The journalist Juan Carlos Calderon, co author of the book El Gran Hermano (Big Brother), was threatened via telephone by an anonymous source, according to Fundamedios. The journalist was threatened: “You will be next.”
One year after the alleged attempted coup d’etat that shook Ecuador on Sept. 30, 2010 (known as 30S), Fundamedios published a report about attacks against the media and freedom of expression in the country. The report studies attacks before and after 30S, and shows a significant increase in the number of aggressions against journalists in the last year.
Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa threatened to bring yet another charge against the embattled newspaper El Universo after it published a provocative letter by an assembly member, according to the group Fundamedios.
Rafael Correa raged against the press during his speech at the World Leaders Forum at Columbia University in New York.
With two votes in favor and one abstention, a court in Ecuador upheld a sentence of three years in prison and $40 million in damages against an ex-columnist and three directors of the newspaper El Universo.
The Ecuadorean Telecommunications Superintendency (Supertel) announced that it would seek to punish seven radio broadcasters for a simultaneous broadcast of a debate on freedom of expression without first notifying the authorities.
The Ecuadorian government responded to a letter from Reporters Without Borders addressed to President Rafael Correa expressing its concern for freedom of expression in the Andean country with its own letter.
Officials in Ecuador presented a bill on Sept. 6 that would give owners and shareholders of media companies until Jul. 13, 2012, to sell their interests in other businesses, reported Fundamedios.
The Latin American Conference on Investigative Journalism awarded its top investigative reporting prize to four Brazilians as the conference ended on Sept. 5 in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Reporters Without Borders sent a letter to President Rafael Correa of Ecuador expressing their concern over his hostile attitude and actions against the press in the Andean country.