US State Sec. urges more efforts for journalists’ security

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on Friday for doubling international efforts to ensure the security of journalists across the world. In a press statement marking World Press Freedom Day, Blinken stressed the integral, vibrant, independent role played by media in democratic societies. "The free flow of accurate information, ideas, and opinions, including dissenting ones, is essential for transparent, responsive, and inclusive governance," he said. In their pursuit of truth, journalists face unprecedented danger just for doing their jobs, he said, adding that more journalists were killed in 2023 than in any year in recent memory. "Authoritarian governments and non-state actors continue to use disinformation and propaganda to undermine social discourse and impede journalists' efforts to inform the public, hold governments accountable, and bring the truth to light". He went to say that governments that fear truthful reporting have proved "willing to target individual journalists, including throu gh the misuse of commercial spyware and other surveillance technologies". "On World Press Freedom Day, we call on every nation to do more to protect journalists, and we reiterate our unwavering support for free and independent media around the world," he pointed out. Source: Kuwait News Agency