Tuesday 17 August 2010

IFJ Worried by Threat Against Newspaper in Timor L’este

From: IFJ Asia
Date: Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Subject: Media Release: Timor L'este - IFJ Worried by Threat Against
Newspaper in Timor L'este
To: IFJ Asia



Media Release: Timor L’este

August 17, 2009

IFJ Worried by Threat Against Newspaper in Timor L’este

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is alarmed at a threat made against well-known Timor L’este media organisation Tempo Semanal.

Tempo Semanal editor Jose Belo reported that an email sent to him on August 12 contained a verbal threat against the news organisation, and he was concerned for the welfare of the organisation’s personnel.

The threatening email was sent from the address of “Vira Knight” on August 12. In the email, the author alleges to be the wife of Phil Knight, a co-shareholder of Maubere Security, a security company in Timor L’este’s capital, Dili.

The email alleges the newspaper said “bad things” about the sender’s husband. The email threatened that the newspaper would be hurt.

“We will get maubere secutity to fight you in dilli we hate  temp semal....we wil fightv ypou everywre,” the email said.

“The IFJ calls on authorities in Timor L’este to immediately investigate the threat against Tempo Semanal and ensure the paper’s journalists and other personnel do not come to any harm,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

In October 2009, Tempo ran a report on the collapse of Maubere Security, which sparked an investigation by Timor L’este’s Inspector-General. The investigation’s results are expected to be announced soon.

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 125 countries

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

2 comments:

Unknown said...

As a Timorese citizen I am concerned about the the threats towards local newspaper Tempo Semanal recently. I think Tempo semanal asked for it, when you write or before you publish you better check out if the source is reliable. You claim yourself a journalist but you dont know how to conduct the ethic of journalism.

Learn from this lesson and hopefully you can improve in the future!
samoro

Anonymous said...

Did you check if the 'Vira Knight' email address is active (try replying to it), because someone can cloak an email address (make it appear it is from 'Vira Knight' when in fact it may be from someone trying to discredit Maubere. It may be simple to follow up and check.

Please post an update, Because I also am concerned if there has been an authentic threat against Tempo Semanal.