Every day, journalists around the world take great risk to report the truth, shine a light on wrongdoing, and counter disinformation. A vibrant democracy requires a free press that holds political leaders accountable. Where media freedom is under pressure or non-existent, democracy is threatened or altogether absent.
In many countries in the world, governments are resorting to extreme measures to silence journalists through threats and harassment, physical violence and torture, arrests and enforced disappearances, and sometimes even murder.
Iranian journalist Niloofar Hamedi, who broke the story of Masha Amini’s death, remains without criminal charges in solitary confinement in Evin Prison. In Russia-occupied Crimea, civil rights defender and journalist Irina Danilovych and reporter Vladyslav Yesypenko have faced arrest and abuse by Russia’s Federal Security Service. They are just two of the many journalists in Crimea wrongfully charged with a crime for speaking out and telling the truth about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
The United States remains deeply concerned about the targeted threats, violence, and harassment of journalists in many places around the world. Independent media are essential to democracy and play a crucial role in the free exchange of information and ideas, combatting corruption, and making government more accountable and transparent.
The United States condemns harassment and violence against journalists. This day is a reminder of the dangers journalists face and of the imperative to hold those who commit crimes against them accountable.
Original source can be found here.
