IAPA concerned over latest newspaper closure
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 6 June 2003 IAPA press release: IAPA concerned at new closure of newspaper in Dominican Republic MIAMI, Florida (June 6, 2003) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) expressed concern today at the closure of the Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic newspaper Ultima Hora and said it would continue to […]
Authorities seize media empire belonging to prominent banker
(WAN/IFEX) – In a 19 May 2003 to Dominican President Hipólito Mejía, WAN and the World Editors Forum (WEF) expressed serious concern at the government’s seizure of three newspapers, four television stations and 70 radio stations belonging to a prominent banker accused of fraud. According to reports, on 15 May, authorities seized the media empire […]
Government threatens journalists with legal action
(PFC/IFEX) – The government has threatened to take legal action against journalists who make accusations of corruption without providing evidence or who “defame” government officials. On 6 February 2003, presidential legal advisor Guido Gomez Mazara stated that “anyone who issues a defamatory statement will be subject to judicial action.” He announced the imminent opening of […]
Two journalists attacked
(PFC/IFEX) – On 5 January 2003, unknown individuals set fire to journalist Julio Gomez’s car. The assailants had previously attempted to burn down the journalist’s home in Pedernales province, in the country’s south-western region, near the Haitian border. Goméz is a correspondent for the Telemicro Canal 5 television station and “Hoy” newspaper. He also manages […]
Environment secretary accuses newspaper of carrying out defamation campaign
(PFC/IFEX) – On 24 December 2002, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Frank Moya Pons sent a letter to Miguel Franjul, director of the “Listín Diario” newspaper, accusing him of carrying out a “campaign of lies, defamation and misinformation.” In a number of “Listín Diario” articles and editorials, Moya Pons’ department was accused of being negligent […]
Journalist arrested
(PFC/IFEX) – During an 11 December 2002 press conference, representatives of the Dominican Journalism College and Jesuit priests who administrate Radio Marién condemned the arrest of the radio station’s news director, Gonell Franco, and politician Wildárico Núñez Corniel, for having reported on rice trafficking on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. By the […]
Court overturns conviction in case of journalist’s assassination
(PFC/IFEX) – The following is a summary translation of PFC’s Spanish-language alert: On 5 November 2002, the Second Criminal Chamber of the Santo Domingo Appeals Court overturned the November 2000 conviction of four individuals implicated in the assassination of journalist Orlando Martínez. The reason given for the decision was that errors had been committed during […]
IAPA hails conviction in murder of Dominican journalist
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 7 August 2000 IAPA press release: IAPA HAILS CONVICTION IN MURDER OF DOMINICAN JOURNALIST MIAMI, Florida (Aug. 7, 2000) – The Inter American Press Association today hailed the conviction of four people for the murder of a Dominican Republic magazine editor as an advance in the fight against the […]
Journalists shot at, wounded during demonstration
(HRW/IFEX) – The following is a 27 January 1999 HRW press release: For immediate release Wednesday, January 27, 1999 Washington, D.C. Rights group urges Dominican government to investigate shootings, lift impediments to meetings Human Rights Watch today condemned police shootings in the Dominican Republic and called on President Leonel Fernández to order immediate investigations of […]
Journalist Juan Bolivar Diaz sentenced to six months in prison
On 19 June 1996, Juan Bolivar Diaz, director of the television channel Teleantillas, was sentenced to six months in prison and fined three million pesos (US $200,000) by judge Juan Maria Severino of the Criminal Court of Santo Domingo. Bolivar was convicted of defaming the head of the company Comunicaciones Ltd., Generoso Ledesma, after a […]