Freedom of Expression
Press Release 138/06
ANNUAL REPORT: OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR CALLS ATTENTION TO THE INCREASE IN THREATS AND JUDICIAL HARASSMENT OF JOURNALISTS AND OTHER MEDIA WORKERS IN 2005
Washington, D.C., April 28, 2006. In its evaluation of the situation of freedom of expression for 2005, the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) called attention to an increase in acts of intimidation and threats, as well as judicial harassment, of journalists and other media workers in the hemisphere. On April 27, 2006, the IACHR submitted its Annual Report to the Committee on Juridical and Political Affairs of the Organization of American States (OAS); the second volume includes the Report of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression.
This is the eighth report prepared by the Office of the Rapporteur since it was established in the IACHR in 1998. It covers the activities carried out from January to December 2005, during which time the Office was under the responsibility and direction of then-Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression Eduardo Bertoni.
In addition to an evaluation of the situation of freedom of expression in the hemisphere (Chapter II), the report of the Office of the Rapporteur includes a summary of the case-law on freedom of expression of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (Chapter III). The report also includes important doctrinal contributions in its chapters on the exercise of freedom of expression and its relationship to public demonstrations (Chapter V), and opinion polls and exit polls (Chapter VI). In addition, and as is its custom every other year, the Office of the Rapporteur presented its report on access to public information in the hemisphere. (Chapter IV).
For more information on the Office of the Special Rapporteur: http://www.cidh.org/relatoria/