A judge from Ecuador, in the province of Loja, handed down a ruling that “sets a precedent for the abusive use of judicial power to persecute any dissident voice,” according to the NGO Fundamedios.
The July 22 ruling annulled a decision taken last June by the Cantonal Board for the Protection of Rights that, among other provisions, prohibited journalist Lauro Rueda from referring to Svetlhana Montero or members of her family through public statements. Montero is the district director of the Ministry of Inclusion and is also the daughter of the mayor of the municipality of Calvas.
The decision of the Cantonal Board came after a complaint filed by Montero following an incident in which she allegedly insulted, shouted and prevented the work of a journalistic team that was going to cover a meeting between Mayor Calvas and a union. After this event, on his television program Rueda rejected Montero's attitude and indicated that she should be fired. According to Montero, the journalist's goal was to cause “emotional damage, reduce self-esteem and affect her honor.”
