Forbidden Stories

Last updated

Forbidden Stories
Formation2017;7 years ago (2017)
Founder Laurent Richard
Founded atParis
Website forbiddenstories.org

Forbidden Stories is a non-profit organization with the mission "to continue and publish the work of other journalists facing threats, prison, or murder." To achieve this, it allows journalists to send their work to Forbidden Stories, so other journalists have access to the material in case the original investigator is not able to follow it anymore. It partners with organizations such as Reporters Without Borders [1] and Freedom of the Press Foundation. [2]

Contents

Internationally it has been praised by the Columbia Journalism Review , [3] Daily Times , [4] Deutschlandfunk, [5] The Guardian , [6] Le Monde , [7] and RTBF. [8]

In March 2018, it received the "journalism project of the year" grand prize at the French Annual Journalism Summit [9] and was on the shortlist of the European Press Prize for the category innovation in 2019. [10]

Background

The Forbidden Stories venture was envisioned by Laurent Richard, a French investigative journalist and filmmaker [Notes 1] in 2015, after the January 7, 2015, Charlie Hebdo shooting in which 12 people were killed and 11 others were injured—all journalists and cartoonists—by members of terrorist group Al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen. [11] The offices of Charlie Hebdo were near Richard's workplace. [11]

Daphne Caruana Galizia died in a car bomb explosion on October 16, 2017. On October 30, 2017, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and NGO Freedom Voices Network announced the launch of "Forbidden Stories," a secure encrypted online platform [Notes 2] that allows threatened journalists to upload their work and secure their data and information. Forbidden Stories, which was founded by Laurent Richard, allows journalists to continue the investigative reporting of "silenced" journalists and to unveil their stories to a wide audience. [12] [13] [14] [Notes 3] The purpose of "Forbidden Stories" was to "deter would-be attacks on journalists by backing up their work, and to publicize murders and disappearances of colleagues such as Caruana Galizia." [15] Forbidden Stories continues the "work of killed, imprisoned, or otherwise incapacitated journalists."

Richard said The Daphne Project was modeled after similar initiatives in the past involving the murder of other journalists, such as The Arizona Project, in which 38 American journalists completed the investigative work of Don Bolles following his 1976 murder. [11] In 2015 colleagues of Khadija Ismayilova of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) continued her work on "the corruption and tax evasion of the ruling family in Baku" through The Khadija Project, after she was imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo (ABRAJI), a Brazilian investigative journalism NGO, carried on the work of Tim Lopes who was burned alive for his work on drug trafficking in Rio de Janeiro in 2002. [11] [9]

Stories

Forbidden Stories has continued the work of journalists after they have died:

In 2021 Forbidden Stories was part of the team of investigative journalists that published the Pegasus Project, about NSO spyware that targeted activists and journalists. [34]

Supporters

Prominent supporters are: [35]

Notes

  1. ↑ According to the April 17, 2018, Nieman Reports article, Laurent Richard is the co-founder of French public television show "Cash Investigation" and the producer of "several long-form investigative stories for television". In 2012 "Cash Investigation" uncovered the tax evasion scandal in Luxembourg, known as LuxLeaks. Richard oversaw coverage of LuxLeaks. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists expanded on LuxLeaks with the Panama Papers. Richard was a 2017 Knight-Wallace fellow at the University of Michigan. He is also the founder and executive director of the nonprofit investigative newsroom Freedom Voices Network.
  2. ↑ They use three open source technologies—Signal, PGP, and SecureDrop and host the data in many places.
  3. ↑ Richard and his cameraman were briefly detained in Baku on May 14 and their equipment was confiscated including his footage of his report on government corruption in Azerbaijan. Fortunately he had given a copy to Khadija Ismayilova, who "smuggled it to France on his behalf". According to an October 24, 2017 article by CJR's Jon Allsop, this experience was another motivation for "launching a centralized online platform for investigative journalists in dangerous situations". According to the Nieman Report, Azerbaijan filed a failed lawsuit against Richard and his colleague for "describing the country as a dictatorship on "Cash Investigation" —the "first time in history that a foreign government brought a defamation suit against French journalists on their own soil".

