Predator

SHEIKH Hasina

Primeira Ministra da República Popular de Bangladesh desde 6 de janeiro de 2009

Predadora desde (pelo menos) 2014

Bangladesh, 152o/180 no Ranking Mundial da Liberdade de Imprensa 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

MODO DE PREDAÇÃO: a lei sobre segurança digital, arma definitiva da autocensura

Filha mais velha do Sheikh Mujib, herói da independência de Bangladesh, Sheika Hasina é uma importante figura política no país desde o início dos anos 1980. Estabeleceu-se há muito tempo como personagem central na oposição aos vários regimes autoritários que reprimiam jornalistas com violência. Graças a uma vitória legislativa de seu partido, foi nomeada Primeira-Ministra em janeiro de 2009. A partir daí, entretanto, passou a seguir uma linha autoritária, marcada por uma repressão cada vez mais forte à liberdade de imprensa. Essa tendência foi confirmada em 2014, quando ganhou as eleições com ainda mais facilidade porque a oposição simplesmente não tinha o direito de ser mencionada nos meios de comunicação. Foi a partir dessa época que, por trás de um discurso oficial de respeito à imprensa, Sheika Hasina se consolidou politicamente a partir de um sistema que não tolera críticas. E para completar o arsenal que lhe permite impor seus pontos de vista, seu governo finalizou, em 2018, a Lei de Segurança Digital (Digital Security Act, DSA). Recheado de formulações deliberadamente vagas, o texto é a arma definitiva para empurrar os jornalistas à autocensura. Por exemplo, pune com sete anos de prisão a publicação de conteúdos “suscetíveis de perturbar a ordem pública”. Pior, os jornalistas sabem que correm o risco de pegar 14 anos de prisão se publicarem informações identificadas como “propaganda contra o patriarca da nação” - que não é outro senão o próprio pai de Sheika Hasina. Em resumo, um campo de atuação extremamente vago e proibitivo.

ALVOS PREFERIDOS: repórteres incômodos

A Lei de Segurança Digital permite que partidários de Sheika Hasina assediem todos os jornalistas e blogueiros cuja expressão incomode o poder estabelecido. Cerca de dois anos após sua implementação, o dispositivo levou a julgamento quase 400 pessoas, incluindo mais de 70 jornalistas e blogueiros. Aqueles que são presos devem suportar condições deploráveis de detenção - a ponto de um deles, Mushtaq Ahmed, ter morrido na prisão em fevereiro de 2021. Em campo, o braço armado de Sheika Hasina é personificado por apoiadores de seu partido, a liga Awami, e por aqueles de seu ramo estudantil, a liga Chhatra. Sempre que um movimento social ou eleições agitam as ruas, esses ativistas perseguem, assediam ou agridem os repórteres para impedi-los de cobrir os acontecimentos, culminando em verdadeiros linchamentos. A maioria das vítimas acaba no hospital. Em alguns casos, no necrotério.

DISCURSO OFICIAL: impor informações "verdadeiras"

“Jornalistas que não publicam notícias falsas não precisam se preocupar com a Lei de Segurança Digital”. Essa lei permite que o governo decida quais informações são “verdadeiras” ou “falsas” (outubro de 2018).

Publié le 05.07.2021