世界新闻自由日
2020年5月2日
麦克 ·R · 蓬佩奥，国务卿
在世界各地都庆祝的世界新闻自由日，5月3日，我们强调独立媒体在推促对自由、繁荣和安全的民主社会至关重要的信息和想法开放交流之上所扮演的关键角色。
今年，当全球面临着COVID-19疫情大流行时，专业和公民记者都要能够自由地报导他们的所见所闻，并公开表达他们的观点，变得尤其重要。我们的独立媒体促进拯救生命的信息交流，用无数的时间寻求事实并核实其精确性，并且尽力提出向政府官员和他们所仰赖的专家问责的强硬问题。透明度既能确保合理的决策也确保对官方的问责。
当前，当所有政府官员都应当保护独立媒体发挥其关键角色的能力时，我们得知有些政府正有意地散布不实信息，审查精确有用的信息，大力限制独立记者服务公众的能力。记者们因为他们的报导而被逮捕；新闻报导和网站因为报导者有勇气质疑和批评政府对COVID-19大流行的官方应对而被封锁。想规避责任的官员限制了记者的移动自由，以刑事处罚的威胁抑制被认为是批评政府的信息报导。我们呼吁立即停止该种审查。
我们赞赏独立媒体的勇气和决心。他们的工作充满挑战，但是造福我们所有人。许多记者冒着失去生命和自由的危险工作— 不只是在冲突、灾区和疫情最严重的地区，也在面临被恣意监禁或遭到暴力威胁的地方工作。我们呼吁所有政府释放因为其工作而被监禁的记者，并向对那些记者们犯下罪行的人问责。对所有以提倡新闻自由和记者安全以尊重其人民的政府，我们表达感激。我们赞赏不懈地为记者倡议的公民社会组织，鼓励私营部门里慷慨解囊的人培育独立媒体的可持续性。最后，我们呼吁其他人群起效仿。

World Press Freedom Day
05/02/2020 08:09 PM EDT
Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
On World Press Freedom Day, recognized around the world on May 3, we highlight the critical role of independent media in facilitating the open exchange of information and ideas so vital to free, prosperous, and secure democratic societies.
This year, as the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, it is particularly important that both professional and citizen journalists be free to report what they see and hear, and to express their opinions openly. Our independent media facilitate the exchange of life-saving information, spend countless hours chasing facts and verifying their accuracy, and do their best to ask tough questions designed to hold accountable both public officials and the experts on whom they rely. Transparency ensures both reasoned decision-making and official accountability.
Today, at a time when all public officials should be protecting the ability of independent media to fulfill their vital role, we learn that some governments are intentionally spreading disinformation, censoring accurate and useful information, and aggressively restricting the ability of independent journalists to serve the public. Journalists have been arrested for their reporting; news stories and websites have been blocked because reporters have had the courage to question and criticize official government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials seeking to evade responsibility have restricted journalists freedom of movement, and used threats of criminal penalties to suppress reporting of information considered critical of the government. We call for an immediate end to such censorship.
We applaud the courage and determination of the independent media. Their work is challenging but benefits us all. Many journalists work at peril of loss of life and liberty — not only in conflict and disaster zones and areas hardest hit by the pandemic, but also in places where they face the threat of arbitrary detention or violence. We call on all governments to release journalists jailed for their work and to hold accountable those who commit crimes against them. We express our appreciation to all governments who honor their people by promoting press freedom and the safety of journalists. We applaud the civil society organizations that advocate tirelessly on behalf of journalists, and we encourage those in the private sector who provide generous support to foster the sustainability of independent media. And, finally, we call on others to follow their example.