Dear Colleagues,
After being sent to prison in the United States for refusing to reveal her sources in an investigation about the disclosure of the name of a covert CIA agent, New York Times reporter Judith Miller has still not revealed her sources. She could remain in jail until October when the grand jury investigation into who leaked the name of the agent will be over.
Media organisations and journalists’ unions and other organisations have rallied to her defence. All IFJ and European Federation of Journalists unions should continue to show their support for Judith Miller and here are the best ways to do it:
1. Sign a petition started by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: http://www.rcfp.org/shields_and_subpoenas/support_judith_miller.php
2. Judith Miller’s website (http://www.judithmiller.org) also has suggestions on how to help: http://www.judithmiller.org/howtohelp/index.php
3. Contact the New York Times public editor, Byron Calame, at:
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (212) 556-7652
Address: Public Editor
The New York Times
229 West 43rd St.
New York, NY 10036-3959
If you would like to convey your support for Judith Miller to the US journalists’ union The Newspaper Guild, you can email its headquarters at [email protected] or email President Linda Foley at [email protected].
TNG’s website (http://www.newsguild.org) also has information about their actions to show solidarity with Judith Miller and their support of a national shield law for U.S. journalists that would protect them from legal punishment for refusing to name their sources.
Unions may also wish to protest directly to the United States embassies in their countries calling for a national shield law to protect journalists or send copies of letters of support to the local US Ambassador. This is an important stand being taken in favour for the cardinal principle of journalism, so your support is vital. Please do what you can.
AIDAN WHITE
General Secretary
For more information see: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=3237&Language=EN
