KINGSTON, Jamaica — The People’s National Party on Monday condemned any threats made against the welfare of Nationwide News Network reporter Abka Fitz-Henley and moved to disassociate the party from the threats.

“We note that in a news story in the Observer of February 29, 2016, it is alleged that Mr Fitz-Henley had been given armed security by his employers after he had received death threats by telephone,” the PNP said in a news release. “The story also said that he was threatened and abused by two people at a news briefing in the party’s headquarters.”

Read: Nationwide’s Abka Fitz-Henley assigned armed security after death threats

The PNP said Jamaica has long had a free press and that it believes that each and every journalist in Jamaica must be able to carry out his or her work without fear or favour.

Delano Franklyn, PNP campaign spokesperson said: “I and several members of the PNP’s media unit were present at every press briefing which Mr Fitz-Henley attended, and will vouch that he was in no way threatened or molested by any person present at these briefings.

“I have further canvassed the persons present and no one can recall Mr Fitz-Henley being threatened or molested in any way,” he continued.

Read: Death threat on journalist a threat on democracy — PAJ

Franklyn said between nomination day and election day, the PNP held thrice-weekly press conferences which were attended by several representatives of media houses. He noted that Fitz-Henley was “definitely at two, or perhaps three”, of these briefings.

Franklyn added that at none of these press briefings did Fitz-Henley appear to have anything near a fractious encounter with any member of the staff or another journalist in the briefing room.