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85 per cent of journalist killings go unpunished

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Between 2006 and 2024, over 1,700 journalists have been killed around the world, and around 85 percent of the cases did not make it to court, according to a report by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The dangers faced by journalists, including risks to their lives, are highlighted each year on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which falls on 2 November.

This year, the International Day coincides with the biannual UNESCO Director-General’s Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which recorded a 38 per cent increase in the number of journalist killings compared to the previous study.

In his 2024 message for the Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out that Gaza has seen the highest number of killings of journalists and media workers in any war in decades and called on governments to take urgent steps to protect journalists, investigate crimes against them and prosecute perpetrators.

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The war in Gaza inevitably dominated the 2024 UN International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East on Friday, an event that has taken place annually for the past three decades, with the aim of enhancing dialogue and understanding between media practitioners and fostering their contributions in support of a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In a statement to the seminar, read out by UN head of global communications, Melissa Fleming, Mr. Guterres noted that journalists in Gaza have been killed “at a level unseen in any conflict in modern times”, adding that the ongoing ban preventing international journalists from Gaza “suffocates the truth even further”.

Below is an excerpt of the comments made by Cheikh Niang, chair of the UN Committee on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations; Guilherme Canela, chief of the section on freedom of expression and safety of journalists at UNESCO, and Mohammad Ali Alnsour, chief of the Middle East and north Africa section at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Cheikh Niang: One year has passed since the events of 7 October 2023, when Palestinian militants attacked Israel, followed by a devastating Israeli response in Gaza.

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Since then, access to information has been severely curtailed. Journalists have been killed, newsrooms destroyed, foreign press blocked and communications cut. Israeli forces, as the occupying power, have systematically dismantled Palestinian media infrastructure, silencing voices through restrictions, threats, targeted killings and censorship.

In the past 380 days, over 130 Palestinian journalists have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. These were voices reporting on possible war crimes, silenced before their stories could be fully told.

Journalists in Gaza continue to report on the humanitarian crisis, often at great personal risk, providing the world with an accurate picture of the unfolding tragedy. We honour their courage and recognise that their loss silences their stories and severely limits the public’s access to the truth.

Guilherme Canela: The UNESCO Director-General’s Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity has, for many years, been showing a decrease in the number of journalists killed in conflicts compared with the journalists killed in other situations.

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This is not true for this report. Since the report we issued in 2017, it was completely changed because of the situation in Gaza. Journalists were killed because they were telling a story, a story that is relevant for each one of us and of each citizen.

It is very scary to see the level of mistrust that there is against media all over the world and against journalists. This mistrust is happening because of a narrative of political leaders, of religious leaders, of celebrities against journalists and against journalism as a foundational pillar of our democratic values and the protection of human rights.

Mohammad Ali Alnsour: The media has a very important role in starting the accountability process, starting with documenting the crimes and violations and then into investigation and then accountability and eventually to achieve peace. Unfortunately, this has not been the case in the occupied Palestinian territories for four decades now. The issue of access also is not limited to the media and journalists.

Under international humanitarian law, the occupier, Israel, has the obligation to protect civilians, including journalists. We are hearing from very senior politicians and leaders that it is okay to kill civilians in order to achieve insignificant military objectives during that process, which is a violation of proportionality, principle and also military need.

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International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists

Every two years, the awareness-raising campaign for the commemoration of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists coincides with the findings of the report outlining the current state of global and regional impunity.

UNESCO is concerned that impunity damages whole societies by covering up serious human rights abuses, corruption and crime. To uphold the rule of law, governments, civil society, the media and everyone concerned are being asked to join in the global efforts to end impunity.

UN News

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No going back on forex, subsidy reforms – Finance minister

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The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, says there is no going back on the current administration’s reforms in the forex and oil and gas sectors.

Edun made this known when he received the newly assigned Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka Anitez at the Ministry’s headquarters, on Monday.

“Nigeria now have a foreign exchange rate that is market based and also a deregulated oil market pricing which are two reforms that are long overdue over many decades that President Tinubu is currently implementing.

“Therefore as co-ordinating minister of economy, we stand on a threshold of a new dawn to implement these reforms and increase productivity, create jobs and reducing poverty and we are glad to have a minister of state that will help in actualizing the President’s reforms,” he said.

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According to him, consultation and collaboration is key to achieving these key reforms both from public and private sector, stressing that ongoing economic policies are showing sustainability and sign of success.

The Minister of State for Finance, in her response, restated her commitment to work with stakeholders in both private and public sectors to ensure economic growth is materialized.

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Rivers: Fubara fond of disobeying judgements, – Amaewhule-led Assembly

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The Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly in Rivers State said Governor Siminialayi Fubara has a penchant to disobey courts’ judgements and constitutional provisions.

This is as the lawmakers also vowed to make Fubara’s appointees and permanent secretaries aiding him to circumvent the law have their date with the law.

They stated this during their 65th sitting on Monday in the legislative quarters.

In a statement by Martin’s Wachukwu, Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, said the lawmakers reviewed the governor’s actions while deliberating on the recent judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.

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The state legistators comnended the verdict of Justice J.O. Abdulmalik barring government from withdrawing from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State, until the 2024 Appropriation Bill is presented before a properly constituted Assembly describing it as a sound and well considered ruling.

The statement also pointed out that the Assembly on 15th July, 2024 deliberated and resolved on the continuous refusal of Fubara to present the 2024 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the House.

The lawmakers then took the decision to write to the governor to shut down on expenditure pursuant to Section 122 of the 1999 Constitution.

Enabled by its resolution, the House and Amaewhule filed an action before the Federal High Court to determine whether Fubara could expend or continue to expend from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State without a valid 2024 Appropriation Law by the State House of Assembly.

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The lawmakers prayed the court to invoke the consequences of such constitutional breach by ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Accountant- General of the Federation, some Money Deposit Banks among other defendants to stop the release of moneys or permit the withdrawal of Rivers State funds until Fubara complied with the Constitution which he swore to uphold; and the court decided in favour of the House and the Speaker.

Commenting on the judgement, Amaewhule said, “Since 1st of July, 2024, Governor Fubara has been spending moneys of the State without approval hence the declaration of the shutdown of expenditure.

“Yet, the Governor in his characteristic manner of disobeying judgements of Courts, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and extant laws has continued to circumvent the Law with the aid of Permanent Secretaries, and some individuals who parade themselves as Commissioners. They will certainly have a date with the Law”.

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NAF Airstrikes neutralize ISWAP commander, dozens of others

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The Nigerian Airforce says its airstrike has neutralized 50 terrorists, including a high-ranking ISWAP commander known as Bashir Dauda, during an operation in Marte Local Government

Air Commodore Olusola F Akinboyewa, Director, Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, in a statement on Monday night said the precision strikes focused on known ISWAP strongholds in the villages of Tumbun Daribiyar, Jubularam, Buluwa, and Tumbu Karfe, marking a major effort in the ongoing fight against terrorism in Nigeria’s Northeast.

It said an on-ground assessment confirmed that “approximately 50 terrorists, including a high-ranking ISWAP commander known as Bashir Dauda, were neutralized in the operation.”

” Additionally, an ISWAP supply depot in the Jubularam enclave, filled with a substantial cache of food and essential items like beans, millet, and rice, was destroyed, effectively severing a critical resource line for the terrorists.

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“These successful air strikes, targeting personnel and logistics, underscore NAF’s ongoing commitment to supporting ground forces and enhancing joint efforts to decimate terrorist strongholds in the region,” he said.

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