IFJ organizes two-day workshop on media rights
By Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) organized two-day workshop on “Media Rights Monitoring” for Pakistani journalists which was attended over 60 participants from different parts of the country.
The workshop held at the auditorium of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation was organized by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) with the cooperation of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ).
International trainer from IFJ Mike Dobbie conducted the workshop which was also attended by female journalists.
The main purposes of the workshop was to create awareness among the journalists about their rights, monitor implementation press laws, violations of journalist’s rights, writing an effective alert regarding violation of these rights and ensuring safety of working journalists.
During the two-day workshop, the trainer Mike Dobbie, who is an Australian journalist, highlighted various aspects of safety of journalists, protection of the their rights.
He said journalists have many rights as they have to give accurate, objective, credible and authentic reports for the information of the general public therefore, no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. Highlighting the importance and salient features of the workshop, the trainer told the journalists that everyone including journalists has the right to liberty and security of person.
He said under various article of Human Rights Convention of Geneva, no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.
He said journalists have the right to not be subjected to any form of torture or inhuman treatment. Referring to Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 5, he said, no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
He said journalists have the right to hold opinions and express them in any means they choose, without obstruction by any party or government.
Referring to the rights of journalists, he said, everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.