Arms supplier to press murderers welcomes press murderer to DC
Dear Friend of Press Freedom,
Rümeysa Öztürk has been facing deportation for 241 days for co-writing an op-ed the government didn’t like. Read on for more about the federal government targeting noncitizen journalists for what they write, say and think.
Journalist-hating president kisses up to journalist-killing crown prince
President Donald Trump shamefully welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House this week. He brushed aside questions about Crown Prince Mohammed’s role in the gruesome 2018 murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, commenting that “things happen” and “You don’t have to embarrass our guest by asking a question like that.”
Freedom of the Press foundation (FPF) Director of Advocacy Seth Stern remarked:
“Somehow calling a female reporter ‘piggy’ was only the second-most offensive anti-press utterance to come out of the president’s mouth in recent days. And somehow Biden’s infamous fist bump is now only the second-most disgusting public display of flattery by a U.S. president to journalist-murderer Mohammed bin Salman.”
DHS targets journalists for speaking out about Gaza
Texas journalist Ya’akub Ira Vijandre and British journalist and commentator Sami Hamdi are the two latest examples of the Department of Homeland Security targeting journalists.
Hamdi self-deported to England after 18 days enduring inhumane conditions in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. Vijandre, a Filipino American Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient who has lived in the U.S. since 2021, remains in custody as he awaits deportation proceedings.
Hamdi and his wife, Soumaya, joined us for an online event this week alongside attorneys and friends of both Hamdi and Vijandre. As Hamdi said, “If the American public finds out the realities of what’s happening, ICE will be dismantled in an instant.”
A $50 lesson in press freedom
Prosecutors in Kentucky have finally dropped charges against journalist Madeline Fening, who was arrested while covering a July protest on the Roebling Bridge for CityBeat.
But, as Stern wrote in an op-ed for CityBeat, the damage is already done. Kenton County drew condemnation from civil liberties advocates across the country and sacrificed any credibility it had when it came respecting First Amendment rights — and all to recover a combined grand total of $50 from Fening and her colleague, Lucas Griffith.
Journalists targeted at Oregon protests
You’ve probably seen the inflatable frogs, the dance parties, the naked bike ride. Maybe you’ve also seen the darker images: a federal officer aiming a weapon at protesters, or federal agents hurling tear gas and flash bangs into peaceful demonstrations at a Portland, Oregon, immigration facility.
FPF Senior Adviser Caitlin Vogus writes about how journalists in Portland have been attacked for bringing images like these to the world.
Court suspends journalist injunction in Chicago
A judicial order won by Chicago area journalists that limited protest policing tactics by federal law enforcement was put on hold this week, with a federal appellate court calling the order overbroad.
As Stern told FPF’s U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, “It is difficult to understand how it is overbroad to ‘enjoin all law enforcement officers within the Executive Branch’ when the president, who last I checked runs the executive branch, expressly demands that those under him brutalize, censor and arrest activists and journalists who interfere with their narrative — the exact conduct restricted by the injunction.”
Immigration agents claim routine reporting violates federal law
Independent news outlet Status Coup reported Wednesday that federal immigration agents threatened its reporter, Jon Farina, with arrest for following and filming them, despite well-established First Amendment protections.
Stern said in a statement, “It looks like these officers believe transparency itself is obstructive to their operations, which is a pretty good indicator that their operations are in need of obstruction. The First Amendment is intended to obstruct government abuses. … If they’re too thin-skinned for the public scrutiny that comes with being a part of that, they can go find a job that doesn’t involve abducting people for an authoritarian regime.”
What we’re reading
The secrecy surrounding the Trump’s immigration agenda (NPR). FPF’s Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy joined NPR’s “1A” to talk about the shroud of secrecy at virtually every level of the immigration system.
Vindman demands release of Trump-Mohammed bin Salman call after Khashoggi murder: ‘You will be shocked’ (The Hill). This is exhibit “A” for why the National Security Council should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
Larry Ellison discussed axing CNN hosts with White House in takeover bid talks (The Guardian). So the president went from feigning outrage about allegedly biased public media to making deals with centibillionaire friends to make corporate media more biased. Got it.
After Donald Trump’s attack on correspondent Mary Bruce, White House goes after ABC again with ‘fake news’ press release (Deadline). It looks like $16 million – the amount ABC paid to settle Trump’s frivolous lawsuit last year – only buys you so much protection these days.
Will Trump destroy the BBC? (Unherd). “So I presume by the name of your organization that you’re not very keen on sitting presidents suing news organizations.” That’s correct! Listen to our interview with Unherd about Trump’s lawsuit threat against BBC.
The SLAPP Back Initiative (First Amendment Watch). Congratulations to First Amendment Watch at New York University for launching the first database in the U.S. documenting alleged strategic lawsuits against public participation.
