Press Freedom Matters

Press Freedom Matters
04-30-2012

Press freedom matters because without a free press, few other human
rights are attainable.

Press freedom matters because without a free press, few other human
rights are attainable. A strong press freedom environment encourages
the growth of civil society, which leads to stable democracies and
political and economic development. That's why the United States is
highlighting journalists around the world who are suffering
intimidation, imprisonment, and sometimes death for exercising their
right to free expression.

Yoani Sanchez is a Cuban blogger who is not permitted to leave the
country. She has attracted an international following for her blog,
Generación Y, which gives readers unprecedented insight into the harsh
realities of life in Cuba. Her work has won numerous awards, including
Columbia University's Maria Cabot prize for journalism, and the
Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award in 2011. But
Cuba's Communist government has refused to allow her to leave the
country to accept these honors. Requests by Ms. Sanchez to travel have
been denied 19 times.

Freedom of movement is a fundamental human right recognized in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The United States urges the
Cuban government to allow Ms. Sanchez to travel abroad freely and for
all governments to stop the use of travel bans against journalists or
dissidents for exercising their right to freedom of expression.

Elsewhere, Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchen has been silenced by the
Chinese government. Wangchen was detained by Chinese authorities in
March 2008 on charges related to his 25-minute documentary titled
"Leaving Fear Behind." The film is based on 40 hours of footage and
over 100 interviews conducted over five months. Filmed in China's Amdo
region (located principally in Qinghai Province), the footage includes
interviews with Tibetans who expressed views on a range of issues from
the Dalai Lama to the human rights situation in Tibetan areas of China.

Wangchen was reportedly beaten, deprived of food and sleep during
interrogations, and held incommunicado for a full year. He was tried in
secret in 2009 and is serving a six year sentence in Xichuan Prison,
Qinghai Province.

The United States urges the Chinese government to respect the universal
human rights of all Chinese citizens.

Press freedom is a fundamental human right that must be respected by all
governments. The United States will continue to shine the spotlight of
international attention on all those who abuse this basic human right.

http://www.voanews.com/policy/editorials/Press-Freedom-Matters--149575695.html