National Press Association

Over 30 IFEX members write to President Rafael Correa, calling on him to submit the recently-approved Ecuadorian Communications Law to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for a Consultative Opinion.

Over 30 IFEX members express concern at a set of proposals put forth by the government of Ecuador and due to be discussed on 8 March in Ecuador that seek to reform the OAS Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression.

A raid was conducted at the premises of TV station 33 SBT, in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The station is known to be critical of the ruling party.

The editor of El Diario newspaper Ghilka Sanabria, was brutally beaten on the night of 5 November 2012; she has ruled out the possibility of the attack being an attempted robbery.

The owner of Radio Popular 95.1 FM, Fernando Vidal, and the station’s operator, Karen Arce, suffered burns of various degrees after a fire bomb attack on the Bolivian station, during a programme touching on smuggling in the region.

The police have so far failed to investigate an incident at the home of Bolvian journalist Humberto Vacaflor Ganam. This is the second attack in two years on the journalist who has been critical of the government’s actions and policies.

The mayor of a Bolivian town accused El Deber newspaper of promoting his removal from office and said that he could take actions to “bury” the newspaper.

A number of journalists and camera operators were assaulted while trying to cover protests by police officers demanding higher pay.