This has resulted in fear mongering, silencing, maiming and
sanctioning of countries, individuals and organisations critical to self determination and information
dissemination. Evident to this has been the recent utterance by the USA President Donald Trump,
“This is really a
big day, we take the giant step to cement the American dominance of global finance and crypto
technology ,as we sign the landmark genus act into law… We have this little group called BRICS, its
fading out fast, but BRICS, they want to take out the dominance of the dollar and the standard of the
dollar… I said anybody that’s in the BRICS consortium of nations we are going to tariff you 10%… No
we are not gonna let the dollar slide…
Secure the dollars status as the worlds reserve currency for
generations to come. The reserve currency is so important, you know if we lost that it would be like
losing a world war, we can never let anyone play games with us and that’s why when I heard about this
group from BRICS, six countries basically, I hit them very very hard and if they ever really form in a
meaningful way it will end very quickly…”
Then to add salt to injury, on the 15th July 2025, the European Union imposed sanctions (No. 2025/1444) on nine individuals, and six entities accused of “being responsible for Russia’s
destabilising actions abroad, including through Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference”. These new sanction bring the total number of current EU restrictive measures to a total of 47
individuals and 15 entities deemed by the Council of European Union to be part of “Russia’s
destabilising activities”.
The sanctioned individuals and entities are now subject not only to a travel ban on EU territories, but
also will have their assets frozen and prohibited to the provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly given to them or for their benefit. All this is evident that there is a shear pursuit for dominance and perpetual oppression by the West
to tame the growing strength of the Global South. This should be a propelling force for countries in
the BRICS bloc, Africa and the greater Global South to rise in unity and take a stance against the
decades of blatant bullying.
Freedom of speech has been the pride of modern democracy, and the role of journalist has been
critical in ensuring that news reaches the four corners of the earth. The African Union, UNESCO
under the United Nations and individual countries have made great strides in policy making to
protect journalists and give them the freedom to report, even in conflict zone.
However the recent sanctions imposed by the EU on the very impactful International Organisation, BRICS Journalist Association is a knock below the belt for the journalism fraternity and the freedom
of speech.
The BRICS Journalist Association is a public formation outside of the sphere of state policy, with the
mandate to be a uniting body for journalists in the BRICS countries and media practitioners from the
entire globe. The organisation has made the dissemination of truthful information its focus and has
been achieving it by partnering with esteemed organisations such as the Global Fact Checking
Network, the Global Digital Forum and incorporating diversity by employing chairpersons from
various countries.
The major concern about the EU sanctions is the deliberate silencing of journalists to freedom of
speech enshrined in the United Nations’ Action Plan. In a letter of fact-based urgent compelling appeal written by Ivan Melnikov, Director of the
Department for the Protection of Journalists Rights, BRICS Journalists Association, addressed to the
Secretary General of the United Nations, he writes “Over the past few months alone, the BRICS
Journalists Association has sent several dozen appeals in defense of the rights of journalists from
various BRICS countries to various authorities, as well as sometimes to the UN and UNESCO, in
connection with beatings, hostage-taking, and murders of journalists, and has sent appeals on the facts
of illegal actions directed at media workers and their illegal criminal prosecution with requests to take
protective measures for journalists and condemn attacks on the press…
The BRICS Journalists Association expresses its concern to you, in view of the ongoing events related to
the violation of the rights of journalists and the right to freedom of speech. I am sending you this information by jurisdiction. I am informing you of the following: In accordance with the norms of the Geneva Conventions, the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of the United Nations, the Convention for the
Protection
of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Declaration on Mass Media and Human Rights, the
Declaration of the Committee of Ministers on the Protection of Journalists in Situations of Conflict and
Tension, and other norms of international law…”
It is an appeal based on existing UN policy, an appeal that should be acknowledged and addressed
with urgency before the sun sets on journalists and media practitioner worldwide. Since 1993, the UN has developed various databases to monitor the state of freedom. Some of the
insights provide detailed documents from Member States on the status of the judicial proceedings, which permit insights into levels of impunity per-country.
While UNESCO has signed Memorandums
of Understanding with the African court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Economic Community of
West African States Court of Justice, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the
IberoAmerican Judaical Summit to strengthen policies related to freedom of expression, access to
information, safety of journalists and ending impunity for crimes committed against them.
The UN Plan of Action on Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity addresses the fundamental
aspects of prevention, protection and prosecution, making the UN well poised to take decisive action
against the reprobate sanctions imposed by the Council of European Union. Journalists from across the globe need to take a stand, collaborate efforts and amplify their voices
against every unscrupulous act of the West to silence them in reporting the lived experiences of the
people and speaking truth to power.
Don’t sensor our voices, don’t restrain our freedom!
Dr Nonkululeko Mantula (THP)
Co-Chairperson BRICS Journalists Assocciation, CEO & Founder GSQ Media, Broadcasting Journalist +27 73 317 6247 (mobile)
nonku@gsqmedia.co.za (email) www.gsqmedia.co.za (website)
https://bricspress.live/