter is taboo. They were among the first in the Arab media to openly discuss homosexuality, and have been repeatedly outspoken on sensitive issues like polygamy, masturbation, wife battering, and equality between the sexes. The show is not without its enemies, as Rania Barghout explains: "The day before yesterday we had a letter, saying …we’re terrible women. We are corrupting Arab societies. We are the devil!"Before the advent of satellite dishes, most Arab viewers depended on terrestrial state television, which meant few channels and some form of government oversight of everything that went to air. Dishing Democracy explores how Muslim women are utilizing satellite television to modernize Islam in living rooms throughout the Arab world.
The director, Amsterdam-based Bregtje van der Haak, has made numerous documentaries on social, political and cultural topics around the world, including Saudi Solutions and Femmes Fatales about the lives of working women in Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
For additional information and photography, visit thirteen.org/pressroom/wideangle or pbs.org/pressroom.
For additional information and photography, visit thirteen.org/pressroom/wideangle or pbs.org/pressroom.
Major funding for WIDE ANGLE is provided by PBS, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Bernard and Irene Schwartz, Mutual of America Life Insurance Company, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Foundation, The Jacob Burns Foundation, Ford Foundation, Josh and Judy Weston, Rosalind P. Walter, and The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.
WIDE ANGLE is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York for PBS. Stephen Segaller is executive producer. Pamela Hogan is series producer. Andy Halper is senior producer.
..........…
..........…
Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, NOW With David Brancaccio, and Cyberchase – as well as the work of Bill Moyers – to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Ethnic Heritage Specials, The Thirteen Walking Tours, New York Voices, and Reel New York. Thirteen extends the impact of its television productions through educational and community outreach projects – including the Celebration of Teaching and Learning – as well as Web sites and other digital media platforms. More information can be found at: http://www.thirteen.org/.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Campus Journalism Award available, June 30 deadline
David W. Miller Award for Student Journalists
The David W. Miller award is in memory of a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education who was killed by a drunk driver. He was only 35 years old. The award consists of a $1,000 prize and a certificate. The deadline is June 30. Candidates should submit up to three samples of published work accompanied by a one-page letter describing the articles and why they were chosen for submission. The articles must have been published in a campus publication during the previous academic year. Candidates must have been undergraduate students at the time the articles were published. Candidates should send their materials to:
Andrew Mytelka
Senior Editor
The Chronicle of Higher Education
1255 23rd Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
Email: andrew.mytelka@chronicle.com
The David W. Miller award is in memory of a senior writer at The Chronicle of Higher Education who was killed by a drunk driver. He was only 35 years old. The award consists of a $1,000 prize and a certificate. The deadline is June 30. Candidates should submit up to three samples of published work accompanied by a one-page letter describing the articles and why they were chosen for submission. The articles must have been published in a campus publication during the previous academic year. Candidates must have been undergraduate students at the time the articles were published. Candidates should send their materials to:
Andrew Mytelka
Senior Editor
The Chronicle of Higher Education
1255 23rd Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
Email: andrew.mytelka@chronicle.com
Friday, July 13, 2007
Arab American journalists join in mourning death of journalist in Baghdad
NAAJA expresses its condolences to the family of New York Times interpreter/reporter Khalid Hassan who was killed in Baghdad this week, and to the families of all the journalists who have died in this conflict.
=====
CPJ mourns death of New York Times reporter in Baghdad
New York, July 13, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement about the death of Khalid W. Hassan, an interpreter and reporter for The New York Times Baghdad bureau, who was shot and killed today in Baghdad. CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said:
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Khalid Hassan and send our heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and friends. His death is even more difficult to bear, coming as it does on the heels of the loss of two of our colleagues from Reuters, who were killed yesterday by U.S. forces’ fire in Baghdad.
“There is no safe way to report on the streets of Baghdad. The fact that Khalid Hassan was shot on his way to work is a reminder that even the simplest, most routine functions of daily life can be deadly in an environment of rampant violence.
“Khalid Hassan’s killing, together with the deaths on Thursday of Reuters photographer Namir Noor-Eldeen and assistant Saeed Chmagh, is a reminder of the crucial news-gathering role that Iraqi journalists have assumed in the conflict. Iraqi journalists are eyes and ears for the world; they have shown extraordinary courage and commitment in revealing the reality of life in Iraq. Too often they have paid with their lives: Nearly 85 percent of the journalists and media support workers killed in the conflict have been Iraqis.
“As we mourn the loss of the Khalid Hassan, Namir Noor-Eldeen, and Saeed Chmagh, we should take a moment to recognize and honor the Iraqi journalists who put their lives on the line every day to report for international and local news organizations. They provide a service to the world, and all of us are deeply in their debt.”
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
=====
CPJ mourns death of New York Times reporter in Baghdad
New York, July 13, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement about the death of Khalid W. Hassan, an interpreter and reporter for The New York Times Baghdad bureau, who was shot and killed today in Baghdad. CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said:
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Khalid Hassan and send our heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and friends. His death is even more difficult to bear, coming as it does on the heels of the loss of two of our colleagues from Reuters, who were killed yesterday by U.S. forces’ fire in Baghdad.
“There is no safe way to report on the streets of Baghdad. The fact that Khalid Hassan was shot on his way to work is a reminder that even the simplest, most routine functions of daily life can be deadly in an environment of rampant violence.
“Khalid Hassan’s killing, together with the deaths on Thursday of Reuters photographer Namir Noor-Eldeen and assistant Saeed Chmagh, is a reminder of the crucial news-gathering role that Iraqi journalists have assumed in the conflict. Iraqi journalists are eyes and ears for the world; they have shown extraordinary courage and commitment in revealing the reality of life in Iraq. Too often they have paid with their lives: Nearly 85 percent of the journalists and media support workers killed in the conflict have been Iraqis.
