Prédateur

Daniel ORTEGA

Président du Nicaragua depuis 2007 (après l’avoir été une première fois entre 1979 et 1990)

Prédateur depuis depuis sa réélection pour un troisième mandat consécutif, en novembre 2016

Nicaragua, 121e/180 pays au Classement mondial de la liberté de la presse 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

MODE DE PRÉDATION : asphyxie économique et censure judiciaire

Depuis fin 2016, la presse indépendante vit un véritable cauchemar, constamment oppressée par le gouvernement d’Ortega et ses partisans du Front sandiniste de libération nationale (FSLN), qui tentent par tous les moyens de réduire les voix critiques au silence : menaces, persécutions, campagnes de harcèlement et de diffamation, arrestations et détentions arbitraires, “loi de régulation des agents étrangers” visant à surveiller étroitement les médias et organisations qui reçoivent des financements extérieurs. Ortega ne recule devant rien pour contrôler l'information et a mis en place un système sordide d’asphyxie économique des médias indépendants : politiques discriminatoires en matière de publicité officielle, d'octroi de fréquences radio et télévisées, de restrictions à l'importation de fournitures et de matériel journalistiques, audits abusifs, ainsi que pressions exercées sur les annonceurs privés pour les décourager d’acheter des espaces publicitaires dans les médias indépendants. Le gouvernement a été jusqu’à interdire, de but en blanc en septembre 2018, l’approvisionnement en encre, papier et caoutchouc, ce qui a entraîné la disparition de la plupart des journaux papier du pays. Enfin, dans la perspective des élections présidentielles de novembre 2021, Ortega a renforcé son arsenal de censure en faisant engager des poursuites judiciaires abusives contre tous ses opposants, de la classe politique comme des médias.

CIBLES DE PRÉDILECTION : la famille Chamorro et les médias privés

Le patron de presse Carlos Chamorro, fondateur du site d’information Confidencial, et sa sœur Cristiana, cofondatrice de la Fondation Violeta Chamorro, qui défend la liberté de la presse, sont les bêtes noires du président. Très critique de Daniel Ortega, le premier a dû temporairement s'exiler au Costa Rica en 2019, en raison des menaces et attaques alimentées par le gouvernement à son encontre. La seconde, journaliste devenue candidate à la présidentielle de 2021, est assignée à résidence depuis le 3 juin dernier après avoir été accusée par le gouvernement de blanchiment d’argent. Près d’une vingtaine de journalistes proches de la Fondation ont également été interrogés et intimidés par le ministère public pour accabler Cristiana Chamorro et lui barrer la route de la course présidentielle.

DISCOURS OFFICIEL : paranoïaque et excessif

“Le terrorisme désinformatif, piloté depuis les États-Unis et pris au pied de la lettre par les médias de nombreux pays, et notamment le Costa Rica, est brutal, criminel et xénophobe.” (Mai 2020, extrait d’un discours destiné aux médias costa-ricains (La Nación, Telenoticias y Noticias Repretel) et américains (CNN) remettant en cause les chiffres et le discours officiel du gouvernement sur la gestion de la crise sanitaire.)

“Les journalistes sont les fils de Goebbels.” (Le jour du 28e anniversaire de l’armée nicaraguayenne, 1er septembre 2007.)