Freedom of the Press
85 Articles
L’Affaire d’Assange: Why His Extradition May Be Blocked
The Department of Justice’s release of a superseding indictment accusing Julian Assange of numerous Espionage Act violations has stirred grave concern among defenders of a free…
Indictment of Assange for Espionage Directly Threatens Press Freedoms
This article is co-published with The Bulwark. Boy, did I ever get this wrong. Back in mid-April, when the Department of Justice unveiled an indictment of Julian Assange,…
Trump’s `Fake News’ Tirades Embolden Arab Leaders’ Crackdowns
President Donald Trump’s discourse on fake news has created a dangerous environment, and not only for journalists working in the United States. Autocrats in countries of the…
Assange Indictment Is Shot Across the Bow of Press Freedom
"The indictment seems to have been drafted not just to justify the prosecution of Assange but to tar legitimate journalistic activities by association with Assange’s alleged…
Q&A: Does an Assange Prosecution Pose a Threat to Freedom of the Press?
Julian Assange's arrest raises the prospect that he will be prosecuted for his role in facilitating various disclosures of classified national security information, which raises…
Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in March 2019
Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those norms in reactions…
Prosecuting Wikileaks, Protecting Press Freedoms: Drawing the Line at Knowing Collaboration with a Foreign Intelligence Agency
Top law professor on Internet and press freedoms--who was witness for defense of Chelsea Manning--writes why Assange's actions in 2016 may be very different.
Reply to Bauer and Goodman: No, the Government Doesn’t Decide What ‘Legitimate Press Functions’ Are First Amendment Worthy
Former Obama administration lawyers Bob Bauer and Ryan Goodman make a dangerous argument: that coordination with a political campaign is outside the “legitimate press function” and…
Why the First Amendment Does Not Protect Trump Campaign Collusion with Wikileaks and Russia
Despite the president’s signature hostility toward the press, the Trump campaign is strenuously trying to wrap itself and Wikileaks in the protective garb of the First Amendment…
President Trump’s Hostility to the News Media: Reckless driving or premeditated assault?
On Tuesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, held a press conference at his headquarters in Geneva, intending to focus on systematic…
Trump’s New War on Leaks: Reporters Caught in the Crossfire?
At a press conference on August 4, Attorney General Jeff Sessions condemned “in the strongest possible terms the staggering number of leaks” of classified national security…
Norms Watch: Democracy, the Trump Administration, and Reactions to It (May 26-June 2)
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of…