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Colombian court will hear suit against President Petro for allegedly violating press freedom

"The Administrative Court of Cundinamarca, in Colombia, admitted a lawsuit filed by the Foundation for the Rule of Law against President Gustavo Petro 'for violation of freedom of expression, press and access to information'. The popular action questions the way in which the president incurs in 'dangerous accusations and generalizations against the media and journalists […]

Mexican columnist wins first lawsuit from a journalist against former President López Obrador

“Journalist Raymundo Riva Palacio obtained a definitive amparo judgment against the statements made at the [morning press conferences known as] 'mañaneras' of former [Mexican] President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. A judge ruled in favor of the appeal filed by the columnist, who claimed violation of his human rights. Riva Palacio said that he filed this appeal […]

Women journalists were main victims of attacks on press during 2024 elections in Brazil

A report released by the Coalition in Defense of Journalism, a group made up of 11 Brazilian civil society organizations, exposed the main challenges faced by the press and journalists during 2024 municipal elections in Brazil. The study, carried out in partnership with Labic at the Federal University of Espírito Santo and ITS Rio, analyzed […]

Police demand The Intercept Brasil reveal sources of reporting

"The Civil Police of Santa Catarina [in Brazil] is demanding The Intercept Brasil reveal the sources of its reporting on the Mari Ferrer case, written by reporter Schirlei Alves in 2020. The text reported on humiliations suffered in court by influencer Mariana Ferrer, who declared that she was a victim of rape in 2018. The […]

Photojournalist Deisy Peña, detained for covering post-election protests, is released from prison

"Photojournalist Deisy Peña was detained in Los Teques, Miranda state [in Venezuela], when she was covering the post-election protests of July 28. She was released from prison on the night of Wednesday, Dec. 11, and was reunited with her daughter. [...] [The National Union of Press Workers] said Peña had been transferred to a women's […]

Guatemala issues arrest warrant for exiled journalist Juan Luis Font

"Guatemalan authorities issued an arrest warrant on December 6 for journalist Juan Luis Font on charges of collusion and passive bribery. Font, co-director of the news radio show Con Criterio, has been living in exile since 2022 and told CPJ the charges stem from an old case that authorities have repeatedly used to try to incriminate him. [...] […]

Journalist arrested on suspicion of blackmailing interviewees in Brazil

"A 40-year-old freelance journalist was arrested this Tuesday (Dec. 3), in Mato Grosso, suspected of extorting people he was interviewing. [...] According to authorities, the journalist used his work as a tool to obtain illicit gains, compromising professional ethics and trust in journalistic practices." Read original article (in Portuguese)

RSF report analyzes journalist safety programs in five Latin American countries

"Ensuring a safe environment for journalists remains a critical challenge for Latin America's democracies. Since 2000, at least 338 journalists have been killed in the region, highlighting the urgent need for protection mechanisms to counter systemic violence. In a new report, Reporters Without Borders (RSF, for its initials in French) analyzed journalist protection programs in […]

Press cannot enter Haiti and gang violence continues to cause horror and humanitarian crisis

"The situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Gang violence has reached unsustainable levels, endangering not only the lives of civilians but also the media's ability to report on the horrors in the country. [...] The press, essential to documenting the crisis and mobilizing international action, is now stymied by gang violence […]

Association of Journalists of El Salvador denounces arbitrary detention of journalist before UN rapporteur

“The Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES, for its initials in Spanish) denounced before the Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders of the United Nations (UN) the arbitrary detention of community journalist Víctor Barahona, who's been held for more than 11 months in the context of a regime of exception, in […]

Pope Francis meets with journalists Pedro Salinas and Paola Ugaz who investigated abuse in Peru

“Pope Francis held a private audience Monday [Dec. 9] with three journalists who have investigated scandals linked to the  Sodalicio de Vida Cristiana (SCV), a Catholic organization based in Peru. Paola Ugaz and Pedro Salinas have been the subject of multiple legal complaints and harassment on social media due to their reporting on the issue. […]

Luis Aceituno, cultural journalist and co-founder of elPeriódico, dies in Guatemala

“This morning [Dec. 8], in a hospital in Guatemala City, journalist and writer Luis Antonio Aceituno Solórzano, cultural editor of [the independent media outlet] eP Investiga, died. Aceituno had been under observation for a heart condition and this morning doctors confirmed that his heart had stopped beating. The Guatemalan journalist, editor and writer dedicated his […]