A media rights group, Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has announced the launch of a project to combat impunity for attacks against journalists.
A statement on Monday, by Idowu Adewale, communications officer for the group said the project was supported by the Global Media Defence Fund (GMDF) through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The project will provide pro bono legal assistance and litigation support to journalists in Nigeria whose rights are threatened or violated to protect their rights and combat the culture of impunity for such attacks, while also aiming to provide a safe environment for them to effectively carry out their work.
Head of MRA’s legal department, Ms Chioma Nwaodike, who made the announcement, warned that those who unjustifiably threaten or undermine the safety or security, freedom and wellbeing of media professionals in Nigeria should expect to be met with robust legal challenges.
She explained that in furtherance of MRA’s objective of providing a safe and conducive environment for journalism practice in Nigeria, the organisation will also undertake strategic litigation to challenge any obstacle to that goal.
Nwaodike noted that given MRA’s mandate to promote and defend media freedom, and the fact that the activities of those who attack journalists and the media serve to make the environment for media practice toxic, the organisation will not always seek the consent of the affected journalists or media organisations before taking action.
