7 July 2004

PRESS FREEDOM IMPROVING POST ARISTIDE


Since the fall of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004, journalists, it seems, are able to breathe again. Press freedom has returned to the country and a "new wind of freedom" is blowing for radio stations in the capital, Port-au-Prince, says Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières, RSF).

In a report released on the heels of a fact-finding mission to Haiti from 7 to 11 June, RSF says Haiti's new leaders have shown a willingness to solve the cases of murdered journalists, including Jean Dominique and Brignol Lindor.

In meetings with interim President Boniface Alexandre, Prime Minister Gérard Latortue and two government ministers, RSF was told that rulings on the Dominique and Lindor cases were expected by July 2004. The leaders acknowledged the importance of solving the cases and had given orders for them to be dealt with urgently.

RSF also requested an update on the case of Spanish journalist Ricardo Ortega, who was shot dead on 7 March during an attack on an anti-Aristide demonstration (http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/57331/). Haiti's justice minister said he had asked the prosecutor for a preliminary report and promised to send it to the Spanish embassy as soon as he received it.

While sounding a note of optimism about press freedom in Haiti, RSF says the country is in a fragile state. With rebel forces controlling half the country, including rural areas, journalists outside the capital work under riskier situations. Supporters of Aristide also pose a threat to journalists and if the government fails to disarm them before next year's elections, the media may become the target of new violence, warns RSF.

Read RSF's report here:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=10889
Visit these links:

- IFEX Alerts on Haiti: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/118/
- Committee to Protect Journalists: http://www.cpj.org/attacks03/americas03/haiti.html
- International Press Institute: http://www.freemedia.at/wpfr/Americas/haiti.htm


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Also from the Communiqué, 7 July 2004

INTERNATIONAL: MISA, IFJ LOBBY FOR FREE EXPRESSION GUARANTEES AT AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT 7 July 2004 HONG KONG (CHINA): BEIJING TIGHTENS THE SCREWS 7 July 2004 POLAND: IFEX MEMBERS RAISE CONCERNS OVER LIBEL LAWS 7 July 2004 AZERBAIJAN: DEFAMATION CASE DROPPED AFTER WORLDWIDE OUTCRY 7 July 2004 BURMA: TAKE ACTION! BURMA: SIGN PETITION TO SUPPORT JAILED SPORTS JOURNALIST 7 July 2004 GUATEMALA: OAS RAPPORTEUR MEETS WITH GUATEMALAN JOURNALISTS 7 July 2004 INTERNATIONAL: Rural Telephones: Africa's Challenge 7 July 2004 INTERNATIONAL: HAMBURG FOUNDATION FOR THE POLITICALLY PERSECUTED 7 July 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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