MIAMI, Florida (January 28, 2010)–The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) in an ad appearing in more than 400 newspapers throughout the Western Hemisphere today complained at the lack of action and the silence in investigations into the murder of Brazilian journalist Nivanildo Barbosa Lima.
He was found dead in the Paulo Alfonso dam to the north of the Brazilian city of Bahia on July 22, 1995. He had written about death squads in his local newspaper, Ponto de Encontro. Initial theories were that he had committed suicide. So the case was shelved, but it was reopened in 2002. Now nearly 15 years later the inquiries into his death are continuing.
In the last 22 years a total of 367 news men and women have been killed in the Americas. Through ads placed in print and online newspapers throughout the hemisphere the IAPA invites readers to join the campaign, titled “Let’s Put an End to Impunity” by going to the Web site www.impunidad.com
The IAPA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the defense and promotion of freedom of the press and of expression in the Americas. It is made up of more than 1,300 print publications from throughout the Western Hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida. For more information, please go to http://www.sipiapa.org; http://www.impunidad.com
