The Committee to Protect Journalists and IFEX, which defends free expression around the globe are leading a delegation of press freedom groups on what they call an unprecedented mission to a country where threats to journalists and increased anti-journalistic rhetoric is cause for concern. That would be the United States.
Joining them for the trip, roughly coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump's inauguration, will be Reporters without Borders, Article 19, Index On Censorship and the International Press Institute.
The visit will include the Jan. 17 Assessment of Press Freedom event at the Newseum and what are described as meetings with "high-level policymakers" on Jan. 18 and 19.
A report on the first year's data from the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, which collects data on "arrests of journalists, the seizure of their equipment, physical attacks, border stops, and other incidents."
One goal of the trip is to shine a light on the "deterioration of press freedom in the U.S. and show solidarity with the journalist community," says CPJ.
Before Trump was elected President, CPJ took the unprecedented step of declaring the Republican candidate a threat to press freedom "unknown in modern history."
President Trump has spent much of his tenure demonizing and threatening the mainstream media. CPJ recently said that his anti-journalist rhetoric is providing cover for trumped-up accusations and legal charges in other countries.
