IWMF Petition for Release of Two American Journalists in North Korea

I PLEAD WITH MY ENTIRE HEART THAT THESE TWO JOURNALISTS BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY AND BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THEIR WORK AS JOURNALISTS

Please release our friends immediately.

Please let them go.

Thanks to everyone who is getting involved with this. I interviewed Mitch and Laura after their first trip to No. Korea a couple years ago. They were the first American journalists to report inside North Korea in many years.

free for the Journalists

release our these journalists please.their families and friends need them.

Journalists msut be free to report objectively and incidents like this are just to down the moral of women journalists .But we will carry on and we also hope that Mitch and Laura will be released soon

It is the duty for a journalist to address public issues constructively and objectively. As the watch dog of the society, they are to propagate, motivate and sensure progress. I wonder why they are continuously persecuted. I there fore plead for their immediate release.

free them please.

Please let them go, they were only doing their work

Please release these journalists

Please,let them to work their job. It's a 21 centuries

My prayers, love and support go out to Laura and Euna for their quick and safe return. Thanks for signing the petitions.

Please release these US journalists as it will only increase the tensions between your country and ours, and this is not something anyone wants.

Please let these people go; they have the right to be free.

We urge you to release them immediately

free the journalists

Please do release my collegues, they are innocent journalists. Please help us protect and preserve the freedom of press!

i pray for the release of these sisters as anyone of us in advocacy could be next in this world of double speak and thinly veiled misogyny

Please free our colleagues

Journalists are definitely without borders. Please don't make them pay for doing the universal job of telling facts.

In recognition of the great service that journalism renders to the world by keeping it informed, these two women should be released. They were doing just that, gathering information in order to keep the world informed.

Journalists (anywhere in the world)should never be used for political ransom! Please let them go! They are innocent!

Free the journalists.Freedom is humanity’s destiny.

Our prayers go out to Laura and Euna for their safe return. We also pray for their families during this trying time. Mrs. Cawthon's class-Indian Creek Middle School Georgia

This is an affront media freedom on an issue afflicting women/society

I have continually been awed each time I hear that journalists are arrested for doing their jobs. Is it that people do not love the wrongs in their respective countries to be righted? I join all my colleagues in pleading that our two colleagues be released, PLEASE! Thanks to the "aggrieved" in anticipation of their cooperation.

Women's oppression needs to STOP, as we are ALL equal regardless of gender, race, political/economic/social status. Everyone needs to think about how they would like it if someone oppressed them in the same way, and then MAYBE a light switch would flip. These power-hungry people need to be brought to justice!

Please release them!

Release the journalists.

Wow I always watch her on current tv...its a shame that they would hold them against their will. They should be released...

Free our journalist, her work, friends and family need her! She is just doing her work! for how long will this injustice take place?

Let them go, now, PLEASE!

Good lord please let them go

Please release them. I would pray for you girls..

Detaining journalists under overblown charges to gain political leverage is a cheap move. This is just ridiculous. Please, let them go.

let. them. GO.

Please release them!

I plead for their immediate release.

Let our friends go. They have families and a globl community that depends on them

Stop the indictment of these journalists! They did nothing wrong, and are not spies.

My question is this, what would allah do?

The actions taken by the authorities of North Korea are those of a corrupt government terrified that the truth of their atrocities would be made known to the world. Holding these reporters is a cowardly act. Let them go.

The actions taken by the authorities of North Korea are those of a corrupt government terrified that the truth of their atrocities would be made known to the world. Holding these reporters is a cowardly act. Let them go.

North Korea is looking for a fight by kidnapping Americans in a border zone. China and the United States need to stand together on this issue.

They should be let go now we can not stand for this

Please kindly release the two American journalists. They are good human beings and do good work. God bless them.

So much to loose, so little to gain. Do right by the world and free the Journalists.

The world benefits from the work of journalists like these who take great risks to report objectively and accurately on international events and developments. They should be freed immediately. Their detainment represents a violation of human rights.

Please release the journalists who work to report on people, events, and places in the world.

This type of draconian behavior is unacceptable in this day and age.

