This is the latest installment of our press freedom round-up, recapping the latest attacks on journalists, their right to publish, and our right to know. Hereโs the news for the week of January 11, 2025.
State Department removes accredited journalists from press briefing
Journalists Sam Husseini and Max Blumenthal were removed from Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s final press conference after insisting Blinken answers questions regarding Israel’s war on Gaza.
Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) has condemned the State Department’s action: “Days before the inauguration of an anti-press President, the Biden administration handed Trump a gift by normalizing punishing journalists for asking questions officials don’t like.”
Last chance for Biden to pardon Assange
In the final days of Biden presidency, 18 press freedom and civil liberties organizations have cosigned a letter urging President Biden to pardon Julian Assange before he leaves office and a group of Australian leaders, including several federal MPs, has called on the outgoing US President to grant a full and unconditional pardon to Julian Assange.
Israel and Hamas agree on ceasefire; RSF calls for journalists access and an end to impunity for Israel’s war crimes
Journalist Anas Al-Sharif takes off his body armour live on air as he announces a ceasefire deal has been agreed between Israel and Hamas. Along with his fellow reporters, more than 150 of whom have lost their lives, Al-Sharif has reported for 15 months on the genocide of his people in Gaza.
In the light of the ceasefire agreement, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called for international journalists to be “given independent access to the besieged territory as quickly as possible” and for an end to impunity for Israelโs war crimes.
Courage thanks the incredibly brave journalists of Palestine, who continued to cover Israel’s assault on Gaza in unimaginable conditions. We honor and remember so many of these reporters who were senselessly killed by the IDF
Israel blocks medical evacuation of Al Jazeera cameraman
Israel is blocking medical evacuation of Al Jazeera camerman Fadi al-Wahidi, shot on assignment on 9 October at the Jabaliya refugee camp, despite his deteriorating condition.
Free press orgs, MEAA and RSF continues to condemn the targeting of journalists and media workers in Gaza and call for the immediate evacuation of al-Wahidi to a safe medical facility.
Incarcerated journalist in Texas prison struggles under ever-harsher conditions
Journalist Jeremy Busby, incarcerated in a Texas prison for over 25 years and held in solitary confinement conditions, says prison staff are inappropriately denying him access to members of the press and refusing to restore his phone privileges, reports The Dissenter. Busby claims that staff has twice destroyed all of his personal property, including legal paperwork to retaliate for his writing about systemic problems in Texas state prisons.