Journalists assaulted, threatened during protest in Santa Cruz department
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has voiced concern about physical attacks on journalists with “El Mundo” regional daily and Red Uno television station that occurred on 28 August 2007 in the eastern department of Santa Cruz. The incident took place during a demonstration by market vendors protesting against a general strike by regional opponents of President Evo […]
Television station’s broadcasting equipment seized by regulatory body; reporter of state-owned radio station beaten by students
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 22 August 2007, the Telecommunications Superintendent’s Office (Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, SITTEL) seized the broadcasting equipment of Canal 20 television station. According to the regulatory body, the station’s licence only permits it to operate in the locality of Vinto, but not in the city of Cochabamba (where its studios are based) or in […]
RSF calls for amendments to progressive but problematic decree on community radio stations
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 2 July 2007 RSF letter to the president of Bolivia: Mr. Evo Morales Ayma President of Bolivia Dear Mr. President, Reporters Without Borders, an international press freedom organisation, would like to raise the matter of decree 29174 with you. Issued by your office on 20 June, this decree establishes […]
CPJ mission finds growing difficulties for media despite relatively open press climate
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: CPJ mission to Bolivia finds growing difficulties for media Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, June 8, 2007 – Despite a relatively open press climate, President Evo Morales’s intolerance of media criticism is making working conditions for reporters increasingly difficult, a delegation from the Committee to […]
Journalist from state radio station beaten by student leader and union leader in Tarija
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 11 April 2007, journalist Mario Fernández, a correspondent for the state-owned radio station Red Patria Nueva of the city of Tarija, in southern Bolivia, was beaten by a student organisation leader and a union leader while he was interviewing a group of female peasants. The journalist identified two of his assailants: student […]
Newspaper journalist, photographer and driver held overnight by protesting peasants
(IPYS/IFEX) – On the night of 21 March 2007, journalist Wilma Pérez and photographer David Guzmán, both of “La Razón” newspaper, were detained by a group of peasants from Patacamaya who were blocking a section of the La Paz-Oruro highway to back their demand that work by ELFA electrical company be halted. Pérez and Guzmán […]
Former minister hits journalist during interview and confiscates videotape
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 22 January 2007, former minister of public works Salvador Ric assaulted camera operator Álvaro Suárez, of Canal 39 Full TV television station, during an interview in the politician’s office in the city of Santa Cruz, eastern Bolivia. The former official was annoyed by a question posed by journalist Daniel Castro and ordered […]
Journalists attacked during march in Cochabamba to protest recent attacks on colleagues
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 10 January 2007, several journalists of the city of Cochabamba were assaulted while they protested against the attacks suffered by their colleagues on 8 January while covering a confrontation between government supporters and the police. In spite of the protection of the police during the march, journalist René Ordóñez was hit in […]
Number of journalists reported assaulted in Cochabamba protests rises
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 8 January 2007, journalists and photographers of various media outlets were assaulted while they covered a confrontation between government supporters and the police. The police were attempting to stop the demonstrators from storming the offices of the prefecture in Cochabamba, a city in central Bolivia. The protestors were demanding the retirement of […]
Eleven or more journalists attacked while covering protests in Cochabamba
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 10 January 2007 CPJ press release: In Bolivia, 11 journalists attacked while covering protests New York, January 10, 2007 – The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns attacks by protesters and police against at least 11 Bolivian reporters, photographers, and camera operators covering Monday’s violent demonstrators in the central city […]
Nine journalists assaulted in San Julián during confrontations over Santa Cruz secession proposal; two “La Razón” reporters beaten in Cochabamba
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 15 December 2006, several reporters were assaulted by local residents in the town of San Julián, in Santa Cruz region in eastern Peru, while they were covering a confrontation between supporters and critics of the Santa Cruz regional government over the public consultation meeting held by the government to propose Santa Cruz’s […]
Assaults on journalists critical of Santa Cruz department’s secessionist movement continue
(IPYS/IFEX) – On the night of 12 December 2006, a group of demonstrators supporting the independence of the Department of Santa Cruz in eastern Bolivia assaulted several of the region’s journalists for being critical of the department’s emancipation attempt. Julio Peñaloza, of the Catholic Church’s radio station Radio ERBOL, narrowly avoided being assaulted in the […]
Radio Erbol director assaulted, threatened; journalists in Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija departments in danger, says RSF
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has voiced deep concern about an increase in the past two weeks in attacks on the press that are linked to Bolivia’s growing political crisis. State and privately-owned media are becoming targets in tit-for-tat violence between government supporters and opponents. “Journalists from the state media and those that support President Evo Morales […]
Crowd protests opposite television networks’ headquarters, accusing them of undermining the government
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 6 December 2006, demonstrators supporting the work being done by the Constituent Assembly, which is drafting a new national constitution, protested opposite the headquarters of television networks PAT (Channel 39) and Unitel (Channel 2) in La Paz, the capital, accusing them of undermining the government. The crowd warned them that if they […]
Santa Cruz TV station target of arson attack, threats
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 7 December 2006, a group of unidentified individuals entered the premises of television station Televisión Boliviana Regional de Santa Cruz, Channel 7, in order to set fire to the government-owned station’s facilities, but their plan was hindered by security guards. According to the station’s director, Jaime Jaramillo, the would-be arsonists left behind […]
Ruling party’s supporters assault journalists, alleging they are “accomplices” of the opposition
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 27 November 2006, a group of journalists was assaulted by militant activists of the governing party, Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS), when they were covering a national meeting of prefects and leaders of citizens’ organisations in the city of Cochabamba, central Bolivia. Those assaulted were Radio Betel radio station journalist Julio Saavedra, Radio […]