Ana Carolina Guaita, a journalist for the digital media La Patilla, was arrested around 6:00 pm in the El Rincón urbanization, in the Maiquetía area, as confirmed by several relatives to SNTP. The place where she was taken or the reasons for her arrest are unknown.
The National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) denounced On the night of Tuesday 20th, the arrest of journalist Ana Carolina Guaita by alleged officials of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebin) in La Guaira.
Guaita, who is a journalist for the digital media The Watermelon and daughter of political leaders of Copei, was arrested around 6:00 pm in the El Rincón urbanization, in the Maiquetía area, as confirmed by several relatives to the SNTP.
The National College of Journalists (CNP), Caracas branch, joined the complaint and said that this is an increase in the persecution against press and media workers. The union rejected “this State policy” implemented by the Maduro administration.
#20Aug Ana Guaita @AnaCGuaita correspondent of @la_patilla in #LaGuaira She was arrested by alleged agents of the #SEBIN in the El Rincon Urbanization #Maiquetia . / Government intensifies persecution of journalists and media. We reject this state policy. pic.twitter.com/TzgMfAqH7j
— CNP Caracas (@CNPCaracas) August 20, 2024
The director of La Patilla, Alberto Federico Ravell, condemned the arrest, which he described as an “unusual operation, with no rational evidence to justify an investigation.”
Ravell rejected “arbitrary arrests and harassment against citizens and especially journalists whose only function is to inform.”
*SEBIN kidnaps journalist from La Patilla*
Minutes ago, in an unusual operation and without rational indications that justify an investigation, SEBIN arrested journalist Ana Carolina Guaita Barreto.
We reject arbitrary arrests and harassment against…
— Alberto Ravell (@AlbertoRavell) August 20, 2024
According to these organisations, since 29 July, when protests against the presidential election results broke out across the country, six journalists have been imprisoned and prosecuted for alleged crimes associated with terrorism and inciting hatred.
They are the photojournalist Yousnar Alvarado, arrested in Barinas; Paúl León, cameraman of VPI Tv arrested in Trujillo; the photojournalist Deysi Peña, arrested in Los Teques; the journalist and political activist José Gregorio Camero, arrested in Valle de La Pascua; in addition to the leader of Voluntad Popular Roland Carreño and the journalist Victor Ugasarrested in Caracas.
For its part, the Institute for Press and Society (IPYS), Venezuela chapter, recorded 79 violations of press freedom in just one week, between July 29 and August 4, due to electoral coverage and citizen demonstrations following the presidential election results.
The violations documented in this period include physical or verbal attacks (30); acts of stigmatizing speech (18); arrests (seven); censorship measures (seven); internet restrictions (seven); administrative restrictions (six); acts of judicial harassment (three) and restrictions on access to information (one).
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