Governments must act against impunity

NEWS RELEASE:

Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Thursday 8th January 2015

World governments including France must do much more against impunity for those who attack journalists, says the Pacific Freedom Forum.

"It is no use governments just praising the Fourth Estate as vital to democracy," says PFF Chair Titi Gabi, in the wake of the attack in Paris, France.

"They must do much, much more against those who attack news media, including prosecuting those who are currently acting with impunity."

Two gunmen forced their way into the newsroom of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly newspaper, and shot dead four cartoonists including the editor, along with six others. Two policemen were also killed responding to the attack.

The gunmen struck after police protection at the weekly was reportedly wound down following years of threats.

Witnesses said the gunmen appeared highly trained, struck with military precision and spoke perfect French.

Jeannette Bougrab - a former minister in Francois Fillon's government - and partner of the editor said that state authorities did not take continued death threats against the newspaper seriously enough, and that the attack could have been deterred if proper security was in place.

PFF is calling on France to investigate not just the attackers, but also what happened to security forces that were supposed to be protecting the newspaper.

PFF is questioning how the scene of the attack could be made safe enough for the French president to visit within an hour, and for photos of the alleged assailants to be released the same day.

"The blood of these brave journalists is not just on the hands of the attackers but also spattered over the French state," says PFF co-Chair Monica Miller.

"Those journalists may still be alive today if all the brave words that France espouses about the traditions of democracy were actually put into effect."

The attack is thought to be the second worst media massacre in history, after the infamous 2009 attack in the Philippines that saw 32 media workers killed and buried in a mass grave.

Elsewhere in the Pacific region, governments in Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and French Polynesia have been accused of failing to prosecute those responsible for the deaths of journalists.

LINKS

'The Republic is guilty' - Charb's partner
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30737156

Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/08/politicians-only-love-journalists-when-they-re-dead.html

Paris terror attack: Did gunmen have military training?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/64780490/paris-terror-attack-did-gunmen-have-military-training

France has long defended the right to offend
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/france-has-long-defended-the-right-to-offend

Brothers sought in French attack were on US no-fly list
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-2901860/2-brothers-wanted-men-France.html

French Satirical Magazine Charlie Hebdo Often Mocked Religion
http://www.newsweek.com/french-satirical-magazine-charlie-hebdo-often-mocked-religion-297311

It’s Been Five Years Since the Maguindanao Massacre and the Perpetrators Are Still Free
http://time.com/3598796/its-been-five-years-since-the-maguindanao-massacre-and-the-perpetrators-are-still-free/

Rein in the attack dogs - PFF
http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2013/05/indonesia-should-release-west-papua-journalist-immediately/

French Polynesia's GIP still face JPK charges
http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/249459/french-polynesia's-gip-still-face-jpk-charges

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