Guatemala

(APG/IFEX) – The following is a 3 May 2003 APG Press Freedom Committee press release: On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the Press Freedom Committee of the Guatemalan Journalists Association (APG): 1. Expresses its firm belief that it is impossible to construct a true participatory democracy without freedom of thought and the press. […]

(PFC/IFEX) – On 30 March 2003, the relationship between government officials and the media deteriorated even further after comments by Attorney General Carlos De Leon. De Leon referred to the press as “cowards” and threatened to “expose” Gonzalo Marroquín, director of “Prensa Libre” newspaper, for allegedly acting irresponsibly and publishing biased information. De Leon has […]

(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has expressed concern over the threats and intimidation to which journalist Marielos Monzon, of the daily “Prensa Libre”, has been subjected. “We ask you to shed light on the incidents denounced by the journalist so that those responsible are duly punished,” RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard stated in separate letters to Attorney General […]

(APG/IFEX) – The following is a 25 February 2003 APG Press Freedom Committee press release: Condemnation of attack on Cerigua reporter The APG Press Freedom Committee has been informed that on 23 February 2003 reporter Elizabel Enríquez of the Cerigua news agency was attacked by unidentified individuals as she was about to enter the agency’s […]

(WAN/IFEX) – In a 24 January 2003 letter to President Alfonso Portillo, WAN and the World Editors Forum (WEF) expressed their serious concern over government harassment of “elPeriodico” newspaper, its founder José Rubén Zamora and other members of the independent media. According to reports, relations between the government and the independent media have been tense […]

(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 17 January 2003 IAPA press release: Guatemala: IAPA asks for an end to harassment against the press Miami (January 17, 2003) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has condemned the harassment campaign being waged by the government against several newspapers in Guatemala. The organisation characterised the campaign as […]

(PFC/IFEX) – The following is a 10 January 2003 PFC release: On 19 September 2001, then presidential spokesperson Jorge Pérez announced that the government would begin legal action against those who disseminate “groundless news,” in reference to the news media. At the time, in a letter to President Alfonso Portillo, PFC condemned the statement and […]

(AMARC/IFEX) – On 4 August 2002, community media worker Carlos Andrade was verbally assaulted by the legal advisor to the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, SIT), Juan Alfredo Barrios. Andrade had gone to the SIT offices to obtain information regarding the latest tendering of radio frequencies. Andrade identified himself as a member of the […]

(APG/IFEX) – The following is a 17 August 2002 APG press release: Press Release No. 12-02 The Press Freedom Committee of the Guatemalan Journalists Association (APG) condemns the recent death threats against anthropologist Victoria Sandfor and journalists David González and Wesley Boxed. González and Boxed work for the New York Times. They have published evidence […]

(APG/IFEX) – The following is a 17 July 2002 press release of the Press Freedom Committee of the Guatemalan Journalists Association (APG): The Press Freedom Committee of the Guatemalan Journalists Association (APG) condemns the burglary of the Jutiapa Department offices of the news agency CERIGUA (Centro de Reportes Informativos sobre Guatemala, CERIGUA). This incident represents […]

(APG/IFEX) – The following is an excerpt from an 8 July 2002 press release by the Press Freedom Committee of the APG. The original Spanish version is distributed in its entirety: The Press Freedom Committee of the Guatemalan Journalists Association (APG) condemns the threats received by Adrián Zapata, columnist for Siglo XXI The Press Freedom […]

(RSF/IFEX) – On 10 June 2002, RSF expressed concern about death threats received by four journalists and seven human rights activists in Guatemala and called on the authorities to thoroughly investigate the case and arrest and punish those responsible. “This intimidation is a new blow to press freedom in Guatemala, where human rights organisations and […]

(APG/IFEX) – The following is a 28 May 2002 press release by the Press Freedom Committee of the APG: The Press Freedom Committee of the Guatemalan Journalists Association (APG) condemns the attitude of government authorities who repeatedly and systematically violate constitutional rights to free expression and access to information. Alfredo González Guzmán, the mayor of […]

(APG/IFEX) – The following is an 8 May 2002 press release of the APG’s Press Freedom Committee: THE PRESS FREEDOM COMMITTEE OF THE GUATEMALAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION (APG) condemns all attempts to restrict the fundamental right to freedom of thought and press freedom by government officials who seek to hide illicit acts. Such action are at […]

(APG/IFEX) – Lo que sigue es un comunicado de prensa de la Comision de Libertad de Prensa de la APG: EN EL DIA MUNDIAL DE LA LIBERTAD DE PRENSA A lo largo de la historia casi todos los gobiernos guatemaltecos han servido intereses de familiares, de grupo, han saqueado el erario y traicionado los màs […]

(APG/IFEX) – The following is an 18 April 2002 press release by the APG Press Freedom Committee: The APG Press Freedom Committee condemns the 10 April kidnapping of journalist David Herrera that resulted in his decision to flee into exile. Furthermore, the Committee urges the authorities to promptly investigate the case, which is an affront […]