Miami (October 4, 2013)—Journalist Glenn Greenwald who contributed to revealing the story of former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden on telephone and electronic communication spying carried out by the United States government, will be participating in the General Assembly of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) to be held October 18-22 in Denver, Colorado.
Greenwald, a columnist for the U.S. edition of the British newspaper The Guardian, will speak in a teleconference from Brazil on October 21 about how journalistic responsibility can challenge government’s interference and what were the effects of the Snowden case on the public’s confidence in the press and within the context of freedom of expression.
On October 20 professionals will present a panel discussion about the U.S. government’s spying techniques and their impact on press freedom, and a special presentation will feature the issue of leaks in the Justice Department.
The extensive program of the IAPA’s General Assembly in Denver includes panel discussions on press freedom issues that will enrich country- by – country reports, which the organization reviews twice a year. Among these panel is included a discussion on the implications of Ecuador’s Organic Communication Law, known as the “gag law,” lead by the former chairman of the National Telecommunications Council of Ecuador, Juan Carlos Solines, and former legislator and professor of the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar university in Quito, César Montúfar.
Another special report will be given by Yoani Sánchez, creator of the blog Generación Y, vice chair for Cuba of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information. Argentina, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico and Venezuela will also be topic the of debate due to press freedom problems concerning financial restrictions on the media – government propaganda, discrimination in the placement of official advertising and obstacles to the importation of production supplies – as well as crimes against journalists.
During the General Assembly the IAPA will recognize reporters, photographers, cartoonists, columnists and editors of newspapers and digital media in the Americas and will honor with the Press Freedom Grand Prize Argentine journalist Magdalena Ruiz Guiñazú and Diego Cornejo Menacho of Ecuador.
In addition to the reports, debates and panel discussions those attending will also be able to take part in a number of seminars on successful business models for the newspaper industry.
For more information on the IAPA General Assembly go to the following link: http://www.sipiapa.org/en/asambleas/denver-2013en/
