Leading media professionals, the executive bodies of South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) and South Asian Women in Media (SAWM), editors and press club representatives across the country have condemned the accusations raised by Zaid Hamid. In a joint statement, the leading media personalities took serious exception to what they called the unfounded and shameful accusations hurled by an irresponsible person against a media body of the most credible journalists of the South Asian region through Facebook violating all ethics and norms.
They said Zaid was spreading lies through social networking sites against the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body associated with SAARC.
“Such unfounded allegations and defaming views on a social networking site are aimed at inciting public sentiments against SAFMA and its thousands of members and maligning a media body and its leaders that were widely respected in the region for their professional standing and commitment to peace and progress of the people of South Asia,” they said. The media representatives expressed their serious concern over the slander indicative of the dangerous trend in the cyber world of maligning various personalities and credible organisations.
Appreciating SAFMA’s remarkable role in defence of right to know, freedom of expression, press freedom, rights of journalists, media development, peace and regional cooperation, the media representatives resolved to frustrate the designs of fascist elements and their authoritarian patrons against independent media persons and organisations. They endorsed the SAFMA defamation case filed against Zaid Hamid.
