Journalists will not give in following the Paris attacks
In wake of the Paris attacks, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has expressed its solidarity with the families and friends of the journalist Guillaume B. Decherf and cameraman Mathieu Hoche, as well as all citizens who are affected by the attack on Friday 13 November.
“The French people has responded admirably to the terrorists by declaring loudly that they were not afraid. So as the journalists who are working round the clock bringing citizens information about the attack,” said the EFJ General Secretary, Ricardo Gutierrez. “Journalists will not give in. As they have done it in the aftermath of the killings that devastated the staff at Charlie Hebdo magazine, journalists will continue to defend freedom of expression, they will resist to the temptation of hate speech. This is the best tribute that the profession can make to the victims,” he added.
The call that we launched after the attacks of 7 January 2015 remains relevant as ever.
What should journalists do now?
- Resist against the temptation of increased surveillance because journalists do not want a society in which our individual and collective freedom would be compromised in the name of national security
- Do not give in nor fear nor hate
- Fight against stereotypes and unverified rumours
- Denounce the devastating effect of the rise of inequality and discrimination among people
- Raise questions, above all, about our own responsibilities as journalists
“It is our responsibility to carry out our mission as watchdogs despite all the difficulties we are facing,” said Ricardo Gutiérrez.
(Photo Credit : Joël Saget/AFP)
