Brazil

WHEREAS there has been growing violence against journalists over the past six months, along with incidents of aggression, arrests, and abuses of power WHEREAS the number of court decisions has been increasing, especially at the lower levels, that use preliminary injunctions to prohibit journalists from publishing diverse kinds of information, or that order the confiscation of a newspaper or magazine edition from the newsstands WHEREAS a decision continues in effect, after more than two years and pending an appeal, proffered by Appeals Judge Décio Vieira of the Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories that prohibits publication, by the Estado de São Paulo, other outlets of the Estado Group, and any media that subscribe to services of the Group, of any reports containing information resulting from recordings obtained by the Federal Police of Maranhão in Operation Faktor WHEREAS there is a real possibility of senate passage of the Proposal for a Constitutional Amendment, PEC 33/2009 (Senate) – Journalism Degree—that would establish the requirement of a university diploma in social communication, journalism certification, in order to practice the profession WHEREAS the Complementary Bill that would regulate the constitutional provision on Access to Public Information (Part XXXIII of Art. 5 of the Federal Constitution) is ready for a vote, but it has been postponed for an indefinate period due to regimental maneuvering THE 67 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE IAPA RESOLVES: To call on authorities at the various levels of constituted powers to bring to bear their maximum efforts to investigate the murders with greater efficiency, and thus eliminate the incentive brought about by impunity, to control the violence and truculence of police agents against working professionals, as well as violence, aggression, and abuse of power, and apply the penalties imposed by law for such crimes in an exemplary fashion To reiterate to the National Council of Justice a) immediate measures within its reach to reestablish freedom of the press and information, violated by court decisions, such as that which for the past two years has prevented publication by the Estado de São Paulo of information related to the investigations of Operation Barrica/Factor by the Federal Police; b) the dissemination and promotion of a clear understanding of the importance of freedom of expression and information, as a guarantee of fundamental human rights, and pillar of democracy To ask the Brazilian Congress once again, where a proposal for changing the Constitution to make a journalism diploma a requirement for exercising the profession, not to pass a law that would violate the Inter American Convention of Human Rights and the principles of the Declaration of Chapultepec.