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Lawyer for Prof. Christine Blasey Ford says she has been subject to vicious harassment, death threats, email hacking, and online impersonation since coming forward with her accusation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. News organization are crowdsourcing examples of disinformation spreading before the midterm elections, reflecting what was missed in 2016. White House Correspondents Association calls for more press briefings, noting that just 13 were held June through August for a total of about four hours. Eleven United States senators introduce a Senate Resolution calling for the immediate release of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, recognized with the PEN/ Barbey Freedom to Write Award, who have been jailed in Myanmar for reporting on human rights abuses. -Dru Menaker, Chief Operating Officer

The most pressing threats and notable goings-on in free expression today

U.S.

Kavanaugh Accuser Christine Blasey Ford ‘Faces Death Threats’
Professor Ford, who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her, has been “deflecting death threats and harassment” since coming forward with her allegation. According to her lawyer, she will not testify to the Senate next week as part of Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings.
BBC NEWS

Help Us Make Political Advertising More Transparent
“During the 2016 election, Russian trolls, political campaigns, and special interest groups exploited the ability to run political ads on Facebook that were largely hidden from public view. This same type of ad is now being run for the midterm elections—and BuzzFeed News needs your help to collect and analyze them.”
BUZZFEED NEWS

If You See Disinformation Ahead of the Midterms, We Want to Hear From You
“As November’s midterm elections approach, The New York Times is looking for examples of online ads, posts, and texts that contain political disinformation or false claims and are being deliberately spread on internet platforms to try to influence local, statewide, and federal elections.”
NEW YORK TIMES

Correspondents’ Association Pushes for More White House Press Briefings
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) has expressed its displeasure at the drop in the number and length of the White House’s press briefings, one of the only places where reporters can get on-the-record replies to their questions.
WASHINGTON POST

 
Global

Iran Intelligence Organs Harass Children of Rights Activist *PEN Case List
Activists say the harassment of jailed human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh’s family by Iranian authorities has intensified. Sotoudeh was arrested June 13 after publicly defending the young women who had challenged the compulsory hijab law by removing their headscarves on a busy Tehran street in protest.
RADIO FREE EUROPE/ RADIO LIBERTY

Inside the Brilliant Career and Tragic Death of Javier Valdez
El Chapo, Mexico’s most notorious drug lord, is in jail, awaiting trial next month in Brooklyn. For years, Valdez reported on the cartels, risking his life in what has become the deadliest assignment in the world outside of a war zone. His friend Ioan Grillo recounts his vibrant life and tragic death.
ESQUIRE

Matteo Salvini Sues Black MEP for Defamation in Racism Row
Far-right interior minister Matteo Salvini is suing Cécile Kyenge, a Member of the European Parliament who endured a barrage of racist incidents during her time as Italy’s integration minister, for defamation for calling his party, the League, racist.
GUARDIAN

‘Campus Should Not Be a Platform for Political Advocacy,’ Says New University of Hong Kong chief Zhang Xiang
Professor Zhang said the campus should not become a platform for political advocacy, referring to the “one country, two systems” principle in Hong Kong’s Basic Law, just weeks after student leaders at different local universities insisted they had a right to talk about the idea of breaking away from China at events on campus.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

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