US court rules Pentagon violates access order for journalists
Kyiv • UNN
A federal judge has ordered the US Department of Defense to reinstate media accreditation. The Pentagon attempted to restrict press operations despite a previous court ruling.
U.S. Federal Judge Paul Friedman stated that the Pentagon is violating a court order to restore journalists' access to the agency's building. This refers to new rules that effectively restricted media operations, contrary to a previous court ruling. This is reported by AP, writes UNN.
Details
For the second time in a month, the court sided with The New York Times, ruling that the Department of Defense's policy violates constitutional rights. According to the judge, the introduction of new requirements, including mandatory escort of journalists, is an attempt to circumvent the March 20 decision.
The department simply cannot reinstate an unlawful policy under the guise of new actions
The court ordered the reinstatement of accreditation for seven journalists and emphasized that this decision applies to all parties.
The dispute has been ongoing since October, when journalists left the Pentagon due to new restrictions. In December, The New York Times filed a lawsuit, alleging violations of freedom of speech and due process rights.