Impunity - Costa Rica

WHEREAS prosecutor Giselle Rivera, who is in charge of the trial for the murder of journalist Parmenio Medina is the target of threats that merit the adoption of special measures to protect her WHEREAS the attorney general’s office extended the protective measures to prosecutor Miguel Ramírez, who is handling the case along with Rivera WHEREAS 16 witnesses in the case are also receiving police protection because of the efforts to intimidate them WHEREAS Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec says “Freedom of expression and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, pressure, intimidation, the unjust imprisonment of journalists, the destruction of facilities, violence of any kind and impunity for perpetrators. Such acts must be investigated promptly and punished harshly THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES to urge the Costa Rican authorities to spare no efforts in the task of preventing impunity in the crimes against those who inform the population about matters of public interest.