#Press freedom

[mapsontheweb]

Global Press Freedom Index 2024

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Matt Gertz at MMFA:

President Donald Trump is wasting no time in carrying out his goal of throttling the free press. Over the first two weeks of Trump’s presidency, his appointees have wielded federal regulatory authority to punish outlets the president dislikes — and American media moguls are responding with submission. Trump has turned standard conservative attacks on journalists into one of the hallmarks of his political agenda.  He takes as his model Hungary’s autocrat Viktor Orbán, who has “effectively dismantled the news media in his country” as “a central pillar of Orbán’s broader project to remake his country as an ��illiberal democracy,’” as New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger noted in an extraordinary warning last year.  During his first term in office, Trump repeatedly tried to leverage state power against his despised “fake news,” and together with his Project 2025 allies has developed a playbook to attack, defund, and delegitimize news outlets in his second.  Major media companies began signaling before Trump took office that they were willing to play ball with his administration in order to preserve their business interests. But since Inauguration Day, as Trump’s appointees have begun showing their intentions, executives at several news outlets have gone into full retreat.

LA Times’ biotech industry owner goes all-in for RFK Jr.

Billionaire doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong once drew plaudits for using a small fraction of the vast fortune he made in the biotech industry to purchase and sustain his hometown newspaper, the Los Angeles Times.  But Soon-Shiong’s involvement in the paper’s operations has become more heavy-handed since the final months of the presidential campaign, with the owner repeatedly weighing in on Trump’s behalf. Over the past few weeks, Soon-Shiong, whose medical patents are subject to federal oversight, has begun cheerleading for the confirmation of the anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of health and human services. 

CNN tries to move on

Journalists at CNN regularly drew vicious attacks from Trump and his supporters during the president’s first term. During a tone-setting press conference shortly before he took office, Trump lashed out at then-White House correspondent Jim Acosta as “fake news” and “terrible.” And Trump’s salvos at the network went beyond just words — his Justice Department tried to block a merger involving CNN’s then-parent company..  [...]

Trump’s FCC targets ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, and PBS

The tip of the president’s anti-press spear is Brendan Carr, a Republican member of the Federal Communications Commission whom Trump elevated to chair. Carr authored Project 2025’s chapter on the FCC and has notably refused to reject Trump’s repeated calls for the commission to yank the licenses of broadcast networks whose reporting he dislikes. Following his promotion, Carr sent a letter to Bob Iger, the CEO of ABC parent company Disney, in which he denounced the network for having “contributed” to the “erosion in public trust” and pointedly referenced the FCC’s regulatory power. 

[...]

Defense Department retaliates against news outlets

The Pentagon announced Friday night that the defense correspondents at NBC News, The New York Times, Politico, and National Public Radio are all required to vacate their dedicated workspaces. Their spots will instead go to the right-wing One America News Network, New York Post, and Breitbart — and theoretically to the progressive HuffPost, which does not have a Pentagon reporter and did not request space.

The Matt Gertz piece in Media Matters For America on how many media moguls, such as Jeff Bezos and Patrick Soon-Shiong, are enabling Donald Trump’s war on the free press is a must-read.

[destiel-news-network]

(Source)

[musekkinseyyah]

World War II saw great destruction. Number of journalists killed in World War II: 69

The number of journalists who died in the Vietnam War, which lasted for years and where bombs were dropped on forests: 63

The number of journalists killed in Israel's attack on Gaza in just two months: 92.

