Editors and media figures condemned the killing of journalists

New Delhi, March 29: Prominent editors and media figures from a media rights network across South Asia on Thursday condemned the killing of journalists in the region and said there is a pattern of violence against media workers.

The South Asia Media Defenders Network (SAMDEN) -- which includes India, Bangladesh and Pakistan -- said it condemned the killing of journalist Sandeep Sharma, in Madhya Pradesh, two journalists in Bihar and one in Pakistan.

It called upon governments and political parties across the spectrum to ensure protection of journalists.

"The alarming pattern of attacks against journalists, without successful investigations or convictions, points towards shrinking freedom of expression and anti-media tendencies in democratic nations, and concerns the very right to life itself," said a statement signed by Sanjoy Hazarika, the International Director of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).

Sharma, a television channel stringer, was run over by a truck on Tuesday. He had conducted a sting operation exposing a police official in the area which showed the latter accepting a monthly bribe of Rs 25,000 in exchange for allowing sand mining in a protected crocodile sanctuary.