International group, Reporters Without Borders, RSF, have condemned Friday’s gun attack on the offices of Nationwide News Network.
In a statement on Saturday afternoon, Reporters Without Borders, branded the shooting as an act of cowardice.
The RSF’s US Bureau’s Executive Director, Clayton Weimers says the organisation’s thoughts are with the journalists and media workers affected by the violent crime.
The RSF is imploring the authorities to quickly and transparently find the perpetrators and demonstrate to all Jamaicans that crimes against journalists will not go unpunished.
The RSF says it expects that a growing culture of impunity in crimes against journalists around the world will be rejected in Jamaica.
A country which the RSF notes has press freedom enshrined in the Constitution.
The special Rapporteur for freedom of expression for the Inter American Commission on Human Rights, Pedro Vaca, also condemned the incident.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Vaca expressed his concern after reports of the armed attack.
He’s calling on authorities to protect journalists and to investigate the situation.
The Press Association of Jamaica, Media Association of Jamaica Limited, the Government of Jamaica and the People’s National Party, have all since condemned the attack.
Reports are a gun man on a bike opened fire at the offices of Nationwide News Network.
The vehicles of two employees were damaged during the incident.
Several staff members were forced to run for cover and were inconsolable after the incident.
