

COSTA RICA: Justice minister tells CPJ that government opposes press restrictions
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 20 July 2006 CPJ press release: Justice official tells CPJ that government opposes press restrictions New York, July 20, 2006 – The Committee to Protect Journalists is encouraged by a letter from Costa Rica’s top justice official stressing her government’s opposition to newly proposed press restrictions. On June 8, […]

Congress considering a bill that would further restrict press freedom
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is an 8 June 2006 CPJ letter to President Arias: June 8, 2006 His Excellency Oscar Arias President of Costa Rica Apartado Postal 520 2010 Zapote San José, Costa Rica Via Facsimile: +506 253 90 78 Your Excellency: We are writing to ask you to use the authority of your office […]

Supreme Court upholds prison terms for defamation and insult
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is concerned about a Costa Rican Supreme Court decision on 3 May 2006 rejecting a newspaper lawyer’s petition for article 7 of the Press Law to be struck down as unconstitutional. The article provides for prison sentences for those who use the media to “defame” or “insult”. “We call […]

Security guard fires upon journalist
(RSF/IFEX) – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is outraged at the 20 February 2006 shooting attack on José Alberto Gatgens, correspondent with the newspaper “La Nación”. The journalist was fired upon as he left a shopping mall in Guápiles, northeast of the capital, San José. RSF is shocked that the assailant is being charged only with […]

Allegations of corruption in granting of radio frequencies
(AMARC/IFEX) – On 25 May 2005, the Public Prosecutor’s Office searched the premises of the Public Safety and Governance Ministry’s national radio broadcasting regulatory office (Oficina de Control Nacional de Radio), the home of the office’s director, the national organisation representing private radio and television business owners (Cámara Nacional de Radio), and four security services […]

“La Nación” newspaper the target of two shooting incidents in less than a month
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 28 March 2005 CPJ press release: COSTA RICA: Two shooting incidents reported at La Nación in less than a month New York, March 28, 2005 – The Committee to Protect Journalists today called for a prompt and thorough investigation into two gunfire attacks this month against the facilities of […]

Inter-American Court of Human Rights overturns defamation sentence against Costa Rican journalist
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 4 August 2004 CPJ press release: Inter-American Court overturns Costa Rican defamation sentence; CPJ welcomes decision New York, August 4, 2004 – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) welcomes a decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to annul a sentence against Costa Rican journalist Mauricio Herrera Ulloa, […]

WPFC submits amicus curiae brief on behalf of journalist fighting criminal defamation sentence
(WPFC/IFEX) – The following is a 27 April 2004 WPFC press release: Washington, April 27, 2004 – The World Press Freedom Committee (www.wpfc.org), an umbrella organization representing 45 press freedom groups in six continents, has submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on behalf of Costa Rican journalist Mauricio Herrera, […]

IAPA calls for more action on crimes against journalists
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 31 March 2004 IAPA press release: IAPA calls for more action on crimes against journalists MIAMI, Florida (March 31, 2004) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has called on Costa Rica’s judiciary and police to take swift action to solve the murders of journalists Ivannia Mora Rodríguez and […]

Criminal defamation laws must be scrapped, ARTICLE 19 says
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 30 March 2004 ARTICLE 19 press release: Criminal defamation laws must be scrapped, ARTICLE 19 argues In a written intervention submitted today in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, ARTICLE 19 argues that Costa Rica’s criminal defamation laws are incompatible with the right to freedom of expression. The […]

PERIODISTAS files amicus curiae briefs in defamation cases
(PERIODISTAS/IFEX) – On 27 February and 1 March 2004, PERIODISTAS submitted two amicus curiae briefs to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The first brief was submitted in support of Costa Rican journalist Mauricio Herrera Ulloa’s case. Herrera Ulloa, a journalist for the daily “La Nación”, was convicted of defamation, under both criminal and civil […]

CPJ submits brief to Inter-American Court of Human Rights on criminal defamation case
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 19 February 2004 CPJ press release: CPJ SUBMITS BRIEF TO INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN COSTA RICA San José, February 19, 2004-A delegation from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) submitted an amicus curiae brief to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights today in Costa Rica’s capital, San […]

Journalist murdered
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 26 December 2003 IAPA press release: IAPA urges Costa Rican authorities to investigate murder of journalist MIAMI, Florida (December 26, 2003)-The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today expressed outrage at the murder of a journalist in Costa Rica and called on the authorities there to immediately begin an investigation […]

RSF calls for results in investigation on second anniversary of radio journalist Parmenio Medina’s death
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has called on Costa Rican authorities to accelerate their investigation of the murder of radio journalist Parmenio Medina on 7 July 2001. “Last year, on the first anniversary of his killing, we welcomed the official efforts made to determine the truth,” RSF Secretary General Robert Ménard said in a letter to President […]

Inter-American Court of Human Rights to hear criminal defamation case
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a 26 February 2003 CPJ press release: COSTA RICA: Inter-American Court to hear criminal defamation case New York, February 26, 2003 – The Inter-American Court of Human Rights said last week that it will hear the case of Costa Rican journalist Mauricio Herrera Ulloa, who was convicted of criminal defamation […]

On first anniversary of journalist’s death, RSF concerned that crime remains unpunished
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is a 3 July 2002 RSF press release: 7 July 2001 – 7 July 2002 First anniversary of the assassination of Parmenio Medina Reporters Without Borders and the Damocles Network express concern about a crime that nobody has been punished for and launch a campaign in the Costa Rican press on […]