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Alert

Journalist assassinated, another wounded; other journalists threatened

(IAPA/IFEX) - The following is an IAPA press release:

IAPA condemns murder and attacks against journalists in Dominican Republic

Miami (September 15, 2004) - The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) today condemned the murder of Dominican journalist Juan Andújar and demanded that the authorities act promptly to arrest those responsible for the killing and bring them to justice.

The chairman of the IAPA's Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, Rafael Molina Morillo, from El Nacional newspaper, stated that "Andújar's murder in Azua, in the southern part of the country, and the gunshot injuries sustained by journalist Luis Sención are more than just a crime, they also constitute an attack on freedom of the press that should not be permitted nor remain unpunished."

Andújar was leaving Azua Radio station last Tuesday morning when he was shot in the head by Blas Pujols, a member of an alleged gang. Four other members of the gang had died that morning in a gunfire exchange with police.

Andújar's murder and Sención's wounding took place after both journalists received threats while they hosted a news and commentary program at Azua Radio.

Other journalists from Azua who have also received threats for their comments on the eradication of crime, including El Nacional newspaper correspondent Juan Sánchez, as well as Domingo Corcino, Héctor J. Caamaño, Narciso Maríñez, Chistian Daniel Ramírez, and Rafael Vargas, should seek protection at the local police station to ensure their safety.

The murder of Andújar, a Listín Diario correspondent, has shaken the Dominican Republic and Azua in particular. Andújar had more than 20 years of experience as a journalist and was known for his commitment to community organizations and defending the environment in the southern part of his country. Sención is a reporter for Enriquillo Radio.

The IAPA's Molina Morillo expressed his concern over the increase in organized crime in the country and the effect murders like that of Andújar can have on freedom of the press if the most harsh punishments are not imposed on those responsible within a reasonable amount of time.

Meanwhile, Víctor Tejada, of El Caribe, who is the regional vice chairman for the Dominican Republic of the Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, expressed his condolences to the victim's relatives and colleagues.