home

Four Reporters Banned from Omar Khadr Gitmo Hearings

Four reporters, including Michelle Shepphard of the Toronto Star, who has done ground-breaking reporting on Omar Khadr, have been banned from attending the hearings underway in his case.

Their violation: Publishing the name of one of his interrogators. The interrogator's name has previously been published in news articles, and he gave on on-the-record interview to Michelle Shepphard in 2008. The ACLU responds:

“That reporters are being punished for disclosing information that has been publicly available for years is nothing short of absurd – any gag order that covers this kind of information is not just overbroad but nonsensical. Plainly, no legitimate government interest is served by suppressing information that is already well known.

We strongly urge the Defense Department to reconsider its rash, draconian and unconstitutional decision to bar these four reporters from future tribunals. If allowed to stand, this decision will discourage legitimate reporting and add yet another entry to the long list of reasons why the military commissions ought to be shut down for good.”

< U.K. Elections | Stock Market: Biggest Intra-Day Drop Ever >
  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


  • Display: Sort:
    Bush III (i.e., Obama) . . . (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by Doc Rock on Thu May 06, 2010 at 10:25:18 PM EST
    . . . slowly he turned, closer, and closer, . . .  .

    "The Monster" (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Militarytracy on Fri May 07, 2010 at 08:13:31 AM EST
    rocks himself now as he testifies. HE has PTSD now too. Torture is a shared experience, and scars everyone involved.

    Democrats in action (none / 0) (#2)
    by Andreas on Thu May 06, 2010 at 11:22:31 PM EST
    The Democratic Party in power is opposing fundamental democratic rights. Time for supporters of the Democratic Party to oppose the Democrats and draw some fundamental political conclusions.

    Irony of ironies (none / 0) (#4)
    by Spamlet on Fri May 07, 2010 at 09:44:13 AM EST
    The second coming of Richard Nixon . . . brought to you by the Stevensonian Democrats.