Freedom of Expression

Press Release 183/08

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PRESS RELEASE

 

PREN 183/08

 

OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION REQUESTS EXHAUSTIVE INVESTIGATION INTO MURDER OF JOURNALIST IN BRAZIL

 

 

Washington, D.C., January 11, 2008 - The Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS requests an exhaustive investigation into the murder of Walter Lessa de Oliveira, a journalist who was working at the Alagoas State Legislature’s TV Station. The Office of the Special Rapporteur urges the Brazilian authorities to investigate this crime swiftly and effectively so that the perpetrators may be duly punished and to determine whether the murder was related to journalistic activity.

 

According to reports received by the Office of the Special Rapporteur, Lessa de Oliveira was murdered on January 5, 2008, in the city Maceió, State of Alagoas. Oliveira, former director of the Alagoas Journalists Union, was shot four times in the head while he was waiting for a bus in the outskirts of Maceió. Police have told to local press that a suspect of the crime was a drug dealer, who might have been filmed recently by Oliveira, although they also consider the possibility of a robbery resulting in his murder.

 

The Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Ignacio J. Alvarez, said: "The Office of the Special Rapporteur calls on Brazilian authorities to act with the due diligence to investigate the murder and to prosecute those responsible".

 

Principle 9 of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression notes that: "[t]he murder, kidnapping, intimidation of and/or threats to social communicators, as well as the material destruction of communications media violate the fundamental rights of individuals and strongly restrict freedom of expression. It is the duty of the state to prevent and investigate such occurrences, to punish their perpetrators and to ensure that victims receive due compensation".

 

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