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IMPUNITY-BOLIVIA
WHEREAS
the death of journalist Juan Carlos Encinas, a contributor to radio and television
programs, could have been prevented if police and medical assistance units had
responded to the scene of the crime, Catavi in Los Andes province, some 50 km
from La Paz, as soon as they were notified of the incidents July 29, 2001 between
groups at odds over the exploitation of a limestone-rich hill.
WHEREAS
at the prosecutor's request, the judge ordered the arrests of eight suspects
who where later released on bond, and the judge subsequently ordered eight new
arrests; and the prosecutor has six months, running from the date of the crime,
to conduct the investigation
WHEREAS
Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec provides that "Freedom of
expression and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping,
pressure, intimidation, the unjust imprisonment of journalists, the destruction
of facilities, violence of any kind and impunity for perpetrators. Such acts
must be investigated promptly and punished harshly"
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES
to ask the government of Bolivia to review the investigation and court case,
as well as to study the actions of the police
to ask the government of Bolivia to take such action
as may be appropriate to put on trial promptly the suspects who have been arrested,
one of whose hands bore evidence of having discharged a firearm, according to
police reports
to ask the government of Bolivia to provide the
Encinas family with adequate protection, given that fact that the murdered journalist's
widow, Betty Falcón, is a member one of the rival groups, Cooperativa
Multiactiva Catavi Limitada.
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All rights reserved.
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