USA: RSF and allies file second lawsuit to save public broadcaster VOA
RSF and allies filed a second lawsuit against attempts to dismantle or politicize the Voice of America (VOA).Summary
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and its allies have filed a second lawsuit to protect the Voice of America (VOA) from being dismantled or turned into a propaganda outlet. The lawsuit follows a court reaffirmation that the Trump administration’s initial attempts to dismantle VOA and the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) were illegal. RSF argues that the Trump administration, if unable to eliminate VOA, intends to transform it into a political propaganda machine, which contradicts VOA’s core mission of providing reliable information globally.
The plaintiffs include RSF, Reporters Without Borders, Inc., PEN America Center, Inc., Government Accountability Project, and four individual VOA journalists: Barry Newhouse, Ayesha Tanzeem, Dong Hyuk Lee, and Ksenia Turkova.
A federal court previously ruled in favor of the journalists, ordering them to return to work and broadcasting to resume, but the government has appealed that decision. Clayton Weimers, Executive Director of RSF North America, stated that the fight continues to ensure access to trustworthy news and to stop attacks on press freedom.
(Source：Rsf)