European Business Wallet: EU-Kommission plant digitale Identität für Unternehmen
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Digitaler Omnibus: Wie Medien aus Angst vor Komplexität eine Debatte verzerren
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FAQ zum „Digitalen Omnibus“: Was plant die EU-Kommission bei KI und Datenschutz?
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Psychisch-Kranken-Gesetz in Niedersachsen: Gefährlich per Verwaltungsvorschrift
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Online-Verfahren im Zivilrecht: Digitalisierung in der Justiz benachteiligt Menschen
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Zensur in Vietnam: Mitarbeiter des deutsch-vietnamesischen Exilmediums Thoibao in Haft
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Karsten Wildberger: Digitale Souveränität ganz, ganz wichtig – nur nicht bei Palantir
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Radio Dreyeckland: Hausdurchsuchung wegen eines Links war verfassungswidrig
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Gipfel zur Europäischen Digitalen Souveränität: Kehrtwende für die „Innovationsführerschaft“
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Interne Dokumente: EU-Staaten einigen sich auf freiwillige Chatkontrolle
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Studie zum Digital Services Act: Transparenzdatenbank für Online-Dienste erfüllt Ziele nicht
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Biometrische Überwachung: Weiterhin scharfe Kritik am neuen Berliner Polizeigesetz
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ICYMI: Clean Water, 2026 Conference
Nov. 17th – ICYMI, during our 11/16 meeting, the United States Pirate Party officially adopted Clean Water to our platform.
The issue of clean water first came up on March 4th when the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cannot limit sewage discharge into water, leaving the door open for cities to dump even more sewage into bodies of water.
Soon after, we released Pirates for Water, an entry of the Through the Spyglass series reaffirming the Pirate commitment to clean water.
As of yesterday’s meeting, it has officially been added to our platform. Pirates for water indeed.
Also of note: the 2026 Pirate National Conference will take place on June 6th, 2026, a date which marks 20 years of the US Pirate Party.
Instead of simply picking a location and choosing it, supporters have had the chance to suggest cities that would be brought to a wider vote.
After weeks of voting, we are finally down to twelve picks. This next week, supporters will vote in the first round to see who will face the Top Four seeds next week.
We have fun here.
Boston, MA, Providence, RI, Portland, OR and Vicksburg, MS are currently the standout choices and the cities who have received a first round bye.
If you are interested in being apart of the process, join our Discord server and make your voice heard.
It’ll be a on a boat, regardless of location.
Gipfel zur Digitalen Souveränität: Europa braucht den Mut, seine Souveränität zu teilen
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Marion County Record settlement: A step toward accountability
Dear Friend of Press Freedom,
Rümeysa Öztürk has been facing deportation for 234 days for co-writing an op-ed the government didn’t like. As we’ll discuss during an online panel next Tuesday, the government hasn’t stopped targeting journalists for removal. Read on for news from Kansas, Ohio, and more.
Kansas county pays $3M for forgetting the First Amendment
Press freedom just scored a $3 million win in Kansas. The county that participated in an illegal raid on the Marion County Record in 2023 is cutting big checks to journalists and a city councilor to settle their lawsuits.
As part of the settlement, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office also made a statement of “regret” for the raid, saying, “This likely would not have happened if established law had been reviewed and applied prior to the execution of the warrants.”
Ya think? FPF Senior Advocacy Adviser Caitlin Vogus broke down the flashing red lights any judge or cop should heed before storming a newsroom. Read her article here. And check out our March interview with Record publisher Eric Meyer.
No, journalists don’t need permission to cover immigration courts
Last month, we wrote to the Hyattsville immigration court in Maryland to express our alarm over a report that two journalists from Capital News Service had been expelled for not seeking express permission from the federal government to cover immigration proceedings.
That expulsion was contrary not only to the Constitution but also to the Executive Office of Immigration Review’s own guidance. But we noticed another problem with their fact sheet. It said reporters “must” check in upon arriving at immigration court. We’d been hearing anecdotes for some time about journalists being asked to “check in” at lobbies of immigration courts in other parts of the country. The fact sheet confirmed it.
In response, EOIR clarified that journalists are not required to either coordinate visits with the government in advance or check in upon arrival. And it issued an amended fact sheet to remove any doubt. We posted the fact sheet and email exchange on our site so any reporters given wrong information can have them handy. Read more here.
Secrecy and the midterms
The midterm elections are a year away, and it is essential to ensure that they are free and fair. Transparency is key, specifically surrounding the Department of Homeland Security’s election integrity unit and the Justice Department’s attempts to access voter data and equipment.
DHS’s election integrity unit is particularly secretive. For example, President Donald Trump appointed prominent election denier Heather Honey to lead the effort, but very little is known about what she’s doing with her newfound power. FPF’s Daniel Ellsberg Chair on Government Secrecy Lauren Harper has more about our efforts to hold the unit accountable. Subscribe to The Classifieds for more secrecy news.
