It is to express concern at negative aspects of new anti-racism law
Miami (October 15, 2010)—The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) is to send an international mission to Bolivia next week to take an on-site look at the implications of two articles of the newly-enacted Law Against Racism and All Forms of Discrimination and show solidarity with the press of the South American country.
The IAPA mission, which will visit La Paz on October 18 and 19, will be headed by Gustavo Mohme, editor of the Lima, Peru, newspaper La República and president of the organization’s Press Institute, and include Claudio Paolillo, editor of Búsqueda, Montevideo, Uruguay, and regional vice chairman for Uruguay of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, and IAPA Press Freedom Director Ricardo Trotti.
The hemisphere organization’s delegates have asked for a meeting with Bolivia’s President Evo Morales and other senior officials to learn of their views concerning the new anti-racism legislation and the negative consequences of its Articles 16 and 23 for freedom of the press in Bolivia.
Concerned at the situation in the country the IAPA in recent days sent a letter to Morales declaring that by including these two articles the law “engages in serious restrictions of press freedom, in that they make news media subject to drastic penalties for statements or news reports which although they do not coincide with the media outlet’s editorial stance have in themselves news value, as they could be coming from sources of public interest or be matters of public interest.”
Article 16 stipulates fines and withdrawal of operating license for media that disseminate racist ideas, and Article 23 says that when the offending act is committed by a news media employee “he or she shall not be able to claim immunity or exemption of any kind whatsoever.”
In its message to Morales the IAPA also expressed regret that his government had not heeded the unanimous complaints of journalists, news media, press freedom organizations, labor unions and other sectors of civil society against the articles, which it urged the president to eliminate.
Another action taken by the IAPA consisted of the distribution of a call on the public for support, published in Bolivian media on Wednesday (October 13). The item said the important anti-racism law “cannot achieve its true potential nor social and human ends if it provides for prior censorship through the imposition of harsh penalties contrary to the public’s right to know.”
With the aim of showing solidarity and carrying out activities in support of the Bolivian press the IAPA also called on 14 national press associations in 11 countries of the Americas to take part in a meeting on November 8 during the organization’s General Assembly to be held November 5-9 in Mérida, Mexico, so as to continue discussion of this issue.
At the conclusion of the official visit to Bolivia the IAPA delegation will be holding a press conference on Tuesday (October 1) at 1:00 p.m. at the Europa Hotel in La Paz.
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.