“As we mourn the loss of the Khalid Hassan, Namir Noor-Eldeen, and Saeed Chmagh, we should take a moment to recognize and honor the Iraqi journalists who put their lives on the line every day to report for international and local news organizations. They provide a service to the world, and all of us are deeply in their debt.”
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Canadian Arab writer publishes new book
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chick-lit makes its way to Cuba
First-time Arab-Canadian author explores more than mojitos, cigars and salsa dancing
Toronto, ON – July 04, 2007 -- Young women who struggle to balance the competing pressures of careers, love, friends, family values and individuality will identify with Nadine Dajani's brilliantly-written chick-lit novel with ethnic flare, Fashionably Late. Going beyond the traditional "women's fiction lite" fare, the novel shakes up the fashion-plus-best-friends-plus-boys formula with shadows of social criticism, a fresh look at bastion-of-communism-turned-tourist-hotspot Cuba, and perhaps most surprisingly for a "chick lit" novel, the Lebanese civil war. "Anyone who is curious about the interplay between different cultures will get something from this book," said author Nadine Dajani in a recent interview.
Fashionably Late is far from forgettable fluff for fashionistas. This smart, sassy and inspirational story illustrates the profound evolution of Montreal-based Muslim Ali Hallaby, a sensible accountant who endures a tumultuous quarter-life crisis involving a struggle with career chaos, powerful parental pressure and a lacklustre love life when she fails the Uniform Final Examination (UFE), the single most important thing standing between her and a blossoming career at one of the Big Four accounting firms.
Drawing strength from her friends, foreign travel and her love of fashion, Ali's courageous journey of self-discovery will embolden other young women to listen to the desires of their heart and act on what they learn, while whisking them away to historic and romantic Cuba.
"From the chic boutiques of Montreal to the sultry nightlife in Cuba, Fashionably Late sparkles with wit and humour. You will fall in love with Dajani's engaging Lebanese-Canadian heroine," commented JoAnn Hornak, author of Adventures of a Salsa Goddess.
"It was about having something to say," Dajani, an accountant-turned-author, responded when asked why she decided to pen her first novel. "I wanted to create a novel that people would enjoy, but I was encouraged to infuse it with details and insights about the immigrant experience, especially as seen through the eyes of a deeply misunderstood minority group (Arabs). Ultimately, it was the multicultural aspect of the novel as well as the unusual setting that appealed to people," she explains.
Born in Lebanon and raised in Canada, Dajani grew up loving all things right-brained, but when it came time for university, opted to major in accounting instead. After completing (and passing) her accounting examinations, Dajani moved to the Cayman Islands to work in the offshore banking industry. Eager to flex her creative muscles and explore her passion for fashion, Dajani enrolled in a Fashion Marketing degree at LaSalle College in her spare time.
Fashionably Late enjoyed an international release in June 2007, and is available at major bookstores as well as on-line at Chapters, Indigo and Amazon.
Chick-lit makes its way to Cuba
First-time Arab-Canadian author explores more than mojitos, cigars and salsa dancing
Toronto, ON – July 04, 2007 -- Young women who struggle to balance the competing pressures of careers, love, friends, family values and individuality will identify with Nadine Dajani's brilliantly-written chick-lit novel with ethnic flare, Fashionably Late. Going beyond the traditional "women's fiction lite" fare, the novel shakes up the fashion-plus-best-friends-plus-boys formula with shadows of social criticism, a fresh look at bastion-of-communism-turned-tourist-hotspot Cuba, and perhaps most surprisingly for a "chick lit" novel, the Lebanese civil war. "Anyone who is curious about the interplay between different cultures will get something from this book," said author Nadine Dajani in a recent interview.
Fashionably Late is far from forgettable fluff for fashionistas. This smart, sassy and inspirational story illustrates the profound evolution of Montreal-based Muslim Ali Hallaby, a sensible accountant who endures a tumultuous quarter-life crisis involving a struggle with career chaos, powerful parental pressure and a lacklustre love life when she fails the Uniform Final Examination (UFE), the single most important thing standing between her and a blossoming career at one of the Big Four accounting firms.
Drawing strength from her friends, foreign travel and her love of fashion, Ali's courageous journey of self-discovery will embolden other young women to listen to the desires of their heart and act on what they learn, while whisking them away to historic and romantic Cuba.
"From the chic boutiques of Montreal to the sultry nightlife in Cuba, Fashionably Late sparkles with wit and humour. You will fall in love with Dajani's engaging Lebanese-Canadian heroine," commented JoAnn Hornak, author of Adventures of a Salsa Goddess.
"It was about having something to say," Dajani, an accountant-turned-author, responded when asked why she decided to pen her first novel. "I wanted to create a novel that people would enjoy, but I was encouraged to infuse it with details and insights about the immigrant experience, especially as seen through the eyes of a deeply misunderstood minority group (Arabs). Ultimately, it was the multicultural aspect of the novel as well as the unusual setting that appealed to people," she explains.
Born in Lebanon and raised in Canada, Dajani grew up loving all things right-brained, but when it came time for university, opted to major in accounting instead. After completing (and passing) her accounting examinations, Dajani moved to the Cayman Islands to work in the offshore banking industry. Eager to flex her creative muscles and explore her passion for fashion, Dajani enrolled in a Fashion Marketing degree at LaSalle College in her spare time.
