(IPYS/IFEX) – The Attorney General’s Office has issued an order calling for “protective measures” for 27 journalists who have been wounded or attacked while covering the demonstrations held throughout Venezuela between 27 February and 3 March 2004. The decision is in response to a request filed by a department of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The […]
(IPYS/IFEX) – The Attorney General’s Office has issued an order calling for “protective measures” for 27 journalists who have been wounded or attacked while covering the demonstrations held throughout Venezuela between 27 February and 3 March 2004.
The decision is in response to a request filed by a department of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The office, under the direction of Marcos Alvarado, called on the courts to order investigations into attacks against 15 reporters, five camera operators and seven photographers.
Prosecutor Angela Rausseo was assigned to the case of Televen cameraman Carlos Montenegro, who received a bullet wound in the leg on 27 February. Prosecutor Alis Fariñas was assigned to the case of Luis Wladimir Gallardo, a photojournalist for the regional daily “El Impulso”, who was injured when he was struck by pellets on 27 February. Additional prosecutors were assigned to the cases of other journalists injured during the protests.
Since 27 February, a number of protests have been led by the opposition calling on the National Electoral Council to order a referendum on President Hugo Chavez’s leadership. Many of the protests held throughout Venezuela have ended in violent confrontations in which the National Guard has intervened. More than 20 journalists, camera operators and photojournalists who were covering the events have been injured in the disturbances.
On 3 March, the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Commission on Human Rights expressed concern about the violence in Venezuela. The commission called on the “Venezuelan authorities to guarantee the safety of journalists, media workers and media outlets so that they might continue their work of keeping Venezuelan society informed.”
