“Imagine a world without a free press,” said Namibia Media Trust (NMT) director Zoe Titus on the eve of World Press Freedom Day 2023 yesterday.
Titus’ sentiments are underscored by the detention and recent indictment of journalists Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi in Iran, who are being recognised for their journalistic integrity while they are imprisoned for reporting on the death and funeral of Mahsa Amini.
Amini was arrested by Tehran’s morality police and subsequently died under suspicious circumstances in September 2022.
Hamedi, Mohammadi and Narges Mohammadi have been announced as the 2023 laureates of the prestigious Unesco/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.
Journalist and human rights activist Mohammadi is serving a 16-year prison sentence for her reporting.
World Press Freedom Day is commemorated on 3 May annually.
Titus said as a supporter of the Unesco/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize since 2018, the NMT takes great pride in acknowledging and celebrating the courageous individuals from across the globe who champion our freedom.
“Our fervent hope is that this award will draw worldwide attention to the struggles of these journalists and serve as a catalyst for unlocking prison doors not only for them, but for countless others who are unjustly deprived of their freedom due to their unwavering dedication to the truth,” Titus said in a media statement.
Titus emphasised that a world without press freedom and independent, pluralistic, and diverse media would lead to the suppression of information, lack of transparency and stifling of free expression. She said it would make it easier for those in power to control the narrative, manipulate public opinion and maintain their grip on power.
“Without media pluralism, individuals would be denied access to diverse perspectives, opinions and sources of news,” Titus said.
This would lead to the silencing of marginalised communities and leave individuals at the mercy of government propaganda and disinformation, she added.
According to Titus, a world without press freedom and independent, pluralistic, and diverse media would lead to the denial of fundamental human rights such as freedom of speech, which is a cornerstone of democratic societies. It would be a world of ignorance, manipulation and authoritarianism.
In light of this, the NMT underscores the critical importance of freedom of expression, press freedom and access to information as enablers of all other human rights.
The NMT is dedicated to playing an active role in the global discourse surrounding the advancement of human rights and the critical task of preserving and safeguarding them in a constantly changing world.
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