“Journalism must not carry a death sentence. That’s why today we launch #FreeThePress, a campaign calling for the release of every journalist behind bars now,” said Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on March 30 as they launched their #FreeThePress campaign.
More than 250 journalists are behind bars around the world and CPJ called on authorities to free these political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.
The group also started a petition calling on world leaders to release imprisoned journalists wordwide five days ago.
“For journalists jailed in countries affected by the virus, freedom is now a matter of life and death. Imprisoned journalists have no control over their surroundings, cannot choose to isolate, and are often denied necessary medical care,” said CPJ.
In the Philippines, journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio from the Eastern Visayas region has been imprisoned for almost two months.
She was arrested in the office of Eastern Vista on the wee hours of February 7 in simultaneous raids where four human rights activists were also arrested. She is currently detained at the Palo PNP Municipal Police Station.
The raids were done using search warrants issued by Tacloban City’s Regional Trial Court Branch 44 executive judge Eligio Petilla on February 3, were for alleged violation of Republic Act No. 10591 or “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition.” The groups of the five arrested decried the evidence were planted.
Cumpio is the executive director of independent media outfit Eastern Vista and the radio anchor of Lingganay han Kamatuoran. Cumpio is also a broadcaster of disaster response community radio Radyo Tacloban.
The Philippines now has 2,084 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease, deaths at 88 and 49 recovered as of March 31 at 4pm. Only 3,938 individuals have been tested, according to the country’s Health agency. The public continue to clamor for mass testing that the government still said is not needed at this time because the country’s health system is not capable.
The CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organization that promotes press freedom worldwide. We defend the right of journalists to report the news safely and without fear of reprisal.
