Vijesti ROMI.HR

19. studenog obilježava se Međunarodni dan sjećanja na novinare. To je dan posvećen odavanju počasti onima koji su tragično stradali dok su obavljali dužnost novinarskog posla za vrijeme rata, prirodnih katastrofa, i mnogih drugih nesretnih i strašnih situacija.

Zahvalni smo svim novinarima koji svoj život posvećuju donošenju vijesti kako bi informirali građane svijeta i povećavali razinu svijesti, a i onima koji ponekad moraju riskirati život kako bi informirali javnost. Iznimno je važna činjenica da novinarstvo ima mogućnost izvještavati o lošem položaju marginalnih skupina, a posebno Roma. Teško je zamisliti 21. stoljeće bez novinarstva. Svijet je neprestano željan spoznaja o tome što se događa na različitim dijelovima našeg planeta. Možete li zamisliti kako bi bilo da u današnje vrijeme u nekom trenutku ne možemo saznati neke vijesti? Ključno je zaštititi novinare, oni imaju jednaka ljudska prava kao i svi drugi ljudi na svijetu i zaslužuju na siguran način raditi svoj posao.

Prvi oblik novinarstva pojavio se 59. godine prije Krista u antičkom Rimu. Značajni postupci zapisivali su se na posebnim pločama koje su bile obješene na mjestima gdje prolazi puno ljudi. Prve novine pojavile su se u Kini, za vrijeme dinastije Tang, ali prve novine kakve danas poznajemo objavljene su u Njemačkoj 1609. godine uz pomoć tiskarskog stroja. Širenjem pismenosti i izumom tiskarskog stroja popularnost novina snažno je porasla. Najviše popularnosti novine su stekle u 19. stoljeću kad je većina ljudi pohađala osnovno obrazovanje, što je uzrokovalo porast broja strastvenih čitatelja. Novinarstvo je postalo još popularnije i potrebnije u Prvom svjetskom ratu kad se trebalo izvještavati o svim hitnim ratnim novostima. Od tada je novinarstvo postalo važnim dijelom života većine ljudi.

Studij novinarstva osnovan je 1879. godine na Sveučilištu u Missouriju (Kolumbija, SAD). Prije toga novinari su svoje obrazovanje stjecali tako što su karijeru započinjali kao prepisivači. S porastom kompleksnosti vijesti o kojima se trebalo izvještavati porasla je i potreba za izobrazbom novinara. 1912. godine, uz podršku Josepha Pulitzera, američkog urednika i izdavača, Sveučilište Columbia u New Yorku osnovalo je prvi diplomski studij novinarstva. Joseph Pulitzer bio je poznat po tome što je začetnik dodjele najprestižnije američke nagrade za književnost, novinarstvo, kazalište i glazbu.

Najvažnije što nam novinarstvo donosi je demokracija. Slobodan pristup cjelovitim informacijama je nešto što bi demokratske države trebale omogućiti ljudima. S ovom spoznajom, svijet se treba pobrinuti za sigurnost novinara dok rade svoj posao. Međunarodni novinarski institut, svjetska mreža urednika, medijskih kuća i vodećih novinara, iznijela je zabrinjavajući podatak o tome da je tokom 2021. godine ubijeno najmanje 45 novinara. 28 novinara umrlo je zbog svog posla, tri su ubijena pokrivajući oružane sukobe, jedan je ubijen tokom zadatka, dva su umrla za vrijeme izvještavanja o građanskim nemirima, a 11 smrti se još uvijek istražuje.  

U 2021. objavljen je neslavan podatak o novinarima koji su u zatvoru. Odbor za zaštitu novinara izvijestio je da je na svjetskoj razini 293 novinara u zatvoru. Kina je na neslavnom prvom mjestu, s 50 novinara iza rešetaka. Na drugom je mjestu Mjanmar s 26 zatvorenih novinara, a prati ga Egipat s 25 novinara.

Važno je spomenuti da je teško znati točne brojeve novinara koji su u zatvorima širom svijeta, a statistike se razlikuju ovisno o izvoru u kojem tražimo podatke. Zatvaranje novinara pokazuje diktatorsku narav političke moći, a također lišava ljude njihovog prava na slobodu govora, koja je utemeljena u Općoj deklaraciji o ljudskim pravima. Političke strukture nekih zemalja su poznate po tome da glavne medije drže pod svojom kontrolom, a druge slobodne medije proglase „stranim agentima“ (na primjer, u Rusiji medijske kuće Meduza i Dožd koje su dobile status „stranih agenata“ u 2021. godini).

