PressEthic

Awful things happen in awful places. Those that go there—brave and brazen reporters—bring back news from the dark corners of the world. The public relies on these brave souls to illuminate and tell the tales for the entire world. They are the ears, the eyes, and the conscience for us.

Sudan is one such place, and American journalist Paul Salopek is one such individual. According an Associated Press article by Felicia Fonseca, "Salopek, 44, was on assignment for National Geographic magazine when he was arrested Aug. 6 and accused of passing information illegally, writing 'false news' and entering the African country without a visa."

Playing devil’s advocate, a myriad of questions come to mind. First, does a government have a responsibility when one of its citizens is jailed in a foreign country, especially if he or she has broken a law in said place? The gut reaction is yes; the government does all that it can to free the reporter because he or she is one of their own, and, without him or her, the truth may never surface.

Currently, Sudan is a caldron of deplorable acts, routinely suppressing free speech and censoring newspapers. Right or wrong, however, Mr. Salopek had broken Sudan’s law.

Luckily for Mr. Salopek, Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, has clout, foreign policy experience and, in a truly cynical world, presidential aspirations. Mr. Richardson was able secure his release after a month in captivity.

Increasingly, reporters are finding themselves in harm’s way and often used as bargaining chips in high stake political games. Therefore, what do governments do if the journalist’s captivity affects national security or negotiations? Does the government risk the life and limb of its soldiers when the reporter has gone, by his or hers own freewill, into the lion’s den?

The realpolitick answer is only when it does not affect the bottom line or the balance of power, and, most likely, those brave souls know exactly this when they cross the dangerous thresholds to deliver the news.

(Edited for punctuation)