“There’s a worrying trend of the deterioration of the safety of journalists and the working environment becoming increasingly dangerous. There are attacks, threats, harassment, intimidation, and criminalisation of journalism and this is an attempt by authorities and powerful actors,” said Emma Bergmans, Free Press Unlimited, senior policy and advocacy advisor during a panel discussion at the recent African Investigative Journalism Conference.
Bergmans was joined by Zahra Juma, a psychotherapist in private practice, Des Latham, Fray Intermedia CEO and Dj van Wyk, Webber Wentzel associate attorney. The panel discussion titled Protect yourself: four essential areas of safety provided journalists with valuable advice and tips on how to keep safe while reporting in the field.
“Investigative journalists are one of the biggest groups at risk, who expose fraud, corruption, and wrongdoing and are often the target of attacks or detention,” said Bergmans. She added that “we have also seen [that] journalists covering demonstrations, political rallies and elections are at risk of attacks”. The Free Press Unlimited found that journalists who cover demonstrations, political rallies, and elections are at risk of attacks. In Kenya, during the anti-government protests, journalists were attacked or detained, while journalists in Uganda who report on the opposition leader Bobi Wine often face threats or detention.
In recent years, governments are increasingly using laws to censor and intimidate journalists said Bergmans. In Zimbabwe and Nigeria, cybercrime laws are used to intimidate and shut down critical voices. Van Wyk said that in a legal context, there is either a use of laws or in some African constitutions, legislation that is in favour of governments wanting to silence journalists. He added that in recent years there has been a misuse of laws such as strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPP) which are lawsuits intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition. Van Wyk said that some corporations will use defamation laws to prevent journalists from honest reporting that can or could be in the interest of the public.
“We’ve recently seen people have taken protection or restraining orders against journalists to stop the journalistic process,” said van Wyk. He said that companies will purposefully misuse laws to prevent journalists from reporting and it serves as a scare tactic that results in journalists censoring themselves and not pursuing investigations out of fear or the threat of legal action being taken against them. Van Wyk advised journalists that if they think they’ll need a lawyer it is best to get one and if they believe that during their investigations they may face legal challenges or issues it is best to seek advice from a legal expert.
Bergmans said that journalists’ safety is under threat, particularly during conflict and war. In Sudan, journalists who are continuing to cover the ongoing conflict are subjected to violence. In Ethiopia, in the Amhara region where a state of emergency has been declared, officials have cracked down on independent journalists, detaining them, and taking them to unknown locations.
“If journalists cannot do their work without risking harm, they cannot function as watchdogs of society, and we all lose our reliable information. For each journalist that is intimidated, killed, or detained, a lot more journalists are intimidated which results in self-censorship. The eventual result is that all of us are not able to access the information that we need,” said Bergmans.
Bergmans highlighted the importance of risk assessments, which is a tool that helps journalists think about the possible risks that are associated with an investigation. She said that even though most investigations have inherent risks and not all the risks can be eliminated, the tool helps journalists mitigate some of these risks.
Reporting on certain topics and in hostile environments can have a psychological impact which poses a major challenge for journalists. Juma said that journalists who witness violence, experience threats, or deal with traumatic events can experience burnout, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression, and sleep and eating disorders. She said that journalists need to be aware and take note of symptoms related to mental health challenges and she encouraged journalists to have conversations with peers, who can relate to some of the experiences they have.
How can journalists respond to digital threats?
“You need to filter your life and try to get rid of your digital life as much as you can by deleting social media accounts. There is an app that can completely delete a Facebook account. You need to reduce your digital footprint as much as possible, this is if you are busy with a sensitive investigation,” said Latham. He added, “you are not doing this for yourself but for the protection of your sources and family”.
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