The history of press freedom goes back to the birth of mass media. As soon as the printing press was invented, officials created ways to censor it. In the American colonies, the defense of John Peter Zenger against libel charges in 1735 is often seen as the cornerstone of American press freedom.
The US Justice Department has apparently decided to test a legal case which unfortunately carries with it First Amendment implications, and may affect the future directions of a free press.
Federal prosecutors filed an 18-count indictment against Assange, adding 17 counts to the single count that was unsealed in earlier, alleging he unlawfully received and leaked information related to national defense.
Freedom of the press is the principle that communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, especially published materials, should be considered a right to be exercised freely.
The U.S. charges WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with espionage https://reut.rs/30ANkEp
#USA charges WikiLeaks founder with publishing classified info https://apnews.com/89547adf8a8846c3991a4e6c57ce50ef