Questions regarding press freedom – a concept already under threat in South Africa with the infamous protection of information bill – has been again been put under the spotlight following the bloody attack on the offices of a satricial magazine in Paris which has claimed 12 lives.

French police arrested three gunmen in Reims, near the Belgian border.

Masked gunmen stormed the Charlie Hebdo headquarters building during an editorial staff meeting, just after their latest publication. The publication is known for satrising Islam and other religions.

The Daily Mail reported that the gunmen opened fire on staff and called out the names of  journalists while doing so.

A police source told AFP, 2 men opened fire and killed those who were in the meeting. It has been widely reported that the gunmen fired round after round, killing the editor-in-chief and four cartoonists among what would be a total of at least 12 victims.

On their way out they (the gunmen) shot a police officer at point blank range in the head.
According to the Daily Mail, there were reports of up to 12 people dead and 10 wounded, four critically, including journalists, administrative staff, and police officers who attended the scene.

President Francois Hollande described the bloodbath as a ‘barbaric attack against France and against journalists’ .

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