(PFC/IFEX) – On 8 January 2003, amid increasing social conflict in El Salvador, demonstrators assaulted journalists who were covering public protests at the San Salvador Cathedral. On 8 January, in the early morning, a group of hooded individuals occupied the Metropolitan Cathedral, one of the country’s main Catholic sites, to express their opposition to the […]
(PFC/IFEX) – On 8 January 2003, amid increasing social conflict in El Salvador, demonstrators assaulted journalists who were covering public protests at the San Salvador Cathedral.
On 8 January, in the early morning, a group of hooded individuals occupied the Metropolitan Cathedral, one of the country’s main Catholic sites, to express their opposition to the privatisation of public services. Afterwards, hundreds of demonstrators joined in the protest, converging in the plaza adjacent to the cathedral. Some of the protesters insulted and threw stones at a number of journalists who were covering the incidents. Mostly affected were journalists from the Telecorporacion Salvadoreña (TCS) network, which encompasses the Channel 2, 4 and 6 television stations, and “El Diario de Hoy” newspaper. Cameraman Gonzalo Tejada of Channel 6 sustained injuries to one of his legs.
During the past few weeks, a number of protests have been waged in the streets of San Salvador. Demonstrators have repeatedly insulted or assaulted journalists, primarily those working for TCS and other media outlets they view as biased.
In a letter to Human Rights Prosecutor Beatrice de Carrillo, Probidad, the organisation that administers PFC, expressed concern over the incident and noted that “even though some media’s editorial stance does not conform to the perspective of the protagonists in the social and political conflicts, this does not justify attacks on journalists.”
For Probidad’s letter and for further information, see:
http://probidad.org/local/libexp/casos/2003/001.html
Recommended Action
Send appeals to Human Rights Prosecutor Beatrice de Carrillo:
– asking her to condemn the verbal and physical attacks against journalists covering anti-government protests, such as those that occurred on 8 January during the takeover of the Metropolitan Cathedral
– calling on her office to adopt measures to ensure that journalists are protected from further attacks by demonstrators
Appeals To
Beatrice de Carrillo
Human Rights Prosecutor
Fax: +503 222 0655
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