Related Research Articles

Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, racial injustice, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Practitioners sometimes use the terms "watchdog reporting" or "accountability reporting".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Bolles</span> American reporter murdered in car bombing (1928–1976)

Donald Fifield Bolles was an American investigative reporter for The Arizona Republic newspaper who was known for his coverage of organized crime in and around Phoenix, Arizona, especially by the Chicago Outfit. His murder in a car bombing was suspected to be mob-related but was later found to be connected to his reporting on real estate fraud by local contractors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nieman Foundation for Journalism</span> Journalism institution at Harvard University

The Nieman Foundation for Journalism is the primary journalism institution at Harvard University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Lewis (journalist)</span>

Charles Lewis is an investigative journalist based in Washington D.C. He founded The Center for Public Integrity and several other nonprofit organizations and is currently the executive editor of the Investigative Reporting Workshop at the American University School of Communication in D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joachim Dyfvermark</span>

Joachim Dyfvermark is a Swedish investigative reporter/producer working for the current affairs program Uppdrag granskning broadcast on Sveriges Television.

The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) is a global network of investigative journalists with staff on six continents. It was founded in 2006 and specializes in organized crime and corruption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Javier Valdez Cárdenas</span> Mexican crime journalist and murder victim

Javier Valdez Cárdenas was a Mexican journalist and founder of Ríodoce, a newspaper based in Sinaloa. He received several international awards for his writings on drug trafficking and organized crime in the Mexican Drug War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ignacio Gómez</span> Colombian journalist (born 1962)

Ignacio Gómez is a Colombian journalist known for his high-risk reporting on organized crime, corruption, and paramilitary groups. In 2000, he received the "Special Award for Human Rights Journalism Under Threat" Amnesty Media Award. In 2002, he was awarded the International Press Freedom Award of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina Martínez Pérez</span> Mexican journalist and murder victim

Regina Martínez Pérez was a Mexican journalist and veteran crime reporter for Proceso, a center-left Mexican news magazine known for its critical reporting of the social and political establishment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfredo Corchado</span> American journalist

Alfredo Corchado Jiménez is a Mexican-American journalist and author who has covered Mexico for many years, and is currently the Mexico City bureau chief of The Dallas Morning News. He specializes in covering the drug wars and the U.S.-Mexico border, writing stories on topics such as drug cartels and organized crime, corruption among police and government officials, and the spread of drug cartels into U.S. cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khadija Ismayilova</span> Azerbaijani investigative journalist and radio host

Khadija Rovshan qizi Ismayilova, alternatively spelled Ismailova, is an Azerbaijani investigative journalist and radio host who is currently working for the Azerbaijani service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, until recently as the host of the daily debate show İşdən Sonra. She is a member of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.

Sandra Rodríguez Nieto is a Mexican journalist who for many years was an investigative reporter for El Diario de Juárez. She has aggressively covered the narcotics-connected violence in Ciudad Juárez, which is located across the border from El Paso, Texas, and which is one of the most violent cities in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bastian Obermayer</span> German investigative journalist

Bastian Obermayer is a Pulitzer Prize-winning German investigative journalist with the Munich-based newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) and the reporter who received the Panama Papers from an anonymous source as well as later on the Paradise Papers, together with his colleague Frederik Obermaier. Obermayer is also author of several books, among them the best selling account of the Panama Papers: The Panama Papers: Breaking the Story of How the Rich and Powerful Hide Their Money, co-authored by his colleague Frederik Obermaier.

The Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) is "an international association of nonprofit organizations that support, promote and produce investigative journalism." The association is headquartered in the United States, and its membership is open to "nonprofits, NGOs, and educational organizations" that are active in investigative reporting and data journalism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daphne Caruana Galizia</span> Maltese journalist and blogger (1964–2017)

Daphne Anne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese writer, journalist, blogger and anti-corruption activist, who reported on political events in Malta and was known internationally for her investigation of the Panama Papers, and subsequent assassination by car bomb. In particular, she focused on investigative journalism, reporting on government corruption, nepotism, patronage, and allegations of money laundering, links between Malta's online gambling industry and organized crime, Malta's citizenship-by-investment scheme, and payments from the government of Azerbaijan. Caruana Galizia's national and international reputation was built on her regular reporting of misconduct by Maltese politicians and politically exposed persons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miroslava Breach</span> Mexican crime journalist and murder victim

Miroslava Breach Velducea was a Mexican investigative journalist for La Jornada and Norte de Juárez in Chihuahua City, Mexico known for her reportage of human rights violations, drug trafficking, and government corruption. She was murdered on 23 March 2017 as she was leaving her home. She was one of six journalists killed in Mexico in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allard Prize for International Integrity</span> Award

The Allard Prize for International Integrity is one of the world's largest prizes dedicated to the fight against corruption and the protection of human rights. The prize is awarded biennially to an individual, movement or organization that has "demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in combating corruption, especially through promoting transparency, accountability and the Rule of Law." The winner receives the Allard Prize Award, a uniquely crafted brass artwork, and CAD$100,000. Honourable mention recipients are awarded a unique nickel-plated artwork, and may also receive a cash award.

