Mohammed Yusuf, re-elected President                                                      

The President of the International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ) Mohammed Yususf was re-elected at the helm of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Society of Journalists on 28 February 2008 duirng the General Assembly of the Syndicate in Dubai. 

ICPJ WELCOMES DECISION 

DEPUTY RULER OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, RULER OF DUBAI, DECIDES TO PUT AN END TO THE PRISON PENALTY REGARDING JOURNALISTS

ICPJ WELCOMES DECISION OF THE DEPUTY RULER OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, RULER OF DUBAI, PUTTING AN END TO THE PRISON PENALTY REGARDING JOURNALISTS        

GENEVA, SEPTEMBER 26 (ICPJ) – In an unprecedented move in favor of the media profession and Journalists, the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum abolished the prison penalty against journalists.    

The International Covenant for the Protection of Journalists (ICPJ) believes that this is a historic move to consolidate freedom of opinion and expression.    

The decision to abolish the prison penalty when a journalist is conducting his own profession looking for the truth and exposing abuses is part and parcel of the Human Rights regime.    

The newly born organization praised the steps taken to study the draft law on publications and publishing by the UAE cabinet and which was introduced by the Chairman of the National Council for Media Information Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in consultation with the UAE Society of Journalists.    

Deputy President of the founding committee of the ICPJ Hachim Nouira congratulated Mohamed Yusuf, the President of the UAE Society of Journalists and President of the ICPJ for this unprecedented move and said that it clearly shows the direction of the UAE towards further media protection.    

Nouira said that the move is in line with the integral support of freedom of opinion and expression and for a better working climate for journalists.    

He stressed, that the directives of the deputy ruler of the UAE, reflects the keen expression of the UAE for its support of an environment of transparency, credibility and courage for working journalists, in line with the set values, laws and norms.    

Nouira noted that the move is in conformity with International Human Rights Law.    

This important development follows a court order to jail a journalist in the UAE.    

This was followed by the intervention of the UAE Society of journalists’ President and facilitated by the UAE Chairman of the National Council for Information and was given the consolidated by the momentum and initiative of the Deputy ruler of the UAE.    

This positive development encourages the ICPJ in its quest to achieve an international covenant-convention supported by world leaders.