CPJ promotes press freedom worldwide and defends the right of journalists to report the news without fear of reprisal.
Ursula K. Le Guin on power, oppression, freedom, and how imaginative storytelling expands our scope of possibility.
From the magnificent 1958 essay I, Pencil – a brilliant allegory for the Invisible Hand at work:
I, Pencil, am a complex combination of miracles: a tree, zinc, copper, graphite, and so on. But to these miracles which manifest themselves in Nature an even more extraordinary miracle has been added: the configuration of creative human energies — millions of tiny know-hows configurating naturally and spontaneously in response to human necessity and desire and in the absence of any human master-minding!
[…]
If you can become aware of the miraculousness which I symbolize, you can help save the freedom mankind is so unhappily losing.
Read more here.
(Illustration by Wendy MacNaughton)
Rayma Suprani, one of the few female cartoonists in Venezuela, speaks about the role that humor plays in resisting tyranny, and how cartoons are the thermometers by which we measure freedom.She believes that critical drawings are crucialto testing the strengths of a democracy. Suprani worked at El Universal, one of Venezuela’s largest newspapers, for 19 years before she was fired last year after publishing a cartoon that mocked the legacy of Hugo Chávez and the state of the Venezuelan health care system. She remains defiant, and reminds us that freedom of expression should have no limits. Humor is the key to ending repression, Suprani says, and stresses that we should teach our children to wield pens, not guns.
How many more? CPJ remembers journalists killed covering Syria
March 15 was the fourth anniversary of the start of the Syrian uprising. No one knew in the early days of unrest how events would escalate, let alone how the entire region and the journalists covering it would be so deeply impacted.
Four years later at least 81 journalists have been killed covering the unrest, making it the second deadliest conflict for journalists since the Committee to Protect Journalists began keeping comprehensive records in 1992. Only the Iraq war has claimed more lives, but Syria is quickly and tragically catching up.
These are their names.
Kenji Goto, Freelance January 2015, in Unknown, Syria
Mahran al-Deeri, Al-Jazeera December 10, 2014, in Sheikh Miskeen, Daraa province, Syria
Salem Khalil, Orient News December 8, 2014, in Sheikh Miskeen, Daraa province, Syria
Rami Asmi, Orient News December 8, 2014, in Sheikh Miskeen, Daraa province, Syria
Yousef el-Dous, Orient News December 8, 2014, in Sheikh Miskeen, Daraa province, Syria
Zaher Mtawe'e, Zebdine Coordination Committee November 22, 2014, in Zebdine, Syria
Atallah Bajbouj, Nabaa Media Foundation October 15, 2014, in Daraa, Syria
Mohammed al-Qasim, Rozana Radio September 10, 2014, in Idlib province, Syria
Steven Sotloff, Freelance August or September, 2014, in Unknown, Syria
James Foley, Freelance August 2014, in Unknown, Syria
Mohamed Taani, SMART News Agency June 27, 2014, in Daraa, Syria
Ahmed Hasan Ahmed, Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2014, in Damascus, Syria
Al-Moutaz Bellah Ibrahim, Shaam News Network May 4, 2014, in Raqqa, Syria
Mouaz Alomar (Abu Mehdi Al Hamwi), Freelance April 25, 2014, in Kafr Zita, Hama province, Syria
Bilal Ahmed Bilal, Palestine Today TV Unknown, in Sednaya, Syria
Ali Mustafa, Freelance March 9, 2014, in Aleppo, Syria
Omar Abdul Qader, Al-Mayadeen March 8, 2014, in Deir Al-Zour, Syria
Turad Mohamed al-Zahouri, Freelance February 20, 2014, in Yabroud, Syria
Molhem Barakat, Freelance December 20, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria
Yasser Faisal al-Jumaili, Freelance December 4, 2013, in Idlib, Syria
Mohamed Yamen Naddaf, Shahba Press November 24, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria
Mohamed Ahmed Taysir Bellou, Shahba Press November 19, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria
Mohammad Saeed, Al-Arabiya October 29, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria
Nour al-Din Al-Hafiri, Freelance September 29, 2013, in Al-Bahariyah, Syria
Abdel Aziz Mahmoud Hasoun, Masar Press September 5, 2013, in Jobar, Damascus, Syria
Muhammad Hassan Al-Musalama, Revolutionaries of Daraa Al-Muhata – Tariq Al-Sadd August 20, 2013, in Daraa, Syria
Shahir al-Muaddamani, Local Council of Deraya City Media Office August 16, 2013, in Daraya, Syria
Muhammed Tariq Jadua, Jisr Al-Shaghur Multimedia Network July 27, 2013, in Jisr Al-Shaghur, Syria
Fidaa al-Baali, Orient News July 5, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Yara Abbas, Al-Ikhbariya May 27, 2013, in Al-Qusayr, Syria
Youssef Younis, Freelance April 24, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Abdul Raheem Kour Hassan, Watan FM Unknown, in Damascus, Syria
Amer Diab, Freelance March 29, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Mahmoud Natouf, Sana al-Thawra, Moadamyat Al-Sham Media Center March 14, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Ghaith Abd al-Jawad, Qaboun Media Center March 10, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Amr Badir al-Deen Junaid, Qaboun Media Center March 10, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Walid Jamil Amira, Jobar Media Center March 3, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Olivier Voisin, Freelance February 24, 2013, in Idlib province, Syria
Mohamed Saeed al-Hamwi, Qaboun Media Center February 17, 2013, in Qaboun, Damascus, Syria