The world is calling for the immediate release of Ms. Ling & Ms. Lee. Please hear our plea's. Praying for God's light to shine on the hearts of the North Korean Government and their officials.

For God's sake please release the journalists. They are journalists not criminals... When will North Korea and other countries like it respect these professional's immunity rights?

Please let those journalists and their guide go! You know why!

They should and need to be released. Current isnt the same without them. Free the Journalist

Please free these young ladies at once; they were simply doing their jobs. Thank you.

Whatcha got to hide, korea? Obviously something!!!

Releasing the two journalists and allowing them to leave North Korea will be an act of benevolence and fair-mindedness and will show the willingness of the government's leaders to cooperate with the international community.

Releasing the two journalists will be an act of willingness of the government's leaders to cooperate with the international community and to establish a new standards in their countries.

release Laura and Ling its difficult to become a journalist u will c one day....our work is to inform and report issues without prejudice...which on the other hand myt upset other people...

As we celebrate the World Press Freedom Day it is highly important for North Korean government to observe pricimples of freedom of expression as expressed by article 19 of the United Nations Declaration on human rights. The authorities should see it as their duty to protect this right and release unconditionally, the two journalists with immediate effect.

The plight of a single journalist around the globe should be of concern to each reporter in every newsroom; there's need not to allow politicians meddle with our work. May they be released to continue to write their stories.

Press freedom seems to be a far away cry and the only one timethat people want to publicity is when they have some positive things, or at least tey think that they are positive.As media people we demand the release of our good friends at once. this is violation and we can not stand it anymore.

The pen will always be mighty....let them go please!

The International Women's Media Foundation whyarehelp somali Women Journalist in action (Woja) Becouse for journalists who put their lives in danger to get the news. In Somalia, outspoken journalists are victimized by lawlessness, militant insurgency and meddling neighboring countries. Journalists in Mogadishu and other parts of southern Somalia are at higher risk of violence this year on account of their reporting than ever before, Mogadishu has experienced the worst press freedom violations, with journalists being arrested and held, often without explanation. Somali journalists have been resorting to self-censorship to protect themselves. Women Journalist in action (Woja) says stop the violence against Somalia journalist in side their control parts in the country as well as to meet their responsibility to protect journalists and media workers

i pray for strength to laura & eunu, & faith for their families.

My prayers will be with Laura and Eunu.

Dear Mr. Kim Jong Il, free Laura and Euna as Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did for Saberi, The journalist, Roxana Saberi, had been in the Iranian jail since January as she was charged for spying. She is a hopeful young American female journalist. Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other Iranian leaders considered her circumstances very seriously, morally, in a humane way. Now she is free to come home. We pray for her health and peace and joy in the family; Needless to say, our president Mr. Obama and the secretary of state Mrs. Clinton greatly helped her case as the Iranian leaders understood their concerns. Whole world expressed joy of Saberi’s home coming. More good understandings hopefully would come from the leaders of both nations. Meantime, we hope that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il too this time take the same line of thought as the Iranian and American leaders had for Ms. Roxana Saberi and free two female American journalists -One Chinese American, one Korean American - Laura Ling and Euna Lee, as spies, jailed now in the cold North Korea. We understand that Mr. Kim has the same humane fatherly compassion too as these leaders had for this young Saberi who is in the same age group of their children. Saberi and the American female journalists probably had the same intellectual curiosity and dutiful obligation to inform the world about the true images of the countries they were visiting in order to promote better human understanding among the nations for a better tomorrow. We hope that Mr. Kim by now should have much more progressive thought than Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev had for the declining Soviet Union. Consider the young American female journalists’ bravery and intellectual curiosity as well as their love for Koreans in North and South. See the Korean airmen and navies saved North Koreans when their cargo ship was attached by the pirates as they had the strong love of Koreans as the same family members at the same time to accomplish their duty as soldiers to keep peace in the international waters. Imagine these brave Koreans did for the international duty according to the law. Proud Koreans!! Do you know Koreans are not dummies but so smart!! For there is no borderline in love. Mr. Kim should understand we have to build a better world according to the ideas of young new generation that should have much more enlightened than those of the now aged leaders’ of the troubled world. Try to educate the young generation to have a better life than you and we have as we could not have accomplished the dream yet although we so dreamed of. You have a good chance to show your good will to the world, freeing these two female Americans from the cold jail. If you free them, all Koreans in North and South and all Chinese people as well as the American people and the people of the world will admire you as the man of good will. Just free them with your good message to the American leaders too as it is very good opportunity for you to express some of your inner thoughts to them as the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his leaders did. Please free the young Korean American journalists from the cold jail. They are suffered enough because of a misunderstanding by your misinformed or informed leaders. For the world already knows very well the people are starving in the workers’ paradise. Laura and Euna wanted to help them somehow, someway. Hopefully this time the judges in North Korean court should demonstrate their legal brilliance for the case as the Iranian judges did for Saberi. God will bless your good deeds. Sincerely, Chae S. Sone Thursday, May 14, 2009

