Venezuela Repression Condemned by World’s Press

[Freddie Stubbs]

The Board of the World Association of Newspapers has strongly condemned the repression of freedom of speech and the press in Venezuela, and has called on President Hugo Chávez to stop proposed legislation and other measures aimed at silencing the independent press.

"The government "has once again threatened to apply military measures and repression against the media and to enact new and pending legislation limiting freedom of the press," said the WAN Board in a resolution which was passed on the eve of the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum, which brought more than 1,000 newspaper executives to Istanbul, Turkey, for the global meetings of the world’s press.

In cracking down on the opposition press, Venezuela has recently created a government-controlled committee to regulate the content of news broadcasting and has reopened discussions that would criminalize libel statutes. Recently, the majority of pro-government members of Congress have approved a petition that asks the Attorney General to annul the nationality of several Venezuelan journalists, media owners and other opposition personalities. The resolution said: Whereas

The government of President Hugo Chávez Frías, ignoring his obligations and his commitment to respect the freedom of speech and the free press in accordance with the Venezuelan Constitution of 1999, has once again threatened to apply military measures and repression against the media and to enact new and pending legislation limiting the freedom of the press;

more: http://www.wan-press.org/article4403.html