Sir, – The global day of action on February 27th for press freedom, which saw protesters gather in over 30 cities around the world, was about much more than the release of four Al Jazeera journalists jailed in Egypt on charges of conspiring with a terrorist organisation to tarnish Egypt’s reputation. It was also a demonstration against the disturbing global trend which has seen terrorism and national security laws increasingly used to silence journalists and bloggers.
New terrorism statutes have provided a convenient tool for governments around the world to gag critics and curb free speech.
Indeed, figures from the Committee to Project Journalists show that more journalists were imprisoned in 2012 and 2013 than any previous year. Unless concerted action is taken, 2014 looks likely to be another record–breaking year for jailed journalists and a new low-point for freedom of the press. – Yours, etc,
STEFAN SIMANOWITZ,
Willow Road,
London NW3 .