Pope Leo XIV has called for the release of journalists imprisoned for doing their work, urging governments and the international community to uphold press freedom as a fundamental human right.
Speaking during his first press conference at the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall on Monday, the newly elected pontiff said: “Journalists jailed for seeking and reporting the truth must be released.”
“The Church recognises in these witnesses – I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives – the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed, because only informed individuals can make free choices,” he added, according to remarks reported by Al Jazeera.
Pope Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, said the suffering endured by journalists behind bars should serve as a moral reckoning for nations around the world. “The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community, calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press,” he said.
The pontiff also addressed the ethical challenges facing journalism in the digital era, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence, and urged media professionals to use emerging technologies responsibly. “We must ensure that [AI] can be used for the good of all, so that it can benefit all of humanity,” he said, as reported by Reuters.
Leo XIV was elected pope on 8 May following the death of Pope Francis. An American by birth, he becomes the first US-born leader of the Catholic Church. He is a relatively little-known figure globally, having spent much of his clerical career as a missionary in Peru before taking up senior roles within the Vatican.
His comments come amid growing global concern over crackdowns on journalists in conflict zones and authoritarian states, with press watchdogs reporting record numbers of media workers imprisoned or killed in the line of duty.
