PRESS RELEASE
PREN/81/03
The Office of the Special Rapporteur for
Freedom of Expression of the IACHR expresses its serious concern about
the attack suffered by journalist Marta Colomina of the TELEVEN
television channel on June 27. According to the information received,
the journalist was the object of an attack with a Molotov cocktail.
As she was on her way to the radio station, she was intercepted by
armed men who threw the device at her car. The journalist also works
for the radio station Unión Radio and writes a column for the
newspaper El Universal.
The Office of the Special Rapporteur this condemns this
assault, which constitutes a violation of freedom of expression. The
situation of social communicators and communications media in
Venezuela is an issue of concern for the Office of the Special
Rapporteur. Attacks on journalists and the material destruction of
media facilities are tactics intended to silence the press, and they
represent one of the gravest kinds of affronts to the right of free
expression. In this respect, Principle 9 of the IACHR’s Declaration
of Principles on Freedom on Expression provides as follows:
“The murder, kidnapping, intimidation of
and/or threats to social communicators, as well as the material
destruction of communications media violate the fundamental rights of
individuals and strongly restrict freedom of expression. It is the
duty of the state to prevent and investigate such occurrences, to
punish their perpetrators and to ensure that victims receive due
compensation.”
The Special Rapporteur’s office asks the Venezuelan State to
launch a serious and impartial investigation into this attack and to
bring the perpetrators to justice. It further reminds the State that
in accordance with the American Convention on Human Rights, it is duty-bound
to guarantee broad enjoyment of the right to free expression by
society as a whole. Freedom of expression is essential in
strengthening the democratic system and indispensable in shaping
public opinion.
The Special Rapporteur, Eduardo Bertoni,
stated: "The Office of the
Special Rapporteur has received a large quantity of information about
attacks against journalists and media installations in Venezuela.
Unfortunately, I have not seen significant advances in the
investigation of these incidents. It is important to recall that
freedom of expression implies not only the possibility of expressing
ideas and opinions, but also the possibility of doing so without
suffering arbitrary consequences or intimidating actions."
Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression
June 30, 2003
Washington, D.C.
http://www.cidh.oas.org/Relatoria/English/PressRel03/PRelease8103.htm