Free media play vital role in functioning democracy: UK minister

Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Baroness Anelay yesterday said no one should be terrorised into self-censorship or a betrayal of the fundamental rights and behaviours which are central to their values and way of life, reports UNB.
“A free media plays a vital role in a functioning democracy. We mark today to highlight why we cannot let those who would seek to undermine it do so, and that this impunity must end,” she said.
The Human Rights Minister and British Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict made the remark in a statement marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, according to British High Commission in Dhaka.
“Journalists are frequently targeted by criminal gangs, sectarian extremists and repressive states for their work; when people silence journalists, they often do so with impunity,” she said.
This year began with a tragic reminder of the threat faced by journalists. In January alone journalists were murdered in Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, including the devastating attack in Paris on journalists working for Charlie Hebdo.
They were killed for shining a light on corruption, expressing their views and satirising ideas. Sadly, these crimes were only the beginning this year.
“What often compounds these crimes is the lack of any attempt to bring the perpetrators to justice. These crimes against journalists are frequently ignored and rarely end in a conviction either due to incompetence or the corruption of officials,” the British Minister observed.
Both the tyrant and the terrorist fear the journalist’s pen; this is why the commitment to a free press is an unwavering British value, she added.

 

Free media play vital role in functioning democracy: UK minister

Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Baroness Anelay yesterday said no one should be terrorised into self-censorship or a betrayal of the fundamental rights and behaviours which are central to their values and way of life, reports UNB. A free media plays a vital role in a functioning democracy. We mark today to highlight why we cannot let those who would seek to undermine it do so, and that this impunity must end, she said. The Human Rights Minister and British Prime Ministers Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict made the remark in a statement marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, according to British High Commission in Dhaka. Journalists are frequently targeted by criminal gangs, sectarian extremists and repressive states for their work; when people silence journalists, they often do so with impunity, she said. This year began with a tragic reminder of the threat faced by journalists. In January alone journalists were murdered in Africa, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, including the devastating attack in Paris on journalists working for Charlie Hebdo. They were killed for shining a light on corruption, expressing their views and satirising ideas. Sadly, these crimes were only the beginning this year. What often compounds these crimes is the lack of any attempt to bring the perpetrators to justice. These crimes against journalists are frequently ignored and rarely end in a conviction either due to incompetence or the corruption of officials, the British Minister observed. Both the tyrant and the terrorist fear the journalists pen; this is why the commitment to a free press is an unwavering British value, she added.