Journalist Asma Shirazi on Sunday denounced a persistent campaign of harassment targeting her and other journalists, saying “enough is enough,” as prominent media figures backed a Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) petition calling for an end to the organized harassment by political parties. .
So far, the petition has been signed by more than 60 figures from print, television and digital media.
talking to dawn.comShirazi said that political parties have carried out selective harassment campaigns against female journalists for some time and stated that the DRF petition demonstrated that these campaigns will no longer be tolerated.
“I’ve been targeted several times,” he said. “They have made me a topic of discussion to intimidate and threaten others.”
The journalist added that a “member of the central committee of a political party” carried out these campaigns through a YouTube channel, using vulgar images of female journalists in his thumbnails.
“He is not separated from the party, nor has the party dissociated itself from him,” he said.
“He posts photographs of women and uses vulgar thumbnails to earn dollars. Of course, this raises great concern.”
Shirazi did not mention the party member by name or which party he belongs to.
“There is great discomfort among female journalists about the one-sided propaganda spread on X and Facebook,” Shirazi said. “Harassment is common, which is why I have questioned this issue. We need to highlight this and ask ourselves how long these one-sided campaigns will continue, even against male journalists.
“The DRF has taken on this initiative and is [stopping harassment] It is its main focus. “Enough is enough,” he said.
Previously, Shirazi went to Platform X and reported targeted harassment. In response to a post by the Coalition of Women in Journalism (CWJ), she wrote: “Women are always an easy target and have been harassed for a long time, but we refuse to be silenced.
“We unwaveringly stand for the truth and will continue to speak out, no matter the cost,” he said.
‘Gender misinformation campaign’
Meanwhile, in a press release issued on Friday, the Network of Women Journalists for Digital Rights (NWJDR) strongly condemned what it called a “gender disinformation campaign” against Shirazi.
According to the statement, Shirazi was attacked by “prominent political party supporters and political commentators and bloggers.”
The party was not mentioned by name.
“The harassment and vile comments against Asma Shirazi are baseless and rely on defamation by online trolls and political commentators with large followings,” the statement read.
“We urge political parties to take disciplinary action against those involved in attacks on women journalists and to formally disassociate themselves from the actions of these trolls.”
Citing a DRF report, the press release stated that female journalists were also attacked while covering the February general elections.
“These journalists became vulnerable to online threats of physical attacks, organized trolling campaigns and gender insults,” the NWJDR said, citing the report.
Additionally, the press release cited a study conducted by the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) that found that Facebook and X were considered the least safe platforms by female journalists.
“The research further revealed that almost 73 percent of female journalists experience online violence,” the press release reads.
“The continuation of these types of selective campaigns not only puts the lives of individual journalists at risk, but also reduces the space for freedom of expression and freedom of the press as a whole.
“These targeted campaigns of misinformation and harassment cannot become the norm. Whenever women journalists face gender-based harassment, NWJDR will continue to raise its voice and help survivors find avenues to justice,” she said.
Previous targeted campaigns
The NWJDR mentioned that Shirazi was involved in a two-year-long case in the Islamabad High Court against a television channel. ARY News and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in 2021.
Although he won the case, NWJDR stated that the case “involved a fabricated news story that undermined his [Shirazi’s] journalistic integrity.”
“I am extremely excited and yet this decision has restored my faith in the justice system,” she said in a statement after the verdict was handed down in 2023. “This is a historic decision not only for me but for everyone.” journalists who faced intimidation and harassment online and in mainstream media.”
In 2021, Shirazi was also targeted by the then PTI government in a “government-backed troll campaign,” according to a CWJ statement.
“The Twitter account of the ruling party (now X) attempted to discredit and align Asma and accused her of ‘obedience’ to a ‘certificate’ choir (thief) and fugitive,’” the statement reads, condemning the actions.
Shirazi also signed a 2020 CWJ statement against digital harassment and abuse of women in the profession, which noted that journalists are attacked for criticizing a party’s policy or for differing on a party’s stance on a certain topic.