Charges dropped against Cincinnati journalist
Charges have finally been dropped against CityBeat reporter Madeline Fening, who was arrested while covering a protest at the Roebling Bridge in northern Kentucky in July. Congratulations to the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky and their legal partners on the important win.
We led two letters in support of Fening and CityBeat intern Lucas Griffith. After the first, felony charges against the two were dropped. The second led prosecutors to admit to a reporter that they’d offered to drop charges in exchange for the journalists waiving their right to sue — a likely violation of both the Constitution and attorney ethics rules.
Now, both cases are over, but Griffith was found guilty of failure to disperse and fined $50. That may not sound like much, but the constitutional violation is still significant – journalists are not required to disperse along with protesters because they need to be free to cover the aftermath of protests. Read CityBeat’s coverage here.
What we’re reading
Trump vs. the BBC: What hurdles might the president’s legal argument face? (BBC). Trump “doesn’t care” if he wins the lawsuits he’s filed against newsrooms he doesn’t like, FPF’’sbsky.app/profile/did:plc:sabyz…Advocacy Director Seth Stern told BBC. “The point is to intimidate and punish those he views as critical (of) him.”
When reporting is a crime (Inquest). “Prison journalism should not be illegal. It should not be starved, stifled, or silenced. ... laws need to change.” Readbsky.app/profile/did:plc:yvl5j…Inquest’s article featuring FPF columnist Jeremy Busby’s account of how his own journalism, and that of outside reporters wanting to tell his story, is stifled by prison authorities. And watch our video featuring journalist Daniel Moritz-Rabson discussing the guide to reporting on prisons that he wrote for FPF.
The FCC’s news distortion policy should be rescinded (Protect Democracy). Thanks to our friends atbsky.app/profile/did:plc:4fvbd…Protect Democracy for furthering the fight against Brendan Carr’s censorial FCC. Carr’s selective enforcement of the policy to characterize any coverage Trump doesn’t like as “distortion” shows why the policy shouldn’t exist in the first place.
Larry Wilson: Stop shooting at the press while we do our jobs (Los Angeles Daily News). “Cops are banned from shooting non-violent people with deadly projectiles — whether they’re protesters or journalists. Because it’s illegal,” said First Amendment lawyer Susan Seager.
I tried to deliver aid to Gaza. Israel kidnapped and tortured me (The Nation). Journalist and human rights lawyer Thomas Becker writes about his treatment while detained by Israel. Watch our online discussion last week, in partnership with Defending Rights & Dissent, with three U.S. journalists who reported similar experiences after being abducted from aid flotillas.
Digitale Souveränität: Think Tank empfiehlt mehr Investitionen in Big-Tech-Alternativen
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Digital Markets Act: EU-Kommission unterstellt Google Diskriminierung von Nachrichtenseiten
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Verschärftes Aufenthaltsgesetz: Kölner Ausländeramt hortet Handys von Geflüchteten
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Digitaler Omnibus: „Größter Rückschritt für digitale Grundrechte in der Geschichte der EU“
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Digitale Souveränität: Neues Bündnis fordert mehr Engagement für offene Netzwerke
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Fingerabdrücke und Gesichtsbilder: EU-Staaten uneins über US-Zugriff auf Polizeidaten
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Anhörung zum MAD-Gesetz: „Eine Erweiterung im Verborgenen ist untunlich“
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Rechte von Beschäftigten: Niemand soll durch einen Algorithmus gefeuert werden
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„Künstliche Intelligenz“: Ursula von der Leyen als Papagei der Tech-Bosse
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Global efforts to protect the environment
PPI’s main delegate at the United Nations Office of Geneva, Mr. Carlos Polo, attended events of the Environmental Programme (UNEP) this August. We attach some pictures of his visit, and we offer some comments about the efforts of our organization in helping to shape environmental policy.
The UNEP oordinates environmental work across the UN, but it is not the only organization. The UN has now created the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Each organization deals with separate environmenal issues and hosts its own conferences that include negotiations between nations and sometimes ask for statements and opinions of NGOs like our own. Currently the UNFCCC is hosting the COP conference in Brazil.
Carlos was able to observe the UNEP negotiations, but as we are not a nation (aka Party) we do not have a voice. Furthermore, we are not yet members of any of these conventions. PPI needs to establish more direct activities that promote environmental protection so that we can be accepted as members of these organizations, in addition to the Economic and Social Affairs Committee (ECOSOC) where we are already members.
We are hoping to make a bigger impact on international environmental governance. As an NGO, our abilities are limited. NGOs often watch from the back of the room. Our speaking time is scarce. The actual negotiation where the decisions are made take place behind closed doors, and we are simply able to only provide statements at the conference or as a published policy statement. One additional opportunity is that we can host side events. We have discussed cohosting a side even with other NGOs. If anyone is interested in collaborating, please contact us.
board@pp-international.net
Donations
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Polizeigesetz: Auch NRW will mit deinen Daten Überwachungs-Software füttern
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