CLO condemns harassment of journalists in Akwa Ibom

THE Chairman of Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) in Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Clifford Thomas, has described the continuous harassment of journalists in the state as unfair, reminding law enforcement agents on the need for due processes before descending on media practitioners.

Speaking in the wake of the arrest of the Publisher of Global Post, a local tabloid, Gideon Ekere and three newspaper vendors at the weekend by officials of the Department of State Security (DSS), he maintained that the court remained the original arbitration centre for such cases

“The development that the media in the state has come under some kind of siege is very worrisome. The court remains the original arbitration centre on such cases and it is the court that reserves the right to determine who erred in the matter,” he stressed.

Thomas, however, charged journalists to exhibit that sense of responsibility in the course of carrying out their duties, adding that the human rights community was prepared to take on the matter if victims with legitimate cases initiate action.

“Journalists should not castigate, malign and destroy the reputation of people at will. The human rights community would only rise to defend the affected Journalists if their rights were discovered to have been abused with impunity by policemen and politicians,” he added.

The CLO chief, therefore, advised media workers to protect their rights by always reporting infringements to the appropriate quarters including lawyers, human rights bodies and Alternative Disputes Resolution Centres (ADRs).