Posting in my personal capacity:

What the silencing of #VoiceofAmerica means for listeners worldwide https://youtu.be/lAmhbchfxDA #pressfreedom #saveVOA

Shoot the Messenger, Sunday Edition: Reporting on a leak is not unethical, Hamilton County

https://databreaches.net/2025/03/30/shoot-the-messenger-sunday-edition-reporting-on-a-leak-is-not-unethical-hamilton-county/

See the Chattanooga Times Free Press's full OpEd at: https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/mar/30/opinion-reporting-on-a-leak-is-not-unethical/

I watched "The Trust Fall", a documentary on Julian Assange. I followed his story closely, but it's still scary how his ordeal is an attack on freedom of speech, on whistelblowers, on our so called free democracies and on #pressfreedom.

It just does not exist.

I hope all of you will watch:

"The Trust Fall".

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30419970/reviews/?ref_=tt_ururv_sm

TURKEY | SWEDEN
Swedish Journalist Jailed in Turkey

Kaj Joakim Medin jailed for “terror links” & “insulting Erdogan.”
He was covering protests over Erdogan rival Imamoglu’s arrest.
Sweden demands consular access, says he’s punished for reporting.
Past warzone reporting also cited in charges.

ICYMI: Amnesty International Condemns Harassment and Intimidation of Journalists in Kano State https://www.rainsmediaradio.com/2025/03/amnesty-international-condemns.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon Follow, Like & Share #PressFreedom #JournalismMatters #AmnestyInternational #HumanRights #MediaSafety

Idaho passes a bill to protect journalists.
https://idahocapitalsun.com/briefs/idaho-will-have-journalism-shield-law-after-gov-little-signs-bill/

Showing that #PressFreedom is not a partisan issue. It is not the Democrats or the Republicans who want to silence the press, it is Autocrats.

TURKEY
Swedish Journalist Detained in Istanbul

Joakim Medin detained after reporting protests over Erdogan’s rival Imamoglu’s arrest.
Sweden demands answers, calls it a threat to press freedom.
BBC’s Mark Lowen deported earlier this week under “public order threat.”
1800+ detained including 11 journalists in nationwide protests.

Silence the press, and you silence the people.

#press #news #presse #aktuell #recht #politik #politics #germany #democracy #pressfreedom #ifg

" CDU &CSU wollen unter Verhandlungsvorsitz Amthors das Informationsfreiheitsgesetz (IFG) abschaffen. Dieses garantiert Bürger*innen den Anspruch auf Zugang zu amtlichen Informationen & ist zentral für #Demokratie & #Pressefreiheit in #Deutschland . Es ist eines der wenigen Gesetze, die Regierungsverantwortliche in die Rechenschaft vor uns zwingen & sie kontrollierbar machen"

https://www.nd-aktuell.de/artikel/1190120.informationsfreiheitsgesetz-ausgerechnet-amthor-will-ans-transparenzgesetz.html

Amnesty International Condemns Harassment and Intimidation of Journalists in Kano State https://www.rainsmediaradio.com/2025/03/amnesty-international-condemns.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon Follow, Like & Share #PressFreedom #JournalismMatters #AmnestyInternational #MediaRights #HumanRights

@joelsimon: "The link between attacks on #pressfreedom and the consolidation of authoritarian power. Once democratic backsliding sets in there's a short window to turn things around.”https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-press-freedom-authoritarianism

TURKEY
AFP Journalist Jailed Over Protest Coverage

Yasin Akgul detained pending trial for “joining illegal gatherings.”
AFP says Akgul was covering, not participating in, protests.
1,400+ people detained in protests over Mayor Imamoglu’s jailing.
Gov’t faces continued defiance after 6 nights of unrest.

"As readers of this newsletter know, I think people are mature enough to handle difficult truths. That’s why I’ve published documents other outlets refused to, from the JD Vance Dossier to the Luigi Mangione manifesto. I was vilified for facilitating copycat murders that never materialized, foreign influence operations that didn’t work (Vance is now Vice President), and for being generally “irresponsible.”

To me, what’s irresponsible is the national security state’s gradual creep into civic life — including, apparently, journalism. Obvious as that seems, I’ve paid a personal price for acting on my belief that my primary duty as a journalist is to inform the public. I’m never going to appear in a top White House official’s contacts list like Goldberg did, or score an exclusive interview with one of them or an invite to a black tie event. So I get why people like Goldberg do what they do. But we shouldn’t pretend it’s about protecting our national security.

Here’s what happens whenever a leak not authorized by the government hits the desk of some national security auxiliary. The normal standard for publication — is it newsworthy? — goes out the window as the reporter or their outlet scrambles to find out how the story might affect their own interests. Would publication piss off someone in power or otherwise jeopardize access to officialdom? Could it aid some nefarious actor somewhere? Could it contradict our previous reporting?"

https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trump-admin-caught-making-war-by

"Shortly after senior Trump administration officials discussed and celebrated the bombing of Yemen in an encrypted group chat that, unbeknownst to them, included the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, a subset of the group feasted at an opulent, secret dinner featuring the president where guests were asked to pay $1 million apiece to snag a seat.

The date was Saturday, March 15. President Donald Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago estate attending a “candlelight” dinner that wasn’t on his public calendar. On the lawn outside, luxury cars were on display: a Rolls Royce was parked near a Bugatti and Lamborghini. Guests milled about, taking photographs of each other and the vehicles. Earlier that day, the United States had bombed Yemen, targeting Houthi leadership. At least 53 people, including children, were killed.

Trump flew to the event on Air Force One with Elon Musk and Musk’s four year old son X, according to photos and videos viewed by WIRED. Throughout the weekend, Musk was in close contact with Trump and at least one member of the president’s brain trust who was participating in a Signal group chat where highly sensitive details of the planned operation were being shared. Experts say the conversation appears to have violated government protocols on information sharing."

https://www.wired.com/story/trump-officials-signal-chat-candlelight-dinner-mar-a-lago-yemen/

ICYMI: Nigerian Inspector-General and Attorney-General Sued Over Alleged Arbitrary Arrests of Journalists https://www.rainsmediaradio.com/2025/03/nigerian-inspector-general-and-attorney.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon Follow, Like & Share #PressFreedom #JournalismMatters #Nigeria #HumanRights #MediaJustice

"Life starts only when fear ends"

#PressFreedom in #India ranks at 159

Huge respect for #KunalKamra

"When the other three estates fail, when the #judiciary and the #executive and the #legislative branches fail us, the #fourthestate has to succeed. Has to succeed - as 60 Minutes is here right now on our first day. ...
Governments don't like-- the freedom of the press. They never have. And-- that goes for whether you are a conservative or a liberal or whatever side you're on. They don't like the press."

#Journalism
#censorship

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-clooney-edward-r-murrow-broadway-60-minutes-transcript/

#pressfreedom
#broadway
#mccarthyism

Turkey Arrests Five Photographers Covering Protests Against Istanbul Mayor’s Arrest https://petapixel.com/2025/03/24/turkey-arrests-five-photographers-covering-protests-against-istanbul-mayors-arrest/ #photographerarrested #photojournalist #pressfreedom #protest #turkey #News #Law

Nigerian Inspector-General and Attorney-General Sued Over Alleged Arbitrary Arrests of Journalists https://www.rainsmediaradio.com/2025/03/nigerian-inspector-general-and-attorney.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon Follow, Like & Share #PressFreedom #Nigeria #Journalism #HumanRights #LegalAction