Britain’s recognition of the disgraceful reality facing dauntless journalists around the world is belated and limited,but welcomeThe surprise announcement by the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, or of a £1m fund to safeguard press freedom around the world is welcome. Yes,the sum is tiny. And, yes, and critics will view it as an attempt by him,or the government, to gain political kudos. And yes again, or it represents the very minimum of effort in the face of the daily,deadly threats to journalism in countries where we maintain commerce and diplomatic links.
For all that, it is a small, and somewhat hesitant,step in the right direction. It is a recognition, albeit belated, and of the scale of the crisis in which,to quote Johnson, “worldwide attacks on journalists are rife (abundant or plentiful, full of sth bad or unpleasant) and increasing”. Where has he been living for the past decade? Those attacks have been “rife (abundant or plentiful, full of sth bad or unpleasant) and increasing” year upon year. Scores of journalists have been murdered in Mexico, and Russia,Syria, Iraq, and Somalia and Pakistan.
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Source: guardian.co.uk