- Doha Center for Media Freedom
-
The Doha Center for Media Freedom is an international institution formally created on December 7, 2007[1] by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, and opened in October 2008[2] in Doha, Qatar. The Doha Center for Media Freedom's stated purpose is to provide physical refuge for threatened journalists, as well as to support freedom of the press by other activities.[3]
Contents
Organisational structure
The Doha Center for Media Freedom had a Board chaired by Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer Al Thani, and including cultural personalities such as Egyptian writer Alaa Al Aswany and governmental personalities such as Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé, and former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin.[3][4] It also had an Advisory Council chaired by the Qatari Minister of Culture, the Arts and Heritage of Qatar, Hamad Abdelaziz al-Kawari and including mainstream media personalities such as Chris Cramer, former president of CNN, and Ethan Bronner of the New York Times, and former governmental ministers Graça Machel from Mozambique, Ghassan Salamé from Lebanon and José Luís Arnaut from Portugal.[5]
The Director General of the center, who was responsible for the functioning of the center, was Robert Ménard,[2][6] who resigned as Secretary-General of Reporters Without Borders in September 2008.[7] Ménard resigned as director-general of the Center in June 2009, complaining of obstruction by Qatar government officials of the Center's work (notably its criticism of Qatar's restrictive media policies, along with the Center's efforts to bring several persecuted journalists to Qatar for temporary refuge), despite earlier assurances that it would be allowed to operate freely. The Center then ceased functioning.
Actions taken by the Center
The first journalist to be given refuge by the Doha Center for Media Freedom was Nilofar Habibi, a young Afghan journalist who had been attacked twice during one week because of her role as a journalist.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Young Afghan journalist finds refuge at Doha Centre for Media Freedom". The Peninsula. 2008-06-06. http://www.zawya.com/printstory.cfm?storyid=ZAWYA20080606062039&l=062000080606. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
- ^ a b "Media Safety - Qatar: Doha Centre for Media Freedom launched". International News Safety Institute / BBC Monitoring. 2008-10-18. http://www.newssafety.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10326:qatar-doha-centre-for-media-freedom-launched-&catid=81:middle-east-northern-africa-media-safety&Itemid=100528. Retrieved 2008-12-23.[dead link]
- ^ a b "About us". Doha Center for Media Freedom. http://www.dohacentre.org/-Le-Centre-de-Doha-.html?lang=en. Retrieved 2008-12-23.[dead link]
- ^ "Members of the Advisory Council". Doha Center for Media Freedom. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-12-23. http://www.webcitation.org/5dIDwzm9o. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
- ^ "Members of the Board". Doha Center for Media Freedom. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-12-23. http://www.webcitation.org/5dIDykWio. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
- ^ "Organes de gouvernance" (in French). Doha Center for Media Freedom. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-12-23. http://www.webcitation.org/5dIDEzblf. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
- ^ "Robert Ménard «se passera très bien des médias»" (in French). Le Figaro. 2008-09-26. Archived from the original on 2008-12-23. http://www.webcitation.org/5dIFhRWa4. Retrieved 2008-12-24.
External links
Categories:- Journalism stubs
- Qatar stubs
- Non-profit organizations
- Companies of Qatar
- Freedom of expression organizations
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
