Depredador(a)

Imran KHAN

Primer ministro de la República Islámica de Pakistán desde el 18 de agosto de 2018

Depredador desde que asumió el cargo

Pakistán, 145°/180 en la Clasificación Mundial de la Libertad de Prensa 2021

Dear [Name of Candidate],

I am writing to ask you what you plan to do to defend the First Amendment, freedom of the press, and the fundamental rights of journalists to practice their profession freely in what has become an increasingly hostile environment for information and news providers.

The United States, which enshrines press freedom in the First Amendment of its Constitution, is currently witnessing a drastic decline in media freedom. On June 28, one of the most horrific attacks on press freedom in the United States occurred when five employees, including four reporters, were killed at the Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland. According to the US Press Freedom Tracker, which comprehensively documents press freedom violations in the US committed by national, state, and local authorities as well as private individuals, 33 journalists were arrested, 43 were physically attacked, and 15 seizures of journalists’ equipment occurred in 2017. In one of these incidents, Rep. Greg Gianforte physically assaulted a Guardian journalist the night before his state’s election. While covering the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, journalists were impersonated on social media, impeding their ability to accurately investigate the facts and disseminate information which could be vital to preventing a similar tragedy. This hostility towards the press not only risks compromising the American public’s right to be informed through journalists’ reporting, but can also degrade the public’s trust in the media itself.

This is not a partisan issue; it is a fundamental right that impacts every American no matter their politics. Journalism is at the crux of our democracy, and communities everywhere rely on journalists to provide them with information that is essential to their daily decision-making processes. It was local investigative journalist Curt Guyette who broke the story about Flint, Michigan’s lack of access to clean water in 2014, prompting years of class-action lawsuits, protests, and subsequent federal assistance to the city in order to try to resolve the crisis. Reporters Megan Twohey, Jodi Kantor, and Ronan Farrow publicized sexual assault allegations against influential Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in 2017, leading to the ubiquitous and powerful #MeToo movement which brought decades of sexual abuse and harassment across multiple industries to light.

Yet freedom of the press in the US is currently in dire need of congressional support. It is our civic duty as one of the world’s leading democracies to uphold principles that support and protect the rights of journalists so that they may hold those in power accountable and ensure an informed and engaged community.

If you are elected, what do you plan to do to protect this utterly essential component of our democracy? What are your plans to protect the public’s right to be informed through a free and independent press?

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Hello, my name is _______ and I am from [city, state].

I’m calling to let you know that [candidate/representative]'s stance on freedom of the press is extremely important in my decision to vote. I feel that this is not a partisan issue, but a fundamental right that impacts every American no matter their politics.

I have become increasingly concerned with the growing climate of hostility for journalists in this country, and I would like for [candidate/representative] to publicly address what they will do to defend press freedom if [he/she] is elected.

Thank you.

Freedom of the press is suffering in the US. @[yourcandidate] if you are elected to serve in Congress, what are your plans to protect journalists and our right to be informed? Will you #DefendPressFreedom?

Democracy depends on a free and independent press and its ability to hold those in power accountable. [@yourcandidate] will you take measures to protect journalism and the First Amendment? Will you #DefendPressFreedom?

In June, four reporters were murdered in an appalling targeted attack on the Capital Gazette and freedom of the press. [@yourcandidate] what will you do to address the growing threat to journalists in this country? #DefendPressFreedom

Press freedom is in steady decline in the US. I want my representative to defend the work of journalists as well as my right to be informed. [@yourcandidate] if you are elected what will you do to protect a free press? #DefendPressFreedom

Journalists play a crucial role in our democracy by keeping us informed and holding those in power accountable. And yet in the US, attacks on journalists are becoming more common, undermining the media's role and creating opportunities for government overreach, the erosion of press freedom, and impeding our right to be informed. I’m contacting my candidates and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. Join me at DefendPressFreedom.com

A free press is essential to our democracy. Communities everywhere rely on journalists to report on our government’s actions and hold public figures accountable, providing us with the information we need to make decisions every day. And yet physical, verbal, and online attacks against journalists in the US are increasing at an astonishing rate. I’m contacting my candidates and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. You should too. Read more at DefendPressFreedom.com

Press freedom is declining in the US at an alarming rate. Physical, verbal, and online attacks against journalists have increased drastically in the last two years. As the US midterm elections approach, we must remind our congressional candidates that journalists play a crucial role in our democracy by keeping us informed and holding those in power accountable. I’m contacting my representatives and encouraging them to defend press freedom during their midterm election campaign. Join in and help me spread the word at DefendPressFreedom.com

MÉTODO DE DEPREDACIÓN: militar con tendencias dictatoriales

Imran Khan sabe cómo atraer los focos. Exestrella del equipo nacional de cricket y celebridad de moda en los eventos elegantes de las capitales europeas, se dedicó a las actividades filantrópicas durante un tiempo, antes de lanzarse a la política en la década de 1990. Durante muchos años, su partido fue subsistiendo sin muchas probabilidades de ganar… Pero todo cambió en las elecciones legislativas de 2018: a la sombra del candidato Khan se fragua un brusco regreso al “Estado profundo”, eufemismo que, en el contexto paquistaní, se refiere al control permanente, sobre el poder civil, del ejército y de Interservicios de Inteligencia (ISI), los temibles servicios secretos. Con una ideología que mezcla populismo y conservadurismo religioso, Imran Khan emerge como el candidato ideal para desenvolverse bien en la arena pública sin cuestionar la omnipotencia de los militares. A él los focos, los medios pro gubernamentales, las redes sociales, las polémicas por el derecho a la blasfemia... A la sombra, el estamento militar, que no tolera injerencias en sus asuntos y se esfuerza por reprimir toda forma de periodismo independiente. Desde la llegada de Imran Khan al poder, los casos de censura descarada son innumerables: cortes de la distribución de periódicos, chantajes a la publicidad, interferencias en la señal de los canales de televisión, etc. Los periodistas que cruzan las líneas rojas suelen ser víctimas de secuestros, torturas y amenazas. De hecho, tras el foco del poder civil (Imran Khan), desde las sombras, se han reactivado los peores momentos de dictadura militar que conoce Pakistán.

OBJETIVOS PREDILECTOS: los críticos

"Deja de cubrir los asuntos que molestan o tu familia volverá a verte con vida". Este es, en esencia, el mensaje que se transmite a los numerosos periodistas y blogueros que, desde que Imran Khan llegó al poder, han sufrido secuestros y amenazas de muerte contra ellos y sus familias. Incluso quienes, por razones de seguridad, se han resignado a vivir en el exilio, son sometidos a intentos de intimidación que pueden llegar incluso a la agresión física en suelo extranjero. El ciberespacio, el último reducto de la información libre, está rigurosamente controlado por el gobierno de Imran Khan a través de medidas de censura cada vez más liberticidas. En internet, ejércitos de trolls injurian y acosan a cualquier periodista o bloguero que se atreva a manifestar una opinión crítica, por lo que automáticamente se les acusa de estar en contra de Pakistán, del ejército o de Khan. Rizar el rizo.

DISCURSO OFICIAL: humor dudoso

“Pakistán tiene una de las prensas más libres del mundo. (...) Decir que hay restricciones contra la prensa paquistaní es una broma". (Conferencia de prensa en Washington, en julio de 2019, horas después de que las pantallas del principal canal de televisión paquistaní, Geo TV, se vieran reemplazadas por un fundido en negro).