12 Informed International


Tribute to Dom Philips


Dominique Davies, niece of the environmental journalist, Dom Phillips, who was murdered in Brazil, spoke to conference. Last year, Dom and indigenous activist Bruno Pereira were


killed in the Amazon while carrying out research for Phillips’ book about sustainable development in a region where criminal activity is damaging the environment. Dominique said: “Teir story is not just one of two men killed in the forest. It is one of the rights of the rainforest, and the protection and preservation of indigenous peoples and culture.” Tere was some hope, she added, reflecting on the progress President Lula had made in protecting the environment in


Global solidarity


Conference agreed to support journalists around the world who are being persecuted


Jim Boumelha, chair of the NUJ’s Policy Commitee and International Federation of Journalists’ treasurer, opened a series of DM debates about solidarity for journalists worldwide. Te IFJ’s solidarity fund received €123,000 and distributed €63,000 of this through affiliates, the Afghanistan National Journalists’ Union and Afghan Independent Journalists Association. It also paid small grants directly to at least 172 journalists and their families. Journalists reporting on the Ukraine war were provided with first-aid kits, safety equipment and emergency accommodation. Conference instructed the NEC to continue its annual contribution to the IFJ’s international safety fund. Conference paid tribute to killed journalists. Johny Cassidy (pictured), BBC London, held up the name of Yesenia Mollinedo Falconi, a Mexican journalist


shot dead with a colleague in May last year. She had covered alleged abuses of power at the Cosoleacaque mayor’s office, Veracruz. An NEC motion raised concerns about the fate of journalists in Hong Kong under the draconian National Security Law and conference agreed to work with our sister union in Hong Kong and offer support to journalists relocating from Hong Kong to the UK. Conference agreed to support


comparison to his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. Delegates were able to view an exhibition, previously held in the union’s London headquarters, which highlighted remaining issues, including illegal fishing, mining and deforestation.


journalists in Turkey and Syria following the earthquake.


Jim Boumelha also spoke to a motion concerning legal representations to the International Criminal Court over the killings of Palestinian journalists, including Muath Amarneh, Nedal Eshtayeh, Ahmad Abu Hussein, Yaser Murtaja and Shireen Abu Akleh killed by Israeli soldiers. Shireen and her colleague, Ali Samoudi who survived the atack, were wearing protective vests marked Press. Ben Cooper, Notingham branch, urged the union to send the strongest possible protest to the Russian embassy over the arrest and detention of Wall Street Journal journalist, Evan Gershkovich, in March on charges of espionage – strongly denied by the newspaper and the US State Department. Conference agreed the union would continue to support Iranian journalists under atack from the Iranian authorities at the BBC Persian Service and Iran International – noting at least 15 kidnapping and assassination atempts had been foiled by UK security services. Te union will continue to campaign for the freedom of journalists jailed in Iran.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12