[thoughtlessarse]

Civil liberties report warns that Italy along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia intentionally undermining rule of law ‘in nearly all aspects’ Italy’s government has profoundly undermined the rule of law with changes to the judiciary and showed “heavy intolerance to media criticism”, in an emblematic example of Europe’s deepening “democratic recession”, a coalition of civil liberties groups has said. A report by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) said Italy was one of five “dismantlers” – along with Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia – that “intentionally undermine the rule of law in nearly all aspects”. In Hungary, long classified as an “electoral autocracy”, researchers detected “significant regression” in the rule of law in 2024. Pressure on non-governmental groups and media intensified after the launch of Hungary’s sovereignty protection office, which has broad powers to investigate Hungarians active in public life. “Europe’s democratic recession has deepened in 2024,” Liberties said in a statement. The report, shared with the Guardian before publication, highlighted judicial systems subject to political manipulation, weak law enforcement against corruption, overuse of fast-track legislative procedures, harassment of journalists and growing restrictions on peaceful protests. “Without decisive action, the EU risks further democratic erosion,” the report – compiled by 43 human rights organisations in 21 EU member states – concluded. Liberties began the annual exercise in 2019 to shadow the European Commission’s rule of law reports, which are meant to serve as a democratic health check on EU member states. The NGO’s six reports showed “the alarming persistence of rule of law violations throughout the European Union,” said Viktor Kazai, senior rule of law expert at Liberties. “All fundamental aspects of the rule of law have faced increasingly severe problems in the past few years,” he added, while the EU’s attempts to reverse the decline had been “disappointingly limited”. “The most worrying category of countries” were the “dismantlers”, Kazai said, governments that were taking steps to undermine the rule of law.

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[allthegeopolitics]

Al Jazeera, one of the only media outlets broadcasting from the Gaza Strip, can no longer be watched on TV in Israel after the cabinet voted unanimously to close its local offices. It’s the first time Israel has banned a foreign media outlet and marks a new low in relations between the station and the Israeli government. The ban could strain peace talks hosted by Qatar, which owns Al Jazeera. The extraordinary order from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government also allowed it to raid the station’s East Jerusalem office and confiscate broadcast equipment. Following the vote, Netanyahu said in a statement that Al Jazeera reporters had “harmed Israel’s security and incited against soldiers,” decrying the press outlet as a “Hamas mouthpiece.”

Continue Reading.

[klett161]

So I think many people are not aware about the current state of Julien Assange, the founder of Wikileaks since he‘s not getting a lot of media attention any more and the news cycle has long moved on.

Around 2 years ago the British courts already ruled that hell be extradited into the Usa where he will spend the rest of his life in jail under according to amnesty International: „a real risk of serious human rights violations including possible detention conditions that would amount to torture and other ill-treatment“. In the Usa he will face charges for his Journalistic practices such as leaking footage of Us soldiers committing war crimes.

Right now he‘s being held in Belmarsh high security prison in the east of London, England. He has been there since two years ago and is currently being held in solitary confinement. While the courts in the Uk already ruled about his extardidment to the Usa two years ago he is right at the moment in the process of making his last appeal. if it fails which it mostly likely will his last chance would be an appeal to the Un human rights comitee. The last appeal in front of the court in the Uk will be held on the 16th and 17th of February.

He is being charged for „being a risk to the national security of the United States of America“ under the 1917 Espionage act which was put in place during the Usa‘s Involvement in the first world war to fight german spy’s in Us Institutions and should have been abolished after the end of it. Instead it stayed in place up until today conveniently giving the Us-Government a reason to jail some of their stongest critics.

You just have to really think about the Implications that this whole case carries with it, if the Us Government can classify every document they don‘t want the public to know about because it would Inform them about their atrocities and crooked doings and everyone leaking them can get charged how can you still talk about a functioning Democracy? Not that I think that any representative democracy especially not the one in the Usa represents the true will of the people. But even taken this aside the rational of a democracy must be that information is somewhat available for voters to base their decision on. The thing is the Us-Government knows and this includes both parties that all of their little war adventures in the middle east and the all civilian casualties, displaced people and other atrocities commited would,even under the most ignorant Americans, raise some eyebrows. THEY FEAR THE TRUTH

And I think all of this is not only typical for the Us but for basically every liberal democracy. Nominally there is a right to free speech for everyone up until the point that you pose a real thread to the Government. And no, the constitution will not defend you because guess what even if there are no convenient laws like the Us espionage act that help to prosecute you, there are all sorts of secret services that don’t give a fuck about the constitution and their only purpose is to do what ever is best for the nation-state they are serving weather that is overthrowing government’s, bribing a court or assasinations doesn’t matter. And if the Usa can keep on silencing its sharpest critics without international condemnation or condemnation by their citizens, other western countries will follow this example and be more confident to prosecute their own critics openly, I do believe this is somewhat of a slippery slope.

