Open letter to Prince Mohammad bin Salman from LA Press Club
Industry: Advertising & Marketing
Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance and probable murder speaks to broader issues regarding retaliation against journalists in Saudi Arabia.
Los Angeles CA (PRUnderground) October 12th, 2018
Open letter to Prince Mohammad bin Salman:
THE LA PRESS CLUB IMPLORE YOU TO RELEASE RAIF BADAWI AND ALL JOURNALISTS CURRENTLY IMPRISONED IN SAUDI ARABIA
It is with horror we are following the disappearance and probable murder of Washington Post’s Jamal Khashoggi.
As one of America’s leading journalistic organizations the Los Angeles Press Club has a mission to defend the free press everywhere. A country’s level of civilization is measured in the way the press is able to do its job without interference from government. You have proclaimed yourself a reformist, so we’re hoping you agree with this.
Mr. Khashoggi’s case speaks to broader issues regarding retaliation against journalists in Saudi Arabia. Blogger Raif Badawi has been imprisoned in your country since 2012 and sentenced to 1,000 lashes that–if carried out– will surely kill him.
We are imploring you to release Raif Badawi and all other political prisoners incarcerated for the sole “crime” of believing in freedom of expression. The inhumane imprisonment of Raif Badawi and his colleagues can only be righted in one way—please free them and send a message to the world that modern Saudi Arabia believes in freedom of expression for all.
Anything else will be interpreted as approval of the murder of journalists.
In June the Los Angeles Press Club bestowed Raif Badawi with the 2018 Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism, accepted by his wife Ensaf Haidar.
A Free Press is the Pillar of Democracy. #NotTheEnemy
The Board of Los Angeles Press Club
[This press release reflects the views of the LA Press Club and has not been reviewed by the news website hosting this press release]
About Los Angeles Press Club
The Los Angeles Press Club stands as an organization devoted to improving the spirit of journalism and journalists, raising the industry’s standards, strengthening its integrity and improving its reputation all for the benefit of the community at large. Serving the Southland since 1913, it is the only Southern California journalism group that speaks for all journalists working for daily and weekly newspapers, radio & TV, magazines, documentary films and online.
