Freedom of Expression

Press Release 172/07

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A society that is not well informed is not a society that is truly free.

Advisory Opinion OC-5/85, IACtHR

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PRESS RELEASE

PREN/172/07

 

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION URGES THE STATE OF GUYANA TO ADOPT OBJECTIVE AND TRANSPARENT CRITERIA FOR THE ALLOCATION OF OFFICIAL ADVERTISING

 

Washington, D.C., July 25, 2007. The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS expresses its concern about the decision of the Government of Guyana to withdraw its official advertising from the daily newspaper Stabroek News.

 

The Office of the Special Rapporteur has received information reporting that since November 2006, the Government of the Republic of Guyana has completely withdrawn its official advertising from Stabroek News, one of the newspapers with the greatest circulation in the country. According to available information, this decision could be related to the editorial position of the newspaper, which is critical of the government. On June 13, 2007, the Special Rapporteur’s Office requested that the Government provide information, within a period of 15 days, regarding the allocation of official advertising in the country. Up to the date of the present press release, the Special Rapporteur’s Office has not received a response from the Government.

 

The Office of the Special Rapporteur emphasizes that the authority that States have to make decisions regarding the awarding of advertising should be exercised on the basis of objective and transparent criteria. Measures that deprive a media outlet from receiving official advertising for being critical of the public administration constitute an indirect restriction on freedom of expression.

 

The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Ignacio J. Álvarez, emphasizes that "official advertising constitutes an important source of income for some communications media in the region. Its arbitrary and discriminatory use can affect the diffusion of information of public interest, and the democratic control that a properly informed society exercises over the government."

 

The Special Rapporteur’s Office urges the Government of Guyana to review this situation and adopt legislation and administrative policies that require objective and transparent criteria for determining the allocation of official advertising. In addition, it recalls that principle 13 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression indicates that the arbitrary and discriminatory placement of official advertising with the intent to punish or reward communications media because of the opinions they express threatens freedom of expression and must be expressly prohibited by law.

 

For additional information about the Office of the Special Rapporteur: http://www.cidh.org/relatoria/index.asp?lID=1