Venezuelan journalist convicted to three years and nine months in jail

[ChangoLoa]

Francisco "Pancho" Pérez, a journalist with daily newspaper El Carabobeño, was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for committing the crime of libel against Edgardo Parra, the pro-government mayor of Valencia, the capital city of central Carabobo state, in an op-ed published on March 30, 2009.

Likewise, the Fifth Trial Court of Valencia banned Pérez from any professional and political activity, and ordered him to pay a fine of 1,250 tax units.

Ángel Perozo, the secretary general of the local branch of the Venezuelan Journalists' Association in Carabobo, said that the sentence amounted to "siege on freedom of expression."

He called on media professionals to show solidarity with Pérez and take to the streets to reject this decision.

"Articles 57 and 58 of the Constitution have been violated. Journalists have to speak up because this is a bad precedent for freedom of expression."


http://english.eluniversal.com/2010/06/11/en_pol_esp_venezuelan-journalis_11A4004891.shtml

[no limit]

1. jailing journalists because you don't like what they said?

I can't wait for someone here to tell us why this is ok.

[NoNothing]

3. Well, if we don't prevent misinformation beforehand

People might be persuaded by lies. I think that's the typical rationale.

[NoPasaran]

15. Didn't take long, did it?

[sabrina 1]

20. If you are the U.S. it is okay.

And worse, we jail other people's journalists. Not to mention killing a few journalists, or blowing up media headquarters. Here's just one of many, many examples of a journalist jailed by the U.S. Military:

U.S. military releases Afghan freelance reporter

A respected Afghan freelance journalist employed by several Canadian news organizations has been set free after 10 months in an American military prison.

Javed Yazamy, known by his nickname Jojo, was unexpectedly set free on Sunday.

No reason was ever given for Yazamy's arrest.

But the 22-year-old journalist, who was eventually dubbed an enemy combatant by U.S. authorities, had developed contacts with the Taliban during his work as a reporter and fixer.

He worked primarily as a cameraman for CTV but was popular among other Canadian reporters based at Kandahar Air Field and worked for other organizations, including The Canadian Press.

Western reporters in Afghanistan rely on trusted locals such as Yazamy for transportation and interpreting. Often, they conduct interviews or shoot video in places where it would be too risky for their employers to go.

Their advice on personal safety can be crucial.

In February, Yazamy -- by then a prisoner at the U.S. military base in Bagram -- was designated an unlawful enemy combatant by American authorities.

U.S. authorities said they had determined there was credible information to detain him because he was dangerous to foreign troops and the Afghan government.

The substance of that information was never revealed.

I'd say we ought to clean up our own very dirty back yard as we are not exactly the people to point fingers elsewhere.

Helen Thomas just got run out of town because she made an off-the-cuff remark that offended some people.

Dan Rather had his reputation destroyed after being clearly set up by Bush operatives in order to kill the story of Bush going AWOL.

Gary Webb committed 'suicide' after exposing government lies.

I think it's best for anyone from this country not to be rushing to condemn other countries. We haven't done much about our own problems, and I'll bet that there are many here who jump on Venezuela for this, who supported the firing of Dan Rather and Helen Thomas.

Leave the job of protecting a free press to those who actually believe in one. We certainly can't make any claims to be one of those countries.

[ChangoLoa]

21. What does the US have to do with this? There's a whole world out there. nt

[sabrina 1]

22. I think I explained that in my comment above.

No one in the U.S. has the moral authority to criticize civil rights abuses elsewhere thanks to our Government's actions both here and towards foreign journalists.

We spend a lot of time criticizing others, but can't seem to live by our own standards.

I don't know what the circumstances of this case are. I KNOW that Venezuela is filled with rightwing nutjobs constantly trying to undermine the democratically government there, mostly in collusion with the U.S. and Global Corporations.

Chavez made the huge mistake, in their view, of not cooperating in handing over his country's resources to Global Corps like BP the way our ally, Colombia has. If he were to do that, the Brits and the U.S. would ignore every human rights violation he might engage in, as they ignore the brutal oppression of the people of Colombia.

We need more Chavez' in that region of the world to stand up against the BPs of the world. Too bad our government can't seem to do it.

