Killing journalists is not OK
And nor is it good for business.
The disappearance / murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi is a red line crossed it seems, in terms of what’s acceptable and not in terms of human rights abuses. Killing journalists isn’t just killing a person, it’s an attack on freedom of thought, freedom of speech, truth and decency. Killing a journalist is an action designed to send a message to every other journalist, blogger writer, vlogger, and advocate for common decency and human rights. It’s a statement of threat, of power, of control. Killing a journalist is killing a piece of everyone. It’s a massive insult to everyone. Which is why it’s very heartening to see a great many business leaders and politicians having the courage and common decency to speak out against the murder.
All decent individuals, companies, and countries should ask those responsible why they thought it necessary, what it is they are afraid of. Is this who they are? Murderers of those who speak against them? Why? Murdering a journalist delegitimises them. Makes them appear cruel, and weak, and backward. Why did they do this to themselves?