Action Alert: At the end of this post is an alert from the International Federation of Journalists to AFP [Agence France Presse] demanding fair terms for freelance photographers. Excerpt: “The company [AFP] aims to take away photographers’ copyright in return for no additional payment.” For many years I was a member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFG) and support this call to send a loud message to AFP.
Additionally, my sincere condolences to the family of Mustafa Cambaz, photojournalist killed during the coup attempt in Turkey.
–Orin Langelle
/ AFP PHOTO / OZAN KOSE
Source: European Federation of Journalists posted on 16 July 2017
Mustafa Cambaz, photojournalist for the Turkish daily Yeni Safak was killed by soldiers during the attempt coup in Turkey, last night, in the Cengelkoy neighborhood of Istanbul. Soldiers took control of the state broadcaster TRT, the private broadcasters CNN-Turk and Kanal D, and the daily newspaper Hurriyet.
In the Ankara studios of TRT, news anchor Tijen Karas was forced to read a statement at gunpoint. Several journalists were attacked during the clashes. In Istanbul, civilians protesting the coup beat Selçuk Şamiloğlu, a photojournalist for Hurriyet and the Associated Press.
Following the attempted coup, the Information Technologies and Communications Authority (BTK, the State regulator) has shutdown 20 independent online news portals, including Haberdar, Meydan, Medyascope, Gazeteport, Rotahaber, ABC, Karşı, etc. Users entering those online news sites are faced with the following warning: “After technical analysis and legal consideration based on the law Nr. 5651, administration measure has been taken for this website according to decision Nr. Xxxx dated 17/07/2016 of the Presidency of Telecommunication and Communication.” The shutdown has been strongly criticized by the Turkish Union of Journalists (TGS), an EFJ-IFJ affiliate in Turkey.
“Once again, press was targeted, while Turkish democracy was under assault,” said Philippe Leruth and Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, presidents of the International and of the European Federations of journalists.
“Mustafa Cambaz was killed while performing his duty to inform, they added. His name is added to the too-long lists of martyrs of press-freedom. Those who killed him were trying to kill democracy in Turkey. Journalists all-over the world demand justice for this crime, and reject any attempt to ensure impunity to his murderers”.
AFP [Agence France Presse] : Demand fair terms for freelance photographers
In times like these we rely upon journalists — including photographers — to keep us informed about fast-breaking events like the terrorist attack in Nice or the coup attempt in Turkey. We know that journalists often risk their lives to bring us these stories. [*]
According to the International Federation of Journalists, French-owned multinational media group Agence France Presse (AFP) is imposing rights-grabbing new contracts on freelance photographers working in a number of countries outside of France, where photographers benefit from being covered by a collective agreement.
The company aims to take away photographers’ copyright in return for no additional payment. The contract requires photographers to sign a global, irrevocable, perpetual licence to allow the company to use their photos and videos on any medium, in any language, in any form including in any future products. This is completely unacceptable.
Please help us support the IFJ campaign by sending a loud and clear message to AFP:
https://www.labourstart.org/go/afp
And please share this message with your friends, family and fellow union members.
Thank you!
Eric Lee
