UNESCO chief deplores murders of journalists in Russia, Venezuela
26 January 2009 –The head of the United Nations agency tasked with upholding press freedom condemned the killings of journalists and a lawyer in Russia and Venezuela, underscoring that these murders are a contravention of human rights.Journalist Anastasia Baburova and human rights lawyer Stanislav Markelov were shot dead on 19 January while having a conversation outside a Moscow metro station. Mr. Markelov, who had just given a press conference, is believed to have been the target of the attack. Ms. Baburova worked for Novaya Gazeta, the same newspaper as investigative reporter Anna Politkovskaya, who was assassinated in 2006.
Also slain in Russia recently was Shafiq Amrakhov, owner and editor of the online regional news agency RIA 51 in Murmansk in the country’s north-west. He was shot inside his apartment and died six days later.
“These killings represent a tragic blow to the basic human right of freedom of expression and to all other human rights, which are essential if good governance and the rule of law are to be upheld,” said UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura.
On 16 January, Orel Sambrano, editor of ABC, a weekly magazine, was shot and killed in broad daylight as he got out of his car in Valencia, a city in north-central Venezuela.
The 62-year-old, who was also the vice-president of the privately-owned Radio America 890AM station and a columnist for the regional daily Notitarde, had received death threats linked to his reports on drug trafficking.
The “deliberate targeting” of media professionals such as Mr. Sambrano is a setback to “democracy and rule of law which depend on the ability of the members of any society to hold free debates about issues of general concern and make informed decisions,” said Mr. Matsuura.
January 26, 2009
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Journalism, Russia, UNESCO, Venezuela |
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New York, January 16, 2009–Unidentified individuals shot and injured a Venezuelan journalist outside the offices of the local daily El Regional in the southwestern Portuguesa province on Tuesday evening. The Committee to Protect Journalists called today on Venezuelan authorities to investigate the attack and bring all those responsible to justice.
At 6:20 p.m., unidentified individuals in a car shot Rafael Finol, the political editor for the daily El Regional in Acarigua, 207 miles (333 kilometers) southwest of Caracas, as he was leaving the paper’s offices with several colleagues, according to local news reports and CPJ interviews. He was shot in the head and rushed to a local hospital, where he received medical attention. The journalist told CPJ today that he was recovering from the injuries.
Finol, 61, said he believed the attack was retaliation for El Regional‘s political reporting. Local journalists told CPJ the paper backs Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez’s, and Finol said that he met with Chávez days before the attack. He said he had not received previous threats.
Local authorities are investigating the incident, according to news reports. Finol told CPJ that investigators believe hired assassins were involved in the attack.
“We call on Venezuelan authorities to conduct a thorough and speedy investigation into the attack against Rafael Finol, and bring all those responsible to justice,” said CPJ Americas Senior Program Coordinator Carlos Lauría. “Venezuelans have the right to seek and receive information from a wide variety of sources, especially in a critical political moment for the country. We urge authorities to ensure that all journalists are able to report freely and without fear of intimidation.”
On Wednesday, the Venezuelan National Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that would allow Chávez to run for indefinite reelection, The Associated Press reported. The reform will be voted on in a popular referendum as early as February 15, according to local and international news reports.
January 17, 2009
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Journalism, Venezuela |
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Wed Jan 7, 5:51 PM ET
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez speaks in support of the Palestinian people during a meeting of the Venezuelan Communist Party (PSUV), in Caracas January 7, 2009.REUTERS/Alejandro Rustom (VENEZUELA)
Wed Jan 7, 5:44 PM ET
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez speaks in support of the Palestinian people during a meeting of the Venezuelan Communist Party (PSUV), in Caracas January 7, 2009.
REUTERS/Alejandro Rustom (VENEZUELA)
Wed Jan 7, 5:57 PM ET
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez shows a newspaper that reads, “Israeli ambassador expelled from Venezuela”, during his speech at a Venezuelan Communist Party (PSUV) meeting in Caracas, January 7, 2009. Venezuela expelled the ambassador to Israel on Tuesday in protest over the offensive in Gaza only hours after leftist President Hugo Chavez called the attacks a Palestinian “holocaust.” REUTERS/Alejandro Rustom (VENEZUELA)
January 7, 2009
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Palestine, PHOTO, Venezuela |
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 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:09:22 GMT |
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Venezuela has expelled the Israeli ambassador to the Latin American country in protest at the ongoing onslaught in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said that Caracas had expelled the Israeli envoy to protest the Israeli invasion of Gaza which had killed at least 500 Palestinians.
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January 6, 2009
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Palestine, Venezuela |
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Venezuelan president calls for stopping attack against Gaza
Tehran, Jan 6, IRNA – President Hugo Chavez in a meeting with Iran’s president special envoy and minister of industry called for stopping attacks against Gaza and underlined the necessity of sending humanitarian aids to the Gaza residents.
Ali Akbar Mehrabian, who is in Caracas, submitted President Ahmadinejad’s message to his Venezuelan counterpart.
Conveying warm greetings of president Ahmadinejad to President Chavez, Mehrabian underlined the necessity of world community cooperation to free the oppressed people of Gaza from the Zionist regime attacks and crimes.
He said silence before this invasion can face the region and world with serious challenges.
Special envoy of Iran’s president said the Zionist regime actions are contrary to all international laws and regulation as well as human rights conventions and added that the US and a number of western countries ‘ support for the Zionist regime and the silence of them and international bodies on the crimes in Gaza unveil the fake nature of democracy pretenders.
Expressing sorrow for the latest events in Gaza and killing of hundreds of innocent people during the attacks against Gaza Strip, President Chavez called for ending Israelis invasion against region.
He declared his country’s opposition to any kind of action against defenseless people, women and children and said that unfortunately the big powers by imposing dual standard policies are actually helping invaders.
Iran’s Industry and Mines Minister arrived in Caracas on Sunday evening and is to travel to Nicaragua and Cuba after Venezuela to submit Ahmadinejad message to his counterparts.
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January 5, 2009
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Iran, Palestine, Venezuela |
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