Fashionably Late enjoyed an international release in June 2007, and is available at major bookstores as well as on-line at Chapters, Indigo and Amazon.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
JOB: Santa Clara University Journalism Chair, applications soughts
Knight-Ridder/San Jose Mercury News Chair in Journalism and the Public Interest
Santa Clara University
The Department of Communication at Santa Clara University invites applications for this newly endowed Chair from applicants with a compelling vision of how journalism can serve social justice and the public interest in the new media environment. The Chair may be filled by a distinguished journalism professional or a senior scholar (associate or full professor).
Distinguished professionals must have extensive leadership experience in the field of journalism and a record of teaching excellence at the college level. The professional applicant will be expected to publish long-format journalism or books on news and the public interest.
This person will teach courses in her/his area of specialty, as well as courses in at least one of the following areas: community journalism, multimedia journalism, public affairs reporting, investigative reporting, ethnic/multicultural journalism, media ethics, media economics, journalism history, or media law. The professional will help lead our journalism program by attracting external funding, extending our connections to Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay Area news organizations and community groups, and convening public forums on journalism.
Senior scholars will have an active research program and communicate it to the public, regularly publishing in academic outlets and commenting in the news media. A record of external research funding is a plus. The successful candidate will also be an excellent teacher of undergraduates who will teach courses in her/his area of specialty, as well as courses in at least one of the following areas: journalism history, political communication, media law, media economics, media ethics, ethnic/multicultural journalism, or news in the digital age. This person will provide intellectual leadership to the department's journalism program and the wider communities of Silicon Valley and theSan Francisco Bay Area, advancing public discussion and understanding of journalism by organizing symposia and projects of her/his design.
Located in northern California's Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University (www.scu.edu) sits in the heart of the SanFrancisco-Oakland-San Jose media market. SCU is a Jesuit Catholic university committed to promoting social justice and public service. Housing assistance is available. SCU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and, in this spirit, particularly welcomes applications from women, persons of color, and members of historically under represented groups. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with a disability. Also, in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the University annually collects and makes publicly available information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents (www.scu.edu/cs/).
The anticipated start date for this position is September 2008. Applications will be accepted until December 7, 2007. Applicants should mail a letter of application (including a description of strengths andexperiences that have prepared you to teach and work effectively with culturally diverse students and colleagues), a professional resume or CV, examples of professional or scholarly work, three letters ofreference, and evidence of teaching excellence (e.g., course syllabi, student evaluations, and teaching portfolios) to: Chad Raphael, Knight-Ridder/San Jose Mercury News Chair Search Committee, Departmentof Communication, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA, 95053-0277.
end
Santa Clara University
The Department of Communication at Santa Clara University invites applications for this newly endowed Chair from applicants with a compelling vision of how journalism can serve social justice and the public interest in the new media environment. The Chair may be filled by a distinguished journalism professional or a senior scholar (associate or full professor).
Distinguished professionals must have extensive leadership experience in the field of journalism and a record of teaching excellence at the college level. The professional applicant will be expected to publish long-format journalism or books on news and the public interest.
This person will teach courses in her/his area of specialty, as well as courses in at least one of the following areas: community journalism, multimedia journalism, public affairs reporting, investigative reporting, ethnic/multicultural journalism, media ethics, media economics, journalism history, or media law. The professional will help lead our journalism program by attracting external funding, extending our connections to Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay Area news organizations and community groups, and convening public forums on journalism.
Senior scholars will have an active research program and communicate it to the public, regularly publishing in academic outlets and commenting in the news media. A record of external research funding is a plus. The successful candidate will also be an excellent teacher of undergraduates who will teach courses in her/his area of specialty, as well as courses in at least one of the following areas: journalism history, political communication, media law, media economics, media ethics, ethnic/multicultural journalism, or news in the digital age. This person will provide intellectual leadership to the department's journalism program and the wider communities of Silicon Valley and theSan Francisco Bay Area, advancing public discussion and understanding of journalism by organizing symposia and projects of her/his design.
Located in northern California's Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University (www.scu.edu) sits in the heart of the SanFrancisco-Oakland-San Jose media market. SCU is a Jesuit Catholic university committed to promoting social justice and public service. Housing assistance is available. SCU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and, in this spirit, particularly welcomes applications from women, persons of color, and members of historically under represented groups. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with a disability. Also, in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, the University annually collects and makes publicly available information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents (www.scu.edu/cs/).
The anticipated start date for this position is September 2008. Applications will be accepted until December 7, 2007. Applicants should mail a letter of application (including a description of strengths andexperiences that have prepared you to teach and work effectively with culturally diverse students and colleagues), a professional resume or CV, examples of professional or scholarly work, three letters ofreference, and evidence of teaching excellence (e.g., course syllabi, student evaluations, and teaching portfolios) to: Chad Raphael, Knight-Ridder/San Jose Mercury News Chair Search Committee, Departmentof Communication, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA, 95053-0277.
end
Friday, June 08, 2007
Job Opening: al-Hayat Newspaper
My name is Randa Eid. I am the Associate Producer at Al-Jazeera TV in the United Nations. I am helping a colleague of mine who is the Bureau Chief at Al-Hayat Newspaper here at the UN. She is looking for a Junior Reporter primarily to help cover the events here at the United Nations. They must be able to write in Arabic fluently.
I was wondering if you could post this job listing on your site. Let me know if you need further information.
Kind Regards,
Randa
Position: Al-HAYAT NEWS : JUNIOR REPORTER, ASSISTANT and INTERN POSITIONS
General Info:
Job Description: Hello all, Junior Reporter Position*
THIS JOB IS FOR FLUENT ARABIC SPEAKERS ONLY. IF YOU CANNOT WRITE NEWS ARTICLES IN ARABIC ON DEADLINE, PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.
