Arab journalists disgruntled at arrests, torture, suppression

Arab journalists have voiced extreme discontent with some "appalling practices" against journalists in several countries; primarily physical liquidation, torture and detention and suppression. In a final communiqu{ of the three-day gathering of the Federation of Arab Journalists, which wound up here on Wednesday, they openly denounced the lingering assassination and killing of journalists in Palestine, Somalia, Syria, Egypt, Libya and Iraq. Therefore, protection ought to be provided for all media representatives at flashpoints in order to enable them to do their job properly, they requested. They also called on Arab governments to safeguard the freedom of expression and speech, allow pressmen to play their due effective role in addressing societal issues and create a free independent media atmosphere based on multiplicity and press freedom. Moreover, more professional training courses, and better medical, financial and social security services need to be provided for journalists, according to the statement. However, they urged all members of Arab press unions to struggle to live up to the level of about-turns on the Arab scene by means of promoting and beefing up democracy, freedom and equality. They further called for cementing and propping up Arab media cooperation and coordination, overhauling Arab media organizations and improving the professional levels of Arab journalists. Politically, the Arab journalists expressed emphatic opposition to foreign interference in the internal affairs of all Arab countries, while calling for allowing people to choose their leaders freely. Holistic societal reforms, mainly sustainable development, democracy and public freedom, should be put in place in the Arab world, according to the statement. On Palestine, they highly commended the struggle and steadfastness of the defenseless Palestinian people, but they urged Arab countries to provide more support and help to Palestinians and to expose the schemes, plans and crimes of the Israeli enemy.