On the morning of May 12, 2025, Pope Leo XIV held his first audience with the international press in the Vatican City. The most applauded moment came when he addressed the global situation of journalists imprisoned simply for telling the truth.
“Only well-informed people can make fair and appropriate decisions,” he stated.
Pope Leo emphasized the critical role of communication and urged the media to avoid language that fosters prejudice, fanaticism, and hatred. Echoing his inaugural message of peace from the balcony of St. Peter’s, he called on the media to contribute to resolving conflicts through “unarmed and disarming information.”
“Peace begins with you,” he reminded journalists. “To disarm the word is to disarm the world.”
He went on to recognize the bravery of journalists who risk their lives to report on war and injustice:
“The Church honors those who report on war even at the cost of their lives the courage of those who defend dignity, justice, and the people’s right to be informed. The suffering of these imprisoned journalists is a call to the conscience of nations and the international community. We must preserve the precious gift of freedom of expression and of the press.”
At Free Press Alliance, we thank Pope Leo XIV for his powerful words on the importance of press freedom as a cornerstone of peace and democracy. Like him, we call for the immediate release of all journalists unjustly imprisoned simply for telling the truth.