by Catcher on the Rhein
Today, on the 3rd of May, we celebrate the World Press Freedom Day to remind all governments of their commitment to protect the freedom of the press and to support the media against restriction and abolition of its freedoms. We asked some of our writers, editors and translators what Press Freedom means to them:
Many journalists around the globe are being imprisoned or even murdered for the topics they cover. For me freedom of press means not thinking about punishment for what you're writing, whether it's criticism of the regime, or nepotism, or investigating where our tax money go because people must know who they're governed by and why their lives are not getting better. - Aizere
Freedom of press should be a part of human rights. I was born and raised in Indonesia where freedom of press is now recognized as a human right. On daily basis, there are a lot of aspects in our press, from critiques to government until entertainment itself, presented in many forms, such as writings, illustrations, et cetera. However, before I was born, the freedom of press was still not recognized in Indonesia. At that time, the government was controlling everything. The turning point was during the Reformation Era (1999), the Indonesian press was no longer under the government’s control, but instead became a free press and had responsibility to the public interest. - Nina
Freedom of press for me is sharing important information. Transparency is crucial to work together on issues, that concern all of us. - Britta
The press freedom in my opinion is as important as basic human rights. Once the press could not speak the truth to public, we would be living in cage that we would not even be able to notice the fact that we were caged. - Monica
The opportunity to express truth, whatever that truth may be. Sure we’ve been fortunate to live in a time where communication is easier and news is even faster, yet we still struggle with being able to do either one appropriately.
As we celebrate the freedom of press, I urge us all to be mindful of information and the power that words hold. The access to truth, the opportunity to share it & the willingness to hear the words of others is what the freedom of press is all about. - Tyra
Free press for me is not only about delivering any information to the wider audience but to also be the voice of those who are not represented in the society. All this while having complete security. - Putra
For me, freedom of the press means being able to hear several opinions. Through diverse, well-researched texts, which may differ in their perspective but are based on the same facts, I have the chance to create a picture of world. Knowledge makes you free and without (press)freedom democracy suffers. - Jan
Free Press overlays unlimited access to information and opinions. But, freedom of press has costs and it is inevitable to avoid countermeasures which are against those premises, and have shaped the narrow minded society. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge the opinion of the people, to influence now and the future. - Bobby
Because of press freedom we allowed to express our opinions freely and question the status quo openly. At the same time, we have access to a wide range of opinions that enable us to look beyond our own believes. It is a privilege that is constantly threatened by narrow-mindedness and intolerance. Seeing the sacrifices so many people have made and are continuing to make while fighting for it, I believe that it is for each and everyone of us to do our part to protect it. We all have to speak up and refuse to be silenced. - Anne