Venezuela / Americas

New York, January 25, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns a Caracas judge’s decision on Monday to issue a gag order prohibiting news outlets from reporting on the investigation into the 2004 murder of prosecutor Danilo Anderson. Judge Florencio Silano, acting at the request of Attorney General Isaías Rodríguez, barred the “publishing, spreading or exposition”…

New York, January 20, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists expressed alarm today at an attempt by Venezuela’s attorney general to prevent media from reporting on the high-profile murder of prosecutor Danilo Anderson. Attorney General Isaías Rodríguez said in a statement Wednesday he had asked a local court to ban media from covering the judicial proceedings…

CPJ Update December 2006 News from the Committee to Protect Journalists Return to front page | See previous Updates

JULY 27, 2005 Posted: August 8, 2005 El Universal LEGAL ACTION The Attorney General’s Office opened a criminal investigation against the Caracas-based daily El Universal after it published an editorial that criticized the prosecutor’s office and the judiciary. The probe was launched under desacato (contempt) provisions, which criminalize expressions deemed offensive to public officials and…

Dear Mr. Rodríguez: The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom around the world, is deeply concerned about the investigation your office has opened against the Caracas-based daily El Universal after it published an editorial that criticized your office and the judiciary.

JUNE 29, 2005 Posted: August 9, 2005 Juan Carlos Neida, El Nuevo País ATTACKED Neida, a photographer with the Caracas-based daily El Nuevo País, was beaten and abducted by unidentified attackers while he was on assignment.

JUNE 12, 2005 Posted: June 30, 2005 Frontera ATTACKED Masked assailants attacked the offices of the daily Frontera in the city of Mérida, in the western state of Mérida, in apparent retaliation for a news report.

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New York, March 30, 2005—Journalists in Venezuela have no reason to fear physical retaliation for their work, a senior government official said in a letter to the Committee to Protect Journalists, but he continued to suggest that some members of the press are spreading U.S. propaganda. Andrés Izarra, the minister of information and communication, publicly…

Overview by Carlos Lauría Journalists throughout the Americas came under increased attack in 2004 for reporting on political corruption, drug trafficking, and organized crime. Although democratic rights have been expanding in the region, press freedom has not always improved as a result.