"The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) disapproves the conviction of the editor and a journalist of the Paraguayan newspaper ABC Color, considering that it violates Inter-American principles on freedom of the press. The organization warned of the possible chilling effect of the ruling on investigative journalism.
ABC Color editor Natalia Zuccolillo and journalist Juan Carlos Lezcano were convicted on Nov. 18 of defamation in a case brought in 2019 by former Undersecretary of State for Taxation (SET) Marta González Ayala. The newspaper published news about alleged irregularities during the bidding process to update the tax system.
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The sentence, which will be appealed, obliges Zuccolillo to compensate the former official more than 68 thousand dollars and Lezcano to pay about 840 dollars."
