A federal judge ruled on the 22nd that the Trump administration's actions to dissolve "Voice of America" (VOA) and its affiliated news services may be illegal, ordering a restoration. (Reuters)

Federal District Court Judge Royce Lamberth in Washington DC ruled on the 22nd that the Trump administration's actions to dissolve "Voice of America" (VOA) and its affiliated news services may violate the law. He ordered an indefinite block on the shutdown of VOA and its affiliated news services, and required the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the supervisory body of VOA, to restore the functions of VOA and other media under USAGM.

Judge Lamberth also ordered that USAGM be prohibited from preventing its media outlets from serving as "continuous, reliable, and authoritative" news sources as required by law; that laid-off employees be reinstated and no layoffs be made during the litigation period, and that funding for international broadcasting continue.

Judge Lamberth, appointed by former Republican President Reagan, stated, "In short, the defendants have found no method acceptable to this court to shut down USAGM, yet they immediately took drastic measures to cut back on USAGM without considering the statutory or constitutional requirements explicitly stipulated in the executive order or the harm caused to its global employees, journalists, and media consumers. Their behavior demonstrates arbitrariness and capriciousness to an extreme degree."

The U.S.-funded VOA broadcasts American values in nearly 50 languages worldwide. After President Trump took office, he signed an executive order to close USAGM. On March 15th, VOA suddenly ceased broadcasting, with over 1,300 employees placed on leave, and 600 freelance workers informed they would be dismissed. Some VOA reporters, unions, and the non-profit organization Reporters Without Borders, which advocates press freedom internationally, subsequently filed lawsuits.

Lawyer Andrew Celli, representing the VOA employees, stated after Judge Lamberth announced the ruling that this decision is "a major victory for press freedom."

Although the coalition filing the lawsuit also hoped to restore funding for VOA sister radio networks, Judge Lamberth said that due to some other issues, his order does not apply to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), Middle Eastern Broadcast Network (MBN), or Open Technology Fund (OTF).

The coalition representing the plaintiffs stated at the preliminary injunction hearing on the 22nd that Congress established VOA with the commitment to provide high-quality global news. Despite the Trump administration's belief that the network was "unnecessary," suppressing it would damage U.S. interests overseas. Judge Lamberth pointed out, "One of the advantages of VOA is that it has the courage to tell the truth about America."

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7496343054882783759/

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