AL JAZEERA STATEMENT FOR WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY
World Press Freedom Day is an important moment to pause and reflect on the work of journalists around the globe, which has never been more under attack than it is right now. Journalists are being intimidated, censored, detained, imprisoned and murderedin record numbers, according to the Committee To Protect Journalists. Today, we pay tribute to all journalists who wake up each day and confront these challenges in the service of a greater mission, and especially those who gave their lives in pursuit of truth.
As a relatively rare independent media organization in the region, Al Jazeera’s channels have been grappling with global threats to press freedom for years. In our 22-year history, 11 Al Jazeera reporters have been killed, many have been jailed and hundreds have been harassed. Our platforms have been subject to cyber-attacks and demands that they be shut down. Currently, Al Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein is detained in Egypt, where he has been held without charges, trial or conviction for more than 800 days in violation of both Egyptian and international law.
We aren’t alone in our struggle for press freedom against repressive regimes, and while the dangers faced by reporters are harrowing, many continue to brave threats and violence to bring accurate, independent and impartial reporting to those who need it most. This World Press Freedom Day, we must all renew our commitment to the fight for media freedom and work together to counter the forces who would rather keep us in the dark.
