Depredador(a)

Narendra MODI

Primer ministro de la India desde el 26 de mayo de 2014

Depredador desde que llegó al poder

India, 142°/180 en la Clasificación Mundial de la Libertad de Prensa 2021

Dear [Name of Candidate],

I am writing to ask you what you plan to do to defend the First Amendment, freedom of the press, and the fundamental rights of journalists to practice their profession freely in what has become an increasingly hostile environment for information and news providers.

The United States, which enshrines press freedom in the First Amendment of its Constitution, is currently witnessing a drastic decline in media freedom. On June 28, one of the most horrific attacks on press freedom in the United States occurred when five employees, including four reporters, were killed at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland. According to the US Press Freedom Tracker, which comprehensively documents press freedom violations in the US committed by national, state, and local authorities as well as private individuals, 33 journalists were arrested, 43 were physically attacked, and 15 seizures of journalists’ equipment occurred in 2017. In one of these incidents, Rep. Greg Gianforte physically assaulted a Guardian journalist the night before his state’s election. While covering the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, journalists were impersonated on social media, impeding their ability to accurately investigate the facts and disseminate information which could be vital to preventing a similar tragedy. This hostility towards the press not only risks compromising the American public’s right to be informed through journalists’ reporting, but can also degrade the public’s trust in the media itself.

This is not a partisan issue; it is a fundamental right that impacts every American no matter their politics. Journalism is at the crux of our democracy, and communities everywhere rely on journalists to provide them with information that is essential to their daily decision-making processes. It was local investigative journalist Curt Guyette who broke the story about Flint, Michigan’s lack of access to clean water in 2014, prompting years of class-action lawsuits, protests, and subsequent federal assistance to the city in order to try to resolve the crisis. Reporters Megan Twohey, Jodi Kantor, and Ronan Farrow publicized sexual assault allegations against influential Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017, leading to the ubiquitous and powerful #MeToo movement which brought decades of sexual abuse and harassment across multiple industries to light.

Yet freedom of the press in the US is currently in dire need of congressional support. It is our civic duty as one of the world’s leading democracies to uphold principles that support and protect the rights of journalists so that they may hold those in power accountable and ensure an informed and engaged community.

If you are elected, what do you plan to do to protect this utterly essential component of our democracy? What are your plans to protect the public’s right to be informed through a free and independent press?

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Hello, my name is _______ and I am from [city, state].

I’m calling to let you know that [candidate/representative]'s stance on freedom of the press is extremely important in my decision to vote. I feel that this is not a partisan issue, but a fundamental right that impacts every American no matter their politics.

I have become increasingly concerned with the growing climate of hostility for journalists in this country, and I would like for [candidate/representative] to publicly address what they will do to defend press freedom if [he/she] is elected.

Thank you.

Freedom of the press is suffering in the US. @[yourcandidate] if you are elected to serve in Congress, what are your plans to protect journalists and our right to be informed? Will you #DefendPressFreedom?

Democracy depends on a free and independent press and its ability to hold those in power accountable. [@yourcandidate] will you take measures to protect journalism and the First Amendment? Will you #DefendPressFreedom?

In June, four reporters were murdered in an appalling targeted attack on the Capital Gazette and freedom of the press. [@yourcandidate] what will you do to address the growing threat to journalists in this country? #DefendPressFreedom

Press freedom is in steady decline in the US. I want my representative to defend the work of journalists as well as my right to be informed. [@yourcandidate] if you are elected what will you do to protect a free press? #DefendPressFreedom

Journalists play a crucial role in our democracy by keeping us informed and holding those in power accountable. And yet in the US, attacks on journalists are becoming more common, undermining the media's role and creating opportunities for government overreach, the erosion of press freedom, and impeding our right to be informed. I’m contacting my candidates and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. Join me at DefendPressFreedom.com

A free press is essential to our democracy. Communities everywhere rely on journalists to report on our government’s actions and hold public figures accountable, providing us with the information we need to make decisions every day. And yet physical, verbal, and online attacks against journalists in the US are increasing at an astonishing rate. I’m contacting my candidates and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. You should too. Read more at DefendPressFreedom.com

Press freedom is declining in the US at an alarming rate. Physical, verbal, and online attacks against journalists have increased drastically in the last two years. As the US midterm elections approach, we must remind our congressional candidates that journalists play a crucial role in our democracy by keeping us informed and holding those in power accountable. I’m contacting my representatives and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. Join in and help me spread the word at DefendPressFreedom.com

MÉTODO DE DEPREDACIÓN: el nacional-populismo y la desinformación

Narendra Modi ascendió al gobierno de Gujarat en 2001, y este estado occidental le sirvió de laboratorio para su sistema de control, que desplegaría por completo tras asumir el cargo de primer ministro de la India, en 2014. La primera de sus armas consiste en saturar los medios de comunicación con discursos e información susceptibles de legitimar su ideología nacional-populista. Para llevar a cabo este propósito, ha establecido relaciones privilegiadas con los principales industriales del país, que dirigen grandes imperios mediáticos.

La maniobra, especialmente insidiosa, tiene un doble filo. Por un lado, al congraciarse con los magnates de la prensa, Narendra Modi consigue una cobertura favorable, ya que los periodistas de los grandes medios saben que corren el riesgo de que los despidan si critican al gobierno. Por otro lado, la amplia cobertura de sus discursos, dados en extremo a la división y a la estigmatización, y que a menudo equivalen a desinformación, permite que los medios comerciales alcancen récords de audiencia. En este contexto, lo único que le queda a Narendra Modi es neutralizar a los medios y a los periodistas que rechazan esta narrativa maniquea.

Con este fin, dispone de un arsenal judicial con algunas disposiciones especialmente liberticidas para la prensa: los periodistas, por ejemplo, corren el riesgo de que los condenen a cadena perpetua si cae sobre ellos el cargo de sedición, extremadamente vago. Para completar este arsenal, Narendra Modi puede recurrir a un ejército de “yodha” (“guerreros”, en hindi). Estos son trolls que se lanzan contra los periodistas que le disgustan y que despliegan espantosas campañas de odio en internet y las redes sociales. Estas campañas derivan, casi por sistema, en llamadas al asesinato.

OBJETIVOS PREDILECTOS: los "sickulars" y las "presstitutas"

La periodista Gauri Lankesh, a la que asesinaron con cuatro disparos de bala frente a su casa en septiembre de 2017, es la víctima más emblemática de Hindutvha, la ideología madre del movimiento nacionalista hindú que Narendra Modi ensalza a diario. De manera más general, todos los periodistas y medios de comunicación que cuestionan la doctrina nacional-populista del primer ministro son inmediatamente calificados de "sickulars", palabra que procede de la contracción de "sick" -enfermo, loco- y "secular" -progresista, laico-, (y que vendría a significar “locos del laicismo”, NdlT).

Estos son el objetivo de los "bhakt", los devotos del jefe Modi, que los persiguen en los tribunales, los arrastran por el fango en los medios de masas y coordinan los ataques en internet. Dichos ataques son aún más feroces cuando se dirigen contra mujeres, a las que a menudo tratan de "presstitutas": las periodistas Rana Ayyub o Barkha Dutt, por ejemplo, fueron víctimas de espantosos llamamientos a la violación en grupo y sus datos personales se vertieron por internet para facilitar las agresiones.

DISCURSO OFICIAL: los medios, contra el periodismo

“Ahora, los periodistas se han quitado la máscara. Si hay una crisis de credibilidad, no es culpa de los medios de comunicación, sino de quienes trabajan allí. Así que, dejen de meterse con nosotros". (12 de mayo de 2019).

Publié le 05.07.2021