Freedom to Practice Journalism

FREEDOM TO PRACTICE JOURNALISM WHEREAS the obligation to beJong to a journalists colegio viola tes the principie of freedom of expression and limits the independence of journalists the Supreme Court of Venezuela still has not taken action on a plea that it declare the law requiring the licensing of journalists to be unconstitutiuonal the new press law passed by the Chamber of Deputies in Chile to establish preferential rights for university journalism school graduates to work as journalists is a majar setback for freedom of expression the Nicaraguan Journalists Association and members of the Nicaraguan Journalists Union oppose Articles 5 and 10 of a law requiring the media to ensure that journalists they hire possess a credential from the journalists colegio in Ecuador and Peru obligatory licensing of journalists still exists THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES to call upon the legislatures of Chile, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama to reject any proposed legislation that would limit the practice of journalism, as do compulsory licensing and the requirement of a university degree.