Acts of violence, intimidation strike at the heart of press freedom: MFC
The Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) in Bangladesh has strongly condemned the attacks carried out Thursday night against journalists, editors, and media houses, according to a statement published today.
The statement mentions that such acts of violence and intimidation are unacceptable and strike at the heart of press freedom and the public's right to be informed.
The MFC monitors the state of media freedom in countries where the diplomatic missions of its member states are present, and to take various collective actions to protect and advance media freedom.
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The coalition was established at the Global Conference for Media Freedom in July 2019. More than 50 countries from six continents are members of the coalition.
The statement says, "We call for the safety of all media professionals to be ensured and for swift, impartial investigations so that those responsible are held to account."
"Journalists must be able to carry out their work without fear. Protecting them is essential to upholding the rule of law, democratic values, and an open, informed society," stated Media Freedom Coalition in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Dhaka joined the people of Bangladesh in mourning the loss of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi and offered their deepest condolences to his family, friends and supporters.
Besides, the High Commission of Canada in Dhaka said it stands with its Media Freedom Coalition partners in condemning attacks on media professionals in Bangladesh.
"The safety of media professionals is essential to democracy," said the High Commission.
