One Free Press Coalition Presents “The Year in Press Freedom” to Highlight the Most Pressing Issues Threatening Journalists in 2021 and Beyond
NEW YORK – December 1, 2021 – To close out 2021, the One Free Press Coalition today published its December “10 Most Urgent list, which features a list of 10 global press freedom cases that embody the most alarming trends threatening journalists in 2021 and beyond — from impunity and imprisonment to surveillance and harassment. The December list, titled “The Year in Press Freedom,” shines a light on press freedom violations, that if left unchecked, can continue to threaten journalists and their pursuit of reporting the truth.
Each month, a united group of pre-eminent editors and publishers known as the One Free Press Coalition releases a ranking of the “10 Most Urgent” list of press freedom cases to spotlight journalists whose press freedoms are being suppressed or whose cases are seeking justice. Published this morning at www.onefreepresscoalition.com and by all Coalition members, this special edition of the monthly ranking includes the following journalists from around the world, ranked in order of urgency:
1. Zhang Zhan (China)
Zhang Zhan has been on an ongoing hunger strike behind bars, and is now in critically ill health. It has been nearly one year since the independent journalist was sentenced to four years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” after publishing videos critical of the government’s COVID-19 response from Wuhan.
2. Olivier Dubois (Mali)
French journalist Olivier Dubois went missing in May while reporting on Al-Qaeda affiliated group Jamaa Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). Days later, a video of Dubois was released, revealing he was held in JNIM custody. He remains missing, as his family continues to fight tirelessly to get answers as to his whereabouts.
3. April Ehrlich (USA)
In September 2020, police arrested local radio reporter April Ehrlich in Portland, OR, while she was covering evictions of people living in a city park. Police charged her with criminal trespassing, interfering with a peace officer, and resisting arrest. Some of these misdemeanors could come with prison terms up to 364 days and fines up to $6,250.
4. Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca (Cuba)
Cuban journalist covering social and political affairs in Cuba on his YouTube channel has been held in pre-trial detention for close to six months now on an investigation for the crimes of contempt and sharing enemy propaganda. The day before his arrest, he published a video reporting on pro-democracy leaflets being thrown off a Havana building.
5. Juan Lorenzo Holmann and Miguel Mendoza (Nicaragua)
Juan Lorenzo Holmann, publisher of La Prensa, and journalist Miguel Mendoza have been jailed since this summer—in a prison notorious for its poor conditions and torture—on sham charges in retaliation for their critical reporting and commentary. Their imprisonment comes at a time of escalated crackdowns on the press in the country, and as dozens of journalists have gone into exile.
6. Hanthar Nyien (Myanmar)
News producer at Kayamut Media was imprisoned this past March under Article 505(a) of the penal code and another criminal charge for his journalism. His colleagues have said that while imprisoned, he has been tortured and deprived of food and water.
7. Ayşenur Parıldak (Turkey)
Ayşenur Parıldak, a court reporter for the shuttered daily Zaman, was arrested in 2016 as part of broader crackdowns against the press after the 2016 coup in Turkey. Her parole has been denied, despite the fact that other journalists with the same charges have since been released.
8. Ksenia Lutskina (Belarus)
Ksenia Lutskina, an independent journalist, was arrested after participating in an event at the Press Club Belarus, where five club members were also arrested and all given spurious charges on tax evasion. If convicted, she could face seven years in prison. Lutskina, who has a brain tumor has been denied medical treatment while in detention.
9. Mina Khairi (Afghanistan)
Mina Khairi, an anchor at the local broadcaster Ariana News TV in Kabul, was killed this past June after unidentified attackers detonated an improvised explosive device attached to a van. Afghanistan ranks 5th on CPJ’s 2021 Impunity Index.
10. Rana Ayyub (India)
In June, Uttar Pradesh police filed a criminal complaint stating that they were opening an investigation into columnist and journalist, Rana Ayyub, as well as The Wire, and two other journalists. Ayyub has long been the target of online harassment and misinformation campaigns in response to her commentary and reporting.
The One Free Press Coalition is comprised of 32 prominent international members including: Agencia Efe; Al Jazeera Media Network, AméricaEconomía; The Associated Press; Bloomberg News; The Boston Globe; Corriere Della Sera; De Standaard; Deutsche Welle; Estadão; EURACTIV; The Financial Times; Forbes; Fortune; HuffPost; India Today; Insider Inc.; Le Temps; Middle East Broadcasting Networks; Office of Cuba Broadcasting; Quartz; Radio Free Asia; Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty; Republik; Reuters; The Straits Times; Süddeutsche Zeitung; TIME; TV Azteca; Voice of America; The Washington Post; and Yahoo News.
One Free Press Coalition partners with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) to identify the most-urgent cases for the list, which is updated and published on the first business day of every month.
The mission of the Coalition is to use the collective voices of its members – which reach more than 1 billion people worldwide – to “stand up for journalists under attack for pursuing the truth.” News organizations throughout the world can join the Coalition by emailing info@onefreepresscoalition.com.
Members of the public are also encouraged to join the conversation using the hashtag #OneFreePress and following developments on Twitter @OneFreePress.
One Free Press Coalition
The One Free Press Coalition every month spotlights the “10 Most Urgent” journalists who press freedoms are under threat worldwide. The Coalition uses the collective voices of participating news organizations to spotlight brave journalists whose voices are being silenced or have been silenced by “standing up for journalists under attack for pursing the truth.” To see the “10 Most Urgent” list every month and to view a complete list of participating news organizations and supporting partners, please visit onefreepresscoalition.com or @OneFreePress on Twitter.
Contacts:
One Free Press Coalition PR: pr@onefreepresscoalition.com
Committee to Protect Journalists: Bebe Santa-Wood, press@cpj.com