3 April 2007
SUPREME COURT FORCED TO RESCIND PRESS RESTRICTIONS FOLLOWING PUBLIC OUTCRY
Chile's Supreme Court rescinded its decision to restrict journalists' access to court proceedings and public buildings following an outcry in the country's press, reports Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF), which joined the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto Prensa y Sociedad, IPYS) and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) in condemning the policy.
On 26 March, the Supreme Court instituted a policy that would have restricted the media's access to the court and required all reporters who cover court events to have special credentials, in a supposed effort to regulate their work. Reporters would have been expected to "respect the privacy of magistrates, prosecutors, clerks, judges and secretaries while moving around court buildings and associated car parks," and avoid "approaching court officials without their consent and disturbing them with camera flashes, lighting or video recordings." The Supreme Court ruling was approved 15-2.
But following an uproar among local and international press and free expression groups, the Court was forced to announce just four days later that the ruling would "not take effect."
RSF, IPYS and IAPA had joined local journalists in condemning the initial decree as violating the reporters' right to free speech and the public's right to know. RSF hailed the victory, saying that "common sense finally prevailed."
Visit these sites:
- RSF "Supreme Court rescinds controversial restrictions": http://tinyurl.com/2kw6cc
- IPYS: http://www.ipys.org/alertas/atentado.php?id=1069
- IAPA: http://www.sipiapa.org
(3 April 2007)
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