Amnesty International takes position on RCTV shutdown as a threat freedom of speech in Venezuela

May 10, 2007

Today, human rights organization Amnesty International
warned about the dangers to freedom of speech in Venezuela as the Government
threatens TV station RCTV with shutdown after announcing that it would not
renew its concession.

According to the human rights organization, this is the last
in a series of measures that have increasingly reduced the rights to freedom of
speech in Venezuela.
Others include aggression against reporters, threats to reporters, including
the murders of two of them in the last year and prosecution of reporters
together with legislative measures which are aimed at limiting freedom of
speech.

“ It is imperative that that Venezuela authorities protect
the right to freedom of speech, particularly in moments of political
polarization and that they send clear message of rejection to any attack to
reporters, opening investigations of these attacks” said Amnesty International
in their communiqué.

With this report, Amnesty International is taking a strong
position in the face of the arbitrary shutdown of broadcast station RCTV, which
is scheduled to take place in 18 days. Such a shutdown will deal a blow to the
rights of all Venezuelans, as well as the availability of channels for
Venezuelans citizens to provide criticism and complains about Government
actions, which have been closing down in the last few years under the
Government of President Hugo Chavez. 

This entry was posted on May 10, 2007 at 11:13 pm and is filed under Venezuela.

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