http://www.cidh.org/relatoria/showarticle.asp?artID=691&lID=1
Press Release 164/07
The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression Presents its 2006 Annual Report
Washington, D.C., April 9, 2007 – In its evaluation of the situation of freedom of expression in the Americas in 2006, the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS drew attention to the increase in murders of communicators in the region in the course of the year and the persisting impunity in which such murders, as well as attacks and threats directed at journalists, remain. On March 29 last, the IACHR presented its annual report to the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS), the Volume III of which contains the Report of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression.
The report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur records 19 murders in 2006 for reasons that could be connected with the exercise of freedom of expression and mentions that this figure reverts the downward trend for killings of this type registered in the hemisphere over the previous three years. The report notes that the majority of these crimes go unpunished, which propitiates further murders and leads to self-censorship by communicators. In addition, the report registers more than 200 cases of assault and threats against communicators and adds that these incidents are frequently not investigated. The annual report also highlights other restrictions on the exercise of the right to freedom of expression that arose in 2006, such as criminal actions brought by government officials against journalists for desacato (contempt), defamation, slander and libel, discriminatory allocation of government advertising, and refusal by public officials to release information in the possession of the state on request.
“Historically speaking, the right to freedom of expression has gained ground in the Americas, especially as a result of the transitions to democracy. However, the obstructions of freedom of expression seen in 2006 are genuinely a cause for concern,” said Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Ignacio J. Álvarez. “We urge the states to do everything in their power as soon as possible to investigate and ensure justice in all cases of murder, attacks and threats, and to design public policies for protection and strengthening of the right to freedom of expression.”
In addition to a detailed evaluation of the situation of the right to freedom of expression in the hemisphere, the report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur includes comparative studies of the jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights, and the UN Human Rights Committee with regard to freedom of expression. It also contains a description of the main activities pursued by the Office of the Special Rapporteur in 2006, including the creation and implementation of a daily monitoring system and of its quarterly reports on the situation of freedom of expression in the region, the presentation of six draft reports on merits to the IACHR, visits to promote the right to freedom of expression, training workshops for journalists and communicators, and participation in forums and seminars.
The annual report includes general conclusions on the situation of freedom of expression in the region, on the basis whereof it offers a number of recommendations to the member states of the Organization with a view to improving the conditions necessary for the full exercise of freedom of expression in the region. These conclusions and recommendations are attached as an annex to this press release. The complete annual report is available in English at http://www.cidh.org/relatoria/showarticle.asp?artID=691&lID=1.
Posted by marga at April 11, 2007 12:53 AM