IMS Annual Report 2009

2009 has been a year of many challenges and achievements for the staff and partners of IMS. The organisation has provided effective and timely responses in support of local media in over 30 countries worldwide affected by conflict, human insecurity and democratic transition.

During 2009 media workers around the world faced increasingly challenging work environments. In countries such as the Philippines, Af- ghanistan, Pakistan and Mexico where IMS works, journalists and media owners were murdered, attacked and threatened. In Gaza, Sri Lanka and Burma, such intimidation was added to by the authorities employing measures to silence media and prevent news from getting out, whilst the Belarusian and Azeri governments further crip- pled independent media through legal restric- tions. In the Arab region the media was under renewed pressure by governments who clamped down on critical reporting, claiming their actions were in the interest of national security.