Pope Leo XIV on Thursday made an urgent plea for the public to protect the emblems of journalism amid widespread attacks on the media and free speech.

“Doing the work of a journalist can never be considered a crime, but it is a right that must be protected,” the pontiff said in an address to the 39th Conference of the MINDS International Association.

“Free access to information is a pillar that upholds the edifice of our societies, and for this reason, we are called to defend and guarantee it,” he added.

In his remarks, Pope Leo referenced

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