Por Isabel Soto MayedoGuatemala (Prensa Latina) Since June 2016, 11 journalists have been murdered in nine departments in Guatemala, where the general context of insecurity tends to increase, according to the Center of Informative Reports on Guatemala (Cerigua).
According to the Observatory of Journalists, which operates in that institution, three of these crimes occurred in the western department of Quetzaltenango, one of the areas where most attacks against journalists were reported in recent years
Despite this background the number of complaints concerning attacks on journalists and media received by the Prosecution Unit for Crimes against Journalists, of the Public Ministry (MP), has paradoxically decreased. .
During the first three months of 2015 were reported 25 attacks against media, a year later the number decreased to 20 and in the present only 11 cases have been reported in four departments, as stated the report presented on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day.
According to the document, the reduction of violent attacks against journalists in Guatemala is associated with the increase in censorship and self-censorship of journalists.
This is particularly significant among 'those who work in areas with a high presence of organized crime and areas where local political power, especially mayors, has become one of the main censors of the press,' the text adds.
The report also emphasizes that journalists and communicators usually avoid filing complaints due to their 'distrust of members of the district attorneys' offices and agents of the National Civil Police (PNC), because they could be conniving with members of criminal organizations or local officials.'
'Distrust of the authorities responsible for public safety and criminal prosecution prevailed due to their inaction when direct attacks against reporters during coverage of traffic accidents or violent acts occur and also because only few cases of attacks against journalists have been solved, 'the text said.
In addition, the police often attack against media professionals, and as a result, they refrain from making complaints when they suffer threats, physical attacks or other attacks related to their professional work. Several sources agree that some of the main actors responsible for attacks against the press are officials from different levels of the State, as well as the elements of the PNC.
In fact, the Observatory of Journalists and Cerigua say that this year occurred four cases involving Judicial Agency (OJ), sports and municipal authorities of the central department of Suchitepéquez, and members of the public security forces.
Based on these data, the deputy of the CCPM Women's Civic Political Convergence Sandra Morán urged to dialogue in order to seek solutions to what, in her opinion, undermines freedom of expression and the right to truthful information in Guatemala.
'Let's stop talking about, let's start talking to,' she said, during an exchange with representatives of various media outlets covering the work of the Congress.
The legislator, who noted the importance of journalism for the consolidation of democracy in the country, listened to journalists about what could be done to advance the goal of reversing difficulties and knew firsthand the concerns and needs of the guild.
Norway went further and, as in the UPR (Universal Periodic Review) of 2008, it recommended reforming the Telecommunications Law, to grant legal recognition to community radio stations and to encourage indigenous peoples to access the media.
But, but despite all these years little or nothing have changed with respect to the press in Guatemala, this year the guild will have to be submitted again to the review established since April 2008, with the aim of reviewing every four and a half years the human rights practices of each of the 193 UN States Party.
In fact, Guatemala's Human Rights Ombudsman, Jorge de León Duque, denounced on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (May 3) that the Government of Jimmy Morales continues to ignore the recommendations derived from this multilateral practice.
Almost four years and three government administrations have passed since the first discussions began on the implementation of a Program to Protect Journalists in Guatemala.
And although the Secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency, Alfredo Brito, reported that the signing of the agreement would be held at a public event in late November, within the framework of the National Journalist's Day, this did not happen.
Since July 2016, associations of communicators submitted the president a proposal in order to carry put the program, supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) and backed by 22 international organizations.
However, it is sheltered somewhere: 'this has not been put into practice and therefore, many journalists are still at risk, especially in the interior of the country,' said the ombudsman.
De León Duque remarked that the State has an obligation to take effective measures to prevent attacks on journalists and guarantee the right to freedom of expression.
During 2016, the Association of Guatemalan Journalists (APG) issued 32 press releases on aggressions committed that year, received 17 international messages of solidarity and held more than 30 meetings with media managers and officials to develop the Protection Program To Journalists.
After receiving the project, the government pledged to give all the support so that in the short term the country had a tool capable of mitigating the risks that journalists are facing.
However, at the end of the first year of his government, which began on January 14, 2016, Guatemala stood out as one of the countries with the most murdered journalists, along with Mexico.
