The Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has condemned attacks on the media as violations of human rights and expressions of violence that should not be tolerated.

Sheikh Shaibu stressed that such assaults on journalists contribute to a cycle of hatred and retaliation.

“Violence creates hate and it multiplies. The moment you do it, the revenge to it also continues. The discouragement we give to journalists is to our own detriment even within the political circles,” he said during JoyNews’ Defend Media Freedom' dialogue.

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He noted that the National Chief Imam has consistently received support from journalists, who often broadcast his messages about peace.

“So it hurts him that the journalists are attacked. The Chief Imam, I and the Peace Council must be the first amongst those to commit ourselves to the defence of media freedom. We are totally against any attempt to silence the media. We are totally against any attempt to subject any media person to violence of any kind.”

He stated that protecting press freedom is essential for fostering a peaceful and democratic society, and any attempt to undermine this freedom is a serious threat to both human rights and democratic values.