NICARAGUA

The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on several appeals concerning the constitutionality of the law establishing licensing of journalists. The journalists’ colegio is not operating because of internal disagreements. The Freedom of Information Law, which has been discussed for several years, has been approved by a legislative committee. It is now awaiting approval by the majority party of the National Assembly and the assembly’s leadership to be included on the agenda of the full body. This has been postponed indefinitely. Organizations that have been lobbying for approval of the law, such as the Violeta Chamorro Foundation of Nicaragua and the Carter Center of the United States have praised the committee’s approval of the bill. In mid-June, Criminal Court Judge Adela Cardoza upheld the acquittal on April 26 by local criminal judge María José Morales of reporters Heberto Rodríguez and Oliver Bodán and photographer Darling Moisés López. The reporters and photographer were sued for libel by Oscar José Salgado and Goretty González Filipone, officials of the Human Rights Ombudsman’s office. They said they had been defamed in an article that said the office was used for “personal matters.” The judges ruled that the journalists had not committed libel because there was no malice and no direct accusation affecting the officials’ reputation. The constitutional amendments that were being negotiated to eliminate certain tax exemptions for media outlets were not successful, in large part because of heavy opposition and the efforts of an IAPA committee that visited Nicaragua. An addendum to the text said, “the exemptions this article mentions shall be regulated by law.” Later, an arrangement was made with the National Assembly committee involved to specify the materials that would be exempted, but the law did not pass. For now, the taxes are not being collected, but it is awkward that this policy is not supported in law.