(WASHINGTON)— PEN America is deeply alarmed by the Pentagon’s new directive requiring credentialed journalists to sign a pledge not to report information unless it has been pre-approved for release by government officials, including when that information is unclassified. The move comes after other government restrictions earlier this year aimed at reducing public scrutiny of the Pentagon, which have included barring reporters from wide areas of the building and evicting news organizations that had long held Pentagon leaders to account from their office space.
“By attempting to dictate what independent news outlets can publish before the information reaches the public, the Department of Defense is positioning itself as censor and gatekeeper of information about the United States military. This policy represents nothing less than prior restraint, which is the most egregious violation of press freedom under the First Amendment. Such restrictions send a chilling message that access and information are contingent on independent journalists complying with the government’s preferred messaging rather than the public’s right to know,” said Tim Richardson, director, Journalism and Disinformation Program. “The courts have long recognized prior restraint as unconstitutional except in the rarest of circumstances. We urge the Department of Defense to immediately withdraw this policy, recognizing that the press must be free to report on the Pentagon without fear of retaliation.”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Suzanne Trimel, [email protected], 201-247-5057