Standing for Press Freedom: Exposing the Discrepancies and Demanding Change
On World Press Freedom Day, Julian Assange’s supporters took to the streets in a powerful display, carrying makeshift caskets and marching to the Department of Justice, National Press Club, and headquarters of the Washington Post. Their objective was unambiguous: to confront the repression of press freedom and challenge the ongoing imprisonment of Assange. In the words of speaker Jose Vega, “Our government has been hijacked by tyrannical forces that have censored many people, that have put Julian Assange in prison.”
The marchers sought to awaken the public to their responsibility to stand up against their government’s actions and defend their First Amendment rights. Jen Perelman, another speaker, underscored the inconsistency of President Biden’s claim that “journalism is not a crime,” while his administration simultaneously treats Assange as a criminal.
The prosecution of Assange represents a grave menace to press freedom, as it criminalizes the act of publishing truthful information. Numerous organizations, including the ACLU, Amnesty International, Pen International, Reporters Without Borders, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, have expressed their opposition to the extradition and charges against Assange. The director of the ACLU Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, Ben Wizner, has emphasized the far-reaching implications of this case: “Any prosecution by the United States of Mr. Assange would be unprecedented and unconstitutional, and would open the door to criminal investigations of other news organizations.”
This defiant march in Washington, D.C., sought to expose the hypocrisy and contradictions surrounding Assange’s treatment and the state of press freedom in the United States. It remains to be seen whether the Biden administration will take meaningful action to support the free press, or continue to target whistleblowers and publishers. The procession made it clear that the fight for press freedom is far from over, and the responsibility to protect it lies with the people, who must not shy away from demanding change.
Photo by Strauss Western on Unsplash