(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the governor of Cordoba province, Carlos Juárez, RSF expressed its great concern over the threats received by the dailies “La Voz del Interior”, published in Cordoba (Cordoba province, in the northeast), and “El Liberal”, published in Santiago del Estero (Santiago del Estero province, in the northeast). The organisation asked […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the governor of Cordoba province, Carlos Juárez, RSF expressed its great concern over the threats received by the dailies “La Voz del Interior”, published in Cordoba (Cordoba province, in the northeast), and “El Liberal”, published in Santiago del Estero (Santiago del Estero province, in the northeast). The organisation asked the governor “to concern himself with this matter and ensure that an extensive investigation is undertaken that identifies those behind the threats”. Furthermore, RSF asked for measures that will guarantee that journalists can safely carry out their profession. “These intimidating acts point to a deterioration in the state of press freedom in Santiago del Estero province,” Robert Ménard, RSF’s secretary-general, remarked.
According to information gathered by RSF, on 1 August 2000, “La Voz del Interior” daily received two threatening telephone calls. Referring to one of the daily’s reporters who was at that moment arriving in the city of Santiago del Estero, the anonymous caller warned: “[the reporter] could get into an accident if you keep molesting [Carlos] Juárez.” On 30 June, one of the daily’s distributors was harassed by an unknown individual, who threatened to “burn” the daily for having published information “which Tata [referring to Juárez] does not like.” “La Voz del Interior” had criticised the Santiago del Estero provincial government’s administration and management of affairs. On 2 August, provincial government representatives suggested that “malicious individuals”, who were not linked in any way to the governmental office, must be responsible for the threats.
At the same time, since the middle of July, “El Liberal” daily, published in Santiago del Estero, has been receiving threatening telephone calls and three of its journalists have been the target of a defamation campaign. This intimidation is likely due to the daily having published a report on alleged irregularities committed by the provincial administration.
