Press Freedom
National Press Club Applauds Bail for Al Jazeera Journalists
February 2, 2015
The National Press Club applauded an Egypt judge's decision to grant bail to two Al Jazeera journalists, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, who have been held in jail for more than 400 days. "Bail for these two journalists is a positive sign that Egypt may be listening to voices around the world,"…
Read MoreNational Press Club calls release of Al Jazeera journalist a positive step
February 2, 2015
The National Press Club said Egypt's release of Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste is encouraging and renewed its call for the release of other reporters being held. News reports on Feb. 1 said Greste, an Australian, was released and deported to Cyprus after being held in Egypt for 400 days. He had…
Read MoreNational Press Club expresses outrage at slaying of Japanese journalist
February 2, 2015
The National Press Club deplored the slaying of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto and said the perpetrators must be brought to justice after Japanese authorities said Feb. 1 they believe a video depicting Islamic State militants killing Goto is authentic. Goto, who had been held hostage before his…
Read MoreNational Press Club urges Iran to release jailed Washington Post journalist
January 30, 2015
The National Press Club calls on Iranian leaders to immediately release Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, who has been detained for more than six months with unknown charges against him. "This confinement must end," NPC President John Hughes said. "It is sickening that Iran would jail a…
Read MorePress Freedom panel on Turkey explores government control, acceptance of censorship
January 28, 2015
The administration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and underlying attitudes of Turkish society are the sources of journalists’ restrictions, harassment and arrests in Turkey, panelists at an NPC's Freedom of the Press Committee event said Jan. 27 at the National Press Club. Sevgi…
Read MoreNational Press Club to examine crackdown on press in Turkey Jan 27
January 20, 2015
In the wake of the Turkish government’s December arrests of a large number of opposition journalists and media executives, the National Press Club’s Freedom of the Press Committee is convening a panel to examine repression of the media in Turkey. The event will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 27 from…
Read MoreNational Press Club president urges Egypt to free jailed journalists
January 15, 2015
National Press Club President Myron Belkind, on his last day in office as the Club’s 107th president, appealed Jan. 15 to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to free three Al Jazeera journalists imprisoned in Egypt since December 2013. “President El-Sisi, I appeal to you to free these three…
Read More"I am Charlie” remembrance at NPC this week
January 11, 2015
The National Press Club will honor the victims of the terrorist attack on the office of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris Jan. 7 with a minute of silence at the start of every Club event this week. “We have a very full week of events, including committee meetings, Newsmakers, a…
Read MoreNational Press Club Condemns Deadly Attack on Paris Magazine
January 7, 2015
The National Press Club condemns in the strongest terms the Wednesday shooting attack on a Paris-based magazine that left at least 12 people dead. Late in the morning local time, three masked assailants armed with machine guns entered the offices of the weekly satirical news publication, Charlie…
Read MoreMore lowlights than highlights for press freedom in 2014
December 27, 2014
Press freedom and government transparency in 2014 regressed more than it progressed, according according to a year-end review by the National Press Club's Press Freedom Committee. "While December saw flickers of progress for press freedom, the year mostly saw backsliding worldwide," NPC President…
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