On Monday, April 30, the International Press Institute (IPI) condemned the recent series of verbal and physical attacks on journalists in Argentina, Honduras, and Panamá, allegedly by politicians.
Less than 15 percent of the world's population lives in a country with a full free press -- the lowest level in more than a decade, according to Freedom House's new report, Freedom of the Press 2012, released Tuesday, May 1. The global press freedom rankings were released to coincide with the May 3 celebration of World Press Freedom Day.
A Brazilian police reporter's house was attacked by gunfire in the wee morning hours of Saturday, April 28, in the city of João Pessoa, capital of the state of Paraíba, reported the portal Uol.
The killing of a Mexican crime reporter in the eastern state of Veracruz sparked outrage and protests as the public demanded a thorough investigation and punishment for those responsible.
Alleged leaders of the cartel Zetas threatened a local newspaper and radio station in the small city of Izúcar de Matamoros, in southeast Mexico, reported the news site e-Consulta.com.
A Peruvian journalist was arrested for hacking into the emails of senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce, Foreign and Tourism and was accused of "alleged crimes of grand larceny, unauthorized access to a database and violation of correspondence".
On Thursday, April 26, Paraguayan journalists gathered to demand better labor rights, the end of impunity, better quality of information, and more plurality among news media in the country, reported the Paraguayan Union of Journalists.
National and international press organizations condemned the killing of Brazilian journalist Décio Sá that occurred the night of Monday, April 23, and groups criticized the increase in impunity of crimes against the Brazilian press.
Roughly 1,500 journalists marched to the presidential palace of Panama to demand respect for freedom of expression on Tuesday, April 24, reported the Xinhua news agency.
On Tuesday, April 24, Mexican senators approved a law requiring the Mexican federal government to offer protection to threatened journalists.
The wave of violence costing the lives of Honduran journalists continues unabated. A Honduran TV host was shot and killed minutes after ending his entertainment program, on Monday, April 23, reported IFEX.
During a session of the Peruvian Congress, the website for the newspaper Perú21 “was unexpectedly restricted" from all the computers in the congressional reporters' chamber, reported the Press and Society Institute.