Journalist around the world is risking their lives to provide us with information going on around the world. WIRED recently listed journalist who is apart of the One Free Press Coalition. According to WIRED, "One Free Press Coalition is a united group of preeminent editors and publishers using their global reach and social platforms to spotlight journalists under attack worldwide." A couple of journalist on the list that stood out to me was Zhang Zhan and Katsiaryna Barysevich.
"China professes pride in its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, but appears deathly afraid of allowing independent journalists like Zhang Zhan to freely tell the story of what is happening," said CPJAsia Program Coordinator Steven Butler, in Washington, D.C. Zhan was a threat to China propaganda. She took it upon herself to go into the cities to interview local businesses and workers affected by the pandemic. She would then post reports on social media sites to share with the world. Wuhan found that her stories were a threat to their government and arrested her in May of 2020. "If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison," according to the Chinese criminal code.
Katsiaryna Barysevich "is a staff correspondent at the independent news website Tut.by who covers court and legal proceedings and social issues," according to the CPJ. She covered the nationwide protest in Ukraine. She reported on a man name Raman Bandarenka who was allegedly killed by the hands of law enforcement in Ukraine. Barysevich got a hold of pictures and medical reports that could potentially prove her story. After getting permission from Bandarenka family, Barysevich published the records. The information did not paint the government and law enforcement in a positive light. They were not pleased with the information being shared and denied all allegations. According to CPJ, "Barysevich was arrested on suspicion of disclosure of medical confidentiality leading to grave consequences." According to the Belarusian criminal code, "if found guilty, she faces up to three years in prison."
Both reporters went out their way to get the information they needed to share with their local communities and the world. Their fearlessness to combat false stories that the government put out was courageous. It is good to know we still have passionate journalists around to provide us with accurate information.
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