Laws

LAWS WHEREAS • under criminal law in various hemisphere countries, there exist "press offenses," that is those allegedly committed by journalists in the exercise of their profession • in Chile those charged with this type of offense are on occasion turned over to the jurisidiction of special tribunals, such as military courts • by definition of the Inter-American Human Rights Court a journalist is merely an ordinary citizen exercising the right of free expression and information • the existence of any law establishing so-called press offenses and subjection to other than the usual courts is a serious threat to the exercise of freedom of information and opinion as it inhibits the general public, journalists or not, from criticizing the performance of those who govern them THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES • to protest the existence of this type of law and special tribunals to try journalists or those who criticize their government • to ask the governments of those countries where legislation provides for "press offenses" or subjection of journalists to unordinary tribunals to repeal these laws for being contrary to the free exercise of freedom of information and opinion.