(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is an IAPA press release: IAPA calls for end to violence against journalists, media in resolutions adopted in San Salvador MIAMI, Florida (March 26, 2003) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) called on the governments of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti to provide guarantees for journalists to be able […]
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is an IAPA press release:
IAPA calls for end to violence against journalists, media in resolutions adopted in San Salvador
MIAMI, Florida (March 26, 2003) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) called on the governments of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti to provide guarantees for journalists to be able to work freely and safely following a heightened wave of violence against the press in these countries. The organisation held the Venezuelan and Cuban governments directly responsible for such violence in their countries.
Following are the texts of the resolutions adopted by the IAPA at its Midyear Meeting in San Salvador, El Salvador, March 21-24. The complete wording of the resolutions and further information, including country-by-country reports on the state of press freedom in the Americas, is posted on the IAPA’s Web site, www.sipiapa.org
The Midyear Meeting of the IAPA resolved:
– In Colombia: to ask the Government of Colombia to make its statements consistent with President Alvaro Uribe’s signature of the Declaration of Chapultepec and his assurances, given orally to the IAPA, that there will be no restrictions on press freedom during his administration; to urge the Congress not to pass the law on accrediting journalists, given the enormous risks it entails for press freedom in Colombia; to request that the government of Colombia, the military and police guarantee the minimum conditions of safety for the practice of journalism.
– In El Salvador: to condemn the practice of the FMLN and other parties and groups of instigating violence against journalists and the media; to demand that these groups stop their verbal abuse and systematic attacks on the media’s image, and insist that they act fully in accordance with freedom of expression as a fundamental democratic freedom.
– In Guatemala: to demand that President Alfonso Portillo and representatives of the other branches of government, respect press freedom and immediately stop all harassment and put an end to the smear campaign against the independent press; to demand that Guatemalan Attorney General Carlos de Leon stop the practice of subpoenaing journalists to testify in relation to their investigative reports, and stop all interception of telephone communications by his office, as required by Guatemalan law and fundamental human rights.
– In Haiti: to demand that President Jean-Bertrand Aristide guarantee that Haitian journalists can do their jobs without being harassed, threatened and attacked by government supporters; to demand that Haitian judicial authorities expedite the adjudication of those responsible for the murders of journalists Jean Léopold Dominique, Gérard Denoze and Brignol Lindor, to ensure that they are properly tried and punished; to ask government, police and military authorities to provide a minimum of security for the free practice of journalism.
– In Venezuela: to condemn the violence against the media that has become a fact of life in Venezuela in recent years; to condemn President Hugo Chávez’s campaign against the media through such actions as making foreign currency unavailable by order of the government for the purchase of newsprint; to hold President Hugo Chávez responsible for the physical safety of journalists, photographers, cameramen and others working in the media who are assaulted by government officials or supporters.
– In Cuba: to demand the immediate release of all jailed journalists, especially Raúl Rivero, vice president of IAPA for Cuba, and the end of the current repressive campaign against press freedom; to request the immediate intervention of democratic governments, professional groups and human rights organizations, and in general the entire international community, to demand that the Cuban government end its hostile acts against freedom of information; to demand the free and unrestricted practice of independent journalism in Cuba and its representatives’ access to the tools necessary to disseminate ideas, information and opinions inside and outside the country.
