A resolution approved by the Board of WAN, the global association of the world’s press, recognised Venezuelan publishers, editors, journalists and other workers “for their courage and proven commitment to freedom of speech and press freedom.”

It called on the National Assembly of Venezuela “not to pass bills aimed at regulating the contents of information or censuring it directly or indirectly.”

The Paris-based WAN defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 72 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 100 countries, 13 news agencies and nine regional and world-wide press groups.

The resolution said:

The World Association of Newspapers

Whereas

The OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in its communiqué No. 5/03 on March 10, states that "freedom of speech in Venezuela remains a matter of special concern;" and that it "observes an alarming, widespread increase of attacks against mass media and journalists, especially against correspondents covering rallies and other political events;"

Whereas

The IACHR, in a communiqué issued in October, said it had "alerted the authorities, the Venezuelan society and the international community against the increasingly deteriorating situation of both human rights and the Rule of Law in Venezuela” and it expressed concern that the Venezuelan State has failed to comply with a series of measures, resolutions and rulings from the Inter-American Court on Human Rights which had ordered it to protect Venezuelan journalists’ right to life, personal integrity and freedom of speech;

Whereas

The IACHR, as well as the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), have warned against moves by the Venezuelan government at the National Assembly to pass several bills aimed at limiting freedom of speech and press freedom, particularly the Radio and Television Social Responsibility draft bill (which regulates contents and information and grants the State control over them) and the Citizens’ Participation draft bill (which creates a Surveillance Commission for Social Mass Media, aimed at "controlling ... veracity and impartiality of information);"

Whereas

Foreign currency controls in Venezuela have been used with politically motivated discriminatory criteria, affecting privately owned media, among others;

Whereas

Amid a crisis threatening democracy and governance in Venezuela, both the Government and the opposition umbrella group Coordinadora Democrática, facilitated by César Gaviria Trujillo, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, and with the sponsorship of the Carter Center and the United Nations Development Program, signed an agreement on May 29 that proposed holding a recall referendum on the presidential mandate. The parties claimed they were "committed to freedom of speech," as enshrined in the American Convention on Human Rights and the Inter-American Democratic Charter;

Whereas

The rules that are to govern electoral advertising and propaganda during the recall referenda to be held in Venezuela restrict freedom of speech and press freedom. The regulations do not prevent the so-called presidential "cadenas" (nationwide mandatory TV and radio broadcasts ordered by the Venezuelan President) and violate the rules themselves, considering that "cadenas" have a unidirectional and compulsory nature.

Has therefore agreed to:

Urge the Government of Venezuela and any other Venezuelan authorities to respect freedom of speech and press freedom and to ensure that both the media and the journalists can fully exercise them.

Urge the National Assembly of Venezuela not to pass bills aimed at regulating the contents of information or censuring it directly or indirectly.

Recognize publishers, editors, journalists and other workers of mass media in Venezuela for their courage and proven commitment to freedom of speech and press freedom.

Communicate this resolution to all members of the World Association of Newspapers, so that they are aware and watchful of the serious threats facing freedom of speech and press freedom in Venezuela, particularly during the impending recall votes, and in accordance with provisions set forth in the Venezuelan Constitution.

November 25, 2003

New York City

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 25 rue d’Astorg, 75008 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr.