[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 55 (Wednesday, April 1, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE ``DANIEL PEARL FREEDOM OF THE PRESS ACT OF 2009''

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                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 2009

  Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Daniel 
Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009''--legislation to highlight and 
promote freedom of the press worldwide.
  In early 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was 
kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Pakistan, just four months 
after 9/11. Lured from his apartment, Daniel was on his way to 
interview a Muslim fundamentalist when he was captured. Just two days 
before his abduction, Daniel had learned that his wife Mariane was 
expecting a baby boy. Although four of the kidnappers were convicted in 
July of 2002, seven other suspects, including those who allegedly 
helped murder Daniel Pearl, remain at large.
  Despite international outrage over this brutal murder, freedom of the 
press has continued to decline on a global scale.
  In 2006, Anna Politkovskaya, one of Russia's most prominent 
journalists, was shot dead in her apartment building. The investigative 
journalist, well known for her critical reports of the Kremlin's 
actions in Chechnya, is widely believed to be the victim of a 
politically motivated contract killing. Anna Politkovskaya was the 13th 
Russian journalist murdered during President Vladimir Putin's 
administration. One month ago, a jury in Moscow acquitted three men 
charged with her murder.
  Just two weeks ago, on March 17th, 2009, two American journalists 
were detained by the North Korean authorities while reporting on the 
plight of North Korean refugees in China. North Korea has accused the 
reporters of illegally entering North Korea from China and has stated 
the journalists will be indicted and tried for suspected hostile acts.
  Acts of violence against journalists continue to rise in frequency, 
with very few of the attacks resulting in prosecution. According to the 
Committee to Protect Journalists, in 2008 at least 41 journalists were 
killed in connection with their work, and 125 were imprisoned. As the 
level of violence directed at the press continues to rise, so too does 
the side effect of self-censorship. Legal mechanisms are also 
increasingly being used to restrict the media, both through overt 
censorship and through the use of laws that forbid ``endangering 
national security'' or ``inciting hatred'' by commenting on sensitive 
or anti-government topics.
  Freedom of expression cannot exist where journalists and the media 
are not independent and safe from persecution and attack. Our 
government must promote freedom of the press by putting on center stage 
those countries in which journalists are killed, imprisoned, kidnapped, 
threatened, or censored. Therefore, together with my colleague 
Congressman Pence, I am introducing legislation which calls upon the 
Secretary of State to submit an annual report of on the status of 
freedom of the press worldwide, bringing attention to those 
governments, extremists, and criminal groups which seek to silence 
opposition.
  To further this effort, my legislation also establishes a grant 
program aimed at broadening and strengthening the independence of 
journalists and media organizations. Too often media assistance 
programs are short-term, ranging from one year projects to weekend 
workshops, and are buried as a second thought under broader human 
rights programs. The Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 will 
give prominence to freedom of the press projects within the State 
Department, and ensure a long-term, holistic approach to journalist and 
media development.
  Please join me in this effort to promote freedom of the press 
worldwide.

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