Press freedom uncertain until journalist’s disappearance is solved, impunity in murders ended, and “damages awards industry” curbed, warns IAPA
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 23 February 2007 IAPA press release: IAPA points to curbs in press freedom in Paraguay ASUNCION, Paraguay (February 23, 2007) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) stated today that freedom of the press will remain uncertain in Paraguay until the disappearance of a local journalist is solved and […]
Lives of two journalists under threat; television programme pulled at senator’s behest
(SPP/IFEX) – The SPP has expressed its extreme concern for the safety of Javier Núñez, correspondent for the daily newspaper “Ultima Hora” and Canal 9 television station in the city of Coronel Oviedo, capital of the department of Caaguazú. Vernicio Scherer, currently in prison and accused of car theft and trafficking in stolen cars, has […]
Local investigation now centred on possibility missing journalist was kidnapped; CPJ urges intensification of investigation
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is an 8 February 2007 CPJ letter to the Paraguayan president: Nicanor Duarte Frutos President of the Republic of Paraguay Palacio de López Calle Paraguayo Independiente Asunción Paraguay Via facsimile: +595 21 414 0204 President Duarte Frutos: The Committee to Protect Journalists would like to reiterate its concern about the fate […]
Prime suspects still not questioned in journalist’s disappearance and “probable murder” one year ago after writing on drug and weapons seizure
(RSF/IFEX) – One the eve of the first anniversary of local radio journalist Enrique Galeano’s disappearance and probable murder on 4 February 2006 in Yby Yaú, in the southern department of Concepción, RSF has voiced outrage at the cynicism and inaction displayed by the authorities in this case. “President Nicanor Duarte Frutos personally received representatives […]
IAPA submits to IACHR results of investigation into journalist Santiago Leguizamón’s murder
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 19 January 2007 IAPA press release: IAPA submits case of Santiago Leguizamón, murdered in 1991, to IACHR MIAMI, Florida (January 19, 2007) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) submits today to the Washington, D.C.-based Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) the results of its investigation into the April […]
Supreme Court sentences journalist to 10 months of social work for defamation
(IPYS/IFEX) – On 5 December 2006, the Supreme Court of Justice sentenced journalist Luis Verón, of the newspaper “ABC Color”, to 10 months of social work for defamation, slander and calumny. The sentence is the result of a suit filed by architect Luis Pereira Javaloyes after Verón published an article in 1999 that questioned the […]
Government “feigning ignorance” in response to IACHR inquiry regarding journalist’s disappearance, says SPP
(SPP/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of a 15 November 2006 SPP statement: Using fascistic methods, the government is feigning ignorance about Enrique Galeano’s disappearance On 4 February 2006, Enrique Galeano was kidnapped and disappeared. Six weeks prior to his disappearance, he was under police protection at his residence, ordered by Congress representative […]
Two journalists in Ybycuí threatened
(SPP/IFEX) – The SPP is concerned about the repeated threats and harassment of our colleague, journalist Aldo Lezcano, of Ybybcuí, by groups associated with Colorado Party (Partido Colorado) Senator Julio César Fanego. Ybycuí is a town in Paraguarí department. The Colorado Party is currently in power nationally. Lezcano is being continuously harassed, by both Fanego […]
Drug traffickers said to have murdered missing journalist, dumped his body in river
(RSF/IFEX) – Volunteer firemen searched the river Ypané in the central department of Concepción in vain for the body of missing journalist Enrique Galeano of Radio Azotey on 21 October 2006, after investigators decided it may have been dumped there by the drug traffickers who are suspected of killing him, the online newspaper “ABC Digital” […]
Critical local newspaper’s facilities, equipment and files destroyed in property dispute
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is dismayed that all of the facilities and equipment of the local newspaper “El Espectador Luqueño” were destroyed when its editor, Miguel Espínola, and his wife, Vilma Ayala, were evicted from the building in Luque (10 km outside Asunción) in which they have lived and worked since 1989. They were thrown out […]
Journalists’ union accuses government of covering up disappearance of journalist Enrique Galeano
(SPP/IFEX) – On 4 October 2006, the Union of Paraguayan Journalists (Sindicato de Periodistas del Paraguay, SPP) accused the government of political responsibility for the forced disappearance of journalist Enrique Galeano, “for ensuring this act continues in impunity.” Fifty-four-year-old Galeano, who worked in Yvy Yaú, Concepción, some 350 km north of Asunción, the capital, disappeared […]
Death threats against journalist after drug trafficking report
(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is an 18 July 2006 CPJ press release: PARAGUAY: Death threats against journalist after drug trafficking report New York, July 18, 2006 – The Committee to Protect Journalists urges authorities in Paraguay to investigate death threats against a journalist covering drug trafficking in an area where another journalist disappeared more than […]
IAPA urges president to pursue probe into journalist’s murder
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 28 June 2006 IAPA press release: IAPA URGES PARAGUAY’S PRESIDENT TO PURSUE PROBE INTO NEWSMAN MURDER MIAMI, Florida (June 28, 2006) – In a new action in its hemisphere-wide campaign to create public awareness of the impunity surrounding crimes against journalists, the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today reminded […]
Two community radio stations attacked by authorities in Caaguazú department, local residents assaulted and injured
(AMARC/IFEX) – AMARC expresses its deep concern over the violent police action taken on 19 June 2006 against two peasant community radio stations. The police seized equipment and assaulted local community members who rose to defend the radio stations. According to the Paraguayan Association of Community Communication (Asociación Paraguaya de Comunicación Comunitaria, COMUNICA), in the […]
Bill seen by IAPA as restricting information flow
(IAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 7 June 2006 IAPA press release: Paraguay bill seen by IAPA as restricting information flow It also bemoans non-action on access to public records in Argentina, Honduras, Paraguay MIAMI, Florida (June 7, 2006) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) is concerned about a legislative bill in Paraguay which […]
SPP 3 May statement on the state of press freedom
(SPP/IFEX) – The following is a 3 May 2006 SPP press release: SPP Report on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day Caught among the mafia, patronage pressures and state terrorism World Press Freedom Day finds Paraguay suffering a general deterioration in the working conditions of journalists, who, in large parts of the country under […]