Inter American Press Association

29 people have died and 106 press workers were attacked, arrested, robbed and assaulted during news coverage of the protests in Venezuela.

Free expression violations have been occurring in Venezuela for many years. So why is the latest crisis an unprecedented event for journalists and media?

IAPA rejected a charge leveled at Cuban journalist Henry Constantín Ferreiro for the offense of “usurping legal authority” by acting as a journalist.

In Cauca, Colombia, three journalists of the Cali newspaper El País were approached and intimidated by two armed men who identified themselves as members of the National Liberation Army (ELN).

IAPA has condemned a legislative draft bill that seeks to oblige privately-owned news media to circulate educational and cultural messages.

Pineda Birto, 38, was the editor of the newspaper La Voz de Tierra Caliente, and stringer for El Universal and other local media. He covered local police actions and reported on social media that he had received threats from organized crime groups.

Editor Henry Constantín Ferreiro was arrested at the Camagüey province airport along with Sol García Basulto, correspondent for 14ymedio. The two journalists were preparing to take a flight to Havana to cover an awards ceremony in honour of Oswaldo Payá Prize, a former opposition politician.

The Inter American Press Association is urging authorities in Panama, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina to investigate cases of intimidation of journalists in those countries that are seriously restricting press freedom.