Depredador(a)

Ramzan KADYROV

Presidente de la república rusa de Chechenia desde 2007

Depredador desde que llegó al poder

Rusia, 150º/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: el reinado del terror

Ramzan Kadyrov ha instaurado un clima de temor para los periodistas en la república de Chechenia. Con el apoyo del sistema judicial y de las fuerzas del orden, censura, amenaza, agrede y encarcela a los profesionales de los medios de comunicación. En Chechenia, las amenazas de muerte y las agresiones físicas contra los periodistas se cometen con la mayor impunidad, y la policía local se comporta con una pasividad deliberada. Kadyrov, quien se hace llamar "soldado de infantería de Vladimir Putin", utiliza alegremente los medios nacionales -como el canal público Grozny- para difundir su propaganda, y los "escuadrones de la muerte" del Cáucaso ruso apuntan periódicamente a la diáspora crítica que se ha refugiado en el extranjero.

OBJETIVOS PREDILECTOS: aniquilar a todas las voces críticas

Hay que combatir a cualquier voz crítica. Ramzan Kadyrov, a quien le gusta calificar a los medios liberales rusos como "traidores" y "enemigos del pueblo", lidera una política de rechazo categórico a cualquier información crítica, por moderada que sea. En su guerra contra la información independiente, su visión de los medios es paranoica. Cualquier medio de comunicación o periodista que no informe de los discursos oficiales o que no glorifique al líder es atacado. En plena crisis sanitaria, en 2020, Ramzan Kadyrov amenazó de muerte a la periodista Elena Milachina después de que esta publicase en el diario Novaya Gazeta un artículo que criticaba las violaciones de los derechos humanos perpetradas en Chechenia con el pretexto de luchar contra la pandemia de Covid-19. Esto fue antes de lograr que el servicio federal ruso de control de las comunicaciones, Roskomnadzor, suprimiera el artículo. Ni siquiera están a salvo las voces críticas que se han refugiado en el extranjero: en 2020, el periodista Giorgi Gabounia escapó de un intento de asesinato en Georgia, presuntamente ordenado por el líder de Chechenia, mientras que un bloguero checheno fue atacado en Suecia.

DISCURSO OFICIAL: los enemigos

El 4 de noviembre de 2019, Ramzan Kadyrov declaró que quienes difunden información negativa sobre la república debían ser "asesinados, encarcelados e intimidados".
"Quienes difunden rumores son nuestros primeros enemigos. Somos responsables del orden y la seguridad en nuestra región. (...) Quienes publican tales informaciones deben ser identificados y sancionados las 24 horas del día".
"Lucharemos muy duro contra estas personas [los periodistas]. Siembran la confusión entre nosotros, quiebran nuestra armonía y después nos empujan a luchar los unos contra los otros". (Declaraciones hechas el 28 de enero de 2020, durante una reunión con los jefes de las agencias policiales de Chechenia, y de las que se hizo eco la cadena Grozny.)

Publié le 17.11.2016