United States Agency for Global Media

USAGM CEO Amanda Bennett reflects ahead of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists

November 1, 2024

Washington, D.C. — WASHINGTON – U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) CEO Amanda Bennett issued the following statement ahead of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists:

“Journalists are the lifeblood of a free society, yet their work is increasingly dangerous. As conflicts rage in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Burma, journalists—including USAGM networks’ own – risk their lives daily to report the truth. This year, RFE/RL journalists have suffered severe injuries covering the war in Ukraine, while MBN journalists working in Gaza and Lebanon have had their lives uprooted by the ongoing conflict.

Authoritarian regimes like the People’s Republic of China, Russia, and Iran routinely reach beyond their borders to harm, harass, and threaten journalists from their countries who are working abroad. Just last week, the U.S. charged Iranian operatives with the attempted assassination of VOA Persian Service contributor Masih Alinejad in 2023. This type of accountability is far from the norm. According to UNESCO, in 9 out of 10 cases, those responsible for attacks on journalists are never brought to justice.

Journalists face a new range of threats as illiberal regimes use foreign agent laws, harassment, imprisonment and bans to intimidate and sow fear. Just recently, Office of Cuba Broadcasting’s Radio Marti host Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet was detained by Cuban police near his home in Havana. No immediate explanation was provided for the latest detention, but Biscet has been repeatedly jailed and detained by Cuban authorities for his pro-democracy and human rights activism, most recently in September 2024. Cases like Dr. Biscet’s are unfortunately far too common. Exiled USAGM network journalists from Russia, Southeast Asia, and more have been forced to flee their countries to avoid persecution.

Meanwhile, in China, dozens of family members related to RFA’s Uyghur journalists are missing or detained. Ten journalists working for USAGM’s editorially independent news networks are currently imprisoned in Vietnam, Belarus, Russian-occupied Ukraine, Syria, and Burma.

When journalists are silenced, so is the truth. On this International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, and every day, USAGM will continue to advocate for wrongly imprisoned journalists and stand up for the right to cover the facts without fear of retribution. We call on the international community and democracies everywhere to stand with us in support of press freedom.”

Throughout November, USAGM will continue to share the courageous stories of journalists at VOA, RFE/RL, OCB, RFA, and MBN on its social media channels to shed light on the challenges they face while reporting the objective truth. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Threads, and YouTube, or at USAGM.gov to learn more.