USA / Americas

For data on press freedom violations in the U.S., visit the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, a partnership between CPJ and Freedom of the Press Foundation.

Read CPJ’s report On Edge: What the US election could mean for journalists and global press freedom.

  

CPJ urges respect for United States press freedom, journalist safety

New York, January 6, 2020—In response to events today in Washington D.C., the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “We are gravely concerned by today’s attack on American institutions, including the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., where journalists as well as lawmakers are at risk,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “Journalists and…

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Journalist Marcus Henderson covered the COVID-19 outbreak inside his own prison

When news of the global COVID-19 pandemic reached San Quentin prison, a state-run men’s prison in California, earlier this year, Marcus Henderson knew it was only a matter of time before the virus spread through the facility. It did, killing 28 inmates and at least one staff member and infecting Henderson and 2,200 other inmates…

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Belarus journalist detained

Record number of journalists jailed worldwide

Editor’s note: In 2019, CPJ published a new database of attacks on the press. Numbers for each subsequent prison census are liable to adjust yearly as CPJ learns of arrests, releases, or deaths in prison. For the most recent data, see cpj.org/data/imprisoned/. The number of journalists jailed globally because of their work hit a new high in 2020…

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In 2020, U.S. journalists faced unprecedented attacks

As the Committee to Protect Journalists publishes its annual tally of journalists imprisoned around the world, not a single U.S. reporter is behind bars for their work. But that statistic belies the country’s marred press freedom landscape following the summer’s Black Lives Matter protests in which journalists were handcuffed, shoved, and shot at with less-lethal…

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CPJ calls on North Carolina county to grant court access, drop charges against journalist

Washington, D.C., December 10, 2020—The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on the Alamance County Court in central North Carolina to grant journalists regular access to court proceedings and for the county district attorney to drop charges against local reporter Tomas Murawski.   Visiting district court Judge Fred Wilkins has twice refused to allow the media…

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CPJ testifies to US Congress, calls for more effort to fight restrictions on press

Journalists working around the world continue to face a wide variety of challenges, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the U.S. government must redouble its efforts to defend press freedom, CPJ Advocacy Director Courtney Radsch said during testimony to the U.S. Congress today. Addressing the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and…

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US immigration agency subpoenas BuzzFeed News, seeking information on source

Editors’ Note: In a December 9 email to CPJ following the publication of this article and BuzzFeed News’ refusal to comply with the subpoena, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson said, “ICE will not enforce the summons and will pursue the investigation through other channels.” Washington, D.C., December 8, 2020 – U.S. Immigration and Customs…

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Here’s how Biden can restore US press freedom leadership

In his four years in office, President Trump has made attacking the media a hallmark of his administration. He has called journalists fake news and enemies of the people — but also scum, liars, and bad people. He continues to blame the media for his electoral defeat, accusing journalists of covering his administration unfairly and…

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Los Angeles police arrest, charge 2 reporters documenting social justice protest

Washington, D.C., November 5, 2020—The Los Angeles Police Department should drop all charges against reporters Vishal Singh and Sean Beckner-Carmitchel, and refrain from arresting members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, around 7:30 p.m., the LAPD announced a dispersal order in response to Black Lives Matter protests near the intersection…

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US plans to restrict foreign journalist visas would be chilling, must be scrapped

We hadn’t even finished unpacking our belongings from my assignment in Africa when the phone rang. It was a fellow journalist warning me that the director of Israel’s Government Press Office had just gone on national radio to say he intended to summon me to complain about a story. My wife looked at me anxiously….

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