Journalist

Is free speech in jeopardy in Europe? This is the questions on the lips of many observers after the French government issues a threat to 3 French journalists who are looking to release the country's involvement in the Yemen civil war.

Investigative journalist from Disclose and Radio France published a series of reports of the number of French arms sold to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The documents also show that the French government had lied about his role in the civil war in Yemen. The reports which were written by the France's Directorate of Military Intelligence (DSGI), was released by Disclose's co-founders Geoffrey Livolsi and Mathias Destal and Radio France journalist Benoît Collombat . The three men were later invited to a hearing at the DSGI headquarters in Paris. 

                        

In the questioning, the journalists were asked the source of the reports, and their recent posts on social media. The journalists responded that the press freedom, which has existed for 130 years that allow journalists to protect their sources, still exists, unfortunately the press freedom does not cover National security, which can be a loophole, as a 2009 French law considers handling classified documents without clearance or proper authorisation an offence.

If found guilty, the journalists might be looking at 5 years in jail time, and another $83,000 fine, also a case by closed by the DSGI or handed over to the judge if it goes to court.

 

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jamal khashoggi

The attack on journalists in 2018 has increased, and more this has shown increase in hatred for free press, this includes an increase in verbal attack from the United States President Donald Trump and also the killing of Washington post reporter, Jamal Khashoggi, a royal insider who became a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia.

                         

There has been an increase of 15% above last year killing of journalists, and 63 journalists have been reported killed in 2018.The number is said to increase to 80 if media workers and citizens journalists are included in the figure. This is a report by the group, reporters without borders.

According to a PDF report released by the group, the five deadliest countries for journalists includes, United States, India and Mexico. This is the first time United States is included in this list after the killing of five employees of Capital Gazette newspaper in July.

The three most deadliest countries before now includes Syria, Afghanistan and Mexico. 

At this time, 348 journalists were being detained worldwide, compared to 2017, which was 326.  China, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the country with the highest number of journalists detained.

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