The report presented by the Press and Society Institute (Ipys) indicates that October was the month with the most violations of freedom of expression, as well as warning that the second half of the year was strongly affected by the closure of more than 100 stations in the country by Conatel
The Press and Society Institute Venezuela (ipys) made an assessment of the status of freedom of expression in Venezuela during the second half of 2022, stating that since July and December 14, 244 violations of information freedoms were found in 174 cases that were registered throughout the country.
Of this total, Ipys identified 117 administrative restrictions; 30 violations related to stigmatizing speech; 29 physical or verbal aggressions; 27 restrictions on access to information; 25 cases of judicial harassment; eight files of censorship and restrictions on the Internet.
October was the month, in the period studied, in which the most violations of information freedoms were recorded, accounting for 73; followed by September (41), August (25), July and November (16) and December (1), while the state of Zulia, with 34 cases, was the most affected in the second half of 2022 regarding freedom of expression. .
The situation with freedom of expression in Venezuela in the second half of the year was punctuated by the action of the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel), which in that period of time ordered the closure of 103 radio stations, as well as the censorship of which several journalists and media were victims during the landslide registered in Las Tejerías and El Castaño, in Aragua, product of the rains.
At least nine stations asked Conatel for authorization, but received no response, while 49 did not have permission or had presented the project to broadcast through legal channels.
Also, the closure of the radio stations left at least 393 people unemployed who worked in 29 of the closed stations.
Similarly, Ipys explains in its balance that censorship and other abuses against freedom of expression affected 123 media, two NGOs, a union organization and 73 press workers.
For her part, the NGO Public Space it indicated that in the month of November 2022, at least 33 violations and 12 cases related to freedom of expression were registered; where a total of 15 media outlets were victims of this scourge.
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Fighting censorship and defending freedom of expression
the NGO median analysis moved its traveling radio program to Yaritagua, Yaracuy state, in order to publicize the projects of those in charge of the house where the “Mama Grande” Nutritional Food Program with Love (PANA) works; place where about 74 people from neighboring communities eat.
Nordys Angulo, head of the Hugo Chávez Battle Unit (UBCh) and coordinator of the PANA “Mamá Grande” House, reported that due to lack of budget and the December holidays there is a break in the distribution of food dishes to grandparents, but he emphasized that they hope to improve this aspect by 2023 and expand the services so that it is not only food but also consistent medical care.
“It is no secret to anyone that the budget failures of the mayor’s office affect the situation of the 12 PANA houses in the municipality, however, new links are being made with other people and with the private sector to continue with the attention,” Angulo warned.
Those who work there want to improve the nutrition given to the elderly and offer medical care in order to improve the quality of life in the community.
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