Participants at the meeting mentioned the urgency of improving access to social health, guaranteeing free expression of thought, promoting the development and training of communicators, respect for dignity and the work they do and guaranteeing salary leveling.
They also mentioned the need for public officials to know laws such as Access to Public Information and to be sensitized in the treatment of the press in general.
They also recommend the Congress to take initiatives like this one and recognize the need for a working table to address these issues.
At the meeting in the Panamerican Hotel of this capital, it was decided to continue holding this type of meetings, to review the related legislation, and the revision of the advance of the public policy of the Presidential Coordinating Commission on Executive Policy in the Field of Human Rights (COPREDEH).
Likewise, they decided to look for the mechanisms to raise awareness of those responsible for the State's institutions and for journalists on specific issues.
RISKS FROM THE PAST
Complexity of exercising journalism is becoming more prominent in Guatemala because of the considerable incidence of violence, organized crime and corruption, directed related to impunity.
Despite this scenario, which makes Guatemala one of the most risky countries in the continent and the world (27.3 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants), the Government continues failing to implement a protection program for communicators as promised in October 2012.
During the last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2012, representatives of the State of Guatemala accepted 111 recommendations from the members of the United Nations Human Rights Council, 21 of them taken with reserve and six left in suspense.
They even announced five voluntary commitments, including implementing the plan to protect journalists and strengthen the monitoring system to suggestions for international mechanisms and procedures.
They also agreed to redesign the human rights institutional framework, continue to implement public policies to strengthen the justice system specialized in the protection of women; as well as to develop policies and programs to prevent armed violence and reduce violent deaths, especially violent attacks against young people.
That was the response to the statements of the States represented in the UN Human Rights Council, whose members expressed their concern about the situation of vulnerability in the press and the right to freedom of expression in Guatemala.
The threats of organized crime and drug trafficking, intimidation, the impunity surrounding the cases of attacks and threats against them, and lack of protection for lack of judicial prosecution are just some of the factors that undermine the freedom of journalists to do their job.
In 2016 the country experienced one of the most violent periods against the press, which resulted in the death of two media directors, three broadcasters, a producer and conductor of a television news bulletin, a cameraman, a television reporter, and one communicator of a public hospital.
As a result, several voices insist that the government, far from reacting, continues ignoring the gravity of the issue, while the majority of reported cases still remain unresolved and those responsible for the crimes remain unpunished.
mh/gpm/em/ism
Despite this background the number of complaints concerning attacks on journalists and media received by the Prosecution Unit for Crimes against Journalists, of the Public Ministry (MP), has paradoxically decreased. .
During the first three months of 2015 were reported 25 attacks against media, a year later the number decreased to 20 and in the present only 11 cases have been reported in four departments, as stated the report presented on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day.
According to the document, the reduction of violent attacks against journalists in Guatemala is associated with the increase in censorship and self-censorship of journalists.
This is particularly significant among 'those who work in areas with a high presence of organized crime and areas where local political power, especially mayors, has become one of the main censors of the press,' the text adds.
The report also emphasizes that journalists and communicators usually avoid filing complaints due to their 'distrust of members of the district attorneys' offices and agents of the National Civil Police (PNC), because they could be conniving with members of criminal organizations or local officials.'
'Distrust of the authorities responsible for public safety and criminal prosecution prevailed due to their inaction when direct attacks against reporters during coverage of traffic accidents or violent acts occur and also because only few cases of attacks against journalists have been solved, 'the text said.
In addition, the police often attack against media professionals, and as a result, they refrain from making complaints when they suffer threats, physical attacks or other attacks related to their professional work. Several sources agree that some of the main actors responsible for attacks against the press are officials from different levels of the State, as well as the elements of the PNC.
In fact, the Observatory of Journalists and Cerigua say that this year occurred four cases involving Judicial Agency (OJ), sports and municipal authorities of the central department of Suchitepéquez, and members of the public security forces.
Based on these data, the deputy of the CCPM Women's Civic Political Convergence Sandra Morán urged to dialogue in order to seek solutions to what, in her opinion, undermines freedom of expression and the right to truthful information in Guatemala.
'Let's stop talking about, let's start talking to,' she said, during an exchange with representatives of various media outlets covering the work of the Congress.
The legislator, who noted the importance of journalism for the consolidation of democracy in the country, listened to journalists about what could be done to advance the goal of reversing difficulties and knew firsthand the concerns and needs of the guild.
