25 January 2013

Blockade of online newspaper in Venezuela called by IAPA act of censorship

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Miami (January 25, 2013)—The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today questioned the blockade of the online newspaper Diario de Cuba in Venezuela, calling it a “suspicious” act of censorship that restricts the right of the people to access differing sources of information.
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Miami (January 25, 2013)—The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today questioned the blockade of the online newspaper Diario de Cuba in Venezuela, calling it a “suspicious” act of censorship that restricts the right of the people to access differing sources of information.

The newspaper, http://www.diariodecuba.com, mainly dedicated to covering from Spain what occurs in Cuba of international interest, reported on its Web site that since January 14 the users of CANTV, Venezuela’s chief national telecommunications company, have had difficulty in accessing the media outlet. Clients of other privately-owned Internet provider companies (Intercable and MoviStar), also warned the newspaper of the problem.

The chairman of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, Claudio Paolillo, described as highly suspicious “the blockade of this news media outlet which has been reporting, through opinion pieces and news items, on the situation regarding Venezuelan politics and the health of President Hugo Chávez.”

Paolillo, editor of the Montevideo, Uruguay, weekly Búsqueda, added, “It was curious to learn what are the underlying reasons of the state and privately owned Internet service companies from blocking access to Diario de Cuba,” as there has been no awareness of any initiation of administrative or legal action in Venezuela against this newspaper.”

Paolillo went on to say that “we trust that as soon as possible there will be restored in Venezuela access to the Web site without any restrictions.” He cited the Declaration of Chapultepec, whose principle 5 establishes that “Prior censorship, restrictions on the circulation of the media or dissemination of their reports, forced publication of information, the imposition of obstacles to the free flow of news, and restrictions on the activities and movements of journalists directly contradict freedom of the press.”

The IAPA is a not-for-profit organization based in Miami, Florida, dedicated to the defense and promotion of freedom of the press and of expression in the Americas. For more information please go to http://www.sipiapa.org.

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