FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 29, 2007
CONTACT: Scott Goodstein, Defend The Press, 202-256-8320, email: sgcatalyst AT aol.com; John Stauber, Center for Media and Democracy, 608-260-9713, email: john AT prwatch.org
Growing Coalition Demands the Army Withdraw Its Subpoena of Journalist Sarah Olson
Prominent Journalists, Media Organizations and Thousands of Citizens Defend the Press
Submitted by John Stauber on
Journalist Doug Ireland writes today on his blog Direland, "I was more than happy to lend my name in support of Sarah Olson's courageous and principled refusal to join in the prosecution effort to send Lt.
We've seen a powerful show of support for our Defend The Press campaign against military intimidation and harassment of journalists including Sarah Olson. In the past 72 hours Defend the Press has been endorsed by a diversity of news media and public interest organizations from Free Press to the Organic Consumers Association, from Mother Jones to Mothering magazines. Some of these organizations have sent emails to their thousands of members urging support for the campaign. Others have posted banners at the top of their websites. The National Press Club issued a news release on behalf of Sarah Olson and other subpoenaed journalists, and endorsed Defend The Press.
Legendary talk show host Phil Donahue has written a column defending the rights of Sarah Olson. Here's the text:
No Substitute for Free and Unfettered News Gathering
By Phil Donahue
Submitted by John Stauber on
Add the National Press Club to a growing list of journalists fighting back against military harassment of the press. In a news release, "The National Press Club today announced its opposition to the U.S. Army's subpoenas of Oakland, CA, freelance journalist Sarah Olson and Honolulu Star Bulletin reporter Gregg Kakesako. The subpoenas call for the reporters to testify at the Feb. 5 court martial of Army Lt.
Lt. Gen. James Dubik
Commanding General
Fort Lewis and I Corps
Bldg 2025 Stop 1
Fort Lewis WA 98433
January 24, 2007
Lt. General Dubik,
We write to object to the Army's efforts to compel journalists to testify in the court-martial of Lt. Ehren Watada.
Contact: www.DefendThePress.org
Scott Goodstein, Defend The Press, (202) 256-8320
Sarah Olson, Free Press Working Group, (415) 298-5573
John Stauber, Center for Media and Democracy, (608) 260-9713
Email: Editor AT PRWatch.org
SARAH OLSON, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST, FACES PRISON FOR SIMPLY DOING HER JOB
Submitted by John Stauber on
Marc Cooper writes in The Nation's website that Sarah Olson's "plight hasn't gotten much attention from professional media associations, in part because she's not being asked to reveal a confidential source but only to verify what's already been published, and no doubt in part because she works primarily for small alternative outlets. Olson is being defended, however, by the First Amendment Project in Oakland on a pro bono basis.
Submitted by John Stauber on
Editor and Publisher reports that "a petition challenging U.S. Army subpoenas ordering reporters to testify in the court martial of an Army lieutenant has drawn more than 50 signatures from prominent media members, and will be placed online for more to sign later this week. Sarah Olson, a freelance journalist and radio producer in San Francisco, began circulating the petition last week, which supports her efforts and those of Honolulu Star Bulletin reporter Gregg Kakesako to oppose the order to testify.
Submitted by John Stauber on
Author Norman Solomon writes, "We often hear that the Pentagon exists to defend our freedoms. But the Pentagon is moving against press freedom. ... People who run wars are notoriously hostile to a free press. They're quick to praise it -- unless the reporting goes beyond mere stenography for the war-makers and actually engages in journalism that makes the military command uncomfortable. Evidently, that's why the Pentagon subpoenaed Sarah Olson.
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