Discussion: Press Freedom
There are a lot of ways by which governments around the world restrict press freedom. The threat of arrest or deportation; making it unrealistically expensive or complicated to get a press visa; violence.
Before you go anywhere, make sure you’re well-versed in the press freedom landscape of the country you’re visiting. Find out what kind of accreditation you need to operate there legally/safely. The Vulture Club group on Facebook can be a great resource for finding out this sort of thing. We’ll talk more about risk assessments when planning a reporting trip in a future class—just remember that press freedom should always be one of your considerations when weighing the risks of any international reporting.
We’re going to divide up into groups and do in-class discussions and presentations that look at some recent and ongoing high-profile cases of journalists being harassed, physically threatened or detained, or their work otherwise suppressed.
Maria Ressa, The Philippines
Dmitry Muratov, Russia
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, Myanmar
Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed, and Peter Greste: Egypt
Anna Day, Bahrain