On the Pentagon’s new access rules: asking is not a threat

Institutional communiqué

The International Journalism Club Velours expresses its support for the journalists accredited at the US Department of Defense who chose to surrender their credentials rather than accept a policy that barred seeking unauthorized information.

Asking questions is the essence of journalism. A rule that turns the search for information into grounds for sanction does not regulate access: it replaces it with official communication.

We especially value that the refusal was shared by outlets with very different editorial lines. Defending the right to report belongs to no ideology.