Pompeo defends his attacks on US media as 'perfect message' in former Soviet states
Source: ABC News
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's attacks on National Public Radio and what he called the "unhinged media" are being heard around the world. While traveling in Central Asia over the weekend, the top U.S. diplomat faced questions from a local reporter about whether he retaliated against the radio network after being pressed by one of its reporters on his treatment of the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine -- and what message doing so sends to repressive governments.
Pompeo said that his actions send "a perfect message about press freedoms," but it seemed to undermine his message to the former Soviet states about increasing transparency and civil liberties.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus all hosted Pompeo this past weekend for high-level visits, where he encouraged each government to implement reforms, according to his spokesperson, including to strengthen fundamental freedoms.
But each state is known for its repressive policies, particularly against a free press. According to Reporters Without Borders, Belarus ranks 153rd out of 180 countries for press freedom, Kazakhstan is 158th, and Uzbekistan, 160th. Journalists in each country have been harassed and arrested, media outlets have been shut down or censored, and much of the media is government-controlled.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pompeo-defends-attacks-us-media-perfect-message-soviet/story?id=68726387&cid=clicksource_77_2_hero_headlines_headlines_hed
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