CPJ. They expressed their concern about attacks by the candidates on the media and journalists in the country. Photo: Fundamedios
This Wednesday, July 28, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) presented its report “Ecuador en Vilo” on violence against journalists and highlighted the need to articulate norms and institutions to give an effective response to threats
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) presented its report “Ecuador en Vilo” on threats and violence against the media and journalists in Ecuador, in which expressed their concern about the increase in violence and stigmatization against the sector.
Carlos Lauría, senior consultant for the Americas, and Carlos Martínez de la Serna, director of programs for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), together with César Ricaurte of Fundamedios, were in charge of presenting the report’s conclusions and recommendations.
Carlos Lauria, highlighted the concern generated by the attitude assumed by some candidates who attack journalists and social media, as a formula to intimidate and harass to those who bring the information to Ecuadorian homes.
The CPJ representative rejected the use of this type of “stigmatizing discourse.” Lauría warned that “from the lectern this stigmatizing discourse is contagious and effective. Today we see that other political actors use the same discoursewith threats against the media and journalists.”
For his part, Carlos Martínez de la Serna, indicated that the government of Ecuador must fulfill the commitment that the Advances in the protection of freedom of expression, journalists and the media, “do not become a dead letter”.
For Martinez, it is the Executive the body that “must work in the articulation of regulations and institutions so that they respond effectively in the face of security crises and threats”.
He pointed out that “civil society must also play an important role and be part of that dialogue for the articulation of these measures.”
Both Lauría and Martínez de la Serna alerted the international community about the current situation in Ecuador and indicated that “Not enough attention has been paid to what is happening in Ecuador in the media, it is the deepest security crisis in recent years in the country and hopefully this situation does not lead to something worse.”
They also highlighted the importance of issuing alerts to all threats against the media and journalists, in order to set precedents and document clearly the depth of the problems and threats to freedom of expression and of the press. (ILS)
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