Term Paper 4 - Legal Constraints on International Journalists

Gwen Gunnels 

Professor Reppert 

Mass Communication 

November 12, 2020 

Legal Constraints on International Journalists

        In the United States, journalists operate under the Constitutional protection of Freedom of the Press to speak and write publicly about our country's issues and governmental leaders. Our country's right to a free press, specified in the First Amendment of the Constitution, gives citizens and members of the press the freedom to speak and write about personal beliefs or politics without the fear of jail time or even worse forms of punishment. In other countries such as North Korea, China, and Turkmenistan, they do not have the same privileges. In many of those nations, the press and journalists are government controlled. Journalists are not free to relay information to the people of these countries without the fear of intense punishment. Many people in the United States do not know of the overwhelming amount of pressure journalists are under in these countries. To fully understand, one must examine the legal constraints on these journalists and the repressive laws that keep them from what they do best, in this paper, I will be examining just that. 

        In North Korea, the regime has full control of files broadcasted over the national intranet. This is because the country only allows the citizens to hear and read what they want them to. Citizens are monitored by the government to see if they are viewing any media that is based outside of the country; if so, they can be arrested and even sent to concentration camps. The only permitted news source the country has is The Korean Central News Agency. Although Agence France-Presse and the Associated Press have opened bureaus in North Korea, the country still has control over everything that goes on in the media (RSF). To prevent the sharing of information, the dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, had authorities enforce the use of radio signal blockers when he took power. Journalists in North Korea do not have the freedom to speak about the country in a way that puts it in a bad light. Son Hyo-rim and Yang Ji-ho, two journalists from South Korea, were sentenced to death in 2017 after reviewing a book discussing the ordinary lives in North Korea called North Korea Confidential. They were killed for "insulting the dignity of the country". Their publishers were sentenced to death as well (CPJ).

        China is another country that has many laws that regulate journalists. Like North Korea, China participates in the online servalence of its citizens. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, "China has the world's most extensive and sophisticated censorship apparatus". The Communist party has close control of the media and creates obstacles for foreign journalists to face. Currently, there are over 100 journalists are detained in life-threatening conditions, resulting in two detained journalists to die from untreated cancers. Also, many citizens can be thrown into prison for what they comment on news sources or for sharing content (RSF). China is one of the few countries in the world that has a "Kill Switch" over the internet which can block the entire interet from being used in China. Recently, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, China has tightened its control of the media even more. The government has censored many keywords associated with the pandemic on social networks and have arrested three journalists in connection with the pandemic. This has created many questions about how the virus is being handled in China. 

       

         Similarly, the country of Turkmenistan struggles with the same aspects of repressed journalism. The government controls the media and the few people who can access the internet can only access a highly-censored version of it. One of the only places this internet can be accessed is in internet Cafe´s, where citizens have to show ID's to access the internet. This one accessible internet browser does not cease the physical torment that can come to many journalists in the country. Many journalists have to stop working so that they do not end up killed or arrested. To keep the cities "visibly appealing" the government has removed satellite dishes, resulting in many people losing their final source of uncontrolled media coverage (RSF). An independent Journalist named Achilova has been terrorized by the Turkmen authorities for her work as a journalist in the country. Not only has Achilova been threatened, she has been physically assaulted and targeted. In March of 2019, Achilova was trying to leave the country to attend an international seminar in Tbilsi, Georgia, when she was stopped and told she could not leave. Many other independent journalists in Turkmenistan have been targeted in the same way. 

        

Achilova - Journalist in Turkmenistan

        

        According to the RSF Violation of Press Freedom Barometer, thirty-four journalists and three media assistants have been killed worldwide in 2020. Also, there are currently 246 journalists, 119 citizens journalists, and 14 media assistance imprisoned worldwide. With today's technology, journalists may be able to find ways to relay information, but because these countries closely monitor their citizen's social media interaction, it is hard for journalists to use the internet to their advantage. However; the current lack of access to social media does not mean there cannot be opportunities for journalists in the future. With new advancements in social media as well as what is known as the "Dark Net", journalists can find ways to reach other citizens and inform people from other countries of new information that they obtain. 

        Many citizens of the United States do not understand how much freedom we are given. Not only are we free to speak our minds without the fear of death, torment, or control, but we can access any form of social media or news network we want. Countries that do not have this privilege are left with little or no information about their truths of their own country, or other places in the world, and are blatantly lied to about important information in the media. It is important to stay updated on information regarding journalists from these countries and the legal constraints that surround them. By following information given by Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and other trustworthy organizations, we can stay informed on what is going on in our country as well as in other countries that may not enjoy the freedoms we possess.