LAE (EMTV News/PNG Post-Courier/Pacific Media Watch): Four men who were arrested for assaulting a journalist in Papua New Guinea's second city of Lae last month were fined by the Lae District Court and released.
The fine. however, was offset by the K300 bail paid by the four men to be released two weeks previously according to the decision made by the magistrate on February 26.
Morobe Governor’s Project Officer Steven Boting and 5 others assaulted Post-Courier journalist Franky Kapin in Lae, saying there were too many negative reports about the Morobe Governor, Ginson Saonu in mainstream media.
Four of those men were arrested and charged.
On February 20, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joined the Papua New Guinea Media Workers’ Association (PNGMWA) in strongly condemning the attack on Kapin.
The IFJ and PNGMWA demanded an immediate investigation into the attack.
Kapin was assaulted by the officers after they made allegations that his reporting was biased.
News of the assault only came to light after the PNG Media Council released a statement condemning the attack, following Kapin making a report to police.
The PNG Media Council said: “The media does not take sides. Its role is to report on and inform its audiences, who are the people of PNG, on the performances of its elected leaders… Intimidation of media practitioners is draconian behavior, and something neither accepted, nor condoned by the industry.”
Media Council blames 'primitive thinking' for assault on jourmalist
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