Maravi

Miliband raises concern over safety of journalists

Miliband raises concern over safety of journalists
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Friday, May 08, 2009 4:38:29 PM

UNITED Kingdom foreign secretary, David Miliband, has stated that the threat to the safety of journalists doing their jobs remains unacceptably high.

In a message to mark this year's World Press Freedom Day which fell on May 3, Miliband stated that freedom for the media to report and analyse what was going on in the world was of fundamental importance in holding governments to account.

"We must all increase our efforts to ensure that these values are protected at a time when the threat to the safety of journalists doing their jobs remains unacceptably high," he stated.

Miliband stated that May 3 served as an occasion to inform the public of violations of the right to freedom of expression and as a reminder that many journalists brave death or jail to bring people their daily news.

He stated that during the past year 60 journalists and media workers had been killed and the year also saw the first recorded fatality of a 'citizen journalist.'

"These tragic deaths, along with over 900 attacks on media workers, 29 kidnappings of journalists and the closure of over 2,000 media outlets, harm our ability to understand the world," he stated.

Miliband reiterated Britain's commitment to promote, defend, and protect the right of journalists to do their jobs without fear of reprisal.

Labels: DAVID MILIBRAND, PRESS FREEDOM, RHODESIANS

posted by MrK @ 3:40 PM