Freedom of Expression Guarantee Clause

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION GUARANTEE CLAUSE WHEREAS international lending organizations treat governments that violate freedom of the press and expression the same as nations that respect these liberties and democratic rights European development credits are conditioned on respect for democratic rights and various international organizations condition the granting of aid loans on respect for the environment, the battle against the drug trade and the level of government corruption and efforts to suppress it freedom of expression safeguards other freedoms and its absence fosters the growth of corruption, drug trafficking and the violation of human rights, and therefore it must be protected by the media a free press is basic for openness in the markets and can help avert unexpected worldwide economic crises through realistic economic coverage of countries the application of the guarantee clause was supported by human rights and press freedom organizations at the Hemisphere Conference on Unpunished Crimes Against Journalists, held in Guatemala City in July of 1997 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES to propose that the authorities of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, InterAmerican Development Bank and the Organization of American States adopt measures to implement the freedom of expression guarantee, restricting loans and financial aid to those countries that do not respect freedom of the press to charge the IAPA's authorities with taking all necessary steps toward these goals.