Press Freedom

Club welcomes court decision to protect reporter's source

December 17, 2014

The National Press Club welcomed an appellate court's decision that an Illinois reporter cannot be compelled to reveal the identity of an anonymous source. The Third District Appellate Court on Monday overturned a Will County circuit court's ruling that Patch.com editor Joseph Hosey must reveal who…

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National Press Club Dismayed Over Reported Arrests of Turkish Journalists

December 14, 2014

The National Press Club president expressed concern over reports that Turkish authorities have arrested a couple of dozen people in what appears to be a crackdown on media outlets that are critical of the Turkish government. In an apparent attempt to silence detractors of Turkish President Recep…

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National Press Club Pleased at Reported Decision in Risen Case

December 13, 2014

Leaders of the National Press Club expressed relief at reports that the Justice Department will not force a reporter to disclose in court the identity of a confidential source. At issue is the case of James Risen, a New York Times reporter who wrote a 2006 book, State of War, that disclosed…

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National Press Club urges Iran to free Washington Post reporter

December 10, 2014

The National Press Club pressed the government of Iran on Wednesday to do its utmost to free a Washington Post reporter who has been in jail for 140 days and counting. Jason Rezaian has been imprisoned without any public airing of his charge, the Post reports. He is not permitted to see a lawyer,…

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Publishers to discuss threats to press freedom in Latin America at Newsmaker Tuesday

November 30, 2014

Publishers from two leading newspapers in Latin America will discuss threats to press freedom in the region at a National Press Club Newsmakers news conference on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 10 a.m. in the Zenger Room. Speaking will be Miguel Henrique Otero, owner/publisher of El Nacional, the most…

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Press Club welcomes statements urging end to impunity in the murder of journalists

November 3, 2014

The National Press Club on Nov. 3 warmly welcomed recent calls by the White House and the United Nations to end the widespread impunity that has been the response to the murder of hundreds of journalists around the world. Since 1992, 632 journalists have been murdered with complete impunity,…

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Post publishes Letter to Editor from NPC president urging release of journalists

November 3, 2014

The Washington Post published the following letter from Myron Belkind, president of the National Press Club, on Oct. 31: “Glossing over repression” (an Oct. 29 editorial in the Washington Post) lamented “the elimination of a once-robust free press” in Egypt. The National Press Club is deeply…

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National Press Club joins petition urging protection for digital reporting

October 15, 2014

The National Press Club has joined some 7,000 media organizations, journalists and other individuals in calling on President Barack Obama to protect what the campaign calls the “Right to Report in the Digital Age.” In backing the petition, the NPC has argued that surveillance, intimidation, and…

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National Press Club deplores Islamic State murders of journalists

October 15, 2014

The National Press Club expressed outrage Tuesday at reports that the Islamic State militant group has killed a second journalist, the second in two days. According to Reporters Without Borders, Mohanad Al-Aqidi, the Sada news agency’s Mosul correspondent, was murdered Oct. 13 by several gun shots…

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Egyptian reporter, National Press Club urge release of Cairo's jailed journalists

September 30, 2014

A reporter whom Egyptian authorities had imprisoned without charge for 10 months has issued a video statement at the National Press Club urging the government in Cairo to release at least 11 other journalists who are still in jail. Abdullah Elshamy, a reporter for Al Jazeera Arabic, was imprisoned…

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