His Excellency Hugo Chávez
Frías
President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Palacio de Miraflores
Caracas
Venezuela
Fax: (+ 58212) 806 3221
Vienna, 25 October 2001
Your Excellency,
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors,
media executives and leading journalists, is deeply concerned about the
ongoing investigation into the private television news channel, Globovisión.
According to IPI's sources, Globovisión was notified by the National
Telecommunications Commission, Conatel, that it was being investigated to
determine whether the station had broadcast "false" news. The investigation
follows public statements made by Your Excellency, in which you attacked the
news station and its director, Alberto Ravell, as "enemies of the Revolution"
and threatened to revoke the station's licence after it allegedly provoked a
taxi drivers' strike in Caracas. Globovisión had reported that nine drivers
were murdered by criminals in a single night although, according to the
police, only one driver had been killed. The station issued a correction the
same day.
IPI fears that the investigation into Globovisión, which could lead to a
fine or the suspension of the station's licence, is part of a political
campaign to muzzle the voice of media critical of Your Excellency's
government.
Indeed, the IPI Executive Board, at its meeting in Paris, France, on 20
October, unanimously agreed to keep Venezuela on the "IPI Watch List",
having determined that relations between Your Excellency's government and
the independent media have continued to deteriorate since the country was
placed on the list in October 2000.
Your Excellency's aggressive rhetoric has contributed to a climate of
intimidation and hostility towards the press in which self-censorship is
becoming widespread, while Decision 1013 of the Venezuelan Supreme Court,
which established criteria for "timely, truthful and impartial information",
has opened the door for the judiciary to punish the media for criticism of
the president, the IPI Board said.
The "IPI Watch List" was created by IPI to detect and monitor regressive
tendencies in countries that appear to be moving towards restricting press
freedom. Other countries currently on the list are Russia, South Korea, Sri
Lanka and Zimbabwe.
IPI is alarmed by this latest attack on press freedom in Venezuela and urges
Your Excellency to ensure that Globovisión is allowed to operate without
further harassment. We further urge you to refrain from issuing threats
aimed at intimidating Venezuela's independent journalists.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Johann P. Fritz
Director
http://www.freemedia.at/Protests2001/pr_venezuela25.10.01.htm