Vrlo važna priča dogodila se s australskim novinarom Julianom Assangeom, koji je osnovao WikiLeaks 2006. godine. WikiLeaks je objavio mnogo članaka i otkrio velik broj nepravdi koje su počinile američke vlasti. Assange je u zatvoru od 2019. godine. Američka vlada optužila ga je za kršenje Zakona o špijunaži iz 1917. godine. Ovu su odluku kritizirali mnogi ugledni novinari i mediji, smatrajući je kršenjem prvog amandmana američkog Ustava. Prvi amandman sprječava da vlada ograničava slobodu medija.

Napadi i ubijanja novinara događaju se širom svijeta i ugrožavaju sigurnost novinara. Štoviše, napadi na novinare i ubojstva prisutni su i u zemljama za koje se smatra da imaju relativno visoku razinu slobode medija. Svi ovi čimbenici novinarstvo čine iznimno rizičnim zanimanjem. Ljudska prava ne bi se smjela kršiti.

 Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.

Henry Grunwald

19th November is the International Journalists Remembrance Day - a day to commemorate tragic endings of lives of those performing their duties as journalists during wartime, natural disasters and many other unfortunate and dreadful events.

We are grateful for all journalists who dedicate their lives to report news, to keep citizens of the world updated, to spread awareness, and those who sometimes have to keep their lives on line to keep the world informed. What is especially important is that journalism is able to report about bad positions of marginalized groups, particularly Roma. It is hard to imagine the XXI century without journalism - the world is constantly eager to learn about what is happening in different parts of our planet - can you imagine if at any point now we will not be able to learn the news? It is crucial to protect journalists – they have the same Human Rights as all other people of the world and they deserve to do their job and be safe.

The proto model of journalism is dated back to 59 BCE, when it first appeared in Ancient Rome – significant actions were recorded on special boards and hung in crowded places. The first proto model of newspaper appeared in China during the Tang dynasty, but the first newspapers as we know them were published in Germany in 1609 with the idea of using printing press. The growing spread of literacy and the invention of mechanical presses resulted in an escalating popularity of newspapers. The most popularity journalism gained during the XIX century when the vast increase in elementary education caused having more eager readers. Journalism became even more popular and needed during the First World War with all urgent wartime news. Ever since journalism continued to be a very important part of most peoples' lives.

The university course for journalists appeared only in 1879 by University of Missouri (Columbia, USA), before that journalists had to educate themselves by beginning their careers as cab reporters or copyboys. With the growing complexity of news shared, the need for journalists’ specialized training was determined. Then in 1912 with a grant from Joseph Pulitzer, American newspaper editor and publisher, also known for establishing the most prestigious American award in literature, journalism, theatre, music, Columbia University in New York City established the first graduate program for journalists.

One of the most important reveals that journalism gives is democracy. Free access for wholesome information is a critical point that democratic countries should provide to people. With this acknowledgment, the world has to challenge the safety of journalists doing their job. International Press Institute (IPI) - global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists, released an alarming data revealing at least 45 journalists being killed during 2021. 28 journalists died in relationship for their work, three were murdered covering armed conflicts, one was assassinated during assignment, two died while reporting on civil unrest, and 11 deaths are still under investigation.

2021 made an inglorious record of imprisoned journalists – the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported 293 journalists were imprisoned globally during this year, with China being on the inglorious first place by getting 50 journalists behind bars, in second place is Myanmar with 26 people, followed by Egypt with 25 people.

It is worth mentioning that it is hard to know the real number of imprisoned journalists all over the world, the statistics might differ from source to source. Imprisonment of journalism shows authoritarian sides of political power, it also deprives people from their right for freedom of speech that is recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Some countries' political structures are known to keep main journalistic media under their control and make other free media foreign agents (e.g., in Russia Meduza and Dozhd independent media services were designated as foreign agents in 2021).

A major story happened with an Australian journalist Julian Assange who founded media source WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks published many articles and revealed a number of injustices from the American government. Assange is being imprisoned since 2019; the US government charged him with violation of the Espionage Act of 1917. This decision was criticized by major journalists and media as an attack on US Constitution's First Amendment, which among other things prevents government from oppressing the freedom of press.

Journalists’ attacks and killings are happening worldwide making journalists' safety a global problem. What is more, the killings and attacks on journalists are occurring even in the countries considered to have relatively high levels of press freedom. These factors make journalism a highly risky profession. Human Rights should not be violated.