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From: Sarah Olson <solson75@yahoo.com><br><br>
<br>
Hi all:<br>
Late this afternoon, Lt. Watada stipulated that he had<br>
made all the statements attributed to him in the 4<br>
"conduct unbecoming" charges. In exchange, the Army<br>
dropped the two charges involving statements Lt.<br>
Watada made to individual reporters. <br><br>
Here is the statement I released earlier this evening,<br>
regarding this development. Please don't hesitate to<br>
call or email with questions. I believe this is a<br>
great victory for the most basic understanding of<br>
press freedoms. <br><br>
Sarah Olson<br>
415 298 5573<br><br>
SARAH OLSON:<br>
This is obviously a great victory for the principles<br>
of a free press that are so essential to this nation.<br>
Personally, I am pleased that the Army no longer seeks<br>
my participation in their prosecution of Lieutenant<br>
Watada. Far more importantly, this should be seen as a<br>
victory for the rights of journalists in the U.S. to<br>
gather and disseminate news free from government<br>
intervention, and for the rights of individuals to<br>
express personal, political opinions to journalists<br>
without fear of retribution or censure. I am glad the<br>
growing number of dissenting voices within the<br>
military will retain their rights to speak with<br>
reporters. But I note with concern that Lt. Watada<br>
still faces prosecution for exercising his First<br>
Amendment rights during public presentations. However,<br>
the preservation of these rights clearly requires<br>
vigilance. Journalists are subpoenaed with an alarming<br>
frequency, and when they do not cooperate they are<br>
sometimes imprisoned. Videographer Josh Wolf has<br>
languished in federal prison for over 160 days, after<br>
refusing to give federal grand jury investigators his<br>
unpublished video out takes. It is clear that we must<br>
continue to demand that the separation between press<br>
and government be strong, and that the press be a<br>
platform for all perspectives, regardless of their<br>
popularity with the current administration. <br><br>
DAVID GREENE, FIRST AMENDMENT PROJECT:<br>
"This is a tremendous victory for both Sarah and for<br>
every journalist <br>
who fears being dragged into the middle of a dispute<br>
between a source <br>
and the government. We are pleased that the Army and<br>
Watada have <br>
been able to reach an agreement that removes the<br>
necessity for Sarah <br>
to testify."<br><br>
JOHN STAUBER, CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY:<br>
"This appears a great victory for journalist Sarah<br>
Olson and our Defend the Press coalition," said John<br>
Stauber, executive director of the Center for Media<br>
and Democracy of Madison, Wisconsin. "This is a<br>
testament to what one determined and courageous<br>
reporter, Sarah Olson, can accomplish in the face of<br>
government intimidation. These subpoenas were simply<br>
an effort to harass journalists who are reporting on<br>
the growing anti-war sentiment among rank and file<br>
soldiers. This is a blow for press freedom and for<br>
free speech."<br><br>
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