Statement by SPJ President Neuts on terrorist attack at French magazine

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1/7/2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 7. 2015

Contacts:
Dana Neuts, SPJ President, 360.920.1737 (PDT), dneuts@spj.org
Jennifer Royer, SPJ Communications Strategist, 317.361.4134, jroyer@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is angered by today’s attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris. This is a barbaric, appalling attempt to stifle press freedom.

Extremists feel emboldened to attack and kill journalists anywhere in the world for lampooning religion or reporting on political and governmental activities. Such outrageous attempts to silence journalists will not be tolerated or successful.

Journalists around the world work every day to report truth, enlighten the public and encourage people to think about all sides of issues important to society. This type of attack on such a basic human right – freedom of speech – is heinous and unacceptable. We urge other journalists and media organizations to stand in solidarity against this outrageous attack on press freedoms.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, one of numerous organizations also condemning the attack, reports this is the worst attack on the media since the 2009 Maguindanao massacre in the Philippines. In 2014 alone, CPJ reports 61 journalists were killed worldwide, including 27 who were murdered.

Our thoughts are with the families and colleagues of the victims of today’s horrific events.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information about SPJ, please visit spj.org.

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