Fulltime Reporter (UN Bureau, New York)
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time junior reporter/assistant in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, writing news stories in Arabic on the United Nations, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include transcribing, translating, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in Arabic and English, and he or she must be able to write news stories in Arabic on deadline. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a full time, salary position, and hours will vary depending on news of the day. The chosen candidate will sign a three month, trial contract. Upon completion of the trial period, a full time employment contract will be negotiated. The position is available May 1, 2007. The salary is $36,000 annually, all inclusive, without any other benefit. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.com
Assistant Position
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time office assistant in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include managing the office, transcribing, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in English and spoken Arabic. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a fulltime, paid position. Hours will vary depending on news of the day. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.com
Intern Position
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time intern in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, assisting in writing news stories on the United Nations, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include transcribing, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in English, and priority will be given to Arabic speakers. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a fulltime position. Hours will vary depending on news of the day. The chosen candidate will. The intern will be paid $40 per day without any other benefit. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.comStart Date: Right awayCompensation:TBDApply:Contact: alhayatjr@gmail.com
end
I was wondering if you could post this job listing on your site. Let me know if you need further information.
Kind Regards,
Randa
Position: Al-HAYAT NEWS : JUNIOR REPORTER, ASSISTANT and INTERN POSITIONS
General Info:
Job Description: Hello all, Junior Reporter Position*
THIS JOB IS FOR FLUENT ARABIC SPEAKERS ONLY. IF YOU CANNOT WRITE NEWS ARTICLES IN ARABIC ON DEADLINE, PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.
Fulltime Reporter (UN Bureau, New York)
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time junior reporter/assistant in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, writing news stories in Arabic on the United Nations, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include transcribing, translating, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in Arabic and English, and he or she must be able to write news stories in Arabic on deadline. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a full time, salary position, and hours will vary depending on news of the day. The chosen candidate will sign a three month, trial contract. Upon completion of the trial period, a full time employment contract will be negotiated. The position is available May 1, 2007. The salary is $36,000 annually, all inclusive, without any other benefit. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.com
Assistant Position
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time office assistant in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include managing the office, transcribing, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in English and spoken Arabic. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a fulltime, paid position. Hours will vary depending on news of the day. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.com
Intern Position
The London-based daily, Al Hayat, is seeking a full-time intern in its United Nations bureau. Responsibilities will include administrative tasks, assisting in writing news stories on the United Nations, assisting the bureau chief with interviews and news stories and covering for the bureau chief whenever necessary. Other tasks will include transcribing, research, pitching stories, attending press conferences and conducting interviews. The appropriate candidate will be fluent in English, and priority will be given to Arabic speakers. A demonstrated interest in international news and the Middle East is a must. This is a fulltime position. Hours will vary depending on news of the day. The chosen candidate will. The intern will be paid $40 per day without any other benefit. This is a great opportunity for a young, Arabic-speaking journalist. To apply, please send a resume, cover letter and an Arabic writing sample to the following address: alhayatjr@gmail.comStart Date: Right awayCompensation:TBDApply:Contact: alhayatjr@gmail.com
end
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Scholarships for Illinois college bound students
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nassem Ziyad
May 25, 2007 708-222-8330 ext 303
Ziyad Brothers Importing Announces Illinois Scholarship
for first-year College-bound Arab students
Cicero, Il – Ziyad Brothers Importing announced it is expanding its existing “Giving Back to the Community” student scholarship program to any student of Arab heritage who will be attending their first year of college this Fall.
A scholarship in the amount of $1,000 cash will be given to one male and one female student of Arab heritage, selected from entries who demonstrate the highest level of pride, self-identity, confidence and writing talent.
The Scholarship will recognize students who demonstrate pride in their Arab heritage, and who detail how they hope to contribute both to their community as Arab Americans and also to this country, explained ZBI General Manager Nassem Ziyad.
“We want to recognize the future leaders of our community who demonstrate a commitment to enhancing and strengthening the image of the Arab Americans through individual initiative and community service. We are looking for young Arab American students, one male and one female, who demonstrate their pride in their Arab heritage and as Americans,” Ziyad said.
“There many talented Arab students and we want to encourage them to pursue their professional career goals while also remaining dedicated to their Arab American heritage.”
Ziyad Brothers Importing, an Illinois-based distributor of more than 1,200 food items to stores in 46 states and six countries, awarded its first scholarships to students in 2006.
Applicants are required to submit an essay of 500 to 800 words on how they hope to “Give Back to the Community.” Application Deadline is August 1, 2007. Winners will be announced in August and scholarships will be presented at the beginning of September. The student recipients must be enrolled in a college or university this Fall in order to receive the cash scholarship amount. Applicants can get information on applying for the scholarship by visiting www.ZiyadNews.com.
Ziyad Brothers Importing was originally founded as “The Syrian Bakery & Grocery Inc.” in 1966 by Ahmad and Ibrahim Ziyad, two immigrant brothers from Palestine. Their small retail outlet on Chicago’s south side specialized in hard to find Middle Eastern food products as well as the first Pita Bread bakery in Chicago catering to the Middle Eastern ethnic community.
The retail outlet later expanded into one of the first automated Pita Bakeries in the Midwest and began distributing Pita bread and Middle Eastern food products to other retail outlets. Ten years later, from these humble beginnings, Ahmad and Ibrahim Ziyad purchased their first warehouse located at 21st and Western Avenue.
In 1995, Ziyad Brothers Importing consolidated facilities and moved into the current location in Cicero, IL. A year later in 1996, Ahmad Ziyad passed away at the age of 56. His brother Ibrahim assumed the role of President. Ziyad Brothers Importing is a family owned and operated business. Ahmad’s sons Nemer, Nassem and Nazmy and Ibrahim’s son Nezar and daughters Leila and Sonia also work at the company.
