Defense Journalists Association Denounces “Multiple Malfunctions”

The Association of Defense Journalists (AJD), which brings together 140 members, denounces in an open letter "multiple and recurrent dysfunctions" in the communication from the Ministry of the Armed Forces, which "have multiplied" with the health crisis caused by the Covid-19 epidemic.

"Existing before the crisis" , these "dysfunctions have multiplied today, hampering more and more the exercise of our profession" , and "their origin and / or their resolution are the responsibility of the major communicators of the Ministry of the Armed Forces " Deplores the office of the AJD, who signs this letter.

"Pressure" and "arbitrary selection"

The association thus evokes the "absence of a documented answer in due time to the questions asked" , the "arbitrary selection of journalists having access to certain sources", the "pressures exerted on journalists" , and "deliberate lies" or not, on the part of the communicators ” , without further details.

Contacted by AFP, the AJD office said it was "the spokesperson for abuses reported by its members" . The "lies" denounced by the association relate in particular to figures of contamination within the armies, or even the case of cases discovered on board the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle , says the association.

"Providing professional journalists with time and time is the best way to fight against false information or fake news" and "serve as a priority, even upstream, defense specialists is also the guarantee of obtain quality information , ” concludes the open letter.

Requested by AFP, the Ministry of the Armed Forces "proposes to meet with the officials of the AJD as of next week in order to identify precisely these problems, so that they can bring to our attention the concrete examples, and that the ministry can respond as best as possible, ” he reacted.