Workers of the Suprema 93.5 FM station in Cabimas, Zulia state, denounced that after a call from Conatel they had to go off the air. It was argued that the current documentation of that body was lacking to be able to operate legally.
The National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) denounced on Tuesday, September 20, that the National Telecommunications Commission, Conatel, closed two stations that were operating in Zulia state.
According to the SNTP, the stations Suprema 93.5 FM and Jerusalem Stereo 98.5 FM, both in Cabimas, went off the air by order of the regulatory body.
In the case of Suprema, workers from the radio station denounced that they were forced to go off the air after a call received from a Conatel official. It was argued that the current documentation of that body was lacking to be able to operate legally.
Later, the closure of Jerusalem Stereo 98.5 FM was reported.
The argument used to order the closure was the lack of current documentation granted by Conatel itself to manage the radio spectrum.
Last #8Sepwe report the closure of two other stations in Ciudad Ojeda and nine between Maracaibo and San Francisco— SNTP (@sntpvenezuela) September 20, 2022
#DenunciaEP | The National Telecommunications Commission ordered the closure of another station in the state #zulia this Tuesday #20Sep. This time it is Jerusalem Stereo 98.5 FM that broadcast from the city of Cabimas.
With this one, there are more than 10 closed so far this month.
— Public Space ?️ (@espaciopublico) September 21, 2022
#SNTPAlert | Jerusalem Stereo 98.5 FM, a Christian station that operated in #Cabimaswent off the air this afternoon #20Sep by instructions of #Conatel.
Three stations closed on the same day and 14 in less than a month throughout the state #zulia. We denounce government censorship— SNTP (@sntpvenezuela) September 21, 2022
The September 14, Conatel closed five radio stations this Wednesday, September 14, in Cumaná, Sucre state, in eastern Venezuela. The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Espacio Público reported that it was Café 100.9 FM, Radio NVH 102.1 FM, Cool FM, Radio Boom and Mágica FM.
Since the beginning of September, 14 station closures have been registered in Zulia state alone. You have to remember the day 7it was denounced that Conatel ordered the closure of nine radio stations in the municipalities of Maracaibo and San Francisco in Zulia state.
The NGO Public space collected data during August 2022 to prepare a report regarding the violations of freedom of expression in Venezuela in that month. There he documented an increase in these actions related to the intimidation of journalists and other citizens.
In this sense, the aforementioned NGO registered 19 cases and 27 violations of freedom of expression; indicating that it is the highest number that has been evidenced since March 2022, when 17 cases and 25 violations of this right were reported.
With additional information from Radio Faith and Joy
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