Winning essays will be published on the Ziyad.com web site as well as on the web site of the National Arab American Journalists Association (www.NAAJA-US.com), and in participating Arab American newspapers and magazines.
End
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nassem Ziyad
May 25, 2007 708-222-8330 ext 303
Ziyad Brothers Importing Announces Illinois Scholarship
for first-year College-bound Arab students
Cicero, Il – Ziyad Brothers Importing announced it is expanding its existing “Giving Back to the Community” student scholarship program to any student of Arab heritage who will be attending their first year of college this Fall.
A scholarship in the amount of $1,000 cash will be given to one male and one female student of Arab heritage, selected from entries who demonstrate the highest level of pride, self-identity, confidence and writing talent.
The Scholarship will recognize students who demonstrate pride in their Arab heritage, and who detail how they hope to contribute both to their community as Arab Americans and also to this country, explained ZBI General Manager Nassem Ziyad.
“We want to recognize the future leaders of our community who demonstrate a commitment to enhancing and strengthening the image of the Arab Americans through individual initiative and community service. We are looking for young Arab American students, one male and one female, who demonstrate their pride in their Arab heritage and as Americans,” Ziyad said.
“There many talented Arab students and we want to encourage them to pursue their professional career goals while also remaining dedicated to their Arab American heritage.”
Ziyad Brothers Importing, an Illinois-based distributor of more than 1,200 food items to stores in 46 states and six countries, awarded its first scholarships to students in 2006.
Applicants are required to submit an essay of 500 to 800 words on how they hope to “Give Back to the Community.” Application Deadline is August 1, 2007. Winners will be announced in August and scholarships will be presented at the beginning of September. The student recipients must be enrolled in a college or university this Fall in order to receive the cash scholarship amount. Applicants can get information on applying for the scholarship by visiting www.ZiyadNews.com.
Ziyad Brothers Importing was originally founded as “The Syrian Bakery & Grocery Inc.” in 1966 by Ahmad and Ibrahim Ziyad, two immigrant brothers from Palestine. Their small retail outlet on Chicago’s south side specialized in hard to find Middle Eastern food products as well as the first Pita Bread bakery in Chicago catering to the Middle Eastern ethnic community.
The retail outlet later expanded into one of the first automated Pita Bakeries in the Midwest and began distributing Pita bread and Middle Eastern food products to other retail outlets. Ten years later, from these humble beginnings, Ahmad and Ibrahim Ziyad purchased their first warehouse located at 21st and Western Avenue.
In 1995, Ziyad Brothers Importing consolidated facilities and moved into the current location in Cicero, IL. A year later in 1996, Ahmad Ziyad passed away at the age of 56. His brother Ibrahim assumed the role of President. Ziyad Brothers Importing is a family owned and operated business. Ahmad’s sons Nemer, Nassem and Nazmy and Ibrahim’s son Nezar and daughters Leila and Sonia also work at the company.
Winning essays will be published on the Ziyad.com web site as well as on the web site of the National Arab American Journalists Association (www.NAAJA-US.com), and in participating Arab American newspapers and magazines.
End
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
CPJ: Journalist, media worker killed in Gaza Strip
Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Maya Taal e-mail: mideast@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
Journalist, media worker killed in Gaza City
New York, May 14, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalist is outraged by the killings of a journalist and a media worker, who were shot on Sunday in Gaza City.
Gunmen wearing presidential guard uniforms stopped a taxi carrying Suleiman Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi, 25, an economics editor for the Hamas-affiliated daily Palestine, and Mohammad Matar Abdo, 25, a manager responsible for distribution and civic relations, Editor-in-Chief Mustafa al-Sawaf told CPJ today. The taxi was stopped at 2:30 p.m. in a high-security area southwest of Gaza City that is controlled by Fatah, al-Sawaf and other journalists told CPJ.
News accounts vary on the ensuing events; al-Sawaf said the two men were beaten before being shot on a public street. Al-Ashi died at the scene, while Abdo was taken to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City where he died at 3 a.m. today, al-Sawaf and CPJ sources said. Al-Sawaf said his description was based on interviews with eyewitnesses and an account that Abdo provided his brother before he died.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the Palestinian Journalists Bloc both denounced the killings. Mohamed Edwan, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas, said Fatah had nothing to do with the killings and that presidential guards are instructed to shoot only in self-defense. He said Fatah condemns the killings and urges that the perpetrators be punished.
“We condemn the murders of Suleiman Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi and Mohammad Matar Abdo and offer condolences to their families,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority must ensure a swift, thorough, and fair investigation into this heinous crime.”
Al-Ashi and Abdo were scheduled to meet with economic and tourism organizations in Gaza that afternoon, al-Sawaf told CPJ. The fledgling Palestine newspaper was launched early this May.
The murders come amid clashes in the coastal strip over the previous 24 hours. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least six people died and another 52 wounded in fighting between rival Fatah and Hamas militias.
Rivalry between the Hamas-led government elected in January and the Fatah movement has put pressure on Palestinian journalists to align themselves with particular groups. Journalists have endured harassment, threats, and beatings by Palestinian security forces and various factions in retaliation for their coverage of Palestinian politics.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Maya Taal e-mail: mideast@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
Journalist, media worker killed in Gaza City
New York, May 14, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalist is outraged by the killings of a journalist and a media worker, who were shot on Sunday in Gaza City.
