By Alpha Abu
A one-day Consultative Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya involving African Journalists has ended with the formation of a Lawyers’ Network that will defend the numerous cases journalists across the continent face in the line of duty.
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) at the workshop on 30th August deliberated with a focus on the theme of the event:” Defending Journalists and Media Workers' Rights by Seeking Redress through the Courts”.
Supported by UNESCO under the Global Media Defence Fund, the event attracted members of the FAJ Steering Committee, union leaders, legal practitioners, and a representative of the Pan – African Lawyers Association (PALU).
The Network of Lawyers are persons who are willing to work with the FAJ affiliated unions across the continent to defend freedom of expression and media freedom by challenging media violations in court.
A Press Release by FAJ issued a day after the workshop, referenced the Secretary General of the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and FAJ Steering Committee member, Omar Faruk Osman Nur, as saying that the event represents ‘’a clarion call for safeguarding journalists' rights and upholding media freedoms through judicious legal avenues’’.
Faruk according to the press release stressed that as journalists and trade unionists, they must address the various challenges that journalists encounter in their pursuit of truth, whilst noting that ‘’legal protection for journalists strongly upholds media freedom, which is a crucial aspect of democracy’’.
‘’It is distressing to acknowledge that certain African governments have weaponised the judicial process to validate the incarceration or maltreatment of journalists, gravely infringing upon their basic rights’’, the release stated.
Attention was drawn to the fact that if journalists are legally protected, can hold governments accountable, uncover corruption, and amplify marginalised voices. ‘’However, the continued threats faced by journalists in Africa are undermining the core principles of independent journalism’’, according to the release.
Earlier in her opening address, the Regional Advisor for Communication and Information, UNESCO Multi-Sectoral Regional Office for Eastern Africa, Misako Ito, presented a gloomy picture of one journalist being killed on average every four days.
“Close to 9 out of 10 cases of journalist killing remain judicially unsolved. Women journalists face the additional risk of gender-based violence, online and offline. We remain worried by statistics that suggest increasing violence towards women in the field: in 2021 for instance the percentage of women among all journalists killed almost doubled, rising to 11% from 6% the previous year,” it said.
She looked forward to UNESCO’s continued collaboration with the judiciary and partners such as FAJ and the journalists’ unions across the continent.
It said that UNESCO is committed to supporting FAJ’s work in protecting fundamental freedoms and ending impunity for crimes so that journalists can work safely in democratic environments.
A key highlight of the workshop was the formation of the FAJ’s Lawyers Network and the identification of Coordinators of the network in West, Eastern, and Central Africa. Also, a number of cases were identified that the network of lawyers will be challenging in court.
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