IFEX Latin American & Caribbean Alliance

In the face of escalating repression and the systematic persecution of the independent press and dissident voices, we the undersigned organizations, call on the international community to speak up in defense of press freedom and freedom of expression in Nicaragua, to condemn the ongoing violations of these rights, and to appeal for the restoration of conditions to allow free, fair and transparent elections to take place. In addition, we call on the Nicaraguan authorities to respect the right to freedom of expression and to provide guarantees for press freedom.

The undersigned organisations condemn the Cuban government’s repression of the citizen protests registered since 11 July 2021 and which continue to date.

The IFEX-ALC network expresses its solidarity with its member in Uruguay, the Centro de Archivos y Acceso a la información Pública-CAinfo. Since its creation in 2008, CAinfo has played a leading role as a serious, rigorous and committed defender and promoter of freedom of expression and access to information in Uruguay.

The undersigned civil society organizations, committed to the defense of the rule of law, human rights and democracy in Latin America, strongly reject the decisions adopted on May 1 by the Salvadoran Congress to arbitrarily remove from office the judges and alternate judges of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice and the Attorney General, and to irregularly appoint their replacements, in violation of the constitutional and international legal framework, and warn of a serious risk to the preservation of the democratic system in the country.

We call on authorities to guarantee freedom of expression rights and We express our solidarity with Nicaraguan journalists and media workers, recognising their bravery, courage and unwavering commitment

As Nicaragua recognizes the National Day of the Journalist today, the undersigned organizations express our solidarity with Nicaraguan journalists and call on authorities across the country to put an end to widespread harassment of journalists and ensure the media and press freedom organizations can work safely.

IFEX-ALC is concerned over reports of obstruction of justice in the case involving retired general and current Peruvian presidential candidate Daniel Urresti Elera. Urresti has been accused of involvement in the 1988 murder of journalist Hugo Bustíos Saavedra. The IFEX-ALC alliance calls on Peruvian judicial authorities to bring 32 years of impunity in the Bustíos case to an end.

Since November 16, approximately 14 activists, artists, and journalists have congregated at the MSI headquarters, under siege from state security forces. They are demanding the release of the musician Denis Solís González.

The IFEX-ALC network condemns the arbitrary detention of journalists Miriam Grizel and Cesario Padilla in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and calls on the national authorities to respect and guarantee the right to freedom of expression and the work of journalists and civil society organisations. Grizel and Padilla are journalists for the Comité por la Libre Expresión, (Committee for Free Expression, C-Libre), an IFEX-ALC member organisation.

IFEX-ALC is deeply concerned about the Cybercrime Law passed on October 27 of this year by the National Assembly of Nicaragua. The crimes established in this law have rather abstract definitions that could be open to abusive interpretation. The law also criminalizes activities that constitute legitimate exercise of freedom of expression.

IFEX-ALC, Media Defence and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) oppose all acts of intimidation from the Colombia Prosecutor General’s against the Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP) and the journalist Diana Díaz. They also urge the Colombian authorities to ensure respect for the work of journalists and organizations defending and promoting freedom of expression.

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, congratulate and welcome Pedro Vaca as the new Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) special rapporteur for freedom of expression.

This year, on the International Day for Universal Access to Information, IFEX-ALC wants to encourage all generations to use their hard-earned wisdom to engage wisely with information discovered through social media platforms and messaging services.

IFEX-ALC joins over 100 organizations in warning that the El Salvador government’s measures to tackle COVID-19 have created a violent and hostile environment that hinders the work of Women Human Rights Defenders.

IFEX-ALC, along with its member organisations Fundamedios and the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM), demand the elimination of laws penalising the dissemination of information that the Puerto Rican government could classify as “fake news”. The laws allow for fines of USD $5,000 and up to three years in jail for those accused of publicising “fake news” items. Laws such as these set a dangerous precedent for free expression in the Americas.

The undersigned organizations and media outlets support the petition and urge allies to demand that the Cuban government put an immediate stop to online surveillance of individuals who express their opinions and cease persecuting journalists and human rights activists.