Journalists gear up for world press freedom day

On My, 3  every year, journalists worldwide celebrate World Press Freedom Day.

The day acts as a reminder to government of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics.

Established in 1993 by the United Nations General Assembly, the day celebrates the fundamentals of press freedom, assesses the state of press freedom throughout the world, defends the media from attacks on their independence, and also pays tribute to the journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Since 1993 however, the media has been grappling with the same grievances that its supposed to be free from like human rights violence from security organs like the police and the military.

The Executive Director at Human Rights Network for Journalists in Uganda, Robert Ssempala  mentions that every year, they put out the Press Freedom Index Report that looks at different trends and patterns and draws its basis from empirical evidence gathered throughout the year.

This year's report he says has been cross-checked by different layers of experts and just like any other reports, it showcases the unending human violations of the media personnel by the police and military.

"The security forces have learnt to shy away from the physical aggression of the journalists to denying them access to information which is also a violation because that is a raw material if the media industry is to make any by-products," Ssempala said.

Annually, there has reports where the army and police have taken lion shares in the human rights violations of journalists the most recent being in 2021 during the presidential elections that left some scarred for life and so many quitting journalism like Ali Mivule, Culton Scovia Nakamya, Irene Abalo.

Why hasn't there been any change in these violations even when they are by the same perpetrators?

"It is hard to even talk about these violations by the police and army sometimes fronted by lawyers that claim to be at the front of fighting for human rights," Ssempala said.

Most times, it is sheer ignorance of the critical role journalists play in democracy. The men and women in uniform think journalists are their rivals. They don't think they contribute to the build-up of democracy.

Ssempala recalls having a conversation with a senior Police Officer that admitted that journalists only know themselves as the Fourth Estate but anywhere else, they are seen as ordinary people.

"The legislature, executive, and judiciary all push away the journalists and only commend them when their work is in their favor," he laments.

Yet journalists are supposed to do their work whether it favors anyone or not. That is how they serve the nation.

We are walking toward democracy but how do we get there if violence is all that is pained on the roads?

A perfect example of army violations on journalists is Jimmy Akena who was severely beaten in the heat of the elections so the National Unity Platform president would get airtime on television.

"Five men pounced on him with sticks not fit to beat cows. He kneels, raises his hands in the air pleading for his life to be spared," Ssempala recounts. But even when all this was caught on camera, his tormenters have never been brought to justice.

Jimmy Akena refused to be compensated by the military saying that it should be a landmark to all journalists in case the perpetrators are ever brought to justice then that would be empirical evidence even for the many others who have gone through the same ordeal and gone unnoticed.

However, none of that has happened and Akena is back in Northern Uganda doing ordinary gigs to put food on the table.

The Human Rights of Journalists in Uganda has come up with a well-sourced documentary containing testimonials from victims of these violations.

However, much some of the victims have been compensated some with cameras and most of them with hospital bills, there has been no chance of parading all the victims in court with their tormentors for a court hearing.

"Journalism is among the oldest professions in the world but we are still grappling with the same challenges since time immemorial, I hope one day, your efforts and my efforts will produce tangible fruits," Ssempala concludes.