Journalists physically attacked outside high court hearing in Lahore

Reporters Without Borders condemns the use of physical violence by lawyers against journalists that took place outside a high court hearing in Lahore on 6 August in which lawyers were being tried for an earlier case of violence against the press. “These attacks are unacceptable from very standpoint,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Firstly, they are clearly reprisals against journalists who were just doing their job. Secondly, they were carried out by people who represent the law in the very place where it is supposed to be enforced. And finally, the journalists were attacked by lawyers during a trial of lawyers for similar attacks on 30 July. These recurrences must stop at once.” The press freedom organisation added: “Although the heads of bar associations have said there will be consequences for those responsible for this violence, we support the journalists organisations that have said they must be tried according to Pakistan’s laws.” The case being tried by the Lahore high court chief justice on 6 August concerned an attack by lawyers on Nasir Masood and reporter Shaheen Atiq of C-42 television a week earlier. The hearing was brought to an end when a group of lawyers began shouting at journalists in court. Lawyers led by Lahore bar association vice-president M.R. Awan then attacked reporters and cameramen outside the courthouse and threw stones at various TV crew vehicles, smashing Geo TV cameraman A.R. Adnan’s camera and damaging other equipment. The earlier attack on the C-42 journalists took place when they filmed lawyers assaulting a policeman. These attacks can be seen in a Geo TV report posted on YouTube See the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ3kvZeUhw