Amnesty condemns abuses against journalists in Nigeria
Amnesty International says there has been an increase in threats and attacks against journalists in Nigeria. According to the human rights organization, the press is working in a climate of fear.
In a new report on freedom of the press in Nigeria, the international NGO accuses the country’s security forces of persecuting media men and women who criticize the authorities. According to a count, since the beginning of the year, nineteen journalists have been arrested by the police.
Journalists and bloggers cited in the report claim to have been beaten and tortured during interrogations. The human rights group accused the police, the army and the country’s principal intelligence agency of being behind the crackdown.
In January, Nigerian security forces raided the Daily Trust’s offices for covering the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east of the country. Nigerian security forces have often been accused of human rights violations. They have repeatedly denied these allegations.
