59 General Assembly Chicago , October 10-14, Illinois

Speech to the 59th General Assembly Rafael Molina
Chicago, Illinois
October 2003

In the six months since our March meeting in San Salvador some situations in the hemisphere have harmed press freedom in various ways.
One problem that constantly afflicts us is the impunity for crimes against journalists in several countries, especially Colombia and Brazil, where the authorities seem to be incapable of punishing the guilty parties. In several places journalists who have received death threats have chosen to leave their regions seeking safety for themselves and their families.
Another constant cause for concern is that authorities in some countries disregard press reports, and the government of the day shows contempt for journalistic work. Cuba is the most representative of these problems. Repeated calls by important figures and international organizations, including the IAPA, supporting the independent journalists jailed by the Castro regime in obvious violation of the right to unrestricted access to all information have been ignored. With more than 40 years of absolute denial of the principle of free expression of ideas, there has been no favorable change in Cuba.
There have also been cases of official intolerance during this period. For example, the independent press of Venezuela is still being hard hit, with attacks and violence directed by groups clearly identified with the government. Also, the threat that the bill on Social Responsibility in Radio and Television, popularly known as the Content Law, may be passed is still pending. It would give the government the power to censor radio and television stations. On the other hand, the new system of currency controls restricts the importation of paper and therefore affects newspapers, which have already been harmed by every kind of attack, both physical and legal.
The case of the Dominican Republic deserves a special mention, because the state continues to occupy the newspapers Listín Diario and El Expreso, because of a controversial lawsuit. The takeover of these newspapers as well as the closing of El Financiero and Última Hora, published by the same Listín Diario Publishing Company, resulted from a charge of alleged money laundering against the principal stockholder of those newspapers. The money laundering law allows the authorities to take over the defendant’s assets to prevent them from being diverted during the trial. The case has not been decided yet, and the newspapers, as well as several radio stations and two television stations linked to the same trial, are still occupied.
Other cases considered by the committee include beatings, threats, unjustified arrests and other attacks on journalists, which have occurred in various places, as well as the levying of taxes on the industry, which inevitably threatens press freedom. In these cases we have made timely protests and demanded the appropriate sanctions or punishments.
The IAPA expressed its concern and regret about the deaths and injuries to journalists in Baghdad during the war in Iraq. It urged U.S. authorities to take measures to prevent this in the future.
A positive step during this period was the position adopted by the General Assembly of the OAS in Santiago de Chile June 8-10. It recognized full respect for press freedom, access to information and free dissemination of ideas after a special IAPA mission reported to the foreign ministers at the meeting about the violations of press freedom in Cuba and Venezuela.
Despite all the adversity and dangers that constantly threaten the practice of journalism, we shall remain vigilant and ready to fight at any moment until we achieve our goal of neutralizing any action intended to undermine citizens’ rights to free expression and to be informed.