RSF sues after Voice of America shut down

BAGUIO CITY (March 24, 2025) -- Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) joined Voice of America (VOA) employees and their unions in the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) — the federal agency that oversees VOA — as well as USAGM Senior Advisor Kari Lake and Acting CEO Victor Morales following President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the government-funded, editorially independent news outlet .

RSF also demanded an immediate halt to the dissolution of VOA and the prompt reinstatement of its employees.

USAGM was ordered dismantled on March 14, 2025, gutting the federal agency that supervises vital independent media outlets such as Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and Radio Free Asia (RFA).

The lawsuit was filed in The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, a federal court. RSF is represented pro bono by State Democracy Defenders Fund, a nonprofit organization that “brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.” 

RSF said VOA employees were placed on administrative leave on March 15, 2025 “violating the rights of VOA journalists and USAGM’s legally required functions”.

RSF said its work to defend journalists and the public’s right to reliable information “has been gravely impaired by the elimination of VOA as it is among the most reliable — if not the only — source of independent information in many parts of the world where RSF and its correspondents operate”.

Clayton Weimers, RSF-USA Executive Director fumed, “Authoritarian censorship regimes, like the Kremlin and the Chinese Communist Party, are loudly cheering for the death of Voice of America. It’s clear that Donald Trump’s action will encourage harsher crackdowns against journalists and press freedom, putting VOA and RSF staff, correspondents, volunteers, and supporters in greater danger.” RSF is compelled to act to protect VOA and the broader press freedom community, he stressed.

RSF noted that VOA was established in 1942 to combat Nazi propaganda with accurate information. While the outlet operates with federal funding, it has been editorially independent from the US government as stipulated by the 1994 US Broadcasting Act, which prohibits interference by government officials, it added.

VOA, the RSF further added, is the largest and oldest US international broadcaster, producing digital, TV, and radio content in 47 languages where VOA journalists report from around the world and face serious danger to keep the public informed. 

According to RSF, two VOA journalists are currently detained: Sithu Aung Myint was arrested in 2021 on charges of incitement and defaming the military in Myanmar and Pham Chi Dung is serving a 15-year sentence in a Vietnamese prison.

Thibaut Bruttin, RSF Director General further noted, “VOA reporting helps keep the public and local journalists informed about human rights violations, violence, protests, and corruption — even in the world’s most censored countries. Trump’s decision is not only illegal, it’s also a major blow to millions of citizens’ right to trustworthy information and an invaluable gift to the world’s biggest predators of press freedom. RSF is proud to champion this battle in US court, defending access to independent, reliable journalistic reporting for citizens worldwide.”

Retired Ambassador Norman Eisen, co-founder and board member of the State Democracy Defenders Fund, aiding in the suit said, “The attempt to dismantle Voice of America and the US Agency for Global Media is an unconscionable and outright attack on press freedoms. A free and independent press is the bedrock of democracy both at home and abroad. We are proud to stand with Reporters Without Borders and coalition members in our critical fight to defend free and independent journalism.