US supports journalists in reporting freely on countries: WH

So that would be our general view, but I don't know the specifics of the case,” Carney said.  

When asked about the US assessment of the freedom of the press in Pakistan, Carney said there are harrowing reports prepared by international bodies that monitor the circumstances confronting journalists around the world.

“And it is often worth noting that in a country like the United States, where we rightly debate issues related to freedom of the press, that there are places around the world where the attempts to squelch that freedom too often include homicide, murder of journalists, and other steps that are taken to silence free and independent journalists and prevent them from reporting on the facts around the world,” he said.

“That is something that we take very seriously here in this country and sometimes take for granted, and we shouldn't,” Carney said