Argentina

ARGENTINA Legislation was enacted guaranteeing journalists the right to keep their news sources confidential and their free access to official sources. It was supported by both government and opposition legislators legislators. In a decision on freedom of expression, a civil court in Buenos Aires ruled that journalists cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of their reports if they are unaware they are false. The decision was based on the U.S. Supreme Court New York vs. Sullivan decision. Exemption from sales tax on cover price and advertising, and tax deduction for purchase of newsprint helped ease the economic plight of Argentine newspapers. In joint legislative and executive resolutions, taxes on newspaper and magazine advertising were lifted by the Municipalities in Parana and Buenos Aires. The national Senate passed a ban on unauthorized dissemination of official information, even unclassified matter. Executive Office officials declared publicly they are in favor of increasing penalties for contempt, libel and defamation and who would create a system to protect officialdom against "false accusations." Currently on trial for contempt are Juan Carlos Bataller of El Nuevo Diario of San Juan, Miguel Enrique Bravo Tedin of El Independiente of La Rioja and Riobo Caputo and Enzo Vittori of El Litoral of Santa Fe. A police chief challenged Florencio Aldrey Iglesias, editor of the daily La Capital of Mar del Plata to a duel for criticizing him in the paper. The editor of El Sol, of Quilmes, Jose Maria Ghisani, received death threats after his newspaper wrote about alleged irregularities in the local government.