RSF Urges US Senate To Reverse New Restrictions For Media Covering Impeachment Trial

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2020) Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Friday called on US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to overturn the new restrictions for the media covering the impeachment proceedings.

"Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly condemns the restrictions the Senate sergeant at arms and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration are imposing on Capitol Hill reporters during the impeachment trial for President Donald Trump," RSF said in a release. "RSF calls on the Senate Majority Leader to reverse these rules immediately."

RSF noted that the full scope of the restrictions for the media covering the Senate impeachment trial is still unclear as a formal document outlining them has not yet been provided.

"However, one rule prohibits reporters from walking through the halls of Congress to ask senators questions," RSF added. "Others prevent reporters from bringing electronic devices into the Senate Chamber, require journalists to pass through a second security screening inside the Senate, and force them into pens and roped-off lines so they cannot access senators as they normally would."

Dokhi Fassihian, Executive Director of RSF USA pointed out that McConnell is in violation of First Amendment rights until he reverses the new measures.

"By preventing the press from asking questions on behalf of the American people during this trial, the Senate is escaping public scrutiny and effectively undermining the very foundation of our democracy," Fassihian explained.

RSF noted that on January 16, it joined 57 other media outlets and journalism organizations who sent a letter to Senate leadership to oppose the new rules.

The US Senate formally initiated the impeachment trial for President Donald Trump which began with the House managers reading the charges to upper chamber and the swearing-in of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to preside over the process.

On December 19, the House of Representatives voted along party lines to impeach Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for allegedly freezing military aid to press Ukraine to probe political rival Joe Biden.

The Senate will reconvene on January 21 to begin the impeachment trial.

Trump has called the impeachment process another political witch hunt by Democrats designed to overturn the results of the 2016 election.