Freedom of Expression
Dominican Republic
25. In September 2004, the intervention of the newspaper Listín Diario of Santo Domingo was ended, after a Supreme Court decision ordered that it be returned to its owners. The company Editora Listín Diario, which owns Listín Diario and other media, was intervened in May 2003, based on accusations of financial irregularities and violations by its owners through the Banco Intercontinental (Baninter). The newspapers Última Hora, El Financiero, and El Expreso, which were also part of the group, were shut down by the government in office at that time.[1] In its 2003 report, the Office of the Special Rapporteur had included information about this situation.
PRINCIPLE 5 OF THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION (Prior censorship, interference, and direct or indirect pressure)
26. On January 12, 2004, a radio program, "El Poder de la Tarde," was shut down by order of the Minister of Press of the Presidency, Luis González Fabra. The program was broadcast by Radio Cielo, a radio station that has been administratively intervened by the government, as it is owned by one of the companies of the owner of the bankrupt Banco Intercontinental.[2]
PRINCIPLE 9 OF THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION (Murder, kidnapping, intimidation of and/or threats to social communicators, as well as the material destruction of communications media)
27. In the months of September and October, the Office of the Special Rapporteur received reports that in Azua, in the southern Dominican Republic, a journalist had been assassinated, several had been targets of violent acts, and others had reported receiving threats.[3] The Office of the Special Rapporteur also received information on expressions of repudiation voiced at the highest levels of the government, and offers by the authorities to provide protection for the journalists.
28. On September 14, 2004, journalist Juan Emilio Andujar was assassinated in front of the offices of Radio Azua, in Azua. Andujar, who was a correspondent for Listín Diario and hosted the weekly program Encuentro Mil 60, was accompanied by his colleague Juan Sánchez, who survived the attack. Andujar had reported on a crime wave in which six journalists had been threatened. A reporter for Enriquillo Radio, Juan Luis Sención, who witnessed the attack and sought to help Andujar, was also attacked by the same persons and had to be hospitalized.[4]
29. Another case involved Euri Cabral, director of Canal 23 and host of the radio program El gobierno de la mañana on Radio Z-101, who on the night of September 29, 2004, was travelling in his vehicle in Santo Domingo when two persons on a motorcycle shot at him several times. He had received death threats earlier.[5]
[1]Inter-American Press Association, “La SIP saluda el fin de la intervención estatal en el Listín Diario,”
September 8, 2004.
[2] The program’s host, César Medina, had reported that the administrator of the radio station had confirmed the order given by the official. See Inter-American Press Association, "Preocupa a la SIP cierre de un programa radial," at International Freedom of Expression Exchange, IFEX, www.ifex.org, January 12, 2004.
[3] Among the threatened journalists are Domingo Corcino, Héctor Caamaño, Narciso Mariñez, Christian Ramírez, and Rafael Vargas.
[4] One of the alleged assailants was killed in an exchange of gunfire with the police, while another was at large as of the preparation of this report. International Freedom of Information Exchange (IFEX), at: http://www.ifex.org/es/content/view/full/61451 and Committee to Protect Journalists, “El CPJ insta a las autoridades investigar a fondo asesinato de periodista,” September 20, 2004, www.cpj.org, and Inter-American Press Association, “Condena la SIP asesinato y agresiones contra periodistas,” www.sipiapa.com, September 15, 2004.
[5] Reporters without Borders, “RSF preocupada por intento de asesinato contra director de canal de television,” October 5, 2004, at http://www.ifex.org/es/content/view/full/6172.