Nilo Jiménez says the threats are related to the union's attempt to document the risks that journalists face in Venezuela.
(IPYS-Venezuela/IFEX) – Nilo Jiménez, secretary for Reporteros Gráficos of the Venezuelan National Press Workers Union (abbreviated to SNTP in Spanish), has reported that he received death threats via several anonymous calls. In these calls, he was urged to stop gathering images of attacks against press freedom for an upcoming union publication, on the occasion of the institution’s 65th anniversary.
According to the journalist, he received four calls from the same individual, in which he was warned: “Don’t continue to gather the material or else you will be sorry”. He was also threatened with being shot at. During the last call, received on 20 January 2011, Jiménez was told that given his persistence, he and his family should expect a “surprise”.
The journalist pointed out that he began receiving these threats after he sent an e-mail to several media outlets asking them to contribute information for the union’s publication, in its effort to document through photographs the risks that journalists face in Venezuela.
Jiménez stated that he will report the incident to the District Attorney.
IPYS-Venezuela will continue to monitor the case.
