Miami (April 2, 2020) .- The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) reminded the governments of the Americas that in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic there should be no restrictions and limitations on the work of the media and journalists.
In a resolution of the organization, the IAPA stressed that despite the financial crisis the media is going through, aggravated by the global emergency, they have continued their valuable task of informing the public and urged them to establish collaborative journalism projects with other media.
Full text below:
The IAPA in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic
WHEREAS in Aruba, Chile, El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago the governments, on declaring states of exception in order to combat the spread of the pandemic, have imposed restrictions on the mobilization of journalists in their daily work, contradicting constitutional principles on press freedom
WHEREAS in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela the governments use the excuse of the states of exception to impose greater restrictions on independent news media and journalists and the Nicolás Maduro regime has detained two journalists for reporting on the coronavirus
WHEREAS the president, Christopher Barnes, urged the news media members of the institution to assume the role of providers of essential services in this global emergency and to redouble efforts on news rigor with a balanced journalism to guide and generate confidence among their audiences
WHEREAS the members should give support to the health authorities for the transmission of relevant messages and at the same time implement and observe the health protocols for the safety of their employees
WHEREAS in the face of the present world public health emergency this institution postponed its Midyear Meeting in Saltillo, Mexico, to late next March, in order not to subject to risks the members of the organization and people in the host nation
WHEREAS "a free press is a fundamental condition for societies to resolve their conflicts, promote wellbeing and protect their freedom" and "the credibility of the press is linked to commitment to the truth, the search for precision, impartiality and equality," as is established by the Declaration of Chapultepec.
The IAPA resolves
to remind the governments that the press has a special role in democracy to sustain the public's right to information and that there should not exist restrictions to its work, as state the constitutions and numerous international treaties on press freedom
to reject all arbitrary action of authoritarian governments that do not allow the media and journalists to carry out their work at this exceptional time
to urge the media members to continue with their valuable informational task and establish agreements of collaborative journalism with other media, with the aim that relevant information flow in a generous manner in all the corners of the communities.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to the defense and promotion of freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It is made up of more than 1,300 publications from the Western Hemisphere; and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.
