World Press Freedom Day

Amnesty International is shining a light on journalists who fight for press freedom. The human rights organization has been focusing this effort on journalists in countries like China, Iran and Zimbabwe.
Unfortunately, there's no focus other than that from the Native American Journalists Association, on the fight for press freedom in Indian Country. While native journalists who challenge tribal governments aren't being jailed, nor executed, the struggle for press freedom is still just as elusive as it is in the autocratic countries where Amnesty International puts its focus.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, for whom I worked until a chief, who questionably got reelected to office, didn't like the fact that I challenged the legitimacy of his reelection, among other issues for which he didn't approve of my coverage, fired me. It's the perils of working for a tribally-owned publication, despite laws to guarantee tribal press freedom.
I was hired in 1996 to act as a journalist. My job description never changed. I followed the profession's code of ethics to the best of my ability, among which was to give a voice to the voiceless and hold elected officials accountable. The ones who fired me in 2007 didn't see it that way. The current administration even attempted to censor non-tribal media as well through closed sessions, denial of information and threats.
There is no Cherokee medium holding Eastern Cherokee officials accountable now as the tribal newspaper is a shell of what it once was. It'd be nice to see Amnesty International look in its own back yard.