17 July 2001

PLEDGE TO UPHOLD PRESS FREEDOM; GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING POLICY CRITICISED


The three Nicaraguan presidential candidates for the upcoming November elections have unanimously pledged to uphold press freedom, reports the Inter American Press Association (IAPA). Sandinista Front candidate Daniel Ortega, Enrique Bolaños of the Constitutionalist Liberal Party and the Conservative Party's Noel Vidaurre all signed the Declaration of Chapultepec on press freedom principles at former President Violeta Chamorro's home on 4 July. However, IAPA points out that Nicaragua currently complies with only three of the ten Chapultepec principles. Of particular concern to the organisation are the lack of access to public records, election campaign news blackouts and a new law requiring journalists to belong to a "colegio" (guild) in order to work legally.

Meanwhile, IAPA and Reporters sans frontières (RSF) have expressed concern at the government's use of official advertising to influence the news media. IAPA notes that the Managua daily "El Nuevo Diario" has not been given any official advertising since the middle of June. The newspaper believes that the withholding of advertising is a reaction to its critical reporting on official corruption. The government has also instructed a number of ministries and institutions to cancel their subscriptions to the paper, reports RSF. IAPA fears that the government is using its control over official advertising "to silence and punish" unfavourable news reporting, while RSF calls for the creation of an independent institution to distribute state advertising among the media according to "objective criteria." IAPA notes that the government has taken similar action in recent years against other media outlets including the newspapers "Barricada" and "La Prensa" and Radio Sandino.

For more information, see www.sipiapa.org and www.rsf.fr.




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Also from the Communiqué, 17 July 2001

RWANDA: DEATH PENALTY PROPOSED FOR JOURNALISTS WHO INCITE HATRED 17 July 2001 INTERNATIONAL: SEEKS APPLICANTS FOR JOURNALISTS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMME 17 July 2001 INTERNATIONAL: ON "TERRORISM AGAINST THE MEDIA" 17 July 2001 CHILE: JOURNALIST RETURNS HOME; FILM SCREENING SUSPENDED; JUDGE WANTS TO QUESTION KISSINGER ABOUT "MISSING" JOURNALIST 17 July 2001 INTERNATIONAL: MOSCOW RELEASES JOURNALIST WHO FACED DEATH IF EXTRADITED 17 July 2001 INTERNATIONAL: LEADS TO CALLS FOR BOYCOTT AND ACTION BY CORPORATE SPONSORS 17 July 2001 ANGOLA: PROVINCIAL OFFICIAL KILLS JOURNALIST; PRESS CONDITIONS DETERIORATE 17 July 2001

Nicaragua

Journalist flees country after death threats 22 September 2011 Reporter and her family receive death threats in polarised pre-election climate 15 August 2011 Journalist receives death threat 22 February 2011 IAPA criticises legislative bill that would make "media violence" a new criminal offence 11 February 2011 Customs officials block import of newsprint supplies 8 February 2011 See all alerts: Nicaragua


Central America

HONDURAS: Journalist found dead a week after being kidnapped 17 May 2012 GUATEMALA: Community radio stations raided, journalist arrested 11 May 2012 HONDURAS: IAPA urges government to act speedily on abduction of journalist 10 May 2012


 
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