There will be some last big demonstrations on the 20th and 21st of February outside of the royal court where the hearings will take place. Demonstrations starting as early as 8:30(GMT) so if you live in the area consider going. And even if you don’t live near london you can still get active, share Information, talk to friends and family, make solidarity graffitis, write an article for a local newspaper or zine, attend solidarity demonstrations or if there are none in your area organize one yourself. Anything really just don‘t look away

Please Reblog and share not only this post but all posts aiming to raise awareness about this topic.

This struggle is not merely about Julien Assange it‘s about press freedom as a whole. And not just in the Us but everywhere, so go and fight for free speech while you still can

Source:

amnesty International: https://www.amnesty.org/en/petition/julian-assange-usa-justice/

[workersolidarity]

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚨

ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE IN GAZA CONTINUES TO TARGET THOSE TELLING THE STORY

📈 The Israeli occupation's genocide in the Gaza Strip continues to target those telling the world the story of the crimes being committed against the Palestinian population.

More the 140 journalists from around the world have been targeted and assassinated by the Israeli occupation army, while at least 70 others have been wounded.

#source1

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[code4changeindia]

Why I'm Voting for AAP in Delhi Elections: Media Freedom Matters Above All 🗳️

Despite all the controversy, I’m voting for AAP in the upcoming Delhi elections. Why? Because when it comes to freedom of the press and media dissent, they stand out as the best option, not just in Delhi, but across India. In a world where censorship is growing, the ability to speak freely and access real news is everything. Agar media azaad nahi hai, toh kaise kisi bhi dusre issue ko samajh paayenge? 📰 It's time we choose the party that supports the voice of the people, no matter what.

You want proof? Check the attached data, data doesn't lie!!

[saddayfordemocracy]

JULIAN ASSANGE IS FREE !

Julian Assange is free. He left Belmarsh maximum security prison on the morning of 24 June, after having spent 1901 days there.

He was granted bail by the High Court in London and was released at Stanstead airport during the afternoon, where he boarded a plane and departed the UK.

This is the result of a global campaign that spanned grass-roots organisers, press freedom campaigners, legislators and leaders from across the political spectrum, all the way to the United Nations.

This created the space for a long period of negotiations with the US Department of Justice, leading to a deal that has not yet been formally finalised.

After more than five years in a 2x3 metre cell, isolated 23 hours a day, he will soon reunite with his wife Stella Assange, and their children, who have only known their father from behind bars.

WikiLeaks published groundbreaking stories of government corruption and human rights abuses, holding the powerful accountable for their actions.

As editor-in-chief, Julian paid severely for these principles,and for the people's right to know.

As he returns to Australia, we thank all who stood by us, fought for us, and remained utterly committed in the fight for his freedom.

Julian's freedom is our freedom.

@wikileaks

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Léonie Chao-Fong at The Guardian:

A US judge on Tuesday ordered the White House to restore full access to the Associated Press to presidential events, after the news agency was punished for its decision to continue to refer to the Gulf of Mexico in its coverage. The order from the US district judge Trevor McFadden, an appointee of Donald Trump, requires the White House to allow the AP’s journalists to access the Oval Office, Air Force One and events held at the White House. The White House “sharply curtailed” the AP’s access to media events with the US president after he renamed the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” and the news agency did not follow suit, McFadden wrote in a 41-page decision. “Under the First Amendment, if the government opens its doors to some journalists – be it to the Oval Office, the East Room, or elsewhere – it cannot then shut those doors to other journalists because of their viewpoints,” McFadden wrote. “The Constitution requires no less.” The AP sued three senior Trump aides in February, alleging the restrictions violated the US constitution’s first amendment protections against government abridgment of speech by trying to dictate the language they used in reporting the news. Lawyers for the Trump administration have argued that the AP does not have a right to what the White House has called “special access” to the president.

