Journalists to Be Freed in North Korea

by Matt Kelley · 2009-08-04 16:06:00 UTC
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Good news from North Korea today - Current TV reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee were pardoned by North Korean President Kim Jung-Il during an unannounced visit by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. This is welcome news of an injustice overturned, and it didn't come about just by Bill Clinton dropping by. It took months of diplomacy by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and others in the Obama administration, and it took grassroots pressure on our elected representatives to keep this issue a priority. Thanks to all of the change.org members who took action on behalf of Ling and Lee.

The impact of this move on long-term relations and nuclear talks can be debated, but the immediate effect is that two innocent prisoners will be freed. I don't agree with those (like former UN Ambassador John Bolton) who say the U.S. shouldn't have sent a high-level emissary like Clinton on this mission. Not only does the effort free two innocent prisoners, it also opens dialogue with a rogue state - and dialogue is the only way to improve a dire situation for the residents of North Korea.

Dozens of other journalists are in prison around the world for nothing more than trying to report facts - Iran is currently among the worst perpetrators of this injustice. Please take action to urge Iran to free Maziar Bahari and other imprisoned reporters, and support the great work of organizations like Reporters Without Borders to fight injustice and ensure the freedom of the press around the world.

After the jump, a few links on the Ling / Lee pardons.

L.A. Times: Talks of a Secret Mission Began Once Journalists Were Seized

Associated Press: Family, friends cheer release of journalists

CBS News: Clinton Does What Obama Could Not

John Bolton in the WaPo: Clinton's Unwise Trip to North Korea

Matt Kelley is the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project and a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow him on Twitter @mattjkelley.
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