Accuses journalist union of corruption | The class struggle
The Nordic journalists’ associations do not hold back their criticism when they now return to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
– Our frustration with IFJ has been going on for many years. Together with the Nordic and several European countries, we have called for a greater degree of openness, democratic processes, representativeness and gender balance, says Dag Idar Tryggestad, leader of the Norwegian Journalist Association (NJ).
Now the patience has run out. The journalists’ unions in Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland are collectively opting out of the IFJ, while Sweden is considering opting out.
The long-running dispute peaked when the Russian Union of Journalists was established in four occupied areas of Ukraine.
Several federations believed that the Russian federation had to be excluded from the IFJ.
– IFJ did not take action. Only now are they talking about having to carry out an investigation, but it is not necessary. We know that the Russian Federation is present in occupied areas, says Tryggestad.
Hanne Aho, Tryggestad’s colleague in the Finnish Federation of Journalists, tells Reuters that they believe the IFJ has engaged in corruption.
Long-standing dispute
But the conflict goes back much further in time. For over ten years, the Norwegian Association of Journalists and other European journalists’ associations have been in conflict with the IFJ.
Thomas Spence was the leader of the Norwegian Journalist Association between 2013 and 2017. He says that the association considered withdrawing from the organization already in 2013. Also then, the reason was dissatisfaction with the lack of democratic processes in the IFJ. According to Spence, the culture changed, said British Jim Boumelha over the leadership in 2007.
– It became a time for camaraderie, lack of insight and squeezing of people and country who did not support the majority around Boumelha, says Spence.
He says that the dissatisfaction peaked when Boumelha was re-elected during the congress in 2013.
– When he was elected, five more votes were counted than were eligible to vote. For us, it was completely open to democracy and a journalists’ organization which could not possibly be an election.
Today, Spence fully supports the Norwegian Association of Journalists’ decision to withdraw from the IFJ.
– We tried to give it a second chance a year ago, but it obviously didn’t work. Therefore, it is right to speak out and try to build a good alternative.
Bottom point in Oman
I add to the «passive acceptance» of the establishment of Russian local branches in annexed areas, the IFJ reached rock bottom when last year they chose to put the international congress in Oman, says NJ leader Dag Idar Tryggestad.
When the Norwegian association chose to participate, they received criticism from their members.
– How could we defend going to a country without a particular degree of freedom of press and expression? We made an attempt to get a seat on a basic democratic process in the organization. We did not succeed in that, says the union leader.
The class action has tried to get a comment from the International Federation of Journalists. They did not want to comment before a board meeting which was to take place yesterday afternoon.
The IFJ’s general secretary Jeremy Dear nevertheless writes in an e-mail to Reuters that they reject the “false, defamatory and harmful claims”.
Lose press card
According to Reporters Without Borders, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland are among the countries in the world with the highest degree of press freedom.
«We have called for a greater degree of openness, democratic processes, representativeness and gender balance.»
— Dag Idar Tryggestad, leader of the Norwegian Journalist Association (NJ)
At the same time, freedom of expression and the press are under international pressure.
– Is this the right time to opt out, Tryggestad?
– It has been a difficult balancing act. For a long time we have felt that we have compromised our own positions in the hope of changing the organization. My hope is that these announcements will contribute to IFJ coming back in a new edition.
Several Norwegian journalists who travel abroad rely on IFJ’s international press card. Nordic journalists will no longer have access to this.
– This is one of the things we have to clarify. Whether it can be issued by someone else. But I am absolutely sure that we will find a solution to it, says Tryggestad.
Economic press tool
Kristin Skare Orgeret is professor of journalism at Oslomet. Her areas of interest include freedom of expression, the social role of the media and power relations.
Orgeret describes the IFJ as an influential organisation, with the opportunity to follow up on issues of freedom of expression and press in major international cooperation bodies such as the UN, Unesco and the Council of Europe.
– That is why what is happening now is terribly sad. At the same time, major internal challenges and undemocratic processes have been reported over a long period of time. This is not something the Nordic countries want to be known for, says Orgeret and continues:
– When, in addition, it was decided to put the last joint congress in Oman, a country totally without freedom of press and expression, this probably left a bad taste in the mouths of many of the Nordic and Western member states.
Orgeret believes the announcement may become symbolically important. The Nordic confederations also account for 20 percent of the total quota income for the IFJ.
– How do you think the IFJ will react to the announcement?
– Let’s hope they take it as an opportunity to clean up internally. The Nordic countries have a strong means of economic pressure, which will perhaps weigh the heaviest, says Orgeret.