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Press Freedom

Daniel Ortega's regime dissolves Journalists Association of Nicaragua and 14 other NGOs

"This Monday [May 26], the regime of Daniel Ortega dissolved another 15 non-profit organizations, among them the historic Nicaraguan Association of Journalists (UPN, for its initials in Spanish), created in 1979 after the triumph of the Sandinista revolution. With this new repressive wave, more than 5,670 NGOs have now been cancelled since December 2018, as […]

Venezuelan press association denounces detention of journalist after raid on his home

"The National Association of Press Workers (SNTP, for its Spanish acronym) denounced this Friday [May 23] the detention of journalist and university professor Carlos Marcano, after Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello accused him of being part of an alleged plot against the regional and legislative elections scheduled for this Sunday [May 25]. According to what was […]

Ecuadoran lawyer implicated in money laundering case sues three journalists

"Bibian Hernández, a lawyer who, according to the [Ecuador] Attorney General's Office, may be involved in money laundering, has decided to begin two legal actions for moral damages against columnists Martin Pallares and Roberto Aguilar, and another legal action for slander against journalist Sara Ortiz. [...] The lawsuit against Aguilar and Pallares was motivated by […]

Journalist Hugo Alconada Mon denounces hacking attempt after revealing alleged Argentine government intelligence plan targeting journalists

"Hours after revealing that [Argentina’s] State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE, for its initials in Spanish) had approved a National Intelligence Plan opening the door for the collection and analysis of information on journalists, economists and other ‘actors’ seen as potentially undermining public confidence in government officials or ‘manipulating’ public opinion, journalist Hugo Alconada Mon was targeted […]

Argentine government limits journalists' access to Casa Rosada

"The national government has formalized new requirements and limitations for the accreditation of media outlets and journalists at the Casa Rosada. [...] The government's stated objective is to 'establish order, guarantee security and promote a plurality of information.' [...] Among the new features are a detailed procedure for requesting access and the requirement of a […]

President of Costa Rica sues two journalists for allegedly disclosing his phone number

"Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves announced Thursday [May 22] that he has filed a criminal complaint against two journalists who published his personal phone number on Facebook, calling the actions 'reprehensible and illegal.' The Presidential Palace announced in a statement that the lawsuit is against journalists from the television station Teletica Channel 7, Álvaro Sánchez […]

Bukele's El Salvador approves 'gag law' against independent organizations and press

"Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's crackdown on dissident voices in El Salvador has reached a point of no return. This Tuesday [May 20], the Legislative Assembly, under the president's absolute control, approved the Foreign Agents Law, which will allow it to dictate with a single order which humanitarian organizations or independent media outlets can or cannot […]

Courts block Milei’s efforts to prosecute journalists over critical coverage

“Federal courts in Argentina dealt a major blow to President Javier Milei’s efforts to sanction critical journalists. In two key cases—one involving Carlos Pagni and the other Jorge Fontevecchia—judges and prosecutors rejected the president’s legal complaints, reaffirming constitutional protections for freedom of expression in the country. Federal prosecutor Ramiro González ruled decisively in the Pagni […]

Hundreds of journalists forced into exile across the Americas, new report finds

“The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression (SRFOE) of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) releases its thematic report ‘Exile of Journalists and Freedom of Expression’, a document that examines the rising number of journalists across the Americas forced to leave their countries of origin, as well as the causes, challenges […]

Mother pleads for answers as Venezuelan journalist Rory Branker reaches three months missing

“Cheryl Ann Branker, the mother of journalist Rory Branker, on Tuesday demanded concrete information from Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Attorney General Tarek William Saab about her son’s whereabouts. Branker has now been forcibly disappeared for three months in Venezuela. In a video shared on social media, Branker condemned the lack of official information […]

Venezuelan minister threatens journalists, accuses them of inciting unrest

"Venezuelan Interior, Justice and Peace Minister Diosdado Cabello accused journalists and media outlets of spreading unrest and confusion on social media. Reading a letter from an alleged informant during his weekly television program, Cabello issued a warning and singled out Rory Branker of the digital outlet La Patilla as an example. 'The bot factories, working […]

Honduran minister orders probe after journalist says police beat and robbed him

Journalist Frank W. Mejía publicly reported he was tortured, robbed and subjected to cruel treatment by members of the Honduran National Police during raid to his home early Sunday, May 18, in the Peña por Bajo neighborhood in the capital. According to his son, attorney Stuart Mejía, officers stole $100 dollars, his cellphone and other […]