I beg you to release these two young women. Be an example to the world and allow these journalists to go free.

exposing issues on refugees is not a crime

please let the journalists go,they have done nothing wrong.

If North Korea wants to be considered part of the family of nations, rather than an enemy of freedom, it must recognize the importance of a free press and respect journalists from all countries, and their rights to do their work and pursue their stories. This does not make them spies.

If these were your reporters in our country, you would want us to release them; so please send our citizens home now.

Please show the mercy our Country would show your citizens.

We all need to hold each other's and do something to get them both released.

Please let them go. They did nothing wrong. They aren't spies. If any harm comes to them, it won't help you at all. Please, let them go home to the families and friends who love them. There doesn't need to be any hostility or casualties.

Please show mercy an allow the girls to return to their families.

North Korea time and again shows extreme animosity to the world. We have to stop it.

Please release these women.

I plead that these two journalists be released immediately. GOD be with them.

They are journalists that were on assignment, they need to be returned to the US immediately.

Please release my friend Euna, so she can be reunited with her husband and daughter.

I hope North Korea will do the RIGHT thing and return these innocent women back to their families, and that the U.S. will do everything possible to make that happen. My thoughts and prayers to these courageous women and their families.

Journalists do not work for any country. We work for truth. Laura and Euna were no spies, and unless North Korea is trying to wage a war against truth itself, they should let these two reporters go.

Please release them, please!

This is no longer a safe world. Other parts of the world do not have freedom of speech and people HAVE to realize this. PLEASE, PLEASE, this women are NOT spies. Let them go home to their families, who love and miss them. They were just doing a job, THAT'S IT!!!! Humanitarian is a MUST to survive in this sick world we live in. How awful it is to know that the world is NOT a safe place. Mr. Kim, your fight is not with these 2 women.......LET THEM GO, PLEASE!!!!

without brave journalists like these 2, how can we get the truth? LET THEM GO

Please return these two women to their country and families, and to a profession which contributes so much to human dignity and universal human rights.

Protecting journalists is everybody's business. North Korea is not garnering favor with the world by keeping these women in jail. On the contrary. Time to do the right thing. Release there women.

If you weren't leading your country the way you are.. they wouldn't have been there reporting anything. Normalize your country.. every country should live as the U.S does. FREE. Every other country is like a jail. I feel so bad for those people.. I'd rather die than live or work in a refugee camp. Free the Americans, they have good hearts, they don't deserve this.

Please release these two young women.

I am yet to comprehend why harmless journalists are often arrested and detained for merely doing their jobs. One, is it that people are so evil and fearful of the pen-professionals and see them as threats agaist their vices or what? Journalists hold the pen not guns; so our colleagues should please be released without further delay. Thanks please.

These young women journalists are being held hostage in what will be a ineffective attempt by North Korea to prevent sactions against it by the rest of the world. It will compound, not lessen, the necessity to isolate this rogue nation.

These journalists should be released or given a fair trial. There are no excuses, ideological or not, for preventing a journalist to report and for trying people unfairly !

N Korea, please let go of your hate.

This can't be true! Let the international community in general act and put pressure on North Korea to release the journalists today!

