Defend the Press

Sarah Olson and Leaders of 'Defend the Press' Call for Freeing Josh Wolf

by John Stauber — February 6, 2007 - 8:29am
  • Topics: Journalism, Defend the Press

    • Sarah Olson, the journalist who with the Defend The Press coalition successfully fought a US Army subpoena in the Court Martial of Ehren Watada, is now very publicly supporting efforts to free the young jailed videographer Josh Wolf.

    Josh Wolf Sets Imprisonment Record for U.S. Journalists - 'A Bad Signal to the World'

    by John Stauber — February 5, 2007 - 10:13pm

    Sometimes it takes setting some sort of record to be noticed. The New York Times observes that Josh Wolf has become "the longest incarcerated journalist in modern American history" passing "Vanessa Leggett... Mr. Wolf, 24, has been in prison since August, with a brief break in September related to his appeal, after refusing to cooperate with a grand jury investigation of an anticapitalist protest in 2005 ... . Prosecutors have demanded that Mr.

    Main Source: 
    New York Times, February 6, 2007

    Video of 'Defend the Press' News Conference in Watada Court Martial is on YouTube

    by John Stauber — February 5, 2007 - 2:17pm
  • Topics: Defend the Press

    • As the US Army court martial of military war resister Ehren Watada began today at Fort Lewis, Washington,

    A Victory for Press Freedom in the Ehren Watada Court Martial

    by John Stauber — February 4, 2007 - 12:15pm
  • Topics: Journalism, Defend the Press, U.S. Government

    • On January 29 — just six days after the public launch of the Defend the Press campaign — the U.S. military agreed to drop two charges that carried a maximum of two years in prison against Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada.

    Sarah Olson and Supporters Speak about Press Freedom in Watada Case at National Press Club on Thursday, February 1st

    by John Stauber — February 1, 2007 - 1:37am
  • Topics: Defend the Press

    • Contact:
    John Stauber, Center for Media and Democracy, 608-260-9713
    Scott Goodstein, Defend the Press Coalition, 202-256-8320 http://www.DefendThePress.org

    News Conference with Sarah Olson and Supporters

    WHEN: 2pm, Thursday, February 1, 2007
    WHERE: Zenger Room, National Press Club, Washington, DC

    SPEAKING:
    Sarah Olson, journalist released from US Army subpoena in Watada court martial case
    Linda K.

    A Look at Sarah Olson and Other Journalists Under Fire

    by John Stauber — February 1, 2007 - 1:28am
  • Topics: Journalism, Defend the Press

    • Utne Reader online notes "the case of freelance journalist Sarah Olson has been largely overlooked by mainstream outlets, but her recent victory is one worthy of big-type headlines. Prosecutors representing the US Army had tried to force Olson to testify in a court martial against 1st Lt.

    Sarah Olson Is Off the Hook

    by John Stauber — January 31, 2007 - 9:09pm

    Matt Rothschild, editor of the Progressive, notes "Sarah Olson no longer has to choose between her liberty and her integrity. The freelance journalist, whom I profiled on January 17, will not be forced to testify at the court martial of Lt. Ehren Watada, who refuses to report for duty in Iraq. On January 29, Watada stipulated to the truth of the statements he gave Olson and another reporter. In exchange, the Army dropped two 'conduct unbecoming' charges against him."

    Main Source: 
    The Progressive magazine online, January 31, 2007

    National Press Club Lauds Victory for Press Freedom in Watada Case

    by John Stauber — January 30, 2007 - 10:38pm
  • Topics: Journalism, Defend the Press, U.S. Government

    • In a statement on its website, the National Press Club said:

    Members of The National Press Club join their colleagues around the nation in celebrating the news that two journalists will not be subpoenaed to testify in the court martial of an Army officer, who has conceded that his quotes disparaging the administration's conduct of the war in Iraq were accurate.

    Freelance journalist Sarah Olson and Honolulu Star-Bulletin reporter Gre

    Daily Kos Discusses Sarah Olson's Refusal to Testify Against Ehren Watada

    by Sheldon Rampton — January 30, 2007 - 5:28pm
  • Topics: Journalism, Defend the Press, Democracy, War / Peace

    • The Daily Kos has a diary discussing the Sarah Olson case, with lots of good debate in the comments section (including a couple of comments by me).

    As the discussion illustrates, there are still some people (including people who oppose the war in Iraq) who do not understand the importance of Sarah Olson's principled stand against testifying in the court-martial of

    Journalist Sarah Olson Wins Victory for Free Speech

    by John Stauber — January 30, 2007 - 3:29pm

    Helen Zia, author and board member of the Women’s Media Center, writes about Sarah Olson's victory: "Subpoenas against journalists may be intended to put a damper on their reporting, but in Olson’s case, the overwhelming response has been an outpouring of support for her stand on free speech—for both journalists and for voices of dissent.

    Main Source: 
    Women's Media Center, January 30, 2007
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