Target: Wayne Stenehjem, North Dakota Attorney General
Goal: Applaud suspension of the prosecution of filmmaker Deia Schlosberg.
Authorities in North Dakota have suspended the prosecution of Deia Schlosberg, a documentary filmmaker who was facing multiple felony charges and 45 years in prison for filming a climate change protest. She was arrested and charged after filming a group of activists who briefly halted the flow of tar sands oil into the U.S. by turning a safety valve in Walhalla, North Dakota. Despite her protected status as a journalist, she was charged along with the activists and her footage was confiscated.
The suspension of the prosecution of Deia Schlosberg comes after public outcry and political pressure including petitions such as these Force Change Petitions. However, it is unclear whether authorities returned the footage they confiscated. Sign our petition and applaud the suspension of the prosecution.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Attorney General Stenehjem,
I was pleased to hear that the state of North Dakota has suspended the prosecution of documentary filmmaker and journalist Deia Schlosberg. As you must know, the charges against her were a clear violation of freedom of the press and, therefore, unconstitutional. Her initial arrest does raise questions about freedom of the press in North Dakota, particularly related to coverage of the fossil fuel industry. Her release is an important step towards reversing the trend towards the criminalization of journalists.
Moving forwards, I urge you to make every effort to ensure that journalists covering the ongoing protests against fossil fuel developments in North Dakota have unimpeded access to protest sites. It is in the interest of the public for there to be open and unfiltered coverage of these protests.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Fibonacci-Blue
acess deined for the pipeline