WHEREAS despite the political commitment of the national government to reverse the adverse climate that the practice of journalism is facing, there prevail threats against journalists in the country, as well as attacks against the media and the impunity of most of the nineteen murders of journalists that have occurred since 2003.
WHEREAS in April 2010 the IAPA gave President Porfirio Lobo recommendations in fighting crimes committed against journalists, including: setting criteria for international oversight with UN support; creating special prosecutors offices to investigate crimes against freedom of expression; bringing about legal and judicial reforms that would permit the creation of a special jurisdiction to handle these crimes; and strengthening the Penal Code in regard to crimes against freedom of expression, and to encurage the Prosecutors Office to adopt the criteria of the Hemispheric Conference of the IAPA with justices of the Supreme Court held in the Dominican Republic in 2007;.
WHEREAS President Lobo signed the Declaration of Chapultepec on February 18, 2010, which states in its Principle 4: Freedom of expression and of the press are severely limited by murder, terrorism, kidnapping, 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 MIDYEAR MEETING OF THE IAPA RESOLVES
to insist that President Porfirio Lobo make available the technical, scientific, and legal resources necessary to put a brake to the violence and harassment against the press, and solve the murders of journalists;
to insist again that President Lobo comply with the commitment of his government made to a number of international forums to fight against impunity and to guarantee the safety of journalists and citizens.
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Madrid, Spain
