Prédateur

SHEIKH Hasina

Première ministre de la République populaire du Bangladesh depuis le 6 janvier 2009

Prédatrice depuis (au moins) 2014

Première ministre de la République populaire du Bangladesh depuis le 6 janvier 2009

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

MODE DE PRÉDATION : la loi sur la sécurité digitale, arme ultime de l’autocensure

Fille aînée de Sheikh Mujib, héros de l'indépendance du Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina est une figure politique majeure du pays depuis le début des années 1980. Elle s’est longtemps imposée comme figure de proue de l’opposition aux différents régimes autoritaires qui réprimaient les journalistes dans le sang. Puis, à la faveur d’une victoire législative de son parti, elle est nommée Première ministre en janvier 2009. S’ensuit une implacable dérive vers l’autoritarisme, marquée par une répression toujours plus forte de la liberté de la presse. Cette tendance se confirme en 2014, lorsqu’elle remporte d’autant plus facilement les élections que l’opposition n’a tout simplement pas le droit de cité dans les médias d’information. C’est à partir de cette époque que, derrière un discours officiel de respect de la presse, Sheikh Hasina s’enferme dans un système qui ne tolère pas la critique. Et afin de parfaire l’arsenal qui lui permet d’imposer ses vues, son gouvernement met au point, en 2018, la loi sur la sécurité numérique, ou Digital Security Act (DSA). Fort de formulations délibérément floues, le texte est l’arme ultime pour pousser les journalistes à l’autocensure : il punit par exemple de sept ans de réclusion la publication de contenus “susceptibles de perturber l’ordre public”. Pire, les journalistes savent qu’il risquent 14 ans de prison s’ils publient des informations assimilées à de la “propagande contre le père de la nation” - lequel n’est autre que le propre père de Sheikh Hasina. Bref, une zone à la fois très floue, et hautement interdite.

CIBLES DE PRÉDILECTION : les reporters qui dérangent

La loi sur la sécurité numérique permet aux soutiens de Sheikh Hasina de harceler tous les journalistes et blogueurs dont l’expression dérange le pouvoir établi. Environ deux ans après sa mise en application, elle a entraîné des poursuites contre près de 400 individus, dont plus de 70 journalistes et blogueurs. Ceux qui sont arrêtés doivent subir des conditions de détention déplorables - au point que l’un d’eux, Mushtaq Ahmed, a trouvé la mort en prison en février 2021. Sur le terrain, le bras armé de Sheikh Hasina est incarné par les supporters de son parti, la ligue Awami, et ceux de sa branche étudiante, la ligue Chhatra. Dès qu’un mouvement social, ou des élections agitent les rues, ces militants poursuivent, harcèlent ou violentent les reporters afin de les empêcher de couvrir les événements - au point d’aboutir à de véritables lynchages. Pour la plupart, cela se finit à l’hôpital. Dans certains cas, à la morgue.

DISCOURS OFFICIEL : imposer les “vraies” informations

“Les journalistes qui ne publient pas de fausses informations n’ont pas de souci à se faire quant à la loi sur la sécurité numérique.” Cette loi permet justement au gouvernement de décider quelle information est “vraie” ou “fausse” (octobre 2018).

Publié le 05.07.2021