Today is World Press Freedom Day, an annual day of advocacy for the freedom of the press, as well as commemoration for journalists who are suffering restriction and imprisonment, or have made the ultimate sacrifice, for the sake of the free flow of information. “As they investigate sensitive issues, unveil disturbing truths and question policies, journalists find themselves in the firing line of those directly or indirectly exposed by their reports,” writes the World Association of Newspapers (ENG, RUS).

In the lead-up to the event, four members of Reporters Sans Frontiers have have been on a hunger strike since this past Tuesday in support of Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi, who has been sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran on a charge of spying for the United States. The day before, in Paris, the RSF also staged an event for Euna Lee and Laura Ling, the two Asian-American journalists currently being held by the North Korean government. “The detention of Saberi, Lee and Ling on arbitrary charges demonstrates more than ever the importance of World Press Freedom Day,” writes the RSF (ENG, FRE).

Obviously, if journalists from the world’s leading power aren’t safe, then imagine the danger faced by journalists and their support staff throughout the world. We here at neweurasia still recall the murder of Alisher Saipov. Meanwhile, The Registan runs an on-going tally of the murdered journalists of Central Asia.

According to an e-mail from a source who wishes to remain anonymous, Radio Free Europe’s Afghanistan service, Radio Azadi, routinely receives threats from the Taliban. Last year, two of its reporters were kidnapped by the insurgent group, but were later freed.  As of this past Wednesday, the group has threatened a suicide bombing against Radio Azadi’s main bureau in Kabul.

But World Press Freedom Day isn’t just about slain reporters: it’s about everyone. Freedom of the press saves and improves lives. “Azadi has a real impact in the country,” the source writes in an e-mail “A would-be suicide bomber once called them and said, ‘Thanks to your programs, I have decided not to explode myself.’ Can you imagine?”

The neweurasia network is committed to the belief that those reported upon must also be the reporter. In the new era, it is no longer enough for a few intrepid souls to be the voice of the marginalized, overlooked, and unseen; everyday citizens must make the news theirs. For this reason, an attack on any one journalist is in reality an attack on all peoples.

Further reading:

• “The Eight Most Threatened Journalists in Afghanistan” by Kamran Mir Azar (ENG).
• RSF’s Press Freedom Index, updated daily (ENG, FRE) .
• Freedom House’s 2009 Press Freedom Survey (ENG).
• iCasualty.org‘s list of journalists killed in Iraq (ENG).
• Advancing the Story blog’s remarks on the situation of press culture in the United States (ENG).