Youssef Adel Bakri (Youssef Abu Jad), Halab News Network February 15, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria
Loay al-Nimir, Freelance January 31, 2013, in Arbin, Syria
Issam Obeid, Freelance January 31, 2013, in Arbin, Syria
Abdel Karim Nazir Ismail, Freelance January 31, 2013, in Arbin, Syria
Mohamed al-Mesalma, Al-Jazeera January 18, 2013, in Daraa, Syria
Yves Debay, Assault January 17, 2013, in Aleppo, Syria
Bassem Fawaz al-Zabi, Freelance January 13, 2013, in Daraa, Syria
Suhail Mahmoud al-Ali, Dunya TV January 4, 2013, in Damascus, Syria
Abd al-Karim al-Ezzo, Freelance December 21, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Naji Asaad, Tishreen December 4, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Mohamed Quratem, Enab Baladi November 28, 2012, in Darya, Syria
Mohamed al-Khal, Freelance November 25, 2012, in Deir al-Zour, Syria
Basel Tawfiq Youssef, Syrian State TV November 21, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Hozan Abdel Halim Mahmoud, Freelance November 19, 2012, in Ras al-Ain, Syria
Ayham Mostafa Ghazzoul, Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression November 9, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Mohammed al-Ashram, Al-Ikhbariya October 10, 2012, in Deir Al-Zour, Syria
Mona al-Bakkour, Al-Thawra and Syria al-Qalaa October 3, 2012, in Aleppo, Syria
Maya Naser, Press TV September 26, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Abdel Karim al-Oqda, Shaam News Network September 19, 2012, in Hama, Syria
Yusuf Ahmed Deeb, Liwaa Al-Fatih September 16, 2012, in Aleppo, Syria
Tamer al-Awam, Freelance September 9, 2012, in Aleppo, Syria
Mosaab al-Obdaallah, Tishreen August 22, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Mika Yamamoto, Japan Press August 20, 2012, in Aleppo, Syria
Ali Abbas, SANA August 11, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Hatem Abu Yehia, Al-Ikhbariya August 10, 2012, in Al-Tal, Syria
Ihsan al-Buni, Al-Thawra July 12, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Mohammad Shamma, Al-Ikhbariya June 27, 2012, in Doursha, Syria
Sami Abu Amin, Al-Ikhbariya June 27, 2012, in Doursha, Syria
Ahmed al-Assam, Freelance May 28, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Bassel al-Shahade, Freelance May 28, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Ahmed Adnan al-Ashlaq, Shaam News Network May 27, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Lawrence Fahmy al-Naimi, Shaam News Network May 27, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Ammar Mohamed Suhail Zado, Shaam News Network May 27, 2012, in Damascus, Syria
Anas al-Tarsha, Freelance February 24, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Rémi Ochlik, Freelance February 22, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Marie Colvin, The Sunday Times February 22, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Rami al-Sayed, Freelance February 21, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Mazhar Tayyara, Freelance February 4, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Gilles Jacquier, France 2 January 11, 2012, in Homs, Syria
Basil al-Sayed, Freelance December 27, 2011, in Homs, Syria
Ferzat Jarban, Freelance November 19 or 20, 2011, in Al-Qasir, Syria
Image: REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah
THE PLOT TO FREE NORTH KOREA WITH SMUGGLED EPISODES OF ‘FRIENDS’
A friend gave Kang two radio receivers. Kang paid a bribe to avoid registering one with police, and he learned how to disassemble its case and remove the filament that hardwired it to official regime frequencies. He and his closest confidants would huddle under a blanket—to muffle the sound from eavesdroppers—and listen to Voice of America, Christian stations, and the South’s Korean Broadcasting System. “At first I didn’t believe it,” he says. “Then I started to believe but felt guilty for listening. Eventually, I couldn’t stop.”
Under their blanket, they relearned all of North Korea’s history, including the fact that the North, not the South, had started the Korean War. Beginning in 1989, they followed the breakdown of Soviet Eastern Europe and the execution of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, a close friend of Kim Il-sung. They heard the music of Simon and Garfunkel and Michael Jackson, even learning the lyrics and softly singing along. “Listening to the radio gave us the words we needed to express our dissatisfaction,” Kang would later write. “Every program, each new discovery, helped us tear a little freer from the enveloping web of deception.”
Continue reading (story from wired)
Image credit: Joe Pugliese
“The world wants us caged, in one place, behind bars; it is very important we stay free.”
– John Fowles (via theparisreview)
“A vibrant democracy is not possible without a free press. Our nation needs journalists who are willing – and able – to reveal facts that make the government uncomfortable.”
–
GARETH COOK, Pulitzer prize for Explanatory Reporting, 2005 / The Boston Globe
More Than a Dozen Pulitzer Winners Call on the Justice Dept to End its Pursuit of James Risen
CPJ is concerned for the welfare of critical Omani blogger Muawiyah Alrawahi, who disappeared last month after being summoned by intelligence officials, according to human rights groups. A photo appeared on Twitter in recent days showing Alrawahi at the psychiatric department of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, with his legs shackled, according to the London-based Monitor of Human Rights in Oman.