Today, a total of 19 Pulitzer Prize winners have issued statements in support of journalist James Risen and in protest of the Justice Department's attempt to force Risen to testify against his sources.

"Risen has vowed to go to jail rather than give up his source, but the Justice Department has steadfastly refused to drop its pursuit," writes Freedom of the Press Foundation director Trevor Timm.

"On Thursday, many of the major US press freedom organizations will hold a press conference in Washington DC and deliver a petition with over 100,000 signatures to the Justice Department, calling on them to do the same."

The Pulitzer prize-winning journalists who have written in support of Risen include Eric Lichtblau, Risen's reporting partner on the 2006 NSA warrantless wiretapping stories.

"As the attorney general himself said, reporters should not be put in jail for doing their job," says Lichtblau. "It's as simple as that."

Read the full list of reporters, and their statements, here. [pressfreedomfoundation.org]