The following statement will be announced at Frilans Riks annual meeting, May 2nd, 2022. //Följande uttalande kommer att presenteras på Frilans Riks årsmöte den 2 maj 2022. //
Statement in support of freelance journalists in countries that violate press freedom.
The journalist association Frilans Riks (organization for freelance journalists, part of the Swedish Union of Journalists) expresses its strong support of and solidarity with the independent journalists in countries all over the world with low or no press freedom.
We would especially like to mention the freelance journalists in Afghanistan, Belarus, Eritrea, Mexico, Nicaragua, Myanmar, Russia and Ukraine where the situation has gone from bad to worse and were they have to do their work at great risk.
And we address the regime in Belarus, demanding the immediate release of all imprisoned journalists in the country, and that all repressions towards journalists, such as detentions, fines and violence will cease without exceptions, and to stop the repression against BAJ (Belarusian Association of Journalists).
We would also like to mention Dawit Isaak, the Swedish journalist who has been imprisoned in Eritrea for more than 20 years. We address the regime in Eritrea to release him without any delay.
We also call upon the Swedish government to take further action, both against specified oppressions and against the ongoing oppression of press freedom and freedom of speech all over the world.
The journalist association Frilans Riks, organization for freelancers, part of the Swedish Union of Journalists in Sweden Stockholm, 2 May 2022