By Stanley Onyeka, Lagos
Media Rights Agenda (MRA) today called on the Federal Government and security agencies to protect journalists covering the protests scheduled to begin tomorrow, August 1.
It reiterated that as citizens exercise their democratic right to protest unpopular government policies and actions, adding that it is imperative that journalists are able to report on the events without fear of harassment, obstruction, or violence targeted at them.
MRA, in a statement, urged the government and security agencies to adopt and implement specific measures to protect journalists during the protests, including ensuring their physical safety, respecting their right to gather information, and preventing any form of intimidation or violence against them.
It said the call became necessary given “recent events where journalists have faced undue harassment, obstruction, and violence while performing their duties with relevant authorities taking no steps or measures to ensure their safety, including during critical moments of public demonstrations.”
It cited Principle 20 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in November 2019, which it said had been given judicial seal in Nigeria by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Against this backdrop, MRA said “the Government has an obligation to take measures to prevent attacks against journalists and other media practitioners as well as to take effective legal and other measures to investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of such attacks.”
Elaborating the scope of the government’s obligations, the agency insisted that journalists must be granted unhindered access to cover the protests and other public gatherings in general and that obstructing their ability to report in any way constitutes a direct violation of press freedom that also undermines the public’s right to be informed.
The Government has an obligation to take measures to prevent attacks against journalists and other media practitioners as well as to take effective legal and other measures to investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of such attacks
It continued: “The right of journalists to cover protests is fundamental to a functioning democracy. As Nigeria braces for significant protests in the coming days, it is crucial that journalists are allowed to perform their duties safely and without interference.
“We call on the Government and security agencies to take immediate action and proactive measures to protect journalists and uphold the principles of press freedom.
“In particular, the Government and security agencies should respect the role of the media and allow journalists to report freely and without hindrance; take proactive measures to ensure the safety of journalists covering the protests.
“(This) includes protecting them from physical harm, harassment, and unjust arrest or detention, as well as promptly investigating and bringing to justice anyone who threatens, attacks or harms any journalist.”
It also called on members of the public, including protesters, to recognize the important role that journalists play in a democracy and, therefore, support and protect them as they report on critical events affecting the nation.
MRA further charged journalists to implement personal security plans as they go about covering the protests given the documented instances of harassment, intimidation, and violence against media professionals during previous protests.
It also advised them to report any incident of attacks or harassment that they encounter while covering the protests through MRA’s hotline – 0806 524 0610.