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How to report an attack on the mediaThe Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) needs your assistance to compile accurate anddetailed alerts on abuses of press freedom in the Southern African region.Alerts serve a very important function in the advocacy work of MISA. The ultimate aim of thealert is to spur people on to take action in the light of a particular violation. Apart from that, thealert serves the purpose of reporting and recording a specific event or incident, which eitheramounts to a violation of media freedom or freedom of expression, or significantly advances it.The alert is thus part of one of the most essential tools of advocacy - information.What to report:• Journalists who are:• Assaulted • Arrested• Censored • Denied credentials• Harassed • Kidnapped• Killed • Missing• Threatened • Wrongfully expelled• Wounded • Wrongfully sued for libel or defamationNews organisations that are:• Attacked or illegally searched• Censored• Closed by force• Raided, where editions are confiscated or transmissions are jammed. Materialsconfiscated or damaged• Wrongfully sued for libel or defamationWhat to include in your reportMISA needs accurate and detailed information about:• Names of journalists and news organisations involved• Date and circumstances of the incident• Detailed background informationAnyone with information about an attack on the media should call the Researcher at MISA bydialling +264 61 232975 or by sending e-mail to research@misa.orgContact information for MISA country offices: See page 203.What happens with your information?Depending on the case, MISA will:• Investigate and confirm the report• Pressure authorities to respond• Notify human right groups and press organisations around the world, includingIFEX, Article 19, Amnesty International, Reporters San Frontiers, Human Rights Watch andthe International Federation of Journalists and• Increase public awareness through the press• Publish advisories to warn other journalists about potential dangers• Send a fact-finding mission to investigateMORE ABOUT MISA ALERTSThe alert is different to a media statement that the latter is more a reaction and comment on anincident, while an alert is simply a report about it. Where comment is included in an alert it isSo This Is Democracy? 2005-295-Media Institute of Southern Africa