Charges dropped against Oregon journalist
Courtesy Joseph Rushmore
Too often, police arrest journalists for doing their jobs. These arrests and prosecutions chill important reporting.
Arrests and prosecutions of journalists often violate the First Amendment, and they undermine the public’s right to learn about newsworthy events.
Data from the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker shows that journalists are at heightened risk of arrest while covering protests. But police have also arrested reporters just for gathering news or asking questions. Journalists should never be arrested for doing their jobs.
Featured Items
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Stop arresting journalists
Just a few months into 2024, the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker has documented four arrests or detentions of journalists covering protests in New York, Tennessee, and California. These arrests violate journalists’ rights, and they undermine the right of the public to learn about newsworthy events happening in their communities. They also show the disturbing and stubborn persistence of a system of policing that either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about First Amendment rights.
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Police are still arresting journalists. Why?
Even “catch and release” arrests threaten press freedom
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Appeal of convictions by NC journalists could impact reporters statewide
To protect the public’s right to know, the court should find that the press has a First Amendment right to cover police activity in public places
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Tim Burke is a journalist. His prosecution tries to criminalize journalism
President Biden has said that journalism isn’t a crime. But the DOJ seems to think otherwise
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Charges against journalist Tim Burke are a ‘hack’ job
If the Burke prosecution succeeds, it will encourage the powerful to use a federal computer hacking law to attack reporting that embarrasses them or exposes their wrongdoing.
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NYPD must stop arrests of journalists covering protests
FPF and CPJ tell Brooklyn DA to drop charges against Reed Dunlea, the latest in a long line of journalists the NYPD has baselessly arrested at protests
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Indictment of journalist raises serious First Amendment concerns
Government seeks permanent seizure of journalist Tim Burke's computers
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Northwestern’s student newspaper helps kill anti-speech prosecution
Student journalists set an example for the professionals when it comes to standing up for the First Amendment
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Transparency is vital when government investigates newsgathering
Answers needed on how investigators believe Project Veritas broke the law by obtaining stolen documents from sources
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Official retaliation for “acts of journalism” raises alarms
Discussion of U.S. Press Freedom Tracker’s annual arrest report highlights unusual and concerning abuses of power in 2023
