Dear Press Freedom Supporter,
Following months of anti-press rhetoric, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently said he wanted to make it easier for citizens to sue “legacy media outlets” for defamation and libel.
Such rhetoric and legislation are part of a trend CPJ has seen elsewhere.
In some parts of the world, authorities looking to undermine the press use trumped-up financial crimes, as they have with Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa in the Philippines or José Rubén Zamora in Guatemala, to intimidate or silence anyone who is simply trying to report the news.
CPJ mounts a defense of the press whenever attempts to silence such critical voices arise. More than 30 global media organizations and press freedom groups signed our recent letter to the Russian ambassador to the United States demanding the immediate release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was taken into custody on spurious charges of espionage.
“Russia is sending the message that journalism within your borders is criminalized and that foreign correspondents seeking to report from Russia do not enjoy the benefits of the rule of law,” the letter states.
When the press falters, so does democracy. After all, it’s only in holding power to account that the will of the people can flourish.
“Journalists must be able to keep watch over the powerful, to denounce corruption, and to share their opinions freely,” says CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna.
Whether sharing our recent video or making a gift in support of press freedom, join us in continuing to mount the fight that keeps all of us free—by ensuring that journalists can do their jobs.
Thank you for continuing to stand for the press and all they do to keep us informed.
Best,
John D. Weis
Director of Development and Outreach
