Gavin Williamson pays tribute to journalists killed in Afghanistan
Gavin Williamson has paid tribute to 10 journalists who were killed in Afghanistan this week.
The Defence Secretary spoke after twin bombings in the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday claimed the lives of nine journalists, and a BBC reporter was killed in a separate incident in the eastern province of Khost.
It marked the deadliest day for media workers in Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban.
Speaking at an event for The Journalists’ Charity at the Embassy of Ireland in London, Mr Williamson hailed them as 'extraordinary people doing an extraordinary job'.
"I want to pay tribute to all of them, including the BBC reporter Ahmad Shah who was just 29 years old," he said.
"It's a stark reminder of the dangers that journalists put themselves in so the rest of us are better informed about the world around us.
"They were extraordinary people doing an extraordinary job and playing a vital role in upholding our most precious of values: freedom of speech.
"My prayers and thoughts are with their families, loved ones and colleagues."
Mr Williamson was one of the key players in the Cabinet in opposing Section 40 legislation, which would have potentially destroyed the British newspaper industry by saddling media groups with large legal fees even if they had done nothing wrong.
He went on to praise the 'most fearless' British press.
He said politicians should always be a 'passionate champion' of what the press does, and described the UK press as 'the gold standard'.
"Without a free press you cannot have a free society," he added.
Monday's bombings in Kabul killed at least 26 people.
The first explosion was carried out by an attacker on a motorbike. A second followed around 15 minutes later after a crowd, including several reporters, had gathered at the scene.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Shah worked for the BBC Afghan service and was reported to have been shot dead by unknown armed men.
He had worked for the service for more than a year, the BBC said, describing him as having 'already established himself as a highly capable journalist who was a respected and popular member of the team'.
Also among the dead was Shah Marai.
He came from the Shamali Plain in northern Kabul, and was a veteran chief photographer with the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency in Afghanistan.
He had worked with the agency since 1996, first as a driver and later as a fixer, before becoming a full-time photographer in 2002. Mr Marai had chronicled the fall of Taliban in 2011.
“This tragedy reminds us of the danger that our teams continually face on the ground and the essential role journalists play for democracy,” said Fabrice Fries, the CEO of AFP.
He leaves behind six children, including a new-born daughter.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty confirmed that three of its journalists were killed in the attack.
Abadullah Hananzai, a journalist and cameraman, had been working on a story about narcotics, while Maharram Durrani worked on the weekly women's programme. Sabawoon Kakar had earlier been listed as injured, but died later in hospital
Bombings in the Afghan capital are not uncommon.
Earlier in April, a suicide bomb at a voter registration killed almost 60 people and injured 119, in an attack also claimed by ISIS.
