KAS: Government officials threatened journalists, government disbled ads in media that criticised them

According to the UN report, although it says there have been no reports of direct print or electronic media censorship, mention journalists' complaints that politicians and organised criminal groups often result in autocensury.

In this report, it is also mentioned that corruption has been attempted by journalists with the aim of disrupting research or abandoning reporting.

There were no reports of direct media censorship written or electronic, though journalists claimed that pressure from politicians and organised criminal groups often resulted in autocensorship. Cyber attacks on online media have increased. Some journalists refrained from critical investigative reporting because of fear of their physical safety or job safety. Journalists occasionally received bids for financial benefits in exchange for positive reporting or abandoning a” investigation, the report said.

This report also mentions that according to the Association of Journalists, government officials as well as suspected criminals have falsely threatened journalists.

“According to the Association of Journalists, government officials, as well as alleged criminals literally threatened journalists for perceived negative reporting. According to some editors, government agencies and corporations withdrew advertising from newspapers that published critical material against them”, the report further says.

This report also mentions how journalists have complained that owners and media managers prevented them from publishing or broadcasting critical stories against government, political parties or even appointed officials, even reportedly being threatened with layoffs.

“Gasers complained that owners and media managers prevented them from publishing or broadcasting critical stories against the government, political parties or individual officials. In some cases, media owners reportedly threatened to fire journalists if they produced critical reports. Journalists also complained that media owners prevented them from reporting government high-level corruption”, the report said.

The report also cites the lack of transparency by government institutions, with particular emphasis on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Diaspora.

By October, the Ombudsman's institution was investigating 12 complaints from the media, civil society organisations and citizens concerning alleged copyright violations for access to public documents, mainly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspore. The Ombudsperson institution concluded that public institutions lacked professional capacity and personnel to respond to requests for access to public documents, which led to considerable delays or failures in offering legal reasoning for refusing or limiting access to”, writes the DAS.

The report says some media have adopted editorial policies and broadcast independent of political and business interests. It said the funding was partially limited because the government was reluctant to purchase advertising in the media that published critical materials to government policies.