Depredador(a)

SHEIKH Hasina

Primera ministra de la República Popular de Bangladesh desde el 6 de enero de 2009

Depredadora desde (al menos) 2014

Bangladesh, 152°/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: la ley de seguridad digital, el arma definitiva de la autocensura

Sheikh Hasina, la hija mayor del héroe de la independencia de Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujib, ha sido una figura política importante en el país desde principios de la década de 1980. Hace mucho tiempo que se consolidó como una figura destacada de la oposición contra los diversos regímenes autoritarios que reprimieron a los periodistas con sangre. Después, tras una victoria de su partido en las legislativas, fue nombrada primera ministra en enero de 2009. Ahí se produjo una deriva implacable hacia el autoritarismo marcada por una represión cada vez más fuerte de la libertad de prensa. Esta tendencia continuó en 2014, cuando ganó las elecciones con mayor facilidad porque la oposición, simplemente, no tenía derecho a ser mencionada en los medios de comunicación. A partir de este momento, detrás de un discurso oficial de respeto a la prensa, Sheikh Hasina se encerró en un sistema que no tolera la crítica. Y para completar el arsenal que le permite imponer sus puntos de vista, su gobierno finalizó, en 2018, la Ley de Seguridad Digital (DSA). Plagada de formulaciones deliberadamente borrosas, este texto es el arma definitiva para empujar a los periodistas a la autocensura: por ejemplo, castiga con siete años de prisión la publicación de contenidos "susceptibles de alterar el orden público". Y, peor aún, los periodistas saben que se arriesgan a 14 años de prisión si publican información que se interprete como "propaganda contra el padre de la nación", que no es otro que el padre de la propia Sheikh Hasina. En definitiva, una zona muy nebulosa y altamente prohibida.

OBJETIVOS PREDILECTOS: los reporteros molestos

La ley de seguridad digital permite a los partidarios de Sheikh Hasina hostigar a cualquier periodista o bloguero cuyas manifestaciones molesten al poder establecido. Lleva unos dos años en vigor y ya ha servido para emprender causas contra 400 personas, entre ellas más de 70 periodistas y blogueros. Los detenidos deben soportar condiciones carcelarias lamentables, en tal grado, que uno de ellos, Mushtaq Ahmed, encontró la muerte en prisión en febrero de 2021. Sobre el terreno, el brazo armado de Sheikh Hasina lo encarnan los militantes de su partido, la Liga Awami, y los de su rama estudiantil, la Liga Chhatra. Tan pronto como se agitan las calles por un movimiento social o unas elecciones, estos activistas persiguen, acosan o asaltan a los periodistas para evitar que cubran los acontecimientos, hasta el punto de acabar en linchamientos. La mayoría de las veces esto acaba en el hospital. En ciertos casos, en la morgue.

DISCURSO OFICIAL: imponer la información "verdadera"

"Los periodistas que no publican noticias falsas no tienen que preocuparse por la ley de seguridad digital". Esta ley permite al gobierno decidir qué información es "verdadera" y cual "falsa" (octubre de 2018).

Publié le 05.07.2021