The Daphne Project is a collaborative, cross-border investigative journalism project by major news organizations from around the world, coordinated by Paris-based investigative non-profit newsroom, Forbidden Stories, to continue the work of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Their work has been facilitated through the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a member of Global Investigative Journalism Network. They published their first in a series of reports in April 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Vincent</span> American-British human rights campaigner

Rebecca Vincent is an American-British human rights campaigner, who is currently the Director of Campaigns for Reporters Without Borders.

Justice for Journalists Foundation is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to fight impunity for attacks against media. Based in London, its main goal is to protect journalists from the abuse of their right to freedom of expression, increase public awareness about attacks on media workers and provide journalists with the knowledge and skills necessary to protect themselves from professional risks.

References

  1. ↑ "Launch of Forbidden Stories project". Reporters without borders . October 30, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  2. ↑ "About Us". Forbidden Stories. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  3. ↑ "A new project will keep stories alive when journalists are killed". Columbia Journalism Review . Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  4. ↑ Marsi, Federica (September 20, 2020). "Investigation Keeps Work of Silenced Journalists Alive". Daily Times . Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Investigativjournalismus – Für die Pressefreiheit kämpfen". Deutschlandfunk (in German). Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  6. ↑ Greenslade, Roy (November 5, 2017). "Boris Johnson's £1m for press freedom: a small response to a big threat". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Forbidden Stories, le site qui sauvegarde l'information des journalistes". Le Monde (in French). November 9, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Un projet pour poursuivre les enquêtes de journalistes assassinés". RTBF (in French). October 31, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  9. 1 2 "Collaboration Is Really Our Best Protection". Nieman Reports. April 17, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2019. Richard visited the Nieman Foundation in March, 2018 to discuss The Dapne Project
  10. ↑ "Forbidden Stories". European Press Prize . Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Richard, Laurent (April 16, 2018). "A warning to the corrupt: if you kill a journalist, another will take their place". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Launch of Forbidden Stories project". Reporters without borders (RSF). October 30, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  13. ↑ "A new project will keep stories alive when journalists are killed". Columbia Journalism Review. October 24, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  14. ↑ "French Journalist Detained In Baku". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Azerbaijan. May 14, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  15. ↑ Allsop, Jon (April 19, 2018). "Breathing new life into a murdered journalist's work". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Project Miroslava". Forbidden Stories. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The Leads Not Investigated In The Miroslava Breach Murder". Bellingcat . September 4, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  18. ↑ Ronderos, María Teresa (September 5, 2019). "El Proyecto Miroslava le sube el costo al asesinato de periodistas en México (Published 2019)". The New York Times (in Spanish). ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Green Blood". Forbidden Stories. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Green blood". The Guardian . Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Deadly Border". Forbidden Stories. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Death On The Border". Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project . October 24, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  23. ↑ "The Daphne Project". Forbidden Stories. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  24. ↑ Borg, Jacob (October 14, 2020). "Daphne Project returns with more reports". Times of Malta . Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Javier Valdez: internal war in the Sinaloa Cartel". Forbidden Stories. November 17, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  26. ↑ Saliba, Frédéric (November 9, 2017). "Forbidden Stories, le site qui sauvegarde l'information des journalistes". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Cecilio Pineda: shady ties between local officials and drug traffickers". Forbidden Stories. October 24, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  28. ↑ Jaclyn, Cosgrove (December 21, 2017). "Outside of war zones, Mexico is the most dangerous place for journalists". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Football in Ghana : an off-limits investigation". Forbidden Stories. January 16, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Ahmed Suale Muder: Ghana Police Failed To Follow Key Lead – Report". Modern Ghana. January 16, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  31. ↑ "About the Cartel Project". Forbidden Stories. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  32. ↑ "The cartel project". The Guardian . Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  33. ↑ "Story Killers". forbiddenstories.org. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Pegasus project: spyware leak suggests lawyers and activists at risk across globe". the Guardian. July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  35. ↑ "They support us". Forbidden Stories. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  36. ↑ "Marina Walker Guevara". RSF. Reporters without borders. September 9, 2018. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  37. ↑ "Fabrice Arfi". Mediapart (in French). Retrieved October 26, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.