[ChangoLoa]

23. This is about a journalist called Francisco Pérez denouncing the corruption of a mayor in Valencia

After a 30-40 years of work, he was sentenced to almost 4 years of jail for writing "the mayor and his family pay and give the change back".

Now I'm curious, why do you bring Chavez automatically??? What if this had happened in Brazil or Colombia or Guinea?

[sabrina 1]

24. Why do I bring up Chavez? Because these articles that

appear constantly, searching for anything to use to criticize Venezuela with are meant to bring Chavez to mind and to accuse him of being a dictator. The country like any other democracy, has problems, a lot fewer than this one btw. But every opportunity is taken to highlight those problems to demonize the Chavez government so that Global Interests and the U.S. can plant a puppet government there. It's a huge oil producing country and we have an interest in it for that reason.

How many articles do you see about the Colombian Government's oppression of their people? Or our other ally, Uzbekistan's brutal torture record against its own people? Why are there so many of these articles about only Venezuela?

Since we are talking about journalists being treated badly:

Threatened journalists denounce "state of terror" in Colombia and blame Uribe

In an opinion column in El Espectador newspaper, Cecilia Orozco criticizes the passivity and silence of prosecutors about the reporters' accusations and warns, “It is not possible to continue to ignore the plight of press freedom in this country."

Morris and Duque released their evidence at a press conference on Tuesday, which is designated "Day of the Journalist in Colombia." This year, the day was marked also by recent news that Cambio magazine has dismissed its top two editors and will be converted from a weekly specializing in investigative reporting to a monthly general-interest magazine. Many Colombians fear politics motivated Cambio's decision. In a radio interview, Uribe denied exerting pressure on journalists or editors, the Associated Press reports.

Also this week, the International Federation of Journalists reports that the number of attacks against Colombian journalists last year—167, including six assassinations—increased by more than one third from the two previous years.

But Uribe is an ally of the U.S. He is a puppet who facilitates Global Corps like BP whose abuses there are horrendous, with his governments backing.

When I start seeing the same number of threads every other day on the brutality and human rights abuses of some of our allies I won't be tempted to think that the propaganda against anyone who refuses to cooperate with Big Oil is not an accident. it is designed to 'soften' the American and British populations to the idea that Venezuela needs a 'change of regime'. We've seen it before, support if you want to by helping the campaign, or post a balanced account of other country's far more serious violations.

[ChangoLoa]

25. This is an abuse of power from a mayor.

We, Latin americans, have an old tradition of criticizing our political rulers' nepotism and whenever a journalist is sentenced to 4 years for "libel", we usually find it absurd and hard to accept. That tradition from our civil society was strong with governments previous to Chavez and it hasn't diminished a bit. Politicians still use their power for their own benefit in Venezuela and smash others whenever they try to denounce them. Chavista or not.

You are "helping a campaign" which aims to reduce my country to the unique figure of its current ruler. That's absurd. I don't need to review all the violations committed in the world in order to denounce one violation committed in Venezuela. But maybe you agree with a 4 year sentence to a 60 year old journalist who committed the crime of libel. Maybe you consider yourself a liberal with that. In any case, I think you're not really on the topic here.

[sabrina 1]

29. There are lots of abuses by lots of mayors, DAs

Cops, Judges, Presidents right here in the U.S. Innocent people who get the death penalty eg, right here in this country because unethical prosecutors, or even Governors such as our Texas Governor eg, would rather kill someone than look like they failed to catch the right person.

I am very aware of OUR Government's propaganda against any country that refuses to hand over their resources to Global Capitalists.

An injustice has been committed imo in this case. But we are getting used to hearing about every injustice in Venezuela when by comparison even to this country, the U.S., they are far fewer. That doesn't mean they should not be addressed.

But I'm not sure what you think we in the U.S. can do about a mayor in Venezuela when we cannot deal with human rights abuses that occur in this country on a daily basis. It seems to me this should be dealt with in Venezuela and the only purpose in the reporting of it is to disparage an entire country to the rest of the world.

There is not a country on this planet, except maybe the Norther European countries, that doesn't have incidences of injustice.

[howard112211]

2. It would be interesting to read his op-ed.

Does anyone have link to it?

[ChangoLoa]

4. Do you read Spanish?

[howard112211]

9. Unfortunately not. Damn.

I actually want to learn it at some point since I am one quarter spanish...

