This is the latest installment of our press freedom round-up, recapping the latest attacks on journalists, their right to publish, and our right to know. Here’s the news for the week of November 30, 2024.
12 Senators write to Sec. Blinken: “prioritize journalists’ immediate access to Gaza”
12 Senators, led by Brian Schatz and including Bernie Sanders, Tim Kaine, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker and others, have sent a letter to US Secretary Antony Blinken asking him to “prioritize journalists immediate access to Gaza”.
“Since October 7, 2023, over 130 journalists have been killed, the vast majority of whom were Palestinians killed in Gaza.5,6 The lack of safe working conditions for journalists in Gaza makes it almost impossible to have an accurate understanding of the humanitarian devastation taking place in the territory.”
“The United States must make clear to Israel that targeting media organizations and members of the press is unacceptable. It is also important that the United States support UN efforts calling for accountability and protection of journalists in Gaza and the West Bank.”
Trump advisers renew push for pardon of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden
Washington Post reports that “Snowden pardon has been a topic of discussion among people working on Trump’s presidential transition since the election”. Matt Gaetz, former congressman, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary pick and Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence pick have all raised the issue of Snowden’s pardon.
“I have discussed the matter with others in and around the transition, and there seemed to be pretty broad support for a pardon”, said Gaetz.
Israel kills another Palestinian journalist
Palestinian journalist Mamdouh Kaneetah was killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza, taking the overall death toll since October last year to 191, writes Middle East Monitor.
Israel attacks journalists in Lebanon hours after ceasefire begins
Israeli forces fired on two locations in southern Lebanon just hours after a much-vaunted ceasefire agreement began.
In the southern town of Khiam they opened fire on two journalists, both of whom were wounded and have been hospitalized for their injuries, reports TruthOut.