- The arrests were recorded in seven states of the country
The National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) reported that as of August 22, eight press workers were detained in Venezuela, including journalists, photojournalists and editors.
The SNTP reported the cases of Ana Carolina Guaita in La Guaira, Yousner Alvarado from Barinas; Daisy Peñafrom Miranda; Roland Carreño in the Capital District, the cameraman Paul Leon and the reporter Fernando Chuecos from Trujillo; in addition to the journalists Jose Gregorio Carnero from Guarico and Gilberto Reina in Bolivar.
According to the organization’s data, at least three other journalists were arrested during the electoral campaign: Carlos Julio Rojas and Gabriel González in Caracas and Luis López in La Guaira. The organization also included Claudia Macero and Omar González on the list, who are seeking asylum at the Argentine Embassy in Caracas.
The arrests occurred during the pre-campaign and election day and, later, in the context of protests against the results of the National Electoral Council (CNE) elections of July 28, which declared Nicolás Maduro the winner.
The SNTP reported that press workers were prevented from taking the oath of office of a private defense attorney.
79 attacks on the press since the presidential elections
In the midst of the electoral context in Venezuela, the media have been the target of attacks. The Press and Society Institute (IPYS) recorded 79 attacks on independent media since the elections were held on July 28.
The violations of press freedom occurred from July 29 to August 4, 2024. Of that number, 62 cases were related to election coverage and post-election protests.
“This documentation is alarming, because it reveals a worsening of the systematic pattern of repression and control over information of public interest in Venezuela,” says the report published by IPYS on August 5 through its Web page.
These are the attacks documented by the organization:
-Physical and verbal aggression
-Stigmatizing speech facts
-Arrests
-Censorship measures
-Internet restrictions
-Administrative restrictions
-Acts of judicial harassment
-Restrictions on access to information
More than 85% of Venezuelan journalists emigrated due to restrictions on journalistic work
On August 20, IPYS published a report on Venezuelan journalists who have migrated in recent yearsThe document highlights that 85.63% of those surveyed (155 people) left the country due to restrictions on the practice of journalism in Venezuela.
The report called Journalists in exile: Approach to the diaspora of the Venezuelan press highlights the violation of freedom of expression, the right to information and the right of access to public information in the country suffered by communicators since 2016.
Those interviewed also mentioned various forms of aggression, but in most cases they pointed to state security agents as the perpetrators. At least 82 people identified the risk of arbitrary arrests as well-founded threats, while 77 of them highlighted censorship by the state.
Another 54 journalists reported having suffered judicial harassment, 31 of them indicated the risk of forced disappearance and 27 the risk of torture.
“All of these attacks are attributable to state agents and correspond to the situation of widespread and systematic hostility against the independent press in Venezuela,” said the IPYS report.
In addition, 84 of those surveyed highlighted the decrease in job opportunities as a result of the closure of media outlets, as well as the low salaries for journalism professionals in Venezuela as the reason for migrating for another 87 people surveyed for the report.
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2024-08-23 06:10:14