Laura and Euna did not fight against North Korea, they did not fight AGAINST anybody, they fought and fight FOR women being abused and oppressed. Please do not imprison them for striving to make the world a better place for ALL of us

PLEASE,please release them.

I am really sorry for them…. And I am asking North Korea realize those woman. They were just doing their work Somaliland

Unfortunately, criticizing the North Korean government is not going to help them be released. We are not dealing with a rational government but one that will use this as a bargaining toy. I think it would be a mistake to share comments with them that could just make the situation worse. Where as the plea of the request signed by so many might help--our comments won't.

Please release Laura Ling and Euna Lee. They intended no harm or have evil motives. In return, they deserve the same regard - and should be spared from your harm and evil.

please release them, i do not see any wrong they have done apart from doing their work

On behalf of Bangladeshi Journalists community we are stronglly demanding for release of two Journalist. www.bmsf-bd.org

Release these journalists. If you fear what they are reporting because you fear what the world will say, then look to your actions and change them.

Is this how you would like your reporters to be treated in other parts of the world. Please consider the impact this has on the perception we have on your regime.

Please , release these jourtnalists, they have family, they have friends and they miss and need them!

We understand that the North Korean government sees the function of the press and what it should or should not be allowed to do differently from those of us who espouse a free press. But, our colleagues' work stems from the highest ideals in terms of how to serve the public. Please reconsider their convictions. Failing that, please release them. They do not deserve such a horrible punishment.

It's only a matter of time as world pressure builds for the release of these two journalists. Do it now.

We pray everyday for the release of these two young journalists and their safe, immediate return to their loving families. There would no face lost by North Korea by the humanitarian act of release.

Journalists, particularly the young and the brave, if they are good at their job will always go that extra mile. They will do whatever it takes to get their story to their public. These young women are just that: young and brave. Give them a chance to live out their lives in freedom with their families. Please do not persecute them by continuing to keep them imprisoned.

Please realease these young women that have done nothing to hurt anyone, just their jobs as journalists. Put yourselves in their positions, they are just normal people like anyone. This is no way to establish peace in the world. May God help these women and their families. MY prayers are consistent and will be until they are freed, and ongoing for all humanity. God bless all. We desperately must pray every day.

I pray these woman will be released as soon as possible. They are very courageous women and their families miss them desperately. Please forgive them North Korea and set them free. Thank you and God bless.

Imprisoning truth-seeking journalists, is a shameful act indeed; what a positive, internationally stronger statement it would be to release these innocent reporters… Please think about this.

WOMEN of all Nations should take an offence to this illegal act of HUMAN TRAFFICKING of women. Its a shame the Government of North Korea would arrest these two journalist for investigating the horrors of this crime L Ling and E Lee we are praying for you . In my opinion you are our modern day heros. HUMAN TRAFICKING is a crime to humanity . North Korea the world is watching .

If you want the United States of America and the World to hold you in high esteem, you do not accomplish this by imprisoning honorable women journalists and falsely accusing them of spying. Please do the honorable thing and release Laura and Euna immediately and you will earn America's and the World's respect and open the doors to diplomacy.

Euna and Laura, you are courageous taking risks that most of us could not do by reporting to the world the truth. You cannot imprison the truth. I pray that you will be home soon to your families. The world knows the truth of why you are being held hostage by the North Korean government. Please, free Euna and Laura immediately.

To the North Korean leadership: If you cannot be moved by compassion to release Ms. Lee and Ms. Ling, at least be moved by respect for history, which has far more power than you do. Sooner or later history condemns every brutal regime on earth, and judges the leaders of such regimes as ignorant, corrupt, small-minded, short-sighted, and hostile to humanity. Is this how you wish to be remembered by future generations not only in the world, but also in North Korea itself? Rest assured, one day North Korea will be free of tyranny and when it is, your names will be covered in shame and disgrace, and your images will be spat upon. Free these journalists now, so that the memory of you will not sicken future generations.

Please release the two innocent journalist who represent "Truth"This is just a case of violation of the Human Right law.

I'm praying for Lisa and Euna. We have to get our girls back home where they belong.

My prayers go out to the Ladies and their families and I hope they are returned home safely and soon. I plead for their safe release!