Articles by Inter American Press Association
Censorship measures taken against television news programs
The Colombian government has instituted an official censorship decree aimed at television news programs in the country. The National Television Committee (CNT) ordered the programs to abstain from transmitting non-official information that “aggravates public order.” The CNT took this step on 23 August 1996 in response to news programs which aired coverage of clashes between […]
Government raises import duties on newsprint
IAPA urged the Mexican government to suspend a 150 percent rise in import duties on newsprint. The import duties on newsprint were raised from 6 to 15 percent, according to reports that appeared in the official Mexican government publication on 26 June 1996, the date on which the executive decree took effect. IAPA called the […]
Concern over government accusations against media
IAPA is concerned at accusations made by the government of Panama against journalists as well as national and foreign media outlets, following numerous news reports of alleged irregularities in the government’s last electoral campaign. President Ernesto Perez Balladares and other civil servants accused journalists and media outlets, including “La Prensa”, “The New York Times”, “The […]
Concerns for free expression, as new Executive decree outlines new state secrets
A new Executive decree declared a series of documentes relating to public security to be “state secrets.” The decree was signed by Costa Rican President Jose Maria Figueres and entered into effect on 3 May 1996, when it was published in “La Gaceta”, the official government newspaper. It declared as state secrets documents dealing with […]
Two “La Republica” journalists arrested
Federico Fassario, editor-in-chief of the Montevideo daily “La Republica”, and Carlos Fassano, managing director of the daily, were arrested on 23 May 1996 on charges brought against them by Paraguayan President Juan Carlos Wasmosy. The two were sentenced to two years in jail for insulting the honour of a foreign head of state (“atentado contra […]
Legislation invoked to prevent Chilean media from reporting on judicial investigation of murdered senator
On 16 April 1996, the minister of the Santiago Court of Appeal, judge Alfredo Pfeiffer, issued a prohibition order preventing coverage by the Chilean media of a judicial investigation of the 1991 murder of senator Jaime Guzman Errazuriz. Pfeiffer invoked Article 25 of Law 16.643, regarding the “abuse of publicity” (“Ley sobre Abusos de Publicidad”), […]
Government withdraws libel and defamation bills
**Updates IFEX alert dated 11 January 1995** On 23 May 1995, the government withdrew two bills introduced by Minister of Justice Rodolfo Barra at the end of 1994. After presidential approval, the bills went to Congress in January. The proposed reforms called for an increase in penalties for libel and defamation, and required newspapers to […]
Newsprint tax to be debated
A proposal for a new tax on newsprint is contained in a draft bill approved earlier this month by the Constitution and Justice Committee of the lower house of the Brazilian national legislature and is due to be debated by the full Congress shortly. IAPA President Raul Kraiselburd, protesting the measure, said that “making newspapers […]