ASJA Honors Fallen Journalists

New York, September 12, 2005 — On Tuesday, September 13, 2005, the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), the nation’s leading organization of independent nonfiction writers, will honor the memory of fallen journalists killed while reporting on wars. The event will take place at the Roger Smith Hotel, 501 Lexington Avenue (47th Street) in New York.

“ASJA will recognize journalists who, in their efforts to bring information and new perspectives to the worldwide public, were killed in action,” said Jack El-Hai, president of ASJA.

A tribute will be delivered by Sally Wendkos Olds, former ASJA president, and long-time member of ASJA’s First Amendment Committee. Mariane Pearl, widow of fallen Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, and Lisa Ramaci, widow of journalist Steven Vincent, will be in attendance.

Since 1981, the Committee to Protect Journalists has kept detailed data on journalists killed while on duty.

During the past 20 years, at least one journalist has been killed every week worldwide and scores of journalists are imprisoned every year as a result of their reporting. Hundreds more are routinely subjected to physical attack, illegal detention, spurious legal action, and threats against themselves or their families.

The deadliest country for journalists now is Iraq, where 52 have been killed since 2003.