Fifty journalists and media workers were killed in
connection with their work in 2020, the majority in countries that
are not at war, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said
Tuesday.
The figure shows an increase in the targeting of reporters
investigating organised crime, corruption or environmental issues,
the watchdog said.
It highlighted murders in Mexico, India, and Pakistan.
Eighty-four percent of those killed this year were “deliberately
targeted” for their work, RSF said in its annual report, compared
to 63 percent in 2019.
“For several years now, Reporters Without Borders has noted that
investigative journalists are really in the crosshairs of states,
or cartels,” said Pauline Ades-Mevel, RSF editor-in-chief.
Mexico was the deadliest country, with eight killed. “Links
between drug traffickers and politicians remain, and journalists
who dare to cover these or related issues continue to be the
targets of barbaric murders,” said the report.
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None of the Mexico killings had yet been punished, added RSF,
which has compiled annual data on violence against journalists
around the globe since 1995.
Five journalists were killed in war-torn Afghanistan, it said,
noting an increase in targeted attacks on media workers in recent
months even as peace talks between the government and Taliban are
ongoing.
RSF also highlighted the case of Iranian opposition figure
Ruhollah Zam, who ran a popular social media channel that rallied
regime opponents, and who was executed in December.
His execution “confirms Iran’s record as a country that has
officially put the most journalists to death in the past
half-century,” it said.
Covid whistleblowers
Ades-Mevel said RSF had also noted the “developing” trend of
violence against media workers covering protests, notably in the
United States following the killing of George Floyd, and in France
against a controversial new security law.
The total number of journalists killed in 2020 was lower than
the 53 reported in 2019, although RSF said fewer journalists worked
in the field this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the first part of the report, published this month, RSF said
it was concerned that measures imposed by governments to fight the
pandemic had contributed to a “significant peak in violations of
press freedom”.
It listed 387 jailed journalists, which it called “a
historically high number”.
Fourteen of those had been arrested in connection with their
coverage of the coronavirus crisis, it said.
On Monday Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who sent
dispatches from Wuhan during the chaotic initial stages of the
outbreak, was jailed for four years for “picking quarrels and
provoking trouble”.
Chinese authorities have punished eight virus whistleblowers so
far as they curb criticism of the government’s response to the
outbreak.
AFP
Read more https://swordpress.com.ng/2020/12/29/50-journalists-killed-in-2020-watchdog/
The Lagos State High Court in Igbosere has dismissed a
15-year-old suit by Edoh Emmanuel against Ganiyu Riliwan for
lacking in merit.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
The claimant had urged the court to order the defendant to pay
him N2.5million, being 10 per cent of the professional fee for a
service in the sale of a property.
![image](/2020/10/NWLRland.jpg")
He also sought 21 per cent interest on the sum less the $2,000
already paid him, with effect from March 14, 2005, until the
judgment is delivered and thereafter at 7.5 per cent per annum
until fully liquidated.
But the defendant, through its counsel John Oloyede, urged the
court to dismiss the suit because there was no valid contract
between parties.
He drew the judge’s attention to the fact that the court had
twice struck out the suit and that the claimant re-filed it to
waste the court’s valuable time and that of parties.
Oloyede recalled how the matter went through the police
investigation and was thrown out.
To him, such a case should not be allowed to pass through the
litigation process.
Justice Babajide Candide-Johnson, in his verdict, held that the
claimant did not establish the existence of any agent/principal
relationship with the defendant.
He said: “The amount of the purchase price of the house was not
stated nor proved.
“The importance of knowing the price the house was sold and
proof of it cannot be overemphasised as it is pivotal to the court
to determine the amount alleged or claimed by the claimant.
“A mere assertion and or pleaded statement of claim should not
be accepted without proof thereof. Apart from not proving the
purchase price, claimant also did not tender the scale of charges
pleaded.
“It is not within the court’s purview to go fishing and looking
for evidence to back up a claim by parties.
“The claimant asserts that there was a gentleman’s agreement
between both parties, but the court does not know if it was the
$2,000 paid that was agreed…
“The ambiguity surrounding this dispute is overwhelming and
unhelpful and the claimant has done less where he should have done
more.
“In line with the above reasoning, I hold that the claimant has
not satisfactorily proved his case.
“Therefore, the claimant’s reliefs fail and this suit is
dismissed. This is the judgment of the court.”