To Presidential Candidates of the Republican and Democratic Parties:

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution grants freedom of the press. Sadly, in this campaign we have seen journalists attacked and intimidated for their writing, their race, their religion, their gender, their cultural background, and even for their physical disabilities. At your upcoming Party conventions, we call on you to uphold freedom of the press, protect all acts of journalism and end intimidation toward journalists.

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    Tell the Republican and Democratic Parties: Uphold Press Freedom at the RNC and DNC

    The political conventions are about to start and we’re worried.

    Throughout the presidential campaign, candidates and their supporters have threatened and intimidated reporters trying to do their jobs and activists documenting events.

    Journalists have been restricted to media “pens,” banned from entry and mocked. And that abuse has extended to activists and other people chronicling events.

    Protests are expected at both conventions, and that means security will be out too. Both journalists and activists will be streaming and photographing accounts of any police actions and arrests — and political parties must safeguard their First Amendment right to do so.

    Free Press stands with our allies at PEN America in demanding that this harassment stop. We must protect everyone’s right to record at the political conventions and beyond.


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    Original photo by Flickr user Glenn Halog