[ChangoLoa]

12. Ostia!

The article isn't there anymore! As a libel it had to be taken out. Still looking for it. Great footnote you have btw!

[rabs]

28. Here you go

http://www.derechos.org.ve/derecho-a-la-libertad-de-expresion-e-informacion/conozca-la-columna-de-opinion-que-origino-la-inhabilitacion-del-periodista-francisco-perez-4513


It's in the long paragraph titled "Plomo Liviano." Don't know what plomo liviano (light lead) means in Venezuela-speak. But Perez wrote that a deputy named Carlos Escarra wanted the head of the mayor under the accusation that the mayor had endorsed his full power and representation to his son Edgardo and his wife Emilia in the mayor's office.

True or not, the court ruled it was defamation. Scanning the rest of the column, Perez comes across as a fierce critic of Chavez and his government.

----------------------------

PLOMO LIVIANO. Un sector de los tantos que hacen vida activa en el seno del PSUV en Carabobo presiona y se rompe las vestiduras tratando de forzar la salida de Agustina Chirinos como directora de OPAC en la Alcaldía de Valencia, ignorando que esta dirigente popular se comió las verdes como jefa de campaña a favor del triunfo de Edgardo Parra en la parroquia Miguel Peña. Empero, la señora Chirinos se mantiene enraizada soportando los vientos huracanados provenientes de su propio partido, aunque el fuego sigue por dentro y en estos momentos se aviva en los predios del alcalde Parra, tanto que en el partido de gobierno, en jugada maestra del diputado Carlos Escarrá, se quiere la cabeza del burgomaestre, bajo la acusación de haber endosado todo su poder y representación a su hijo Edgardo y en su propia esposa Emilia, que serían los que pagan y se dan el vuelto en la alcaldía.

[ChangoLoa]

31. Thanks a lot rabs. nt

[dipsydoodle]

5. Well - libel is libel

and I guessing that Venezuela hasn't got the exemption for satire that only the USA appears to have.

So in the words of the prophet - tough.

[ChangoLoa]

6. Tough indeed. Almost 4 years.

Libel is libel only when it's directed against government officials.

[ChangoLoa]

7. Here's the guy, the article was taken out of the journal's database by law

[howard112211]

10. I'm gonna say it...

I think he looks kind of like Obama :D

[dipsydoodle]

8. You've yet to tell us

what he said. I'm guessing it couldn't have been trivial.

[ChangoLoa]

11. He said the mayor had many members of his family in the highest positions of the city administration

...which is true. But was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months because he added a typical Venezuelan expression: "they are paying and giving the change back" (Estan pagando y dando el vuelto).

I'll try to find the original piece as it has been taken out of the databases since it was sentenced libel.

[dipsydoodle]

13. As I said before

satire and parody whatever are only protected in the USA : not in the courts of any other countries.

[ChangoLoa]

14. Right. But 4 years...

That's a lot of time for satire and parody.

[dipsydoodle]

18. I must confess a jail term does sound unusual for libel

and that a financial penalty may have been more appropriate

[ChangoLoa]

26. It will be house arrest and a ban to work as a journalist.

He'll also have to pay a financial penalty.

[NoNothing]

16. At the risk of being labeled a chauvinist

I think the U.S. is absolutely correct, and better, in this regard. If what this reporter said was in fact satire, or if it was the truth, then this law is wrong and it is bad.

[dipsydoodle]

17. Don't you find it strange

that the USA is the only country with that protection ? Some also seem to think it would provide them with protection in courts outside of the USA - it wouldn't.

[NoNothing]

19. I don't really find it strange at all

The U.S. generally holds free speech in somewhat higher regard than most other countries, related perhaps to the circumstances of its founding. Personally, I'm happy it worked out that way because I think civil liberties are good.

[LWolf]

27. Libel is, and should be, against the law.

:shrug:

[ChangoLoa]

30. 4 years, 10 years, a fine, what penalty? nt

[LWolf]

32. I don't have a real position on what the penalties should be.

For me, the penalties should be commensurate with the damage done. I also don't know how that plays out in U.S. or other courts around the world.

That doesn't subtract from my point, though. Libel is, and should be, against the law.