Hannah Diffee
Professor Reppert
Introduction to Mass Communication
Dec. 2022
Term Paper 4 - Legal Constraints on International Journalists
Growing up in a country where our rights to free speech are protected under the Constitution, it is distressing to realize that so many people in countries around the world are not guaranteed these same rights. The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Journalists in the United States and other free countries have the ability to report on whatever issues they want. Even people known as whistleblowers who report on scandals within governments or other organizations retain their rights to freedom of the press. While we as citizens are free to share our opinions through social media, television, newspapers, and other media forms, many countries have strict censorship laws that prohibit such behavior. In places such as Iran and Cuba, this suppression of free speech makes journalists a prime target for attack. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 63 journalists have been killed worldwide this year. Of these deaths, the majority were murders or the result of dangerous assignments.
Iran
One country that poses a great danger to journalists is Iran. In September, protests erupted in the middle-eastern nation after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old citizen who was killed for supposedly violating the country's strict dress law. Amini had been in the custody of The Guidance Patrol, Iran's religious morality police, for not wearing her hijab properly. She died under "suspicious circumstances."
Iranian law enforcement claimed that Amini had a heart attack and fell into a coma before they could safely take her to a hospital. However, eyewitness reports and leaked medical records indicate that Amini was severely beaten by the police and died as a result.
As of November 29th, 71 journalists have been arrested amid protests over Amini's death. According to Reporters Without Borders, Iran is one of the world's ten worst countries for press freedom. The country is among the lowest scoring for all environments - political, economic, legislative, social, and security - that RWB measures in its Press Freedom Index. Iran's media is largely controlled by the Islamic regime, which means that any anti-government media is censored. The only way most Iranians can access important information is through foreign outlets. RWB states, "At least 1,000 journalists and citizen-journalists have been arrested, detained, murdered, disappeared or executed by the Iranian regime since 1979." Cuba
One dangerous country for journalists on our side of the globe is Cuba. I feel like many people, myself included, often forget how close Cuba is to the United States. The southernmost point of Florida, Key West, is a mere 103 miles from Cuba's capital city. An oppressive communist state is closer in distance to our country than SAU is to my home. It is an interesting thought. According to RWB, "Cuba remains, year in and year out, the worst country for press freedom in Latin America." Media in Cuba is heavily monitored and maintained by the Cuban Communist Party. The government controls all internet access, so people who share their views through social media and blogs are often imprisoned or persecuted. Independent journalists in Cuba are kept under close watch and are subject to interrogation and sometimes deletion of their work. Under the country's constitution, there can be no privately owned press. Though the Cuban constitution provides for freedom of expression (including for the press), the expression must adhere to the socialist regime and not criticize government leaders. (US Department of State)
Though coverage of Cuban media incidents has been lacking these past few months, journalists are far from safe. In June, independent journalist Alberto Corzo was assaulted by two agents from the Department of State security, according to the CPJ. Corzo was on his way to a reporting assignment when the agents stopped him and asked what he was doing. When Corzo refused to respond and entered a taxi to leave, the men followed him and punched and kicked him repeatedly.
In August, Cuban journalist Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca was sentenced to five years in prison for sharing "enemy propaganda." He was held in pretrial detention for over a year after giving a report on his YouTube channel about pro-democracy pamphlets that someone had thrown from a Havana building. CPJ representatives argued that authorities thoroughly investigate the attack and bring those responsible to justice.
The restrictions in countries like Iran and Cuba cannot realistically continue in an era of internet reportage. It is impossible for governments to eliminate all forms of communication, and with the growing use of social media worldwide, opinions and information can spread like wildfire. Last year, Cuba introduced a new decree that suspended internet services for individuals who have committed "cyber crimes" against the government. Many young Cubans used social media to criticize the measure, and this seemed to be quite effective. Because of social media, the anti-government protests that broke out all across the island nation last July gained worldwide recognition. Social media has proven to be a powerful tool in countries where people's voices are typically suppressed.
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