Security personnel's 'unwarranted' entry into media outlet sends negative signal to voters, media workers: Editors' Council
The council said it has observed a troubling laxity in ensuring the safety and independence of media workers and institutions, even during the tenure of the interim government
The Editors' Council has expressed concern over what it described as unwarranted entry by security personnel into the office of a media institution in the capital on 7 February.
In a statement issued today (9 February), the council said the incident sent a negative signal to voters and media workers at a critical pre-election moment.
The council said it has observed a troubling laxity in ensuring the safety and independence of media workers and institutions, even during the tenure of the interim government.
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It noted that such conduct by state agencies has become more pronounced as the election approaches.
The council cited the 7 February intrusion by army personnel into the office of a registered digital media outlet as a worrying example.
It said that if there were any inconsistencies to the organisation's operations or its news coverage, the matter should have been addressed through appropriate legal channels.
Over the past 18 months, the government, the army chief and the heads of various state agencies have repeatedly spoken of efforts to repair the damaged image of security forces stemming from the previous regime, the statement said.
The Editors' Council acknowledged that a lack of accountability has emerged in certain segments of digital and multimedia journalism. It noted that the spread of disinformation by some unregistered entities is undermining the overall fairness of the electoral environment.
In this context, the council urged the government, security forces and media professionals to act responsibly within their respective mandates to help ensure a democratic transition and safeguard a free, fair and credible election.
