United States: Iowa prosecutors must drop charges against journalist Andrea Sahouri

County Prosecutor’s Office Polk, Iowa, USA must immediately drop the false charges against Andrea Sahouri, journalist at The Des Moines Register Arrested in 2020, Amnesty International said today.

“The charges against Andrea Sahouri represent a clear violation of freedom of the press and are in line with a disturbing pattern of violations committed by the United States Police against journalists.” Erika Guevara Rosas, Director of Amnesty International for the Americas, explained that it is extremely worrying that the prosecution has insisted that these false charges remain. Directed at her so that they can bring her for trial.

In 2020, journalists across the United States provided the world with basic information about the Black Lives Matter movement and the heinous human rights violations the police committed against protesters. Journalists should in no way be penalized for performing their work and passing on this type of basic information. Dealing with media work as a crime that violates human rights. The American authorities must uphold freedom of expression and drop the charges against Andrea Sahouri immediately. “

On the evening of May 31, 2020, police in Des Moines, Iowa, sprayed Andrea Sahouri with pepper spray and detained her while covering a protest against “black lives matter,” despite her shouting, “I am the press, I am the press.”

The charges against Andrea Sahouri represent a clear violation of freedom of the press and are in line with a disturbing pattern of violations by the United States Police against journalists.

On March 8, 2021, the US authorities will sue Andrea Sahouri on charges of “disobeying the separation order” and “interfering in official business.” The prosecution has insisted that she be tried for two minor offenses, which could be punished with a fine, 30 days in prison, or both.

Amnesty International has documented a case Andrea in her August 2020 report The world is watching: Mass violations of the rights of black life of the demonstrators by the US policeIn which he described how law enforcement officials, in many of the largely peaceful 2020 protests, have used unjustly and unnecessarily excessive force against journalists, accredited observers and first responders, as well as against anti-protesters. This excessive use of force violated their right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, and caused injuries and put all those affected at risk.

Worldwide, Amnesty International is campaigning for the charges against Andrea Sahouri to be dropped.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please call Carlos Mendoza: [email protected]