"Unfortunately, this right is often violated, sometimes quite openly, sometimes in a hidden way. We commemorate the numerous journalists and reporters who have been victims of war and violence," the pope said.
Since the beginning of his term of office, Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly warned against enabling free reporting and respecting the freedom of the press. At his first official audience ever, he stressed the Church's solidarity with journalists detained "because they seek and report the truth" last May and called for their release.
He paid tribute to the courage of those who reported on war and defended the right to information using their lives. "Only informed people can make free decisions," emphasized the first American in the papal office.
Missio: Not only to understand freedom of the press secular
On the same occasion, the relief agency missio Aachen has highlighted the fate of Christian media professionals. "Christian journalists and media are under pressure in many countries when they report on the faith, situation of religious minorities or violations of religious freedom and other human rights," the missio statement said. "Freedom of the press and religious freedom are inseparable. Where people cannot freely live their faith and talk about it, it is also about freedom of the press bad," emphasizes Father Dirk Bingener, President of missio Aachen. "Christian journalists today pay a heavy price for their work in many countries."
According to missio, the restrictions on Christian journalists range from censorship and intimidation to social violence to detention, occupational bans and the closure of church media.
In particular, the relief agency highlighted the situation of Catholic bloggers in Vietnam, bans on Christian media in Nicaragua, reprisals for Pakistani journalists reporting on religious minorities or blasphemy processes and threats to Christian journalists by Hindu nationalists in India.
"Those who silence Christian media and journalists and restrict freedom of the press for religious reasons do not only meet a certain religious community. He ultimately attacks the entire society," Bingener continued. Freedom of the press should not be understood alone secularly. It also applies to church and religious voices.
On Saturday, the Society of Catholic Publicists (GKP) pointed out the situation in Germany.
"Whoever attacks journalists, whether physically or through smear campaigns, attacks our entire democratic society," said Joachim Frank, chairman of the GKP.
He also describes as disturbing an increasing state surveillance as well as restrictions on freedom of information laws.