WHEREAS an international delegation of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) carried out a joint mission to El Salvador from September 9 to 11
WHEREAS after meeting with representatives of the media, journalists' associations, academia, human rights organizations, and diplomats, they warned of the deterioration of freedom of expression and freedom of the press in the country
WHEREAS the government restricts access to public information and has weakened the governmental institute that guarantees this right
WHEREAS the interviewees denounced the government of President Nayib Bukele for harassment and threats, as well as stigmatization, hostile rhetoric against the press, and constant attempts to undermine the credibility of journalism through smear campaigns
WHEREAS since the implementation of the state of emergency, constitutional guarantees such as the confidentiality of private correspondence have been limited, and arrests without warrants have been made possible, creating a climate of intimidation and self-censorship
WHEREAS some journalists have left the profession for fear of reprisals, and more than a dozen were forced to leave the country temporarily or permanently due to government persecution
WHEREAS Pegasus spyware has been used against government critics, which affected the privacy and security of 35 journalists, media outlets, and members of civil society between July 2020 and November 2021, and media outlets such as El Faro, GatoEncerrado, La Prensa Gráfica, Revista Digital Disruptiva, Diario El Mundo and El Diario de Hoy have been identified as targets of this unlawful surveillance
WHEREAS the use of other intimidation tactics, such as financial audits and the manipulation of official advertising, were used to silence critical media, and the allocation of government advertising is destined for media outlets that support the government and not for independent media outlets
WHEREAS the existence of a "digital army" of technology contractors and trolls to spread disinformation, harass critics, and amplify official propaganda has been denounced
WHEREAS that the Declaration of Chapultepec establishes in its first principle: "There are no free persons and societies without freedom of expression and of the press. The exercise of this freedom is not a concession of the authorities; it is an inalienable right of the people", and that in its sixth article, it states: 'The media and journalists should not be discriminated against or favored because of what they write or say'.
WHEREAS the Salta Declaration on Principles of Freedom of Expression in the Digital Age establishes in its seventh principle: "Authorities should not use digital surveillance mechanisms to infringe on the freedoms and privacy of citizens, except in cases where the provisions of human rights conventions pursue a legitimate purpose. Mass surveillance is not acceptable in any case".
THE 80TH IAPA GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLVES
To express alarm at the persistent deterioration of freedom of expression and press freedom, exacerbated by the state of emergency imposed by the government of Nayib Bukele since March 2022
Deplore restrictions on access to public information, harassment and threats against journalists; stigmatization and smear campaigns; and financial audits and manipulation of official advertising as recurring strategies to silence critical media outlets
Denounce government pressure that has forced journalists to abandon their profession or leave the country
Condemn the use of Pegasus and other tools for illegal surveillance and the dissemination of trolls to spread disinformation, harass critics, and amplify official propaganda
Recognize the commitment of journalists and media outlets to continue their work despite risks and attacks.