Gunmen wearing presidential guard uniforms stopped a taxi carrying Suleiman Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi, 25, an economics editor for the Hamas-affiliated daily Palestine, and Mohammad Matar Abdo, 25, a manager responsible for distribution and civic relations, Editor-in-Chief Mustafa al-Sawaf told CPJ today. The taxi was stopped at 2:30 p.m. in a high-security area southwest of Gaza City that is controlled by Fatah, al-Sawaf and other journalists told CPJ.
News accounts vary on the ensuing events; al-Sawaf said the two men were beaten before being shot on a public street. Al-Ashi died at the scene, while Abdo was taken to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City where he died at 3 a.m. today, al-Sawaf and CPJ sources said. Al-Sawaf said his description was based on interviews with eyewitnesses and an account that Abdo provided his brother before he died.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the Palestinian Journalists Bloc both denounced the killings. Mohamed Edwan, a spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas, said Fatah had nothing to do with the killings and that presidential guards are instructed to shoot only in self-defense. He said Fatah condemns the killings and urges that the perpetrators be punished.
“We condemn the murders of Suleiman Abdul-Rahim al-Ashi and Mohammad Matar Abdo and offer condolences to their families,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority must ensure a swift, thorough, and fair investigation into this heinous crime.”
Al-Ashi and Abdo were scheduled to meet with economic and tourism organizations in Gaza that afternoon, al-Sawaf told CPJ. The fledgling Palestine newspaper was launched early this May.
The murders come amid clashes in the coastal strip over the previous 24 hours. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that at least six people died and another 52 wounded in fighting between rival Fatah and Hamas militias.
Rivalry between the Hamas-led government elected in January and the Fatah movement has put pressure on Palestinian journalists to align themselves with particular groups. Journalists have endured harassment, threats, and beatings by Palestinian security forces and various factions in retaliation for their coverage of Palestinian politics.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
CPJ: Iran: Student editors jailed for allegedly publishing offensive articles
Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Maya Taal e-mail: mideast@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
Iran: Student editors jailed for allegedly publishing offensive articles
New York, May 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the recent arrests of four Iranian student editors of Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran following the publication of newsletters carrying articles deemed insulting to Islam. The students say they had no involvement in the publications, calling them a fraud designed to disrupt student elections. All of the university’s student publications were nonetheless banned by the school administration, according to online reports.
In the run-up to the Islamic Student Association annual elections at the prestigious polytechnic institute, newsletters bearing the names and logos of four student publications were distributed throughout the campus on April 30, according to AUTNews, the Web site of the Islamic Student Association of Amirkabir University. They contained three controversial articles and two caricatures deemed critical of the Iranian regime and insulting to Islam.
One article questions the infallibility of the Prophet Mohammad, the first Shiite Imam Ali, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to CPJ sources familiar with the Persian-language newsletters. Another story criticizes the regime’s crackdown on modern female clothing, and a third ridicules Islamic women’s attire.
The four arrested editors issued a statement May 3 saying that the newsletters fraudulently used the names and logos of their publications, according to AUTNews. The editors claimed that student members of the Basij—a militia affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, an elite unit under the supreme leader's control—reproduced the names and logos in an attempt to disrupt the elections to the Islamic Student Association, AUTNews said. Immediately following distribution of the newsletters, the Basij attacked the publications and their activist leaders, according to online sources.
Islamic Student Associations, which operate on campuses across Iran, are at the forefront of student political activism. The New York Times reported that Amirkabir University Chancellor Alireza Rahai had previously ordered the closure of the association’s offices on campus. All of the arrested editors are considered pro-democracy activists.
AUTNews reported that more than 100 student publications across Iran issued statements of support for the student publications and condemned those responsible for fabricating the newsletters.
“We are outraged by the arrest of these four student editors,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Iranian authorities continue to crack down on political and pro-democracy activists. These arrests show the extent the regime is willing to go to silence dissenting voices.”
The arrests began in early May, according to AUTNews. Ahmad Ghassaban, managing editor of Sahar, was arrested May 3, according to international news reports. On May 7, the first day of the Islamic Student Association elections, Maghdad Khalilpur, managing editor of Atiyeh, was arrested while leaving the university campus, the Iranian Student News Agency reported.
Puyan Mahmudian, managing editor of Rivar, and Majid Sheikhpur, managing editor of Sar Khat, appeared before a Revolutionary Court on Wednesday, the last day of the student elections, and were ordered detained, AUTNews reported.
All four are being held at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, along with three other members of the Islamic Student Associations arrested during unrest on campus. About 2,000 Amirkabir students voted in the elections amid reports of violent obstruction by the Basij and university security, according to AUTNews and international news reports. Ghassaban and Sheikhpur were among those who won seats.
Ali Afshari, former secretary-general of the Islamic Student Association at Amirkabir University of Technology, told CPJ that he believes the disruption of Islamic Student Association elections was in retaliation for disruption students had caused during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s December 2006 campus speech. The New York Times reported that during the speech students shouted, “Death to the dictator,” and burned posters with Ahmadinejad’s image.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Maya Taal e-mail: mideast@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
Iran: Student editors jailed for allegedly publishing offensive articles
New York, May 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the recent arrests of four Iranian student editors of Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran following the publication of newsletters carrying articles deemed insulting to Islam. The students say they had no involvement in the publications, calling them a fraud designed to disrupt student elections. All of the university’s student publications were nonetheless banned by the school administration, according to online reports.
In the run-up to the Islamic Student Association annual elections at the prestigious polytechnic institute, newsletters bearing the names and logos of four student publications were distributed throughout the campus on April 30, according to AUTNews, the Web site of the Islamic Student Association of Amirkabir University. They contained three controversial articles and two caricatures deemed critical of the Iranian regime and insulting to Islam.
