AP President: Journalists 'under attack' worldwide

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 8 April 2014

Gary Pruitt of the Associated Press emphasized the escalating dangers journalists face globally during a press conference. The remarks coincided with discussions on imprisoned Al-Jazeera journalists in Egypt.

Summary

NEW YORK: The president and CEO of Associated Press says journalists around the world are "increasingly under attack" by people trying to influence and control news.

Gary Pruitt spoke Monday at a news conference before a symposium focusing on some Al-Jazeera journalists imprisoned in Egypt. Pruitt touched on the recent death of AP photojournalist Anja Niedringhaus. She was killed last week in Afghanistan.

Her colleague Kathy Gannon was seriously wounded. The women were covering the run-up to the country's elections. Pruitt says the increased dangers to reporters and the growing secrecy of governments make journalists' jobs more challenging but also more important.

Egyptian authorities say the Al-Jazeera journalists engaged in terrorism-related offenses by providing a platform to the Muslim Brotherhood. Their defenders say they were doing their jobs as journalists.- AP

KEY POINTS:

• Gary Pruitt addresses attacks on journalists worldwide.
• Emphasizes increased dangers and government secrecy.
• Comments on the recent death of AP photojournalist Anja Niedringhaus.
• Highlights the imprisonment of Al-Jazeera journalists in Egypt.
• Controversy surrounds accusations of terrorism against journalists.