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 October 19, 2024.
Press freedom groups urge DOJ to drop all charges against Indian Time reporter Isaac White
21 press freedom organizations have written to District Attorney Gary Pasqua, calling on the DOJ to drop the charges brought against Indian Time reporter Isaac White arising from his arrest in May this year while covering a demonstration opposing a proposed settlement of a land claim by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.
White was not accused of doing anything illegal besides failing to disperse when police broke up the protest. The DOJ brought charges against White despite the fact that, under the First Amendment, police dispersing protesters can’t also disperse journalists covering the protests.
Outrage over Israel’s threats against six Al Jazeera journalists
Al Jazeera has strongly rejected a claim by the Israeli military that six of its journalists based in Gaza are members of the Palestinian groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, Defending Rights and Dissent, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, PEN International, Jewish Currents and others, have condemned Israel’s threats against the journalists, stressing that Israel has repeatedly made similar unproven claims without producing credible evidence, such as in the case of Al Jazeera journalists Ismail Al-Ghoul, who was subsequently murdered by the Israeli military.
Sanders leads call for DOJ to investigate Israeli attack on journalists
Sen. Bernie Sanders and 11 Democrats are urging President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken and Attorney General Garland to open a formal investigation into an Israeli airstrike that injured American journalist more than a year ago.
Earlier this month, CPJ issued a report finding that there’s still no accountability for targeted Israeli attack that killed Issam Abdallah and injured six journalists, including one U.S. citizen in southern Lebanon.
65 House Democrats send letter to Biden urging unimpeded media access to Gaza, 19 press freedom and human rights organizations support it
Rep. Jim McGovern has led 64 of House Democrats in a letter to President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken calling for the United States to push for Israel to allow unimpeded access for U.S. and international journalists to Gaza.
“At a time when reliable information is more critical than ever, the restrictions on foreign reporting undermine the very foundation of press freedom and democratic accountability.”
19 press freedom and human rights organizations, including Committee to Protect Journalists, Amnesty International USA, Freedom of the Press Foundation, PEN America, Reporters Without Borders and Courage Foundation, have supported a call from U.S. Congress members.
“We, therefore, ask that the U.S. government urge Israel to uphold its commitments to press freedom by providing foreign media with immediate, independent access to Gaza and abide by its international obligations to protect journalists as civilians.
UN expert: Freedom of expression threatened more seriously in Gaza than in any recent conflict
Irene Khan, the U.N. independent investigator on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, presented a report about global threats to freedom of expression arising from the conflict in Gaza. The report identifies three key threats to media freedom: deliberate targeting of journalists and attacks on the media; suppression of protests, dissent and pro-Palestinian speech, and widespread censorship in the name of fighting terrorism and antisemitism. Khan concludes that freedom of expression has been threatened more seriously in Gaza than in any recent conflict.
IFJ and NUJ condemn the rising use of counter-terrorism legislation against journalists
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and UK’s National Union of Journalists (NUJ) have condemned the rising use of counter-terrorism legislation against journalists as an intimidatory measure harmful to public interest journalism and press freedom. They have recognized the raid of journalist Asa Winstanley’s home as the latest in a string of targeted approaches by police officers using anti-terror legislation and contributing to a concerning police culture where the rights of journalists and their ability to ensure the safety of sources is placed at risk.
“The seizure of journalistic material and devices, the detention of journalists, and the failure of police to sufficiently outline reasons for the apparent pursuit of journalists has raised alarm among members of the public for its undermining impact on journalism and media freedom.”