61ª Asamblea General The Westin Hotel Indianápolis, Indiana 7 al 11 de octubre de 2005

Venezuela

WHEREAS

far-reaching laws that regulate the news and restrict freedom of speech and freedom of the press could violate constitutional principles that prohibit this, establish “insult laws,” and make it a crime to express certain opinions

laws, regulations and methods enforced by the government represent threats to freedom of expression in the media and by journalists

government harassment of journalists and media outlets for expressing their ideas is intensifying, such as in the cases involving Patricia Poleo, attorney Tulio Álvarez, Ibeyise Pacheco, and Marianella Salazar, as well as in the threats, attacks, and criminal and civil actions against the print media including El Universal, El Impulso, El Correo del Caroní, La Razón, El Nacional, Diario 2001 with the intention of forcing them to change their editorial line in favor of the government

intensifying pressure is being brought to bear through excessive and unfair fines levied against radio and television media as well as journalists Martha Colomina, Napoleón Bravo, José Domingo Blanco, attorney Asdrúbal Aguiar and many others

Principle 1 of the Declaration of Chapultepec, says: “No people or society can be free without freedom of expression and of the press. The exercise of this freedom is not something authorities grant, it is an inalienable right of the people”

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES

to repudiate the authoritarian conduct of the Venezuelan government that seeks to restrict democratic freedoms, damaging the rule of law, and thus seriously restricting press freedom

to exhort  the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and its Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression to remain vigilant to make sure that the Venezuelan government complies with its institutional and democratic obligations.