One article questions the infallibility of the Prophet Mohammad, the first Shiite Imam Ali, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to CPJ sources familiar with the Persian-language newsletters. Another story criticizes the regime’s crackdown on modern female clothing, and a third ridicules Islamic women’s attire.
The four arrested editors issued a statement May 3 saying that the newsletters fraudulently used the names and logos of their publications, according to AUTNews. The editors claimed that student members of the Basij—a militia affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, an elite unit under the supreme leader's control—reproduced the names and logos in an attempt to disrupt the elections to the Islamic Student Association, AUTNews said. Immediately following distribution of the newsletters, the Basij attacked the publications and their activist leaders, according to online sources.
Islamic Student Associations, which operate on campuses across Iran, are at the forefront of student political activism. The New York Times reported that Amirkabir University Chancellor Alireza Rahai had previously ordered the closure of the association’s offices on campus. All of the arrested editors are considered pro-democracy activists.
AUTNews reported that more than 100 student publications across Iran issued statements of support for the student publications and condemned those responsible for fabricating the newsletters.
“We are outraged by the arrest of these four student editors,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Iranian authorities continue to crack down on political and pro-democracy activists. These arrests show the extent the regime is willing to go to silence dissenting voices.”
The arrests began in early May, according to AUTNews. Ahmad Ghassaban, managing editor of Sahar, was arrested May 3, according to international news reports. On May 7, the first day of the Islamic Student Association elections, Maghdad Khalilpur, managing editor of Atiyeh, was arrested while leaving the university campus, the Iranian Student News Agency reported.
Puyan Mahmudian, managing editor of Rivar, and Majid Sheikhpur, managing editor of Sar Khat, appeared before a Revolutionary Court on Wednesday, the last day of the student elections, and were ordered detained, AUTNews reported.
All four are being held at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, along with three other members of the Islamic Student Associations arrested during unrest on campus. About 2,000 Amirkabir students voted in the elections amid reports of violent obstruction by the Basij and university security, according to AUTNews and international news reports. Ghassaban and Sheikhpur were among those who won seats.
Ali Afshari, former secretary-general of the Islamic Student Association at Amirkabir University of Technology, told CPJ that he believes the disruption of Islamic Student Association elections was in retaliation for disruption students had caused during President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s December 2006 campus speech. The New York Times reported that during the speech students shouted, “Death to the dictator,” and burned posters with Ahmadinejad’s image.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
Chicago Book launch: The Yalla Journal Book, May 16
Dear Friends, Colleagues and Supporters, As some of you know I am the Senior Jewish Editor of the Yalla Journal.
Despite the frequent labelling of the youth demographic as "the future" and "the hope" of the never-ending Arab-Israeli conflict, they have often been unable to affect real change. The Arab and Jewish editors of The Yalla Journal decided to get together to create a space in the form of a printed book where their voices could co-exist in a time where there is no such physical space.
The Yalla Journal is a grassroots collaborative book that is a youth response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It features 200 pages of the poetry, photography, short stories, personal narrative and essays of Jewish and Arab youth aged 18-30 from across the world. The Arabic word Yalla explains the mandate of the journal: it means "Come on! Let's get going!" and is used colloquially in both Palestinian and Israeli dialect today. Through this call to action, the journal hopes to inspire the reader to choose communication over silence and dialogue over violence when dealing with the present situation.
The journal poses questions like: "What does the conflict mean to Arab and Jewish youth today?" and "What does it mean to be Palestinian or Israeli?" It attempts to weave together a narrative through the stories and meditations generated by the various responses to these questions. In essence, Yalla hopes to help open up the much-needed lines of communication between Arab and Jewish communities abroad.
The first edition of The Yalla Journal was released in 2005 across University Campuses in Canada. The first launch was co-sponsored by the Arab Student's Association and Hillel Jewish student groups. It generated much public interest. Yalla editors were featured in both the local and national media, and were interviewed on the local radio and spoke at University events across Eastern North America. They were also recipients of the 2005 Quebec Government's Forces Avenir Award.The second edition of the innovative journal was released in Canada in November and is ready to be released for the first time in the US!
The launch party will feature live Arabic and Jewish artists and musicians, a breakdance performance/ interpretation of the conflict by some particularly concious Chicago youth, journal readings and free copies of the book. The launch will take place at 7:30pm on Wednesday May 16 at the Mercury Cafe 1505 W. Chicago Ave (Chicago/Ashland... The Chicago stop on the blue and brown lines). Yalla invites you to join us as we "Get going!" Press copies are available upon requestFor further information contact yallajournal@yahoo.ca or email me back. I look forward to seeing you all there! Love, Rachel Leya Davidson (Senior Jewish Editor, The Yalla Journal)
Despite the frequent labelling of the youth demographic as "the future" and "the hope" of the never-ending Arab-Israeli conflict, they have often been unable to affect real change. The Arab and Jewish editors of The Yalla Journal decided to get together to create a space in the form of a printed book where their voices could co-exist in a time where there is no such physical space.
The Yalla Journal is a grassroots collaborative book that is a youth response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It features 200 pages of the poetry, photography, short stories, personal narrative and essays of Jewish and Arab youth aged 18-30 from across the world. The Arabic word Yalla explains the mandate of the journal: it means "Come on! Let's get going!" and is used colloquially in both Palestinian and Israeli dialect today. Through this call to action, the journal hopes to inspire the reader to choose communication over silence and dialogue over violence when dealing with the present situation.
The journal poses questions like: "What does the conflict mean to Arab and Jewish youth today?" and "What does it mean to be Palestinian or Israeli?" It attempts to weave together a narrative through the stories and meditations generated by the various responses to these questions. In essence, Yalla hopes to help open up the much-needed lines of communication between Arab and Jewish communities abroad.
