IFCN statement: US visa bans on international researchers undermine press freedom

This is a statement from the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter.

The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the Poynter Institute strongly opposes the Trump administration’s recent decision to deny US visas to European public officials and civil society leaders. This action, which includes the blacklisting of individuals for their professional contributions to information integrity, represents a disturbing departure from historic principles of free expression. These ban punish public servants and researchers and are antithetical to democratic values. These officials are being personally targeted for civic participation under laws passed by their own democratic governments, including the European Union’s Digital Services Act. The work of these professionals ranges from exposing coordinated lies to defending the public’s right to reliable information. It is not censorship. The ban on the visas is, in fact, censorship.

The IFCN stands in unambiguous opposition to the classification of fact-checkers, researchers, and trust and safety professionals as national security threats. Such characterizations are the tools of authoritarian regimes to suppress independent media. The pursuit of accuracy is not a hostile act; it is a vital service to the public record. 

The IFCN remains committed to the protection of our global fact-checking community. We are moving forward with a formal assessment of how these policies impact the ability of fact-checking journalists to operate without fear of political retaliation. Furthermore, we will expand our resources to provide legal and safety support for fact-checkers who face harassment or unwarranted scrutiny due to their commitment to the truth.

We call for an immediate reversal of these targeted restrictions. A commitment to free expression must include the protection of those who work to ensure that public discourse is free of censorship and welcomes the value of facts, transparency, and the rule of law. – Rappler.com