Bolivian journalist Luis Zabala Farell, who had been in prison since Jan. 17 for allegedly instigating violence on his radio show, was freed Thursday, April 14, but is not allowed to discuss his case, El Diario reports.
The judge has freed Zabala pending trial and he can return to his position at La Voz del Pueblo radio, but he will be placed in contempt of court if he discusses the charges, Bolivia’s National Press Association (ANP) explains.
In another case related to press freedom in Bolivia, a group of journalists and photographers were attacked by the police and protesters during an April 15 demonstration by rural teachers in La Paz, the ANP reports via IFEX. According to the report, photographer Henry Ponce from Página 7 newspaper was hit with the butt of a riffle, and AP photographer Juan Mamani Karita was beaten and had his equipment damaged.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
