Pope Francis highlighted the plight
of jailed journalists and called for press freedom to be
respected in his speech to participants at the Jubilee of the
World of Communication event for the Holy Year in the Vatican's
Paul VI Hall on Saturday.
"I want to remember all those who are imprisoned just for having
been faithful to the profession of journalist, photographer,
video operator, for having wanted to go and see with their own
eyes and having tried to tell what they saw," the Argentine
pontiff said.
"There are many of them.
"In this Holy Year, in this Jubilee of the World of
Communication, I ask those who have the power to make it
possible for all unjustly imprisoned journalists to be freed.
"May a 'door' also be opened for them through which they can
return to freedom, because the freedom of journalists increases
the freedom of all of us.
"Their freedom is freedom for each one of us".
Francis also made a fresh appeal for "freedom of the press and
freedom of thought be defended and safeguarded along with the
fundamental right to be informed.
"Free, responsible and correct information is a heritage of
knowledge, experience and virtue that must be preserved and
promoted," he continued.
"Without this, we run the risk of no longer distinguishing truth
from lies; without this, we expose ourselves to growing
prejudices and polarizations that destroy the bonds of civil
coexistence and prevent the rebuilding of fraternity".
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