Club Lunch – Threats to Press Freedom: A Veteran Journalist Speaks About Global Media Under Attack

The brutal murder of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, with complicity of the Saudis and followed by equivocation and denial from the White House, marked a gruesome low for global press freedom. In recent years journalists have come under attack in Russia, the Middle East, China and the Philippines. Washington Post global affairs columnist David Ignatius, a colleague of Khashoggi, won the 2019 George Polk Award for a series of columns that uncovered the role of Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the crime. Now approaching the one-year anniversary of Khashoggi’s assassination, Ignatius will reflect on his friend’s death and legacy, the danger of journalists being labeled “enemies of the people,” and the state of press freedom globally.

   

David Ignatius of The Washington Post writes a twice-weekly, globally distributed column on international politics, economics and world affairs. He was formerly executive editor of the International Herald Tribune. At The Washington Post he’s also served as assistant managing editor for business news, foreign editor and editor of the Outlook section. He was previously a reporter, Middle East correspondent and chief diplomatic correspondent for The Wall Street Journal. His coverage of the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi won 2018 George Polk Special Award and he was a member of the finalist team for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. He is the author of 10 novels, including “Body of Lies,” which was made into a movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Ridley Scott.