US military newspaper editor voices censorship fears after being fired
The editor-in-chief and other senior staff at the military newspaper Stars and Stripes have been dismissed by the US Department of Defense for alleged insubordination. The fired journalists suggest the move is an attempt to exert control over the publication's editorial independence and suppress reporting on sensitive military conditions.
Why it matters
The incident raises significant concerns regarding the independence of military journalism and the potential for government censorship of news outlets that serve the armed forces.
Figure caption, Watch: Stars and Stripes editor Erik Slavin speaks to the BBC after his dismissal
The editor-in-chief of US military newspaper Stars and Stripes has told the BBC of his concern over censorship a day after being dismissed by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for "insubordination".
"This is a time when we really need to hear what's happening," Erik Slavin said, adding that Pentagon officials appeared to be "less and less inclined to speak on the record".
Slavin says he believes he was fired for having stated in an interview that "in a hypothetical situation, censorship would be a red line". A reporter and the paper's publisher were also sacked.
The Pentagon told the BBC it would not comment. But the sackings come amid tension between the Trump administration and the US media.
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