BlogHer - press freedom - Comments

The Medill Innocence Project

Expat Mum — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:46:59 -0600

The Medill Innocence Project has done great work in the past and should not be hampered from continuing their investigative journalism by questionable legal interpretations. However, knowing Judge Cannon personally, and knowing her to be a sensible, rational and respectful person, I was curious as to what could have caused her reaction.

I have to say I'm surprised lawyers from Sidley and Austin would have presented such a brief. From the very first sentence, it is subjective, unprofessional and yes, sarcastic. Perhaps the Northwestern party is fed up to the back teeth of the machinations taking place, but presenting such an editorialized brief was not a smart move and risked their case.

I agree with Virginia

SarahButland — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:21:14 -0600

It's terrible that it takes the time and dedication of students to solve cases when it should be the justice system taking the time in the first place.

Thanks for reading, Sarah Butland www.SarahButland.com

An important case

Virginia DeBolt — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:25 -0600

but a sad indication of the state of the criminal justice system when journalism students are better at investigating that the investigators.

Virginia DeBolt
BlogHer Technology CE | Web Teacher | First 50 Words

That was my first thought ... Like Hamlet, words, words, words

Nordette — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:28:55 -0500

Hearing about the petitions and the pleas, I thought as you did, North Korea could care less. Like Hamlet I said, "Words, words, words." And then I challenged myself. I am a writer like the women who've been unjustly tried and sentenced and who hope to overcome injustice through images and words. Should I ever dismiss the power of words?

But N. Korea is a nation that behaves like the lone control freak. Dangerous. I am concerned that it will lead the world's nations to unavoidable violence in the future in its oppression of people and thirst for power.

To Kim: Good information here and link rich.

Nordette Adams is a BlogHer CE & you can find her other stuff through Her 411.

Understood, but at the same time

Kim Pearson — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:49:49 -0500

It seems to me that we must do what we can.

KimBlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

North Korea cares NOTHING about what the rest of the

Crunchy Carpets — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:58:36 -0500

world thinks...

I cannot imagine they would give a hoot what a bunch of bloggers want either.

Sanctions won't work and a country cut of from the world either.

It has also been felt that most of their 'displays' of power recently have more to do with internal issues rather than their outside neighbours.

Kim Jong is setting up his successor....one of his sons....

I hope the reporters are released...but potential imprisonment comes with the territory if you are going places you aren't supposed to be.

It is not a place I would want to be....

I can't imagine how terrifying this must all be for them and their famiilies.

Look for me at http://crunchycarpets.com or check out the ladies at www.wetcoastwomen.com

How BlogHers can help: Survey needs 7k more for Ling/Lee. Sign!

Lisa Stone — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:44:47 -0500

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/free-euna-and-laura

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

BlogHer is non-partisan but our bloggers aren't! Follow our coverage of Politics & News.

Supporting journalists who care about women world-wide

Lisa Stone — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:39:00 -0500

In this AP video, Laura's sister Lisa describes the story on trafficking in women on which Ling and Lee were working -- and offers the Ling family's profuse apology to the North Korean government:

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

BlogHer is non-partisan but our bloggers aren't! Follow our coverage of Politics & News.

Reporters without Borders English site is down

Lisa Stone — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:33:58 -0500

But their image and message provide great illustration for any journalist blogging this issue:

FREE LAURA LING AND EUNA LEE

Source: Reporters without Borders

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

BlogHer is non-partisan but our bloggers aren't! Follow our coverage of Politics & News.

Yes, we need to speak out

Kim Pearson — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:51:16 -0500

Hi Joanne,

Your post has great suggestions for ways in which we ordinary folks can speak out about this issue. I agree with you about the importance of getting a lot of bloggers to address this. There have been instances in the past where international attention has helped secure the release of people who have been unjustly imprisoned by totalitarian regimes. Although North Korea is unique in many respects, let's hope that they, too, can be made to see the benefit of showing a bit of compassion in this case.

KimBlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

I'm channeling you, Kim

PunditMom — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:15:35 -0500

I wrote about Laura Ling and Euna Lee this morning, then came over here and found your wonderful post.

As many women as possible should speak out and contact their lawmakers to help these women get released as soon as possible. I wondered at my place this morning whether we'd even be having this discussion of the two in custody were higher profile journalists.

PunditMom
aka Joanne Bamberger
BlogHer News & Politics Contributing Editor

By blogging!

sylinthecity — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:48:20 -0500

It's true, we all celebrate it every day :-)

http://www.somewherethesunisrising.com

Roxana Saberi

Rajan — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:43:35 -0500

Here is a footnote from recent Middle East history relevant to Roxana Saberi's present plight in Iran.

Farzad Bazoft, a journalist of Iranian origin settled in London was arrested, while on an assignment in Iraq from the Observer newspaper (of Britain) for allegedly gathering covert information on the so-called "Project Babylon" for the super-gun project, run by the Canadian ballistics expert, Dr Gerald Bull. Bazoft was alleged to have also confessed to being a spy for the Israeli intelligence, Mossad. Saddam Hussein got bazoft summarily executed, by hanging, in March, 1990 in the notorious Abu Greib prison. Bazoft’s companion, Daphne Parish, a British nurse was also convicted as an accomplice and sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, she was subsequently freed by Saddam Hussein in response to a plea made on her behalf by the President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda. Incidentally, Dr Gerald Bull was also assassinated by unknown assailants in March 1990 outside his apartment in Brussels, Belgium

Against this background, it is the height of stupidity or even a clear case of criminal negligence to depute an Iranian-American, man or woman, on any journalistic jaunt or even for mere news-gathering to a country like Iran being ruled by a bunch of paranoid politicians, especially in the present state of adverse US-Iranian relations. The morons who sent Roxana to Iran on her fateful mission, whatever might have been its real purpose, are equally culpable and responsible for what has happened to her.

Roxana must consider herself to be very lucky, indeed, for being a woman!

NPR coverage

Jill Miller Zimon — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:26:30 -0500

They had a piece w/her father yesterday and then another one w/two commentators:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103246067

There are so many hotspots around the world where this happens - and some might allege that the US has its ways of intimidating too. How do we get the baseline respect deserved from all corners? I just don't know. People/gov'ts fear so much. I'm sure I'm oversimplifying it too.

Jill Writes Like She Talks

Makes me wanna holler

Nordette — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:53:48 -0500

Good post, Kim. I have trouble grasping sometimes some humans desire to control every aspect, thought, body part, word of other humans, and when I hear stories like this, I toss them into that category--issues of extreme control. But I'm sure I'm oversimplifying some foreign policy issue or something.

Nordette: BlogHer CE and NOLA Lit Examiner. Blogs @ WSATA & UMBOP.