A slew of attacks and threats against journalists took place over the last week in Argentina. After being beaten, one journalist also received a death threat in the village of Sancti Spirtiu in the province of Santa Fe on Tuesday, Aug. 14, reported the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA in Spanish).
Argentine President Cristina Kirchner proposed an ethics law for journalists during a speech at the energy company Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF in Spanish), claiming that the media were "mounting a campaign to tarnish the image" of the recently nationalized business. Kirchner cited recent articles published in the newspaper Clarín for her argument, reported HidrocarburosBolivia.com.
The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and several other international press organizations took the opportunity to express their mounting concern over the state of freedom of expression in Argentina and Ecuador during a meeting of the Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations, which took place on July 12 in Santiago, Chile, reported the news website Martí on Tuesday, Aug. 7.
Several Argentine journalists were attacked and their equipment stolen, allegedly by the political group Tupac Amaru, founded by Argentine leader Milagro Sala, on Friday, Aug. 3, in the province of Jujuy, reported the newspaper El Litoral.
An Argentine journalist was censored by the TV channel C5N,when President Cristina Kirchner prohibited the TV channel from letting the journalist participate in a news program, reported Perfil.
On Tuesday, July 3, the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA in Spanish) released a proposal to limit the financial amount of moral damages that could be claimed against journalists.
In Longchamps, located in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, a hooded and armed individual attacked a journalist with a belt, robbed his money, and threatened to burn his house down, reported the newspaper La Nueva Provincia.
On Tuesday, June 12, the Argentine Journalism Forum applauded the new public information access in the Misiones Province of Argentina, which was approved on June 7 by the provincial congress, and said that this "means a significant step forward for freedom of expression, state transparency, and citizens' rights in democracy."
On Tuesday, June 5, Argentine journalists were attacked by a gang that identifies itself as supporters of Governor Jesús Cariglino while they were trying to cover an alleged malpractice case in the city hospital of Pablo Nogués in Malvinas Argentinas of the province of Buenos Aires, reported the newspaper La Voz.
A team of reporters was attacked during a demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina, while trying to cover a "pots and pans" protest in front of the Court Palace the night of Friday, June 1. The incident occurred just 10 days after the same reporting team was attacked by another group of protesters in the same place, reported the Argentine Association of Journalistic Entities.
An Argentine journalist received a death threat by an unknown gunman while trying to enter the radio studio where the journalist works, in the city of 9 de Julio, in the province of Buenos Aires, reported the newspaper Perfil.
In a report by the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. heavily criticized the Argentine government for limiting freedom of press in the country, and said that there is too much violence against the press and opposition journalists, accusing the government for being responsible for several measures that do not allow for freedom of expression in Argentina, reported the newspaper Clarín.