Al Jazeera anchors send video message fighting for freedom of the press amid closure threat

Al Jazeera sets their own demands in protest of the Saudi-led campaign
Jessica Morgan3 July 2017

Al Jazeera has launched a campaign fighting for freedom of the press amid a 'Saudi-led campaign' to close the news outlet.

The broadcaster has released a video featuring senior news anchors demanding journalists are not treated as criminals and that their freedom to continue reporting the news is allowed to continue.

The clip, uploaded this morning, features news anchors and journalists all over the world protesting against against the sanctions, calling them "an attempt to silence freedom of expression".

They also wrote an open letter: "To those who demand that Al Jazeera be shut down and that people's right to the truth be suppressed, we too have demands.

"We demand journalists be able to do their jobs free from intimidation and threat. We demand diversity of thought and opinion be cherished, not feared.

"We demand the public have access to unbiased information.

"We demand journalists not be treated as criminals.

"We demand those without a voice be heard.

"We demand press freedom.

"At Al Jazeera, we believe that any call for closing down or obstructing access to our channels is nothing but an attempt to silence freedom of expression and to suppress people's right to information and the right to be heard.

"You can join the conversation and share your demands on the hashtag #DemandPressFreedom."

It comes after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt dramatically cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting Islamic State and imposed sanctions on the country on June 5.

News outlets and campaign groups around the world including The Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, the New York Times editorial board and The Guardian have condemned the efforts to pressure Qatar into shutting down Al Jazeera.

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