28 March 2007

Alert

Minister warns newspaper journalist and editor that their reports may violate the law


Incident details

Luz Mely Reyes, Eleazar Días

legal action

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(IPYS/IFEX) - On 19 March 2007, Minister for the Popular Economy Pedro Morejón sent letters to Luz Mely Reyes and Eleazar Días Rangel, journalist and director respectively of "Últimas Noticias" newspaper, warning them that they may have committed several criminal offences by publishing an investigation that alleged there were irregularities in the implementation of an agreement with Iran to construct industrial plants in Venezuela. The crimes, according to Morejón, would be "international conspiracy" and "campaigning to harm companies, institutions and individuals", as defined in article 144 of the criminal code and article 1195 of the civil law code. The minister said that the journalists and the newspaper would be held responsible for the consequences of these infractions.

"Últimas Noticias", based in Caracas, which says that there is full press freedom in Venezuela, has complained that this is an unprecedented threat by a national cabinet minister.

IPYS considers these letters to be direct threats against a media outlet, and an attack on free expression in Venezuela.



Source:

Instituto Prensa y Sociedad
Sucre N° 317
Barranco, Lima
Perú
alertas (@) ipys.org
Phone: +51 1 2474465
Fax: +51 1 2473194
 

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