Call them conscientious or faithless, electors evoke First Amendment to ‎file suit against state laws requiring them to hew to the popular vote in-state when casting ballots in the electoral college. Melania Trump goes to court in her lawsuit alleging defamation by a publication and blogger that said she had worked as an escort. -Suzanne Nossel, Executive Director

 

DARE: Daily Alert on Rights and Expression

PEN America’s take on today’s most pressing threats to free expression

U.S.

N.J. judge orders newspaper to stop publishing articles
A New Jersey judge has ordered the Trentonian newspaper to stop publishing articles about a child abuse case — a ruling that First Amendment experts said could violate the Supreme Court’s decisions guaranteeing the freedom of the press.rnrn
THE RECORD

In lieu of press conference, Trump tweets out plan to handle conflicts
President-elect Trump has canceled a planned news conference on Thursday in which he was to explain how he will handle his businesses when he is in the White House. But he ended the day throwing a bone to anyone interested in how he will try to avoid conflicts of interest, sending out two tweets on the matter.
THE WEEK

Melania Trump appears in court in defamation case
Incoming First Lady Melania Trump attended a hearing in court Monday in her defamation case against blogger Webster Tarpley and The Daily Mail who published a blog post saying that she was previously employed as a high-end escort.
CBS NEWS

California professor received threats, left the state after video of anti-Trump comments
An Orange Coast College teacher who told her students that Donald Trump’s election was an “act of terrorism” has received threats and has temporarily left the state.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Can Free Speech Flourish in the Age of Trump?
The publisher of the “Mohammed cartoons” and the editor of Reason.com talk about threats to free expression in America and beyond.
REASON

 
Global

Record number of journalists in jail globally after Turkey crackdown
Committee to Protect Journalists says 259 journalists jailed globally as of 1 December, the highest annual figure since it started keeping records in 1990.
THE GUARDIAN

Pro-Russian separatists eject journalists from Donetsk
Despite issuing DW a press pass and promising an interview, Donetsk armed guards turned the team away at their border. The team was held for a hour before being sent back into Kyiv-controlled territory.
DEUTSCHE WELLE

Myanmar journalist investigating illegal loggers slain
The journalist, Soe Moe Tun, was a local-based journalist in Monywa in the Sagaing region where he was killed. He had worked for the Daily Eleven, part of Eleven Media Group, since early 2015.
THE HONG KONG STANDARD

Ukraine’s Poroshenko threatens to ‘sue UK media’ over corruption reports
A journalist from The Times newspaper in the UK says he and other colleagues received legal threats from ousted Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers for publishing materials on alleged corruption uncovered by a fugitive Kiev lawmaker.
RUSSIA TODAY

2016 Was a Tragic Year for Journalism in Mexico
Mexico is considered one of the most dangerous countries to work in as a journalist, who are threatened by both the authorities and organized crime.rnAccording to Freedom House’s Freedom of the Press report, Mexico does not have true freedom of the press.rn
PAN AM POST

DARE is a project of PEN America’s #LouderTogether campaign, bringing you a daily curated round-up of the most important free expression-related news from the U.S. and abroad. Send your feedback and story suggestions to [email protected]