AAJA: Asian American Journalists Association


AAJA Joins Community Effort to Release Laura Ling and Euna Lee

Related Links:

Free Laura Ling & Euna Lee

KTVU (July 10): Journalist Detained In North Korea Told Sister She Broke The Law

Sacramento Bee (July 10): Family, supporters pray at California Capitol for release of journalists jailed in North Korea

New York Times (July 10): Clinton Asks ‘Amnesty’ for Journalists Seized by North Korea

BBC (July 10): Clinton plea for N Korea captives

AP (July 10): Report: 2 US journalists 'doing fine' in guest house in Pyongyang

AP (July 10): Journalists held in North Korea ask for pardon

BBC (June 25): Jailed N Korea reporters visited

CSB13 (July 8): Lisa Ling Pushes For Her Jailed Sister's Release

BBC (June 25): Fears for jailed US reporters in N Korea

BBC (June 25): Jailed N Korea reporters visited

SF Gate (June 24): Husbands of jailed reporters speak at SF vigil

San Diego News Network (June 19): San Diegans support two U.S. journalists in N. Korea (Written by AAJA San Diego Student Board Member Regina Ip, who also edited the video. Daniel K. Lew, Hoa Quach, Lee Ann Kim and Jessica Chang were also involved in the story.)

AP (June 18): Detention of journalists puts strain on media firm

CNN (June 17): Families plead with North Korea

CBS (June 17): Journalist's Family Speaks

ABC (June 17): Families Hold Out Hope for Journalists Detained in North Korea

New York Times (June 14): A World of Risk for a New Brand of Journalist

Los Angeles Times (June 10): Friends speak up for L.A. journalists held by N. Korea

Committee to Protect Journalists statement (June 8): North Korea sentences U.S. journalists to 12 years

SF Gate (June 8): Diplomatic stress complicates journalists' fate

New York Times (June 8): Silence on North Korea Detainments Causes Concern Among Current TV Staff

Los Angeles Times (June 8): North Korean labor camps a ghastly prospect for U.S. journalists

Richard Prince (June 8): U.S. Women Will Be Bargaining Chips, Some Believe

Emil Amok (June 8): Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the new face of U.S./North Korean Impasse

AP (June 8): US working to win release of journalists in NKorea

Asia Times (June 6): A sombre scoop for Pyongyang's pawns

Washington Post (June 8): North Korea Convicts 2 U.S. Journalists

New York Times (June 8): North Korea Sentences U.S. Journalists to 12 Years of Hard Labor

AlterNet (June 5): North Korea Silent on Fate of Two U.S. Journalists

Roxana Saberi: supportive statement

Baynewser (June 5): Gore to Korea for Reporters' Freedom?

MSNBC (June 1): Loved ones ‘terrified’ for captured journalists

Facebook: Free Laura Ling and Euna Lee (US Journalists Detained in North Korea)


Nationwide Vigils For Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee Wednesday, June 3, 2009

L.A. vigil held for detained journalists

eval("page" + id + " = window.ope Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (May 19): Northern California Chapter of Society of Professional Journalists Deeply Concerned About June 4 Trial for Journalists Held in North Korea

New York Times: North Korea to Put U.S. Journalists on Trial

Richard Prince: N. Korea to Try U.S. Journalists on June 4

July 10, 2009

Vigils for the two detained journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling in North Korea, were held July 9 in various U.S. cities, including San Francisco and Sacramento, where Laura's sister, journalist Lisa Ling, attended. Laura Ling was allowed to call Lisa July 8, as reported on CBS13.

June 24 Gathering

Students, alumni and faculty of the Academy of Art University (links and petition) in San Francisco, along with other community organizations, including AAJA, held a community-wide gathering June 24 in San Francisco to join the nation in solidarity for the release of Euna Lee and Laura Ling. AAJA's Jan Yanehiro moderated the event and AAJA's L.A. Chung read a statement. Videos:

Transcript of L.A. Chung's speech

AAJA statements about Laura Ling and Euna Lee:

June 8, 2009

The Asian American Journalists Association is deeply disappointed in the sentencing of journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling in North Korea.

The two U.S. journalists who work for Current TV were sentenced to 12 years in labor prison today. AAJA is concerned about the women's safety and asks that the North Korean government reconsider the sentence.

"We call on all parties in a position to work diplomatic channels to free these two journalists," said Sharon Chan, AAJA National President. "We hope a way will be found to return these two women to their families."

Lee and Ling were detained March 17 for allegedly crossing the border into North Korea while reporting for Current TV, an online news site. They had told relatives before they left that they had no intention of crossing the border, according to Laura Ling's sister, Lisa Ling. North Korea and the United States do not have diplomatic relations. Swedish diplomats have visited the journalists twice on behalf of the United States and carried letters back to families.


=========

Timeline:

  • March 17: The two reporters were filming for Current TV on the China-North Korea border when they were detained by North Korea.
  • June 3: Several vigils in the U.S. and Canada were held prior to the trial after being charged with illegal entry and hostile acts. Five-minute video from San Francisco vigil, includes speech by AAJA's L.A. Chung and a statement sent from Roxana Saberi.
  • June 7: North Korea convicted and sentenced the pair to 12 years in a labor prison. Bloggers said they are being used as bargaining chips.
  • June 17: North Korea claimed to have the journalists' news gathering materials showing a planned "smear campaign." Family members appeared on television in response to the new allegations.