Bolivia

WHEREAS the promulgation of a new law on Social Communication and Information is expected soon; such law is intended to replace the Press Law for the purpose of bringing political pressure to bear against the media and is intended to “educate” journalists “so that they do not lie” WHEREAS the threats and attacks from president Evo Morales and other national and departmental authorities against the media and journalists have not stopped, without any progress at all in the cases brought before the courts WHEREAS some media and journalists have been overcome by fear of becoming victims of vengeance and retaliation from the government for what they say in writing, speech, or on television that displeases the Executive Branch; in some cases this fear leads to legal action and self-censorship WHEREAS police shooting attacks against journalists of the UNITEL and PAT television networks, as well as other acts of aggression against journalists and media that have occurred in recent years, continue to be uninvestigated and without bringing those responsible for these crimes to justice WHEREAS journalistic organizations have set up ethics panels as essential mechanisms of self-regulation, according to the Political Constitution of the State WHEREAS Principle 10 of the Declaration of Chapultepec says: “No news medium nor journalist may be punished for publishing the truth or criticizing or denouncing the government.” THE 68th IAPA GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLVES To exhort the Executive and Legislative Branches to abstain from passing and promulgating laws that infringe upon freedom of expression and the press, and other rights established in the Political Constitution of the State, but, especially, in the declarations of human rights of the United Nations and the Organization of American States To reiterate the request made to President Evo Morales and to officials of the State to abstain from their continuing attacks and intimidation with legal suits against journalists and media, thus avoiding indirect censorship that mutilates freedom of expression To urge authorities to investigate, try, and punish those responsible for acts of aggression against journalists recorded in recent years To ask President Evo Morales, officials of the Plurinational State, and regional authorities to bring their complaints and documented claims against journalists and media before the ethics panels when they feel unjustly affected by journalistic publications, thus avoiding the pressures, verbal intimidations, and sordid aggression that hinder freedom of expression.