In a big win for press freedom, Trump appointee Trevor McFadden rules in Associated Press v. Budowich against Donald Trump’s anti-press freedom move to bar the AP from presidential event spaces over refusal to use “Gulf of America”

See Also:

PoliticusUSA: A Trump Judge Just Ruled The President Can't Ban Reporters From The White House

Civil Discourse (Joyce Vance): Trump Versus the Free Press

The Advocate: Federal judge restores AP’s full access to White House events in victory for press freedom

[arctic-hands]

Logically I knew the U.S. was never going to do anything meaningful about Shireen Abu Akleh's murder despite her being an American citizen–hell, the U.S. didn't even do anything meaningful about Rachel Corrie's murder by the IDF, and she was a white American–but it's still infuriating. I saw footage of protesters calling out Blinken as he spoke about the importance of press freedom–two hours into the speech and he never mentioned Abu Akleh.

[tmarshconnors]

Julian Assange is FREE!

Today marks a historic moment for press freedom and free speech advocates worldwide. After spending 1,901 harrowing days in Belmarsh Prison, Julian Assange is finally a free man. The news of his release, following a plea deal with the US, has brought tears of joy and relief to many who have tirelessly campaigned for his freedom.

Assange, 52, has been a central figure in the fight for transparency and government accountability. His work with WikiLeaks, which disclosed critical information about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, sparked global debates about the balance between national security and the public's right to know. However, it also led to severe legal repercussions, culminating in his incarceration in a high-security British prison since 2019, where he fought against extradition to the US on charges of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information.

The emotional response to Assange's release is palpable. His wife, Stella Assange, expressed deep gratitude to his supporters, stating, "Words cannot express our immense gratitude to YOU - yes YOU, who have all mobilised for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU,” in a heartfelt post on X, formerly known as Twitter. This acknowledgment highlights the power of collective advocacy and the unwavering dedication of Assange's supporters over the years.

According to CBS, Assange will spend no time in US custody and will receive credit for the time he has already spent incarcerated in the UK. The plea deal, which requires him to plead guilty to one charge, is set to be finalized in a court in the Northern Mariana Islands on Wednesday, 26 June. This unique location, a US commonwealth in the Pacific much closer to Australia, underscores the unusual nature of Assange's legal journey.

The US has long argued that the release of the WikiLeaks files endangered lives, a claim that has been hotly contested by Assange's supporters and various human rights organizations. The debate over his actions and their implications for press freedom and government transparency has been one of the most significant of our time.

As Assange prepares to return to his native Australia, as confirmed by a letter from the US Department of Justice, the global conversation about press freedom and free speech is reignited. His case has underscored the crucial role that journalists and whistleblowers play in holding power to account and the significant risks they face in doing so.

For many, including myself, this news is overwhelming. The fight for freedom of speech and the protection of those who dare to speak truth to power is far from over, but today's victory is a testament to what can be achieved through persistent and passionate advocacy. Assange's release is not just a personal victory for him and his family but a beacon of hope for journalists, activists, and free speech defenders worldwide.

As we celebrate this momentous day, we must also reflect on the importance of continuing to defend press freedom and the rights of individuals to expose wrongdoing without fear of persecution. Julian Assange's journey has been a stark reminder of the stakes involved, and his release is a powerful affirmation that the fight for truth and transparency is worth every effort.

In the words of Stella Assange, "Thank you" to all who have stood by Julian and advocated for his freedom. Today, we witness the impact of our collective voice and the undeniable power of solidarity in the face of adversity.

[monstrousliarstold]

From the Harvard Undergraduate PSC:

"Our art installation included nearly 80 out of the over 128 journalists murdered by the Israeli regime. May they rest in power and be honored."