Latest From SPJ International Community
Mexico and press freedom; Hong Kong; Asylum issues; Press freedom in Turkey; The stakes in covering the US election
In this issue
Mexico Elections and Press Freedom - April 24
Hong Kong law forces out news orgnaization; After asylum, journalists still face major issues.
News of Press Freedom
ICYMI: March 2021 - Press Freedom in Turkey
News From Local SPJ Chapters: It’s Not the Odds, But the Stakes
Upcoming Programs
Mexico’s Elections and What It Means to Press Freedom and Journalists’ Safety
April 24 at 6:00 p.m. ET
Mexico goes to the polls in June. What will the election of a new president and legislative assembly mean for the safety of journalists in Mexico and for press freedom?
Join former Associate Press Bureau Chief Katherine Corcoran and founder and editor-in-chief of Tijuana Press Vicente Calderone and they ponder this question and look at what the upcoming election means.
Register HERE.
Note from the SPJ-IC
Hong Kong
THings continue to look bad for our colleauges in Hong Kong. The passage of the Article 23 security law in March created more threats to journalists. Already news organizations are taking steps to protect their staff.
The latest move came from Radio Free Asia, a sister service of the Voice of America. The news organization announced late last month it was pulling out of Hong Kong. (RFA Departs Hong Kong, Citing Press Freedom Concerns)
The security law has been under discussion for 27 years. It was passed quickly in the pro-Beijing Honbg Kong legislature with little consultation from the public and no opposition withing the legislative chamber. The newssite Hong Kong Free Press has a great summary of the history of the law.
We should note that Hong Kong Free Press is one of the few remaining indpendent news organizations that has not been shut down by the government. They deserve our thanks and support.
Getting Out Is The First Step
A while back we did an interview with Kasim Abdurehim Kashgar, a Uyghar businessman and journalist. He found that getting out of China — just steps ahead of beaing detained — was just the first part of his struggle to freedom.
American refugee laws make it difficult for those granted asylum to work. And the US is not alone. The Reuters Instute has a great story about the plight journalists face after they escape potential arrest and torture in their home contries.
Press Freedom News and Updates
Voice of America: The Inside Story - A Free Press Matters, Countering Censorship
Voice of America: How Taiwan Breaches Censors' Barriers
Al Jazeera: Biden says he is working to free US journalist jailed by Russia a year ago
Reporters Without Borders: Fixers in wartime, RSF documentary about Ukraine’s “invisible reporters”
Committee to Protect Journalists: Did a prosecutor order the murder of Haitian journalist Garry Tesse?
Reuters Institute: How Latinos became a key target for misinformation in the US election
Latin America Journalism Review: Abraji launches report on Monitoring General Attacks and Gender-Based Violence against
ICYMI
March 30, 2021
A discussion on press freedom in Turkey
VOA producer Beth Mendelson talks about how the threats to press freedom in Turkey permeate the whole society.
News from SPJ Chapters
It’s Not The Odds, But The Stakes
The Washington DC SPJ chapter will host an online program Monday, April 8 at 2 pm ET on covering the 2024 election where the future of democracy on the ballot. The special guests will be Margaret Sullivan and Barton Gellman.
Register for the free webinar HERE.
For more information on the session, visit the DC SPJ website.