WHEREAS a hostile climate toward the press persists, characterized by digital harassment, stigmatization, pressure, restrictions on journalistic work, arbitrary detentions, cyberattacks, and threats, amid a lack of transparency and difficulties accessing official events and public information
WHEREAS, these conditions have created fear among journalists and independent media outlets and forced dozens of journalists into exile, while independent journalism remains active despite growing pressure and risks
WHEREAS, journalists, particularly women, are targeted by social media harassment campaigns driven by trolls and anonymous accounts or accounts seemingly aligned with the ruling party, which resort to insults and threats
WHEREAS, the Declaration of Chapultepec, in its First, Fourth, and Tenth Principles, establishes that there are no free people or societies without freedom of expression and of the press; that violence and impunity undermine this right; and that no media outlet or journalist should be sanctioned for reporting the truth or criticizing those in public office
WHEREAS, the Declaration of Salta II on Principles of Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age establishes that governments must not inhibit access to the internet or expression on matters of public interest, criminalize criticism, or impose harsher penalties for expression in the digital space, and that state-imposed blocking or filtering of content constitutes prior censorship.
THE 82nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES
To express concern over the hostile climate toward the press and urge the government to fully guarantee freedom of expression and of the press
To condemn attacks, arbitrary detentions, cyberattacks, threats, and stigmatization campaigns targeting journalists and independent media outlets, and demand effective investigations into these acts and sanctions against those responsible
To urge the authorities to guarantee nondiscriminatory access to official events and public information, and to refrain from promoting or tolerating social media harassment campaigns against journalists
To urge the government to ensure that exiled journalists can freely practice their profession and return to the country, should they so choose, without fear of reprisals
To recognize the perseverance of independent journalism in El Salvador and urge the authorities to guarantee safe conditions free from intimidation for the practice of the profession.
