On Monday 3 May, journalists and campaigners across the world remembered their fallen colleagues on World Press Freedom Day, which highlights the threats and violence which journalists face every day in doing their work.
In the last month alone, several journalists were murdered in different parts of the world. They include Argentine TV presenter Juan Carlos and three Nigerians – Edo Sule Ugbag-wu, Nathan S Dabak, and Sunday Gyang Bwede – who were killed within 24 hours on 24 April.
The day also saw the presentation of the annual ‘Predators of Press Freedom’ report by the France-based Reporters Without Borders. Said the group in a statement: “There are 40 names on this year’s list – politicians, government officials, religious leaders, militias and criminal organisations that cannot stand the press, treat it as an enemy and directly attack journalists. They are powerful, dangerous, violent and above the law.”
According to the group, leaders of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Rwanda and Saudi Arabia are among the worst “predators of freedom”. The list also includes agencies such as the Israel Defence Forces, Nigerian police chief Ogbonna Onovo and paramilitary groups such as the Farc rebels in Colombia.
While we congratulate Reporters Without Borders for publishing this important report, it is up to society as a whole to preserve the freedoms that we hold dear. If we are to live in a just world, we cannot allow journalists to continue to face the threat of violence and murder for reporting on the wrongs committed around the globe.
news@metroeireann.com
