Freedom of the Press in the US new National Security Strategy Report 2010

Published on Thursday May 27, the new U.S. National Security Strategy Report refers to human rights and freedom of the press as a foundation for security. It highlights in particular the need for a democracy to be consistent abroad with its own national principles and the imperative to lead by example.
Please find below the relevant paragraphs.

"America’s example is also a critical component of our foundation. The human rights which America has stood for since our founding have enabled our leadership, provided a source of inspiration for peoples around the world, and drawn a clear contrast between the United States and our democratic allies, and those nations and individuals that deny or suppress human rights. Our efforts to live our own values, and uphold the principles of democracy in our own society, underpin our support for the aspirations of the oppressed abroad, who know they can turn to America for leadership based on justice and hope.

Our moral leadership is grounded principally in the power of our example—not through an effort to impose our system on other peoples. Yet over the years, some methods employed in pursuit of our security have compromised our fidelity to the values that we promote, and our leadership on their behalf. This undercuts our ability to support democratic movements abroad, challenge nations that violate international human rights norms, and apply our broader leadership for good in the world. That is why we will lead on behalf of our values by living them. Our struggle to stay true to our values and Constitution has always been a lodestar, both to the American people and to those who share our aspiration for human dignity.

Our values have allowed us to draw the best and brightest to our shores, to inspire those who share our cause abroad, and to give us the credibility to stand up to tyranny. America must demonstrate through words and deeds the resilience of our values and Constitution. For if we compromise our values in pursuit of security, we will undermine both; if we fortify them, we will sustain a key source of our strength and leadership in the world—one that sets us apart from our enemies and our potential competitors.

Ensuring that New and Fragile Democracies Deliver Tangible Improvements for Their Citizens: The United States must support democracy, human rights, and development together, as they are mutually reinforcing. We are working closely with citizens, communities, and political and civil society leaders to strengthen key institutions of democratic accountability—free and fair electoral processes, strong legislatures, civilian control of militaries, honest police forces, independent and fair judiciaries, a free and independent press, a vibrant private sector, and a robust civil society".

http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/national_security_strategy.pdf

Eritrea: free Dawit Isaak

In this article published in The Guardian, Esayas Isaak, the brother of the Swedish journalist Dawit Isaak, imprisoned in Eritrea, writes to the Swedish government and the EU and ask them to really work for his release.
Eritrea has been for years one of the worst press freedom offenders but the regime has been able to deflect world attention.
It is also playing the "third worldist card" by presenting itsef as the victim of "imperialism".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2010/may/24/eu-governments-prisoners-of-conscience#start-of-comments

Kurt Schork Awards for war and peace reporting

2010 Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism
Call for Entries
Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism

The Kurt Schork Memorial Awards uniquely honour the contributions of freelance journalists covering foreign news and reporters from the developing world and countries in transition. Since 2005, IWPR has been honoured to partner with the Kurt Schork Memorial Fund to administer and organise the annual awards.

A freelancer himself, Kurt Schork appreciated the obstacles and concerns of freelance journalists who work without the institutional or financial safety net of large news organizations and yet are usually first on the scene, often taking greater risks to keep the public informed. The Awards include cash prizes of $5,000 each per local and international winner as financial support to help them with continued reporting.

The Awards thus honour Kurt’s own legacy by supporting the continued excellent work of other brave freelancers. Nominees are judged not only on the quality of writing and investigative effort, but also on the level of courage and resourcefulness demonstrated in producing the stories – reflecting the journalistic standards and personal courage displayed by Kurt himself over the course of his distinguished career.
Details for applicants

Two Award Categories:

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Local Reporter covering local stories,
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Freelance Journalist covering international news.

Prize is $5,000 USD for each category winner.

All submissions must demonstrate professionalism, meet international journalistic standards, and provide evidence that courage and determination played a role in generating the articles. Winners will be chosen by an international panel of judges.
Eligibility

Local Reporter: Print journalists employed by a local news outlet and residing in a developing country or nation in transition (non OECD or EU countries), whose work has been published in a local publication are eligible. Although individual journalists are the primary focus, submissions from a team of journalists will also be considered.

Freelance Journalist: All freelance print journalists and those contracted by news organisations are eligible. A freelance journalist is an individual who is not employed by a news organization. They are self-employed, providing services, either on the basis of time or on the production of editorial materials as defined by individual contractual arrangements, and earn the majority of their income from journalism.

Eligible media: Entries are welcomed from all types of print-based media including newspapers and magazines and established on-line publications. Blogs and personal websites are not eligible.

Period covered: You can enter up to 3 articles published between 1 March 2009 and 30 June 2010.

Deadline for applications: Tuesday 13 July 2010.
How to apply

See Web site

http://www.iwpr.net/make-impact/2010-call-kurt-schork-awards-international-journalism

You can email your entries to schorkawards@iwpr.net [3] or send by post to:

Kurt Schork Awards
Institute for War & Peace Reporting
48 Gray's Inn Road
London WC1X 8LT
United Kingdom

Awards ceremony will take place in London on 3 November 2010.

Obama signs the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act

THE WHITE HOUSE



Office of the Press Secretary

___________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release May 17, 2010



REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

AT THE SIGNING OF THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS ACT



Oval Office



11:32 A.M. EDT



THE PRESIDENT: Well, hello, everybody. I am very proud to be able to sign the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act, a piece of legislation that sends a strong signal about our core values when it comes to the freedom of the press.



All around the world there are enormously courageous journalists and bloggers who, at great risk to themselves, are trying to shine a light on the critical issues that the people of their country face; who are the frontlines against tyranny and oppression. And obviously the loss of Daniel Pearl was one of those moments that captured the world’s imagination because it reminded us of how valuable a free press is, and it reminded us that there are those who would go to any length in order to silence journalists around the world.



What this act does is it sends a strong message from the United States government and from the State Department that we are paying attention to how other governments are operating when it comes to the press. It has the State Department each year chronicling how press freedom is operating as one component of our human rights assessment, but it also looks at countries that are -- governments that are specifically condoning or facilitating this kind of press repression, singles them out and subjects them to the gaze of world opinion in ways that I think are extraordinarily important.



Oftentimes without this kind of attention, countries and governments feel that they can operate against the press with impunity. And we want to send a message that they can’t.



So this legislation, in a very modest way, I think puts us clearly on the side of journalistic freedom. I want to thank Adam Schiff in the House and Senator Chris Dodd in the Senate for their leadership. And I particularly want to thank the Pearl family, who have been so outspoken and so courageous in sending a clear message that, despite Daniel’s death, his vision of a well-informed citizenry that is able to make choices and hold governments accountable, that that legacy lives on.



So we are very grateful to them. I'm grateful to the legislative leaders who helped to pass this. It is something that I intend to make sure our State Department carries out with vigor. And with that, I'm going to sign the bill.



(The bill is signed.)



There you go. Thank you, everybody. Appreciate it.



END 11:36 A.M. EDT

Uzbekistan: no freedom, no coverage, no memory

Muzaffar Suleymanov, research associate of the Committee to Protect Journalists explain how the suppression of media freedom has allowed the authoritarian regime to erase the memory of the Andijan massacre 5 years ago.
This censorship imposed on Uzbek media also explains why few Western media have been reminded of the impunity that has prevailed since this violent killing.

http://cpj.org/blog/2010/05/uzbek-media-devastated-in-wake-of-andijan-massacre.php