17 June 2008
IFJ Urges Investigation into Recent Killings of Two Venezuelan Journalists
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today urged authorities to quickly find the killers of journalist Javier García, a reporter for TV station Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), who was found stabbed to death in his apartment on Sunday.
García was one of the most visible faces on RCTV, which has become a cable channel after the goverment revoked its broadcast license. Investigators from Venezuela's Body of Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations (CICPC) are pursuing a motive of robbery for the crime but the killing could be related to García's work. The journalist, age 37, was last seen alive on Friday doing what would be his last taping for RCTV.
"Unfortunately, this murder has shocked journalists," said Gregorio Salazar, Director of the IFJ Latin America Regional Office. "It adds to our concerns about safety after the killing of Pierre Fould Gerges, Vice-President of the Venezuelan daily Reporte Diario de la Economía."
Fould Gerges was killed on June 2 after being shot multiple times while driving. He had not previously received any threats and was driving a car owned by his brother, Tannous Fould Gerges, president of Reporte Diario de la Economía. In its investigation, CICPC is trying to find out if the victim was confused for his brother.
Top staff at Reporte Diario de la Economía received threats that the daily said were related to its reporting on corruption in a financial company that had dealings with the country's oil business. A lawyer for the newspaper said that it does not believe the government was involved in the killing.
"The fear from these crimes is casting a shadow over media professionals in Venezuela," Salazar said, "and the authorities need to make a full investigation into these cases to bring those who ordered and carried out the crimes to justice."
The IFJ and its regional group, the Federation of Latin American and Caribbean Journalists (FEPALC), calls on Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to ensure that attacks on journalists do not continue and to guarantee a free and democratic press in Venezuela.
For more information contact the IFJ at + 32 2 235 2207
The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 122 countries worldwide
Comments :
Carmen
01 July 2008 at 15:04
Bonjour, Qu'attendez-vous pour publier un démenti (pourquoi un repentir ?) quant à vos insinuations sur le meurtre du journaliste de RCTV, puisque il s'avère visiblement qu'il s'agit d'un assassinat n'ayant aucun lien avec la profession de la victime. Ce qui est déplorable dans votre papier, comme dans la plupart des articles sur le Venezuela dans la presse occidentale, c'est qu'il tend à laisser l'image subliminale que le Venezuela est un pays où règne la terreur. Vive la subjectivité journalistique ! Voir la note publiée par Reporters sans Frontières : 30.06 - Venezuela : Un jeune homme inculpé pour l’assassinat, sans lien avec la profession, d’un présentateur de RCTV A l’appui d’un portrait-robot largement diffusé, les policiers du Corps d’investigations scientifiques pénales et criminelles (CPIC) ont procédé à l’arrestation, le 26 juin 2008, d’Isaac Molleda, soupçonné d’avoir assassiné le journaliste Javier García. Ce dernier, présentateur de la chaîne privée Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), avait été retrouvé à son domicile, 15 juin dernier, le corps lardé de coups de couteaux. Inculpé au lendemain de son arrestation d’“homicide” et de “vol”, le suspect aurait avoué devant les policiers avoir tué la victime, qu’il fréquentait depuis huit mois, sous l’emprise de la drogue. Salutations.
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