Cartoonist receives death threats; IAPA calls on politicians to curb their comments against the press
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 24 June 2005 IAPA press release: IAPA calls for investigation of threats to journalists and urges politicians to curb their comments against the press Miami (24 June 2005) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) calls on Nicaraguan authorities to thoroughly investigate a series of threats against journalists, and […]
Journalist receives death threat from ex-paramilitary leader
(RSF/IFEX) – On 22 May 2005, Heberto Jarquín Manzanares, a reporter for the daily “La Prensa”, in the autonomous eastern region of Atlántico Norte, received a death threat from Evaristo Rivas Sánchez, ex-commander of the Frente Unido Andrés Castro, a now dissolved paramilitary organisation. “This is not the first time that Jarquín has received such […]
Former mayor declared guilty of journalist’s assasination
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – At 6:00 a.m. (local time) on 26 January 2005, Eugenio Hernández González was declared guilty of having assassinated María José Bravo, a correspondent for “La Prensa” newspaper. Judge Rosa Inés Osorio, of the Juigalpa Criminal Court, ruled on the case after a trial that lasted more than eight hours. Denis Báez, coordinator of […]
IAPA concerned about constitutional reform that would abolish the press’s tax exempt status
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 29 December 2004 IAPA press release: IAPA concerned about tax punishment for press in Nicaragua Miami (December 29, 2004).- The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) expressed its concern about a constitutional reform in Nicaragua that abolishes the tax exempt status of the press, a measure that is being condemned […]
Hearings begin in Bravo murder case
(WiPC/IFEX) – The WiPC of International PEN is appalled at the 9 November 2004 killing of journalist María José Bravo and calls upon the Nicaraguan authorities to ensure that her killer is brought to justice. Bravo, 26, the Chontales correspondent for “La Prensa” and “Diario Hoy” newspapers, was covering a recount of votes cast in […]
Journalist shot dead during clashes following municipal elections
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has voiced outrage over the fatal shooting of reporter María José Bravo on 9 November 2004. The journalist was shot as she was covering clashes near a vote-counting centre in Juigalpa, Chontales department, 140 km south of Managua, two days after municipal elections were held throughout Nicaragua. “With the exact circumstances of […]
Judge issues veiled threat against journalist
(PROBIDAD/IFEX) – On 20 August 2004, Judge Carlos Mario Peña, of the Managua Fifth District Criminal Court, issued a veiled threat against journalist Mirna Velásquez, of “La Prensa” newspaper. According to information provided by the journalist and published in “La Prensa”, after a press conference the judge approached Velásquez and tried to intimidate her by […]
CPJ concerned about reports of intimidation against journalist
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: NICARAGUA: CPJ concerned about reports of intimidation New York, August 27, 2004 – The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is concerned about reports of intimidation against Nicaraguan journalist Sergio León Corea, who has been writing about drug trafficking and police corruption in Bluefields for the Managua-based […]
CPJ investigating whether journalist’s murder is related to his journalistic work
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is an 11 February 2004 CPJ press release: NICARAGUA: Journalist is murdered outside TV station’s facilities New York, February 11, 2004-Nicaraguan journalist Carlos José Guadamuz was shot dead yesterday in Nicaragua’s capital, Managua, as he was arriving to work. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) continues to investigate whether his murder […]
IAPA condemns journalist’s murder, calls for urgent investigation
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 10 February 2004 IAPA press release: IAPA condemns murder of Nicaraguan journalist and calls for urgent investigation Miami (February 10, 2004)- The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today condemned the murder of Nicaraguan journalist Carlos Guadamuz and asked officials of that country to begin an immediate investigation to find […]
Journalist denied access to police prison
(PFC/IFEX) – Judge Juana Méndez has issued an order prohibiting journalist Eloísa Ibarra, of the “El Nuevo Diario” newspaper, from entering the Dirección de Auxilio Judicial (DAJ) police prison. Former president Arnoldo Alemán is currently being detained at the DAJ premises on corruption charges. On 22 October 2003, Judge Méndez visited the prison to return […]
“La Prensa” correspondent threatened
(PFC/IFEX) – During the night of 18 May 2003, unknown individuals threw stones at the home of journalist Sergio León, a correspondent for “La Prensa” newspaper in Bluefields. León had published a number of reports on drug trafficking in the region which is allegedly being carried out with the complicity of police officers. León has […]
Newspaper targeted, warning of more attacks against the media
(PFC/IFEX) – On 22 October 2002, Tirso Moreno stormed into the offices of the daily “La Prensa”, fired two handguns pistols, threatened to kill several editors and shouted several threatening statements, including “This place is going to be a blood bath.” Moreno is a former member of the now defunct counter-revolutionary Resistencia Nicaragüense (Contras), that […]
Government shuts down radio station
(PFC/IFEX) – La Poderosa radio station, which broadcasts from Managua on the 560 AM dial, was shut down on 11 October 2002 by authorities from the Nicaraguan Telecommunications Institute (Instituto Nicaragüense de Telecomunicaciones, TELCOR) and the Customs Office (Direccion General de Aduanas), with the national police’s assistance. TELCOR stated that the Archdiocese Social Work Commission […]
IAPA welcomes bill opening access to information in Uruguay, decries increased penalties under insult law in Nicaragua
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is an 11 October 2002 IAPA press release: IAPA welcomes bill opening access to information in Uruguay, decries increased penalties under insult law in Nicaragua MIAMI, Florida (October 11, 2002) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today welcomed the initial approval by the Uruguayan House of Representatives of a bill […]
Proposed legislation seeks to criminalise the offence of “insult” (“desacato”)
(PFC/IFEX) – The Nicaraguan National Assembly is studying proposed legislation entitled “The Law to Regulate the Crime of Insult (Desacato)”. The bill, which sets out punishment of up to five years in prison for those who offend or insult state institutions and the president, has been rejected by the public, in particular local journalists’ associations, […]