Reporters Without Borders is concerned about the safety of journalists ahead of the inauguration of Joe Biden as President of the United States on January 20. “We have seen during the past year that attacks on journalists have increased dramatically,” says Erik Halkjaer, who is chairman of Reporters Without Borders Sweden.
– We had hoped that it would be over with Donald Trump leaving power, but what happened on January 6 at the Capitol clearly shows that it is not over so we are very worried about what this may mean in the coming days , says Erik Halkjaer, Chairman of Reporters Without Borders Sweden.
In connection with the attack on the Capitol, several journalists were attacked and equipment was destroyed. Since 2017, the US Press Freedom Tracker has been recording when journalists were attacked, arrested and had their equipment destroyed in the United States. More than 500 cases were registered there in 2020.
– Last year, the US Press Freedom Tracker recorded attacks on 290 journalists. That is more than twice as many as during the period 2017-2019. 123 arrested journalists were also noted, which is also more than twice as much as in the previous three years, says Erik Halkjaer
To increase the safety of journalists Erik Halkjaer thinks that Joe Biden must quickly express his support for journalists, journalists’ coverage and freedom of the press when he takes office as president.
– He has already done so, but he needs to do it more and also call on Congress to strengthen the protection of journalists and freedom of the press in the United States through laws. The second is, of course, that those responsible for these various attacks and attacks, including police officers who have arrested journalists, must be held accountable.
What do you think about the future of press freedom and the security of journalists in the United States?
– Freedom of the press in the United States has decreased. It already deteriorated during Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s previous terms. But then it was a lot about how to treat whistleblowers. Under Donald Trump, we have seen a deterioration in how journalists and the media are treated, says Erik Halkjaer and adds:
– I think that Joe Biden can quite easily turn it around by changing the language and relationship to the media. But it has opened up a situation in the US where journalists are open prey to many and very vulnerable so it will probably take a while before this situation can be reversed.
Source: ICELAND NEWS
