WHEREAS drug trafficking threats against journalists and the media have become a severe risk to the practice of journalism in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico, and Paraguay
WHEREAS in Argentina, the building of the Televisión Litoral television channel in Rosario, Santa Fe province, was shot on two occasions, where journalists, photographers, and camera operators covering acts of insecurity linked to drug traffickers have also been intimidated
WHEREAS in Colombia, the siege of the Press by organized crime in areas where there is a dispute over the control of criminal groups places journalists at risk; a commander of the ELN guerrilla group threatened two journalists via Twitter; in Barranquilla armed men entered the newspaper El Heraldo to press for the publication of an interview with a leader of a criminal gang and the Zona Cero portal was threatened with an attack if they did not publish its contents
WHEREAS, in Ecuador, public insecurity and the crime wave are significant concerns for the Press, with firearm attacks on the headquarters of the Sono Onda radio station, in Portoviejo, the destruction of a journalist's vehicle, and attacks on three journalists who were sent USB memory sticks containing explosives
WHEREAS, in addition to the four journalists murdered in Haiti, four others were kidnapped, and one was injured, victims of the general climate of insecurity.
WHEREAS in Mexico, intimidation continues, especially in high-crime areas in the country's interior, journalists and small media covering security issues are under siege.
WHEREAS in Paraguay, the links between politics and drug trafficking create an atmosphere of insecurity that generates threats and attacks against journalists and media outlets
WHEREAS Principle 4 of the Declaration of Chapultepec establishes that: "Murder, terrorism, kidnapping, pressure, intimidation, unjust imprisonment of journalists, material destruction of the media, violence of any kind and impunity for aggressors severely restrict freedom of expression and of the press" and "these acts must be promptly investigated and severely punished."
THE IAPA MID-YEAR MEETING RESOLVES
To express deep concern over the advance of criminal groups that create a climate of insecurity for the practice of journalism and constitute a severe threat to freedom of the Press and Democracy
To urge the authorities of these countries to put in place the necessary public policies to curb the growing insecurity and the actions of organized crime
Urge governments to create or update protection mechanisms for journalists in line with international standards, as established by UNESCO with its new "New Intervention and Interaction Model Protocol for Security Forces regarding journalists, communicators, and the media."
