Reporters Without Borders press freedom index

Josh Stearns of Free Press has been tracking arrests of journalists covering Occupy protests since September. He tracks using news outlets, social media, and tips, and always reaches out to confirm the details with each journalist. He did this for me when I was arrested Jan. 28 covering Occupy Oakland.

According to Stearns, 70 journalists have been arrested while covering Occupy protests in 12 cities around the country.

In an annual survey of worldwide freedom of the press released Jan. 23 by Reporters without Borders, the United States ranks 47th, a fall from last year’s 20th place ranking. According to the group, the US “owed its fall of 27 places to the many arrests of journalist covering Occupy Wall Street protests.”

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by Josh Stearns — March 14, 2012
Free Press Action Fund

How should we respond to the unprecedented rise in attacks on freedom of the press we are witnessing worldwide?

From foreign correspondents and citizen reporters being targeted and killed in Syria to new cases of press suppression and intimidation here at home, recent months have provided a series of stark reminders about the risks journalists take to bring us the news we need.

However, we are also seeing the rise of a new era of journalism advocates — ordinary people in communities around the country who are standing up for our freedoms and taking action to protect the First Amendment. For too long we have taken the First Amendment for granted, but increasingly we are taking responsibility for it. In the last few months, more than 40,000 Free Press members sent letters and made phone calls to their mayors, demanding that charges be dropped for the nearly 70 journalists who have been arrested while trying to cover Occupy protests nationwide.

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