Norway went further and, as in the UPR (Universal Periodic Review) of 2008, it recommended reforming the Telecommunications Law, to grant legal recognition to community radio stations and to encourage indigenous peoples to access the media.
But, but despite all these years little or nothing have changed with respect to the press in Guatemala, this year the guild will have to be submitted again to the review established since April 2008, with the aim of reviewing every four and a half years the human rights practices of each of the 193 UN States Party.
In fact, Guatemala's Human Rights Ombudsman, Jorge de León Duque, denounced on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day (May 3) that the Government of Jimmy Morales continues to ignore the recommendations derived from this multilateral practice.
Almost four years and three government administrations have passed since the first discussions began on the implementation of a Program to Protect Journalists in Guatemala.
And although the Secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency, Alfredo Brito, reported that the signing of the agreement would be held at a public event in late November, within the framework of the National Journalist's Day, this did not happen.
Since July 2016, associations of communicators submitted the president a proposal in order to carry put the program, supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) and backed by 22 international organizations.
However, it is sheltered somewhere: 'this has not been put into practice and therefore, many journalists are still at risk, especially in the interior of the country,' said the ombudsman.
De León Duque remarked that the State has an obligation to take effective measures to prevent attacks on journalists and guarantee the right to freedom of expression.
During 2016, the Association of Guatemalan Journalists (APG) issued 32 press releases on aggressions committed that year, received 17 international messages of solidarity and held more than 30 meetings with media managers and officials to develop the Protection Program To Journalists.
After receiving the project, the government pledged to give all the support so that in the short term the country had a tool capable of mitigating the risks that journalists are facing.
However, at the end of the first year of his government, which began on January 14, 2016, Guatemala stood out as one of the countries with the most murdered journalists, along with Mexico.
Participants at the meeting mentioned the urgency of improving access to social health, guaranteeing free expression of thought, promoting the development and training of communicators, respect for dignity and the work they do and guaranteeing salary leveling.
They also mentioned the need for public officials to know laws such as Access to Public Information and to be sensitized in the treatment of the press in general.
They also recommend the Congress to take initiatives like this one and recognize the need for a working table to address these issues.
At the meeting in the Panamerican Hotel of this capital, it was decided to continue holding this type of meetings, to review the related legislation, and the revision of the advance of the public policy of the Presidential Coordinating Commission on Executive Policy in the Field of Human Rights (COPREDEH).
Likewise, they decided to look for the mechanisms to raise awareness of those responsible for the State's institutions and for journalists on specific issues.
RISKS FROM THE PAST
Complexity of exercising journalism is becoming more prominent in Guatemala because of the considerable incidence of violence, organized crime and corruption, directed related to impunity.
Despite this scenario, which makes Guatemala one of the most risky countries in the continent and the world (27.3 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants), the Government continues failing to implement a protection program for communicators as promised in October 2012.
During the last Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2012, representatives of the State of Guatemala accepted 111 recommendations from the members of the United Nations Human Rights Council, 21 of them taken with reserve and six left in suspense.
They even announced five voluntary commitments, including implementing the plan to protect journalists and strengthen the monitoring system to suggestions for international mechanisms and procedures.
They also agreed to redesign the human rights institutional framework, continue to implement public policies to strengthen the justice system specialized in the protection of women; as well as to develop policies and programs to prevent armed violence and reduce violent deaths, especially violent attacks against young people.
That was the response to the statements of the States represented in the UN Human Rights Council, whose members expressed their concern about the situation of vulnerability in the press and the right to freedom of expression in Guatemala.
The threats of organized crime and drug trafficking, intimidation, the impunity surrounding the cases of attacks and threats against them, and lack of protection for lack of judicial prosecution are just some of the factors that undermine the freedom of journalists to do their job.
In 2016 the country experienced one of the most violent periods against the press, which resulted in the death of two media directors, three broadcasters, a producer and conductor of a television news bulletin, a cameraman, a television reporter, and one communicator of a public hospital.
As a result, several voices insist that the government, far from reacting, continues ignoring the gravity of the issue, while the majority of reported cases still remain unresolved and those responsible for the crimes remain unpunished.
mh/gpm/em/ism
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