Dorothy Parvaz Freed: National Press Club Statement

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May 18, 2011, 12:14 ET

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following statement by National Press Club President Mark Hamrick was released today.

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We are very pleased to hear the news from Al-Jazeera today that our colleague, Dorothy Parvaz, has been released. We are still troubled by the facts of the case in which a professional journalist was detained, moved and held over the course of 19 days. While we are glad that the Iranian government eventually released Ms. Parvaz, we believe the world and the journalism community is still owed a detailed answer as to what happened here and why.

Despite today's breakthrough, journalists continue to face harassment, injury and death on an ongoing basis around the world in the course of their work. Press freedoms are necessary for civil societies. We urge governments around the globe to help provide journalists with safe passage, nothing more.

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. Among the Press Club has more than 3,200 members are representatives of nearly every major journalism organization. More than 250,000 guests visit the Press Club on an annual basis to attend the more than 2,000 events held there.

Editors note: On May 10, the National Press Club called for Parvaz release. Club President Mark Hamrick has been interviewed on media outlets including Al-Jazeera and CBS News about this case. To arrange an interview with Hamrick, a veteran AP broadcast and online video journalist contact Bill McCarren of the National Press Club at 202-662-7534 or [email protected].

SOURCE National Press Club