The first edition of The Yalla Journal was released in 2005 across University Campuses in Canada. The first launch was co-sponsored by the Arab Student's Association and Hillel Jewish student groups. It generated much public interest. Yalla editors were featured in both the local and national media, and were interviewed on the local radio and spoke at University events across Eastern North America. They were also recipients of the 2005 Quebec Government's Forces Avenir Award.The second edition of the innovative journal was released in Canada in November and is ready to be released for the first time in the US!
The launch party will feature live Arabic and Jewish artists and musicians, a breakdance performance/ interpretation of the conflict by some particularly concious Chicago youth, journal readings and free copies of the book. The launch will take place at 7:30pm on Wednesday May 16 at the Mercury Cafe 1505 W. Chicago Ave (Chicago/Ashland... The Chicago stop on the blue and brown lines). Yalla invites you to join us as we "Get going!" Press copies are available upon requestFor further information contact yallajournal@yahoo.ca or email me back. I look forward to seeing you all there! Love, Rachel Leya Davidson (Senior Jewish Editor, The Yalla Journal)
Thursday, May 10, 2007
American Palestinian and Jewish editors launch new publication, Yalla Journal
Despite the frequent labelling of the youth demographic as "the future" and "the hope" of the never-ending Arab-Israeli conflict, they have often been unable to affect real change. The Arab and Jewish editors of The Yalla Journal decided to get together to create a space in the form of a printed book where their voices could co-exist in a time where there is no such physical space.
The Yalla Journal is a grassroots collaborative book that is a youth response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It features 200 pages of the poetry, photography, short stories, personal narrative and essays of Jewish and Arab youth aged 18-30 from across the world. The Arabic word Yalla explains the mandate of the journal: it means "Come on! Let's get going!" and is used colloquially in both Palestinian and Israeli dialect today.
Through this call to action, the journal hopes to inspire the reader to choose communication over silence and dialogue over violence when dealing with the present situation. The journal poses questions like: "What does the conflict mean to Arab and Jewish youth today?" and "What does it mean to be Palestinian or Israeli?" It attempts to weave together a narrative through the stories and meditations generated by the various responses to these questions. In essence, Yalla hopes to help open up the much-needed lines of communication between Arab and Jewish communities abroad. The first edition of The Yalla Journal was released in 2005 across University Campuses in Canada.
The first launch was co-sponsored by the Arab Student's Association and Hillel Jewish student groups. It generated much public interest. Yalla editors were featured in both the local and national media, and were interviewed on the local radio and spoke at University events across Eastern North America. They were also recipients of the 2005 Quebec Government's Forces Avenir Award.The second edition of the innovative journal was released in Canada in November and is ready to be released for the first time in the US! The launch party will feature live Arabic and Jewish artists and musicians, footwork performance/ interpretation of the conflict by some particularly concious Chicago youth, journal readings and free copies of the book.
The launch will take place at 7:30pm on Wednesday May 16 at the Mercury Cafe 1505 W. Chicago Ave (Chicago/Ashland... The Chicago stop on the blue and brown lines). Yalla invites you to join us as we "Get going!"
Press copies are available upon request
For further information contact yallajournal@yahoo.ca .
Rachel Leya Davidson ,Senior Jewish EditorDina Awad, Senior Palestinian Editor
The Yalla Journal is a grassroots collaborative book that is a youth response to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It features 200 pages of the poetry, photography, short stories, personal narrative and essays of Jewish and Arab youth aged 18-30 from across the world. The Arabic word Yalla explains the mandate of the journal: it means "Come on! Let's get going!" and is used colloquially in both Palestinian and Israeli dialect today.
Through this call to action, the journal hopes to inspire the reader to choose communication over silence and dialogue over violence when dealing with the present situation. The journal poses questions like: "What does the conflict mean to Arab and Jewish youth today?" and "What does it mean to be Palestinian or Israeli?" It attempts to weave together a narrative through the stories and meditations generated by the various responses to these questions. In essence, Yalla hopes to help open up the much-needed lines of communication between Arab and Jewish communities abroad. The first edition of The Yalla Journal was released in 2005 across University Campuses in Canada.
The first launch was co-sponsored by the Arab Student's Association and Hillel Jewish student groups. It generated much public interest. Yalla editors were featured in both the local and national media, and were interviewed on the local radio and spoke at University events across Eastern North America. They were also recipients of the 2005 Quebec Government's Forces Avenir Award.The second edition of the innovative journal was released in Canada in November and is ready to be released for the first time in the US! The launch party will feature live Arabic and Jewish artists and musicians, footwork performance/ interpretation of the conflict by some particularly concious Chicago youth, journal readings and free copies of the book.
The launch will take place at 7:30pm on Wednesday May 16 at the Mercury Cafe 1505 W. Chicago Ave (Chicago/Ashland... The Chicago stop on the blue and brown lines). Yalla invites you to join us as we "Get going!"
Press copies are available upon request
For further information contact yallajournal@yahoo.ca .
Rachel Leya Davidson ,Senior Jewish EditorDina Awad, Senior Palestinian Editor
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Robert Fisk on threats against journalists
Read the May 4, 2007 column by Robert Fisk in the Arab News, Saudi Arabia at:
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0
&article=95781&d=4&m=5&y=2007
And the feature on the rights of Saudi women journalists discussed at Saudi journalism conference at:
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0
&article=95789&d=4&m=5&y=2007
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0
&article=95781&d=4&m=5&y=2007
And the feature on the rights of Saudi women journalists discussed at Saudi journalism conference at:
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0
&article=95789&d=4&m=5&y=2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)