May in the Americas: A free expression and civic space round-up produced by IFEX's Regional Editor Laura Vidal, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.
This month, we focus on the student protest actions against Israel’s war on Gaza across US college campuses, and on the violent and disproportionate responses that are raising questions about the right to freedom of expression, as well as concerns for the safety of journalists covering the events. Additionally, we cover activities and publications by IFEX members in Latin America and the Caribbean in commemoration of World Press Freedom Day.
Protests and crackdowns on US campuses
April saw campus protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza spread across the United States, as well as in Canada, sparked by the rising death toll, Israel’s overt defiance towards international bodies, and severe hunger and disease in Gaza following a deliberate blocking of access to food and water.
In the US, students at nearly 40 universities across more than 25 states set up encampments, calling for their institutions to end financial ties with corporations linked to Israel and its attacks against Palestinians. They have also taken their protest to graduation ceremonies, collecting their degrees wearing Palestinian flags and keffiyehs in addition to their caps and gowns.
The protests have faced significant backlash, including accusations of antisemitism, attacks, and restrictions imposed by authorities. These actions are seen as limiting freedom of expression and civic engagement on campuses.
In many cases, police have been called in to disperse the demonstrators, leading to more than 2,000 arrests. Riot units have employed flash grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets, and there is an ongoing police presence at several universities as a preventive measure. Reports indicate that those arrested, including students and professors, were primarily charged with trespassing. University administrations have also taken disciplinary actions, including suspensions and potential expulsions.
In a statement released on 9 May, the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) called on the US to respect peaceful protest and academic freedom on campuses, expressing concern “over the acts of violence, mass arrests and sanctions against members of the educational community who are mobilizing on issues of public interest in the United States.”
“The IACHR recalls that occupations of buildings, whether public or private, constitute a legitimate form of protest. Any restriction on these demonstrations must be exceptional, necessary, and proportional, weighing in each specific case the interaction between the right to peaceful assembly and the protection of other rights, such as private property. Protests in academic institutions represent a platform for students to express their criticisms, demands and claims.”
The IACHR goes on to address a justification being used for the removals, noting that “the violent actions of one or more persons or the possible existence of do not per se authorize the declaration of the non-peaceful nature of the entire protest and its disbandment. Persons who commit acts that are not protected by the right to peaceful assembly may have their ability to demonstrate temporarily and individually restricted. Therefore, States should refrain from engaging in mass, collective or indiscriminate detention practices.”
Unwelcome press coverage
Journalists covering the protests have faced significant challenges as well. IFEX members the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have documented multiple arrests and assaults on journalists and are urging authorities to respect and protect their rights. Since 7 October 2023, the US Press Freedom Tracker has reported at least 13 arrests and 11 assaults on journalists covering related protests.
The protests have also been the targets of disinformation and conspiracy theories, complicating the public discourse.
Some political figures have suggested, without reliable evidence, that foreign actors are funding the protests, and authorities have often labeled protesters as “outside agitators.” Vittoria Ellior, from WIRED, remarked on the optics of police interventions during campus protests, stating, “When you send the police into a campus, that’s a bad look. It makes sense for the NY police and even Columbia to really lean into that narrative [of ‘outside agitators].”
Other actors have exploited the disorder. In the same special WIRED report, David Gilbert describes how, as protests persisted, Russian entities intensified their disinformation campaigns, using social media bots, Telegram influencers, and state media to attack the US. This coordinated effort aims to amplify chaos and discredit American institutions.
The protesters have achieved some successes. At the University of California, Berkeley, activists secured the chancellor’s support for a Gaza ceasefire, and Rutgers University promised scholarships for Palestinian students affected by the war. Brown University pledged to have its board of trustees vote on divesting from Israel.
The Antisemitism Awareness Act: Another escalation in the controversy
Adding to the list of concerns over public discourse and freedom of expression, the Antisemitism Awareness Act is poised for a vote in the US Senate after passing the House earlier in May by a large majority. The bill seeks to enshrine the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism into law. Civil liberties groups argue that this definition will suppress criticism of the state of Israel and make it more challenging to address genuine antisemitism.
Pro-Israel politicians have been advocating for the bill since 2016, and are now seemingly capitalising on the climate of fear arising from student demonstrations. The notion that any criticism of Israel is inherently antisemitic significantly hampers legitimate discourse. Critics say this redefinition will be weaponised against Palestine rights activism, organising efforts, and even Jewish individuals worldwide who criticise Israel. Organisations that work solely on Israel-Palestine issues are at risk of being labeled antisemitic under this definition if they do not equally criticise other entities guilty of similar behaviours.
World Press Freedom Day: IFEX members highlight press freedom challenges
From 2 to 4 May, the 31st World Press Freedom Day Conference, co-organised by the Government of Chile and UNESCO, took place in Santiago de Chile. IFEX members in the Americas highlighted the importance of free and independent journalism through a variety of events and publications.
- The Latin American team from Derechos Digitales in Chile was present at UNESCO’s WPFD event, and proposed a special session exploring political avenues to protect journalists from spyware in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Argentina-based organisation FOPEA presented its 2023 report on freedom of expression emphasising soaring challenges for the work of the press in the country, particularly since the appearance of Javier Milei on the political scene.
- Think-tank Observacom hosted a discussion on media pluralism, exploring its current state and implications for press freedom.
- ARTICLE 19 Mexico focused on protecting environmental journalists through international cooperation, addressing unique challenges in this field.
- The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) promoted a YouTube event spotlighting environmental journalism and the situation in Haiti, stressing the specific threats journalists and press workers have been facing.
- Colombia-based press freedom organisation FLIP issued a statement on the escalating violence against journalists and urged the government to strengthen protections.
- Espacio Público published a report on the dire landscape for freedom of expression in Venezuela.
- CAInfo reported that 2023 featured the highest number of threats and restrictions in Uruguay in the last 10 years
In brief
After nearly two years of irregular imprisonment, Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora was granted house arrest in one of three cases against him. The struggle is not over for Zamora; he remains imprisoned. Advocacy organisations are demanding all charges be dropped, asserting that his detention was due to his investigative journalism on government corruption.
In an electoral campaign period, Uruguay’s Senate approved a new media law allowing state intervention in media content. The law, passed without opposition or debate, mandates media to provide comprehensive and balanced information among political actors. The bill will go back to the House of Representatives for approval.
New & Noteworthy
PEN America is launching a webinar training series (from 4 June onwards), in collaboration with CPJ and IWMF, aimed at enhancing the safety of journalists covering U.S. elections. The initiative will equip reporters with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the risks associated with election reporting.
In its report “People power under pressure: Human rights defenders & business in 2023”, the Business and Human Rights Resource Center noted that the highest number of attacks on human rights defenders challenging corporate harm in 2023 occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean, accounting for 41% of the global total.
