9 March 2004

SPANISH JOURNALIST KILLED, AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER WOUNDED


Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières,RSF) has voiced deep concern about the situation in Haiti after Spanish television journalist Ricardo Ortega was killed and American news photographer Michael Laughlin was wounded in Port-au-Prince shootings on 7 March 2004.

"The safety of journalists in Haiti will not be guaranteed as long as armed militias are free to operate without any control by a recognised central authority," said RSF, calling for an investigation into the origin of the gunshots in order to identify and punish those responsible.

A correspondent for the Spanish television station Antena 3, Ortega was fatally shot while covering a demonstration by opponents of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. RSF reported that shooting broke out as demonstrators were dispersing. At least six people were killed and about 30 were injured. Witnesses said the shots were fired by pro-Aristide gunmen known as "chimères." The demonstrators had been calling for Aristide followers to be brought to trial.

Ortega did not die at the scene. Laughlin, a photographer with the south Florida (United States) "Sun-Sentinel," said Ortega continued to film footage with his video camera after being shot.

The two journalists were taken to a hospital in Port-au-Prince, where Ortega died from his wounds. Laughlin was to be evacuated to a Florida hospital. It was not clear to observers where the shooting originated, said RSF.

Several foreign journalists have been targeted by Aristide supporters in recent weeks. Previously, only Haitian journalists critical of the government had been the victims of violence.

For more information, visit:
-RSF: http://www.rsf.org


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Also from the Communiqué, 10 March 2004

VENEZUELA: JOURNALISTS ATTACKED AS CIVIL UNREST WORSENS 9 March 2004 BANGLADESH: CPJ DELEGATION URGES GOVERNMENT TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST MEDIA 9 March 2004 THAILAND: INDEPENDENT MEDIA UNDER INCREASED POLITICAL PRESSURE 9 March 2004 UKRAINE: JOURNALIST'S DEATH, RADIO STATION RAID PART OF A PATTERN? 10 March 2004 GEORGIA: HARSH TREATMENT OF JOURNALISTS, HARSH LAWS 10 March 2004 TUNISIA: IFJ SUSPENDS TUNISIAN JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION AFTER PRESS FREEDOM AWARD TO PRESIDENT BEN ALI 10 March 2004 YEMEN: JOURNALIST'S ARREST PROTESTED 10 March 2004 INTERNATIONAL: SAUDI ARABIA: PROTEST GOVERNMENT BAN ON JOURNALIST 10 March 2004 INTERNATIONAL: MISA TO HOLD AGM IN MASERU 10 March 2004 INTERNATIONAL: CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON STATE CONTROL OVER ARAB MEDIA 10 March 2004 INTERNATIONAL: Journalism Organisations from 11 Countries Create Network 10 March 2004 MALAYSIA: MALAYSIA: ASIAN CYBERACTIVISTS NOTE SUCCESSES AND FAILURES 10 March 2004 INTERNATIONAL: REEBOK HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD PROGRAMME SEEKS NOMINATIONS 10 March 2004

Haiti

Cité Soleil in mourning for murdered community radio station manager 6 March 2012 Two Petit-Goâve radio journalists arbitrarily detained 4 July 2011 Radio station destroyed in arson attack 27 April 2011 State TV chief fires three journalists, brings criminal defamation suit against them 13 April 2011 Radio journalist gunned down in Port-au-Prince, motive unclear 15 February 2011 See all alerts: Haiti


Caribbean

CUBA: Hablemos Press journalist awaits 10th deportation to hometown 17 May 2012 SURINAME: Human Rights Watch calls on national assembly to revoke amnesty legislation 19 April 2012 CUBA: Released from Cuba's prisons, exiled journalists languish in Spain 17 April 2012 BAHAMAS: Authorities urged to respect press freedom during election season 12 April 2012 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: IAPA welcomes Inter-American Court's ruling in case of missing journalist 4 April 2012


 
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