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‘Freedom to express peaceful opinions is non-negotiable’
Lahore: “The attack on daily The News’ journalist Ahmad Noorani is extremely worrying both as the latest episode in a series of attacks on media in Pakistan and in its brePublished in Daily Times, October 28th 2017.athtaking audacity,” Human Rights Watch country director Saroop Ijaz said on Friday. In his comments shared with Daily Times, Ijaz said […]
Lahore: “The attack on daily The News’ journalist Ahmad Noorani is extremely worrying both as the latest episode in a series of attacks on media in Pakistan and in its brePublished in Daily Times, October 28th 2017.athtaking audacity,” Human Rights Watch country director Saroop Ijaz said on Friday.
In his comments shared with Daily Times, Ijaz said the chilling effect of this and similar past attacks was leading to a situation where the space for dissent in Pakistan was shrinking rapidly. “One need not agree with Ahmad Noorani on all or even most issues to condemn such a direct, violent attack on free expression. Free expression in Pakistan has been under threat and attack from militant groups, government agencies, right-wing political parties and in some cases by media houses and personnel themselves. The primary responsibility lies with the government to protect journalists and effectively investigate any attacks, holding the perpetrators accountable,” he said.
Ijaz also highlighted the pressing need for a larger conversation within and outside the media regarding demonising of opponents and incitement to violence using religious and ‘hyper-nationalist’ rhetoric on grounds of political views. “Violence or the threat of it is not a legitimate tool to deal with difference of opinion. Freedom of expression should not be treated as a strategic argument for only when it suits a media house, person or political party, it should be the fundamental norm of a free, vibrant and democratic society. Safety of journalists and the freedom to express peaceful opinions is not negotiable and is the fundamental responsibility of the government,” he said.
“Free expression in Pakistan has been under threat and attack from militant groups, government agencies, right-wing political parties and in some cases by media houses and personnel themselves. The primary responsibility lies with the government to protect journalists and effectively investigate any attacks, holding the perpetrators accountable”
He said that the authorities should realise that punishing peaceful dissent would cause greater damage to their image and that of the country than the criticism itself. “Ahmad Noorani’s case should rightly be a ‘test’ case and the perpetrators should be held accountable after a transparent, immediate and effective investigation,” he said.
In her statement shared with Daily Times, International Commission of Jurists Pakistan representative Reema Omer noted that violent attacks against journalists by ‘unknown perpetrators’ were becoming all too common in Pakistan. They illustrate not only the insecure environment in which journalists operate but also have a chilling effect on freedom of expression in the country, she said.
“Disturbingly, those responsible have been held to account in only a handful of cases. The authorities must urgently address the near-absolute impunity in such cases and bring perpetrators – whether state and non-state – to justice. Failure to do so would only embolden perpetrators and make journalists even more vulnerable,” Omer said.
In a tweet posted on Saturday, Omer highlighted the weak response of the federal government on a question concerning protection of rights activists and journalists in the country’s Universal Periodic Review submitted to the United Nations.
Published in Daily Times, October 28th 2017.
