ElPeriódico, the media outlet founded by Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora in 1996, was also targeted when the judicial harassment against Zamora began, according to people close to him. With two years since its founder was imprisoned and almost one year since the newspaper ceased publication, journalists in Guatemala are filling the void with more journalism.
Battling disinformation and using collaboration as a weapon, Venezuelan journalists are preparing for the next presidential elections to be held on Sunday, July 28.
Twenty-five civil society organizations working in different Latin American countries presented in a public hearing before the IACHR the problems faced in the region regarding state censorship measures. They said these measures directly affect the press and human rights defenders and are intended to undermine oversight of powers and public criticism.
At the annual IPYS Venezuela journalism awards in Caracas, jurors discussed reporting on authoritarian regimes, the threat of disinformation and news collaborations across Latin America.
One month after his release from a Cuban prison, journalist Lázaro Yuri Valle Roca speaks with LJR about how being the grandson of a communist commander turned him into an unwavering dissident, and how international pressure led to his release
The phenomenon of exiled journalists is not new, according to the UN Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan. However, the increase in recent years has caused concern and hence the need for both States and civil society to come together to offer help. Organizations from Latin America join that call.
Despite being granted house arrest in May, José Rubén Zamora has now suffered another legal setback in courts. An appeals court has revoked the measure. His son, José Zamora, says the decision is a continuation of harassment against his father.
In Venezuela, digital information freedoms are systematically censored and attacked, according to “Algorithms of Silence,” the 2023 Digital Rights Report from IPYS Venezuela. During the past year, 46 informative sites were blocked and 12 media outlets and four journalists suffered from identity impersonation.
Year after year, Voces del Sur's Shadow report monitors attacks against the press in Latin America. With the consolidation of undemocratic regimes and the proliferation of organized crime in some countries, stigmatizing speech against the press increased in 2023 compared to the previous year.
Faced with the proposal of a new telecommunications law in Nicaragua, independent journalists are preparing for possible blocking of their websites, regulation of audiovisual content and control of production equipment. Some media outlets have already started campaigns to raise awareness among readers about possible measures to avoid censorship.
The Supreme Federal Court of Brazil established that coordinated lawsuits against journalists are a form of judicial harassment and also set the precedent that errors are an intrinsic part of the profession. Experts consider the actions positive and important steps, but say they’re insufficient to end abuse of the courts against the press.
Nicaraguan journalist Carlos Fernando Chamorro received the Golden Pen of Freedom award during the 75th WAN-IFRA Congress. Chamorro dedicated the recognition to his colleagues in exile and to all Latin American journalists who face political persecution, prison and criminal violence in their countries.