The Supreme Court of Lima, Peru, released jailed journalist Paul Garay Ramírez after serving six months of an 18-month sentence for defamation, reported the Press and Society Institute.
Rose Mary Santana, journalist for several Dominican media outlets in Florida, became the president of the Dominican Journalists Council in Miami. She noted that some of the powers that be "see a journalist as an enemy when they practice investigative journalism," a statement from the same organization read.
As a result of a judicial decision, Brazilian blogger Noel Júnior had his home office equipment confiscated in the municipality of São Francisco do Itabapoana, the blogger said on his site.
Blog del Narco, a website known for publishing uncensored images and videos of violence in Mexico, reported via Twitter and its new site, MilCincuenta.com, that users are having difficulty viewing the page since Oct. 24, especially those using Google Chrome.
On the day the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) met to analyze the state of freedom of expression in Ecuador, an Ecuadoran legislator proposed a bill, sent by President Rafael Correa, that would punish government officials who attack freedom of expression, meeting out sentences of three to five years in jail, according to the news agecy Andes.
A radio host in Peru claimed she was fired because of pressure from the mayor of her city, Cajabamba, in the north of the country, reported the Press and Society Institute (IPYS in Spanish).
The Inter American Press Association's (IAPA) 67th General Assembly in Lima, Peru, ended with the organization issuing a series of resolutions and conclusions highlighting the fact that "attempts to silence the independent press" in Latin America have continued to mount in 2011, as evidenced by the rampant "physical violence, the murder of journalists and the impunity of these crimes, lawsuits, arbitrary arrests, verbal abuse, and the manipulation of government advertising to laws or restrictive bills."
Journalist Wilson Cabrera, whose community radio station was closed by the Ecuadorian government, was prohibited from traveling to the United States by judicial order, reported the newspaper El Universo.
The Venezuelan National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) ordered the television channel Globovisión, known for its critical editorial stance toward President Hugo Chávez's government, to pay a nearly $2 million fine, reported the news agency EFE.
A Brazilian photographer was arrested after refusing to delete photos of police attacking two young people participating in a gay pride parade on Oct. 16, in the city of Itabuna, Bahia, reported the newspaper Correio 24 horas.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF in French) expressed concern about possible attacks by Chilean security forces against freedom of information on the eve of more student protests on Oct. 18.
About 200 neighbors and employees are standing watch night and day at the offices of a TV news station in the city of El Alto (on the outskirts of the Bolivian capital of La Paz) after a labor union threatened to physically seize the station, according to Reporters Without Borders.