Bolivia

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF condemns the attacks by gangs of hooded rioters who, on 25 March 2008, stoned the premises of the public radio station Patria Nueva and of the public television channel Canal 7 Televisión Bolivia, both located in the country’s constitutional capital, Sucre. The two media outlets were targeted by demonstrators opposed to President […]

(IPYS/IFEX) – There were two significant developments regarding legal threats to press freedom in the third week of March 2008. A national press organisation protested to the OAS about a problematic article in the new Constitution, and widespread opposition to a problematic measure by the broadcasting regulator led to the measure’s revocation. On 15 March […]

(IPYS/IFEX) – The senior management of “La Razon” newspaper reported to IPYS that on the night of 6 March 2008 one of their journalists – whose name they preferred to keep confidential – was surrounded and threatened by a group of the ruling party’s sympathisers, while she was covering a violent clash between members of […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has voiced alarm after privately-owned television station Red Bolivisión’s reporter, Limberth Sánchez, and cameraman, Edson Jiménez, who were covering a village riot that ended in the lynching of three police officers, narrowly escaped the same fate themselves. The two had started to film a demonstration on 26 February 2008 by around 300 […]

Freedom of the Press 2007: Bolivia

(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is an 11 February 2008 IAPA press release: IAPA calls for stronger guarantees that Bolivia’s new constitution will safeguard press freedom MIAMI, Florida (February 11, 2008) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today urged that greater guarantees for press freedom be specified in Bolivia’s proposed new Constitution and that a […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is stunned by President Evo Morales’ comments, made on 30 January 2008, six days after it was revealed that 18 politicians and a journalist had been illegally spied on. They contradict the reassuring statements about press freedom made earlier by Ivan Canelas, the leader of the ruling Movement to Socialism (MAS) block […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is dismayed by the revelation that the police department’s intelligence service has been involved in unauthorised spying upon, among others, Juan José Espada, the news director of the privately-owned television channel Unitel. RSF hopes this revelation will not affect negatively the dialogue being held between the government and media that began after […]

(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 7 December 2007 IAPA press release: IAPA protests to Bolivia over tax audit of media MIAMI, Florida (December 7, 2007) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today expressed surprise and protested the Bolivian government’s sudden announcement of a tax audit of news media in the South American country, […]

(IPYS/IFEX) – On 29 November 2007, a correspondent for the state-owned TBN television station in Santa Cruz and his camera operator were harassed by a group of youths who barricaded the streets during a “civic strike” – an attempt to slow down the public’s movements and economic activities – held in opposition to the national […]

(IPYS/IFEX) – On 27 November 2007, supporters of a regional prefect who oppose the national government threatened journalists of the radio stations Digital and Pando for reporting negatively about the regional strike they organized, which began that day in the town of Cobija, northern Bolivia, according to information provided by the Governmental News Agency (Agencia […]

(RSF/IFEX) – Condemning physical attacks on journalists in Sucre and La Paz during rioting that followed the initial approval of a new Constitution on 24 November 2007, RSF hailed a dialogue which the government has started with the press as well as the appeals for responsibility made by some journalists’ organisations. The dialogue must be […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 27 November 2007 CPJ press release: Media attacked in Bolivian constitutional reform protests New York, November 27, 2007 – At least five journalists were beaten by police on Sunday in Bolivia while covering antigovernment protests in which four people were killed and hundreds were injured. The violence occurred in […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF firmly condemns attacks on five journalists on 9 November 2007 by opponents of a constituent assembly sitting in Sucre. Claims by President Evo Morales in the past few days that “the media” are systematically opposing his government are all the more regrettable, the organisation noted, as the victims of the violence are […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is concerned by the physical attacks on six journalists at Viru Viru airport in the eastern department of Santa Cruz during an operation on 18 and 19 October 2007 by police and troops to oust demonstrators in the pay of the Santa Cruz government. Public and privately-owned media were again the victims […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: Bolivia’s Historic Moment A CPJ special report: At the dawn of a new constitution, fears of new media restrictions arise New York, September 25, 2007 – Bolivian President Evo Morales and his administration have taken an antagonistic stance toward the news media, raising concerns that press […]