Libyan Press Freedom Centre: 31 Violations Against Journalists and Media Organs Registered in 2nd Quarter of 2015.

Tripoli, 16 July 2105(Lana) The Libyan Press Freedom Centre has said that political division and the security crisis in the country have overshadowed the freedom of the press, and threaten its very existence. A report issued by the centre said local journalists were exercising self-censorship, as a result of threats and harassment in their cities and towns which often pass with impunity. The report pointed out to numerous violations carried out by armed tribal groups, extremists and opportunists against journalists as well as media institutions which still lived under the shadow of aggravated crimes. The situation in the second quarter of 2015 was no different from previous time, the report said, indicating that 8 journalists have been killed in that period, including the Tunisian journalists and five from the Cyrenaica Channel who have been kidnapped since August by unknown group suspected of belonging to ISIS. A Libyan journalist Muftah Al Gatrani owner of a media company that covered violent events in Benghazi was also gunned down. The Centre documented three case of murder attempts against journalists in Sebha, as they were passing from work through a conflict area. Nine cases of kidnapping and arrest were recorded against journalists in different areas of conflict across the country in the same period. Some were coercively kept for 60 days without being informed why they have been detained. The report also pointed out to several other violations against the press including closing down websites and denying access to information. =Lana=