Editorial – Police Brutality on Journalists

The need to make provisions for the protection of Journalists stems from a number of considerations that go far beyond the ensuring of personal safety, independence, and integrity of the men of the forth Estate of the Realm. Freedom of Expression (FIO) is a vital part of the essential democratic process guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and by the various international instruments adopted to ensure the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Accordingly, we are editorializing with two fundamental rights, namely (1) the right to communicate news, information and views, (ii) The right to receive news, information and views with both interwoven and dependent in the final analysis. Against this backdrop, therefore the wanton brutality by the Police against Journalists at public functions, meetings and or otherwise is in very strong terms condemned by Century Newsfront Newspapers as it posses an infringement to the fundamental human rights particularly the recent attack on the New Nigerian Newspaper reporter, Mr. Patrick Titus whereby he was dehumanized at a meeting involving the Governor, His Deputy, top government functionaries and other well meaning indigenes of the State. Who would say that news information and views should not come out from such a big occasion for the overall interest of the public? Let it be understood that both professionals – hunters and professional pen pushers though their languages differ but all work towards building a better society and never at war like the Biblical Goliath from Philistine armed to the teeth who went out to fight the Israelites with little David armed only with a catapult. That was for different purposes unlike what the public is witnessing always between the Police and Journalists these days. With Police grammar, such as ta-ka-kum and Journalist’s grammar such as, the Governor said, Nigerians are assured of better, peaceful and greater society. Such tendency as brutality on a fellow professional is unacceptable condemned in its entirety and must be countered by relevant authorities. Consequent upon this, Century Newsfront Newspapers opines that concerted effort be made for the safeguarding of Journalists from the hand of some irresponsible, over-zealous and non seguitur Police harassment in the exercise of their professional responsibility. The possibility might be explored as it is the case in other countries of the world for setting up some mechanism whereby when a Journalist is either refused or deprived of his identity card, he would have a right of appeal to a professional body, ideally with adequate judicial authority to rectify the position. Such, should also look into the possibility of the creation of an international body to which a further appeal could be made in the final resort. Finally, let it be noted that freedom of speech, of the press of information and of assembly are vital for the realization of human rights and defense of all human rights is one of the media’s most vital tasks, likewise the protection of lives and property is a vital task for the Police. This however is with exception to very negligible of the Police who are very responsible and reasonable.

convert this post to pdf.