Instituto Prensa y Sociedad de Venezuela

PHOTOGRAPHER DETAINED BY MILITARY OFFICERS On May 13, 2012, Alejandro Cegarra photographer for “Ultimas Noticias” newspaper was detained by officers of the National Guard who later deleted the pictures he had taken. Cegarra was taking pictures during Mothers´ Day in Yare prison. This happed in the state of Miranda, 50 kms east of Caracas. Cegarra […]

NEWS CREWS INSULTED AND ATTACKED On May 8, 2012 journalists and cameraman were physically and verbally attacked in the vicinity of “La Planta” prison while they covered the riots that took place there. This happened in downtown Caracas. The news crews were made up by journalist Daniel Guillermo Colina and his cameraman Luis Reaño (from […]

On 1 May, jailed journalist Eskinder Nega, facing the death penalty, receives in absentia the 2012 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award. Thirty-two IFEX members are calling for his release, and an end to the use of national security legislation against all writers and journalists.

In advance of the Formula 1, 50 IFEX members and partners call for detained activists and human rights defenders to be freed, including blogger and activist Abduljalil Al-Singace and human rights activist Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, founder of IFEX member the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, who is ailing in prison since starting a hunger strike on 8 February.

The case is linked to the publishing of photographs deemed detrimental to the rights of children and adolescents.

Omar Arévalo believes these accusations come in the wake of a series of reports he has made in his column.

Sara Vargas, a journalist for a station that is critical of the Chávez government, received threats via telephone calls and a note delivered by an unidentified individual.

Colectivo La Piedrita said that members of their group had been killed by “paramilitary men paid by the TV channel, to create turmoil and mayhem”.