(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the threatening graffiti and swastikas that were spray painted on the outside of the studios of TVN, in the central city of Valparaíso. The incident occurred on 15 July 2005, after the national television station broadcast a programme about Chile’s neo-Nazi groups. “This aggressive and sickening ideology, the eternal enemy […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the threatening graffiti and swastikas that were spray painted on the outside of the studios of TVN, in the central city of Valparaíso. The incident occurred on 15 July 2005, after the national television station broadcast a programme about Chile’s neo-Nazi groups.
“This aggressive and sickening ideology, the eternal enemy of press freedom, has yet again turned on the press,” the organisation said. “We call for the punishment of those responsible and for effective protection for the journalists concerned, and we urge these journalists not to censor themselves and thereby give in to this attempt to intimidate them.”
The graffiti, which insulted and threatened the television station and made death threats against Mauricio Lombardi and other journalists, appeared after the 14 July broadcast of a report, on the programme “Informe Especial”, portraying Chile’s neo-Nazis as violent and xenophobic adherents of a primitive ideology. The programme referred to cases of murders or extremely violent attacks by neo-Nazi groups.
According to the Chilean online publication “La Segunda”, neo-Nazi leader Francisco Javier Eguiguren has not been seen at any of the places he normally frequents since the day the graffiti appeared. He is believed to be one of the main people responsible for the threats.
TVN has filed a complaint with the office of the public prosecutor in charge of the Valparaíso area.
